Indiana’s high school graduation rate hit record high in 2024 — but some students still struggling

INDIANAPOLIS (INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — Newly released data shows Indiana’s high school graduation rate reached a record high with the Class of 2024, but minority and low-income students across the state continue to lag behind their peers.

In the most recent 2024 class, 90.23% of Hoosier students graduated, according to a report released by Indiana’s Department of Education last week. IDOE officials said it’s the highest graduation rate since the state began publishing data.

The increase builds upon a rebound from the decade-low high school graduation rate in 2022, when just 86.52% of students earned diplomas.

The graduation rate for the Class of 2024 marked a slight increase — about 1% — over the Class of 2023. The previous rate peak of 90.06% was set in 2014, according to IDOE data

“Over the past year, we have celebrated a number of successes in K-12 education, and there is urgency to continue this positive momentum for Indiana students,” Jenner said in a statement. 

“As a state, we have seen literacy rates increase for the third consecutive year, chronic absenteeism rates improve for the second year in a row, and today, the highest state graduation rate on record,” she continued. “Together, we must continue to keep our foot on the gas pedal in 2025, ensuring we keep improving our education system in Indiana and increasing opportunities for students.”

By the numbers

State education leaders said the federal graduation rate for Indiana also increased for 2024 graduates to 88.67% from 87.52% in 2023, and up from 85.12% in 2022. The federal graduation rate is calculated differently due to differences between state and federal accountability equations and standards.

IDOE officials additionally noted a continued drop in the rate of students across the state who need a waiver to graduate.

The state’s non-waiver graduation rate — the number of students who complete all their diploma requirements without needing a waiver — improved from 84.92% in 2023 to 87.53% in 2024.

Students who do not complete or pass some graduation requirements can still qualify for a diploma if they demonstrate knowledge or skill.

The waivers are intended to help students with special circumstances, including for those who transfer to a new school, or in cases where a student has attempted to pass competency tests at least three times.

Reducing the number of waivers used by Indiana high schoolers has been a focal point for state education and policy leaders.

A law adopted during the 2023 legislative session established new caps on the percentage of graduation waivers that can be counted toward a school’s state and local graduation rate beginning with the 2024 graduation cohort.

Lawmakers set a 9% cap on the number of students who can graduate from a school with a waiver during the 2023-2024 school year. After that, the cap drops to 6% in the following academic year, and down to 3% for each school year after June 30, 2025.

New data also showed non-public school students performed slightly better than their peers in public schools.   

Students in non-public Indiana schools graduated at a 92.3% rate while students in public schools graduated at a rate of 90.11%. Both rates are up compared to 2023.

Same as in the year prior, students at traditional public schools graduated at a higher rate in 2024 than those at charter schools. State data shows that 92.48% of traditional public school students graduated in the most recent cohort, compared to 58.6% in charter schools.

Disparities remain

Despite progress across all demographics, disparities persist statewide among racial, economic, and special education student groups, however.

Statewide, graduation rates increased by roughly 1.5 points for Black and Hispanic students, building on small gains in previous years. About 83.88% of Black students and 87.83% of Hispanic students graduated in 2024 — both below the statewide average. That’s compared to 95.91% of Asian students and 91.89% of White students.

English learners and special education students had slightly better graduation rate improvements.

The English learner graduation rate jumped from 87.72% in 2023 to 89.48% in 2024. The rate for students receiving special education services additionally increased to 85.30% in 2024, up from 83.24% in 2023.

The graduation rate for those who receive free and reduced lunch — the nationally-recognized metric for calculating student poverty — increased from 88.74% in 2023 to 91.52% in 2024.

While that’s still roughly 1.5 percentage points behind the rate for paid meal students, the gap between the two student groups is closing; the split was as high as 8.5 percentage points in 2022. That year, Indiana schools graduated only 83.7% of students who received free and reduced lunch, according to IDOE data.

The landmark graduation rate was announced just ahead of the 2025 session, during which state lawmakers are expected to revisit discussion and possible legislation to address Indiana’s ongoing challenges around literacy, absenteeism and graduation requirements. 

In December, Indiana’s State Board of Education approved a high school diploma overhaul meant to boost Indiana’s dismal college-going numbers and ensure that all Hoosier students — college-bound or not — graduate from high school with high-value, work-ready skills. Those changes will take effect with Indiana’s Class of 2029, but schools can opt in earlier, if they choose.