Boston high school graduation rate reached all-time high last year

City officials said Boston’s four-year graduation rate was the highest in the district’s history in 2025, with more than 400 additional students earning their degrees compared to the previous year.

The graduation rate in Boston Public Schools rose to 81.3 percent, a 1.6 percent increase from 2024, data from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education showed.

In 2006, the Boston Public Schools graduation rate was 59.1 percent and has steadily increased to 81.3 percent in 2025, according to the district. State average The four-year graduation rate is 89.3Eight points ahead of Boston.

Boston students from all demographics saw gains in graduation rates, particularly an increase of nearly 5% for English language learners and more than 5% for students with disabilities.

“BPS has made important investments in enhancing instruction and student support, expanding college and early career pathways, and addressing chronic absenteeism so students stay connected to their learning,” Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a statement. “We are encouraged by this progress.”

The graduates of 2025 were the first class in the state not to be required to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS, in order to graduate. Instead, the statewide K-12 Graduation Council issued a new framework to set statewide standards.

mayor Michelle Wu They celebrated the milestone with Skipper at Dearborn STEM Academy in Roxbury on Monday, attributing the high graduation rate to multiple factors, including additional AP courses and new college programs. Boston Globe I mentioned.

“When students feel challenged, they stay engaged,” Wu said. globe. “We didn’t get here by lowering any expectations for students who might be challenged or moving goalposts and making it easier for people.”

The BPS dropout rate also fell to 3.6 percent, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points, the district said. BPS said this year had its lowest dropout rate ever, not including the “pandemic-affected year 2021.” The state’s dropout rate dropped to less than 2 percent this year globe I mentioned.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime and more.