ROCHESTER — The June graduation rate for the Rochester City School District in 2015 rose from 43.4 percent to 45.5 percent, while the August rate remained flat at 51 percent.
Statewide, the graduation rates rose 1.7 percent to 78.1 percent, according to the state Education Department report.
The June rate for Hispanic students in the Rochester district also remained static at 38 percent from a high of 46.9 percent in 2013, while the rate for African-American students rose to 47 percent. The rate for students with limited English proficiency also increased from 13 percent to 17 percent.
James Monroe High School experienced an 11.7 percent jump to a 51 percent rate for August graduates, the biggest increase in the district, according to school officials.
The district also has taken several steps to improve graduation rates, such as increased use of online credit-recovery courses, as well as better analysis of course completion and Regents scores for ninth-grade students to identify students who are in need of extra help, according to Christiana Otuwa, deputy superintendent for teaching and learning.