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Board hears graduation and equity report showing overall gains and persistent gaps for Native American and English learner students
Summary
Administrators presented a multi-year view of Lawrence Public Schools’ graduation rates: overall four-year rates have risen since 2019, but disparities remain and have widened for Native American students and English learners; district staff outlined targeted next steps and summer interventions.
District leaders presented the 2024 graduation report and equity analysis to the Lawrence Board of Education on June 9, showing overall improvement in on-time graduation but persistent and in some cases widening disparities for specific student groups.
James Polk, director of Data and Assessment, said the district’s four-year on-time graduation rate increased about 4.5 percentage points since 2019 and five-year cohort completion rose roughly 3.8 points. Polk noted that COVID-era accommodations and a district change in credit requirements affect comparisons across years.
Administrators highlighted celebrations and concerns. Dr. Swift praised long-term gains and said graduation rates rose over a decade; principals from the high schools and alternative programs described layered support systems — Link Crew, peer tutoring, student support teams, summer school, credit-recovery platforms such as Odysseyware, the College and Career Academy, AVID and Lawrence Virtual School supports — that are used to keep students on track.
However Polk and Dr. Swift emphasized areas of concern: Native American students’ four-year rate declined from 87.8% to 74.2% (a difference Polk said represented three students in the cohort), and English learners’ four-year rate decreased from 88.5% to 77.4% (Polk noted 53 English-learner students in the 2024 cohort). The district reported increases for students eligible for free and reduced-price meals and for students with disabilities during the same multi-year window.
Dr. Swift said the district will refine action plans focused on Native American students and English learners and has targeted additional staff FTE to increase supports; staff are tracking students enrolled in summer programs and diploma-completion pathways to close gaps for 2025 graduates. The board discussion included questions about attendance, mental-health staffing and how early-childhood programs and extracurricular access factor into long-term outcomes.
No board vote was taken; administrators said they will report follow-up information to the equity council and return to the board with updates on attendance and next steps.
