Eugene’s Bethel School District saw its highest ever graduation rate in the report released Thursday by the Oregon Department of Education. The district’s rate was 84.2%– above the state average of 80.6%
Bethel’s graduation rate for the 2020-21 school year also exceeded Eugene 4J and Springfield School Districts for the first time. Willamette High School Principal Dan Hedberg, who’s school had a 7 percentage point jump from last year, of 90.3%, said this result comes from efforts by staff, students and parents over many years.
“The vision, the long term vision, that was set up well before a pandemic was a thing was based in relationship with kids, right?” Hedberg said. “And dreaming about what an A caliber school looks like and what an A caliber district looks like and feels like and sounds like every day for kids right? And so that core component didn't change.”
Bethel’s Kalapuya High School also had the highest grad rate among alternative schools in the metro area, with 52.6 percent graduating on time.
Kalapuya Principal Stefan Aumack said their five-year graduation rate is nearly 90%.
“That means that we are reaching nearly every student that comes through our building,” he said. “And we know that students who are heading to Kalapuya have struggled, sometimes mightily, with home situations or school, or homelessness, or all kinds of things. So to be able to reach 90%, get 90% to a finish line of a diploma or a GED is something that we’re really proud about.”
Aumack said 10 years ago Kalapuya’s graduation rate was at just 10%. He attributes much of the improvement to districtwide efforts even during the challenges of the pandemic.
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