KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM/FM) — New data shows more students are graduating from Kalamazoo Public Schools on time.
Supt. Michael Rice said the graduation rate was 70 percent for the most-recent span from 2014 to 2016.
“That compares to under 64 percent from 2009 to 2011,” Rice said. “That three-year rolling average has gone up every year in the last five years.”
He attributes the increase to better teachers and teaching.
“We’ve improved our curriculum in a variety of ways, we’ve improved our materials for teachers and we’ve strengthened and deepened our professional development,” Rice said.
He also said mentoring programs have helped, as has the Kalamazoo Promise college tuition program.
The statewide average over the same period was just shy of 80 percent.
