La Grande High School

On Thursday, January 29th, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released graduation rates for school districts in Oregon. According to ODE, helping all students secure a diploma or certificate has long been a goal of the state – the Class of 2025 is no exception. ODE was proud to announce that the statewide graduation rate was 83.0%, the highest on-time completion rate in state history.

Over the last five years, La Grande School District has regularly had a graduation rate above the state rate. “LGSD has routinely outperformed the state, and this year is no exception,” said Scott Carpenter, Assistant Superintendent. Oregon Department of Education verified that the La Grande High School Class of 2025 graduation rate was 93.75% and had a 97.92% completion rate (includes Extended Diplomas and GED certificates). According to Carpenter, this is a landmark accomplishment, as these are the highest graduation and completion rates reported for a La Grande High School graduating class in the last 12 years.

LGSD also celebrated a remarkable accomplishment of all major student focal groups (>10 students) achieving graduation rates at or above 90%. Particularly, the district is proud to announce that their students with disabilities graduated (i.e., Diplomas only) at a higher rate than their general education population at 95.65% and that 15 of their focal group populations had a 100% completion rate (i.e., Diplomas, GEDs, or Extended Diplomas).

Superintendent George Mendoza stated that the district definitely celebrates the Class of 2025 and all they accomplished; students, families, and staff showed tremendous focus, commitment, and perseverance as they navigated four years of high school for this outcome.

Chelsea Hurliman, Principal at La Grande High School, shared, “This increased graduation rate is proof that our staff and students’ hard work is paying off. I'm incredibly pleased to see such high completer and graduation rates at LHS.”

The district also appreciates the many community partners that impact students by providing job shadows, internships, donations, and more that give learning additional meaning and create the supportive environment students need to flourish. Superintendent Mendoza said, “These results reflect the hard work and resilience of our students, as well as the consistent support of our staff and families! These graduation results are due to sustained effort, strong systems, and high expectations from all stakeholders. We are proud of what our students have accomplished and remain committed to the future success of our students in all grade levels.”

Superintendent Mendoza said the LGSD graduation rate data was not surprising to the district. In September, district administrators shared data with the school board that indicated an increase in graduation and completion rates. La Grande High School will continue to work collaboratively to maintain partnerships and programs for students that engage passion and create college and career-ready opportunities for students so that upcoming classes can have similar outcomes.