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District graduation rate rises overall but Native American and ELL gaps widened, board told
Summary
Lawrence Public Schools reported improved long-term 4- and 5-year graduation rates overall but highlighted widening disparities for Native American students and current English learners; administrators outlined targeted interventions including summer credit recovery and diploma-completion pathways.
Lawrence Public Schools administrators presented the district’s 2024 graduation and equity report Monday, showing a long-term upward trend in four-year on-time graduation rates while identifying persistent and in some cases widening gaps for Native American students and English language learners.
The findings: Director of data and assessment James Polk summarized multi-year data showing a districtwide increase in four-year on-time graduation since 2019 and gains in five-year cohort graduation as well. Polk said the district’s four-year rate improved about 4.5 percentage points since 2019 and five-year rate rose roughly 3.8 percentage points.
Gaps that concern the district: Polk and Superintendent Krishawn Swift said the largest recent declines were concentrated in two groups: Native American students and current English language learners (ELLs). Polk noted that a drop in Native American graduation from 87.8% to 74.2% represented a difference of three students in the cohort but nonetheless widened a disparity the district intends to address. For ELL students Polk reported a fall from 88.5% to 77.4% in 2024; he said the ELL subgroup counted in the graduation rate includes students classified as ELL at the time of graduation.
Why it matters: "We understand the assignment, and that is to overcome the obstacles and barriers that get in the way of an on-time graduation for every child," Swift said, adding that the district’s goal remains 100% graduation. The administration said improved overall graduation does not negate the responsibility to close subgroup gaps.
Actions and supports described: School leaders described layered interventions aimed at keeping students connected and completing credits: peer mentoring and “link crew” orientation at the high schools; weekly meetings of administrators, counselors and social workers to monitor attendance, behavior and academics; after-school tutoring partnerships (including KU student tutors at Lawrence High); Odysseyware and credit-recovery options; summer school and extended summer programs; the College and Career Academy and career-technical education pathways; Lawrence Virtual School supports including a dedicated homeroom teacher model and extended online/in-person help; and specialized programs such as C TRAN and Project SEARCH for students with disabilities.
Diploma completion pathway: Mark Pruitt, principal of the College and Career Academy and adult education diploma-completion programs, described a program that allows returning students and adults to complete remaining credits through concentrated in-person or hybrid options and formal testing. Pruitt said some students make more progress in the diploma completion setting in a few months than they did across earlier years.
Targeted next steps: Swift said the district will refine immediate action plans and add targeted staff resources for Native American students and current ELLs. The August task force focus for special education funding and the district’s upcoming equity work on attendance were named as priorities. Swift told the board the district had already identified students who had not met credit requirements and was working this summer to bring them to completion, noting that "our best chance" is to keep students in programs and connected to supports.
Board questions: Members asked about the interaction between credit requirements and graduation (the district requires 23 credits vs. the state’s 21-credit baseline) and whether administrators are using principal discretion to accommodate students in narrow circumstances. Administrators said most students are either essentially on track or substantially behind; the district uses multiple interventions early (even freshman year) and regularly monitors credit trajectories.
What’s next: The administration said it will return with further equity-focused updates — attendance was flagged as an upcoming focus — and will refine plans for additional FTE and supports for the groups whose gaps widened.
