90% of Regional Freshmen on Track to Graduate, Underserved Students Approach 85%, Both Record Highs

HILLSBORO, OR – The state released a trove of student data on Thursday, including how many freshmen have the requisite credits to graduate on time. The data shows many districts making notable gains and a few lagging behind.

Across the NWRESD region, which includes 36 high schools in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties, a record 90.3% students are on track to graduate in four years compared to 86.6% for the rest of the state. 

In four years, the Beaverton, Clatskanie, Gaston and Knappa school districts have grown consistently. Schools with significant increases over 2023-24 include the Hillsboro, Nestucca Valley, Rainier, St. Helens and Tigard-Tualatin school districts. 

9th Grade on Track Rates for Oregon and NWRESD Region for All Students and Underserved Students

Closing the gap between all students and historically underserved students is a major focus of Northwest Regional Education Service District’s on-track work because earning a high school diploma has powerful effects on a person’s life trajectory beyond just economics. Note: Data for 2019-20 was not released because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In the region, 84.9% of students who are underserved by our school systems -- meaning they haven’t historically gotten the support they need to succeed -- are on track to graduate. This represents an 8 percentage point improvement -- and the highest rate ever -- since the state started reporting aggregate numbers in 2017.

Why Focus on On-Track Rates?

Northwest Regional Education Service District launched a 9th Grade Success Network about seven years ago after researchers concluded that being on-track was the single most influential factor in a student’s ability to graduate. 29 of the 36 high schools in our region participate.

Teacher-led teams meet regularly to:

• Assess data so that students who need more support get it immediately.
• Design change ideas -- essentially small-scale improvements -- that enable them to try different concepts to see what works. When they find a successful intervention, they replicate it on a larger scale. Change ideas are usually meant to improve a school’s culture or instruction.
• Monitor their progress to see what’s working and what needs to be changed.

NWRESD educators coach and mentor teams, including training them on how to follow best practices, how to use and evaluate data and how to set goals that will benefit students. They also host network-wide convenings so teams can learn from one another. 

“In addition to academic supports, the 9th grade success teams in our schools emphasize the importance of community and connection,” says Hilary Clark-Hassinger, a professional learning coach who co-leads the network. “Much of the work they do is around improving relationships between adults and students and improving peer-to-peer connections.”

In order to kickstart those relationships, the network added a student-led component, where students work with teachers to review student data, listen to their classmates and then develop and test out ideas about how to improve the 9th grade experience. There are now 58 student interns participating -- up from 26 in 2020.

Recommended Contacts for Interviews and Commentary:

• Hilary Clark Hassinger, 9th Grade Success Network Professional Learning Co-Lead, Northwest Regional Education Service District
  • Focus areas: data and systems-building, network structure, change work, vision and philosophy of network, historical knowledge of the network
• Yuliana Rodarte, Assistant Principal, Beaverton School District (Community School at Merlo Station Campus)
  • Focus areas: multilingual learner supports, instruction and student data
• Daniela Moreno Gutierrez and Carey Wundram, Ninth Grade Co-Team Leads, Nestucca Valley School District
  • Focus areas: student-led work, can connect reporters to past and present student interns
• Najwa Sweilem and Zach Jones, On-Track Coordinators and Ninth Grade Success Co-Team Leads, Tigard-Tualatin School District (Tigard High School)
  • Focus areas: student codesign work, leading teacher teams, equity and affinity work

To learn more about the network read:

• 9th Grade Success Network Imagines a High School Experience Where Everyone Feels Connected
•  Freshman Year Isn’t What It Used to Be -- That’s a Good Thing.