Article by Drew Muehlig. Photo by Dan Carnevale.
High school graduation rates increased slightly across New York in 2017 -- to 80.2 percent, up from 79.7 percent in 2016, according to data released Wednesday by the New York State Department of Education.
And some Genesee Region schools had a lot to do with that.
Elba, Lyndonville and Pembroke high schools all boasted 97-percent graduation rates last year, while Attica (94 percent), Pavilion (93 percent), Le Roy (93 percent), Alexander (91 percent), Batavia (91 percent), Byron-Bergen (91 percent), Holley (91 percent) and Kendall (90 percent) all came in with more than 90-percent commencement numbers.
Elba saw the biggest increase in graduation rates, climbing from 89 percent in 2016.
Elba’s superintendent, Keith Palmer, attributes the results to the school’s size and the teacher-student relationship building over time.
“Given our small size and low student to staff ratio, the faculty is better able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups,” Palmer said. “This allows for knowing and responding to individual student needs as well as developing meaningful relationships.”
For a complete list of 2017 graduation rates click here.
