Dive Brief:
- A new study shows that 14% of ninth-graders in Chicago Public Schools will graduate with a four-year college degree within 10 years, up from 8% in 2006.
- Authors of the study say the increase is due to a jump in high school graduation rates and an increase in college enrollment numbers, Inside Higher Ed reported.
- The college completion rate — achieving a bachelor’s degree within six years — ticked up only slightly.
Dive Insight:
While 14% is still very low, the jump from 8% represents nearly 1,700 more students earning a four-year college degree. The number of ninth-graders in the Chicago system is about 28,000. The 14% figure is also comparable to other big-city school districts. In New York City, a recent study showed an 11% degree attainment rate, while Baltimore was at 4% last year, and Philadelphia, Houston, and the District of Columbia have had rates ranging from 9% to 13%. The report is from the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research.