ELYRIA — Today’s 421 graduates not only represent the largest Elyria High School graduating class since 1992, but are also proof that the district is dedicated to reaching the state rank of “excellent.”

The number of graduates means the district, for the first time since the state began ranking school districts in 1996, has reached the state’s standard for graduation rates.

With more than 90 percent of this year’s senior class receiving diplomas, Elyria can count on receiving a point for reaching that standard when state report cards are released in August. This is a big improvement from the 1996-97 school year when only 63.2 percent of seniors graduated.

“Back then, we did things the traditional way where it was understood that failure was an option for some students,” said Mark Sutter, director of academic services. “Now, everyone approaches each student with the mindset that failure is not an option.”

Sutter attributes the increase in the number of graduates to two programs: Credit Recovery and Freshman Teaming.

Both have worked together to ensure that every child is given the tools to be successful, said retiring Principal Dianne Quinn, who will oversee her final graduation today.

“This group is the first to go through all four years with everything we have to offer them to make them successful,” Quinn said. “Only 12 seniors from this year’s class will not graduate, and that is quite impressive when you look at the number of graduates.”

Credit Recovery started three years ago and allows students who have failed a required class to retake it at an accelerated pace before or after school for full credit. Students obtain a passing grade while not falling behind their peers, Quinn said. A six-year, $2 million grant from the Cleveland Scholarship Program funds the program.

Quinn said Freshmen Teaming works to capture the most vulnerable high school group by clustering freshman students into smaller teams in which they work with the same homeroom teacher, counselor, assistant principal and secretary throughout their high school career.

“Teaming means that instead of freshmen entering high school where they are one of 600, they become one of 100,” Sutter said. “Studies show that if a student falls behind in 9th grade, pulling them through to graduation is that much harder.”

Quinn said an additional policy to include students with individual education plans in everyday classes also works to ensure special needs students graduate on time.

“We are pleased with how far we have come and believe that we are only getting started,” Sutter said.

“We have never had so few unsuccessful students before,” Quinn said. “But we still won’t be satisfied until we can say the number of students who are not graduating is zero.”

The 12 students who will not receive diplomas today include seven who have not earned all 21 required class credits and five who did but did not pass all five parts of the Ohio Graduation Test.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

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