2026 OCAP State of the Child Report

HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES DROPOUT RATES ARE DECLINING BUT DISPARITIES CONTINUE AMONG POPULATIONS, INCLUDING FOSTER YOUTH DESCRIPTION OF INDICATOR This indicator measures the four-year cohort rate for students in the grade-9-12 cohort who do not complete high school. The four-year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) is the number of students who graduate from high school in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. Cohort dropout rate reflects the percent of four year cohort students who: (1) do not graduate with a regular high school diploma, (2) do not otherwise complete high school, or (3) are not still enrolled as a fifth-year senior.

Why is this indicator important?

Findings 1 • In 2025 the adjusted cohort high school dropout rate was 3.9% in contrast to 5.6% in 2017. • The 2025 Riverside County high school graduation rate was the highest among the ten largest counties in California. • Dropout rates in 2025 were highest among foster youth (16.8%), homeless youth (10.2%), English learners (8.7%), and students with disabilities (5.6%).

High school completion is a critical milestone that influences long-term economic stability, health outcomes, and overall well-being. Students who do not complete high school face increased risks of unemployment, lower lifetime earnings, and poorer health outcomes. Tracking high school dropout rates helps identify student populations most at risk and supports the development of targeted strategies to improve student persistence and graduation. Beginning in 2016-2017, California modified the methodology used to calculate the Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). As a result, comparisons to years prior to 2016-2017 should be interpreted with caution.

1 California Department of Education. (2025). Four-year adjusted cohort outcome data: Riverside County district report 2024-25. DataQuest. https://dq.cde.ca.gov/da taquest/

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