The Louisiana Department of Education has released the Class of 2018 college enrollment rates. For New Orleans, there is much to celebrate, as well as room for continued progress.
More New Orleans students are enrolling in college immediately following graduation:
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Since 2004, our college enrollment rate has risen by 23 percentage points, from 37% to 60%.
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This is more than double the amount that Louisiana’s statewide college enrollment rate grew during that time.
New Orleans graduates are enrolling in college at a rate higher than the state average:
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Our college enrollment rate of 60% is higher than the statewide average rate of 57%.
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New Orleans’ rate has improved from 10 percentage points below the state average in 2004 to 3 percentage points above the state average in 2018.
New Orleans schools are improving outcomes for underserved students:
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Our college enrollment rates for Black students, economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and English language learners in the Class of 2018 are also higher than the corresponding statewide averages.
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New Orleans’ 2018 college enrollment rate for students with disabilities increased by four percentage points compared to 2017.
Continued Work Ahead
It is also clear that we have significant work to do. While our college-going rate is above the state average, it remained flat compared to our rate in 2017. We want it to continue rising because that will mean a greater share of students are able to access the opportunities that college can provide.
To make progress, we can look to the leadership of some of the strong schools in our city. Many stand out for their efforts. Starting from the time their students were freshmen, these schools took clear action in order to help them prepare for college. They worked closely with families and teachers alike to support students’ path toward higher education. We spoke with four schools about their work here:
Warren Easton Charter High School
New Orleans Charter Science & Math High School
The NET Charter High School: Central City
KIPP Renaissance High School
These schools took a strategic approach to increasing students’ college readiness. Their thoughtful tactics helped college-entry rates rise, and can be a model for other schools across the city. If we share what works across New Orleans, we can see a city of students with more options to reach their dreams.
Celebrating Success Across New Orleans
Congratulations to the following four schools with increased college enrollment rates of five percentage points or more compared to 2017!
For college enrollment rates of economically disadvantaged students, ten schools stood out. Congratulations to the following schools which are in the top quartile of all schools statewide!
Individual School Performance: Class of 2018 College Enrollment Rates
Moving Forward
As a city, we must continue the important work of ensuring that our students not only graduate, but also are well prepared for life beyond high school. While colleges and universities are not the sole path to success, all of our children deserve to go to college if they so choose. We will continue to support our schools so that all of our young people will have legitimate pathways to higher education and the benefits it can provide. We will keep moving onward.
For more information, please refer to the Louisiana Department of Education’s press release as well as their downloadable data file.