'Trending in the right direction': Volusia County Schools spotlights improved graduation rates
In recent years, Volusia County Schools has increased its graduation rate by over 10%.
In 2023-2024, the school district reported a 93.7% graduation rate, up from 84.5% in 2018-2019, according to data presented to the School Board at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 29. The latest graduation rate is additionally up over 30% from the district's lowest rate in the past 10 years; for 2017-2018, the district reported a 71.6% graduation rate.
"We are trending in the right direction," said Mike Micallef, VCS executive director of Graduation Assurance.
Of the 67 school districts in Florida, Micallef said VCS has ranked within the top 10 for graduation rate. Nine of its 10 traditional high schools showed improvement, with Deltona High School reached a 100% graduation rate. Pine Ridge High School had the largest one-year increase at a 4.4%.
"I think that represents thousands of additional students whose futures where forever changed," Micallef said. "Every percentage point is a story of perseverance, dreams realized and family celebrating some possibly their first high school graduate."
Among the Central Florida Coalition of school districts, Volusia County has the second highest graduation rate.
"These numbers just aren't numbers," Micallef said. "They represent our students from all backgrounds, with real dreams and real aspirations. As a former principal, I know the complexity and the work that goes into supporting students, day in and ay out, multiple pathways, multiple graduation that students need and that have support."
People may question the work, Micallef said, "but until you actually walk what we do day by day in our shoes as a high school principal, a high school teacher, high school office staff, you'll never truly fully understand."
"Because it truly takes a team or a village to do what we do," he said.
The "Graduation Readiness" presentation to the School Board comes after remarks made by School Board member Jessie Thompson during a Moms for Liberty summit last summer came to light a couple months ago. While speaking in a session titled "How to Work With Your School Board" during the summit, Thompson questioned the 100% graduation rate for Deltona High School, saying graduation was now equivalent to handing out "participation ribbons."
Thompson has since apologized and stepped down as chair of the board.
"While we welcome thoughtful discussion about our approaches, we will never accept disrespect towards our students, our staff and the dedicated work that our educators do each and every day," Micallef said.
The district's presentation included information about the different types of diplomas available to students, curriculum programs such as the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education and International Baccalaureate, Career and Technical Education and Dual Enrollment. In fall of 2024, the district reported 1,567 students were dual enrolled at Daytona State College, down from 1,642 in the fall of 2022.
The district offers 56 CTE programs and 37 career academies, with 99% of CTE programs offering at least one industry certification. Over 6,000 industry certifications have been earned by students.
School Board member Ruben Colon commended district staff for their efforts to provide alternate paths to graduation.
"This is not cookie-cutter work," Colon said. "This is specific. This is intentional. This is the work that our students deserve."