Denver Public Schools Announces 42 Percent Decrease In Drop-Out Rate Since 2006

Denver Public Schools is reporting a 42 percent decrease in its drop-out rate since 2006.

In a press release on Tuesday, DPS announced that the district's drop-out rate--a one-year snapshot of all students who drop out of school during one school year--had fallen from 11.1 percent in 2006 to 6.4 percent in 2009-2010.

"We are pleased to see such a large reduction in our dropout rate. Every one of those 1,700 students is a young person who is staying in school and now has a significantly better chance to compete in today's economy and lead our society," DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg said in the release.

The release also cited a 2007 Census study (PDF) in asserting that a student with a high school degree is likely to make $8,000 more than one without.

State-wide, the drop-out rate for 2009-2010 was 3.1 percent. That's down from 3.6 percent in 2008-2009, and 4.5 percent in 2005-2006.