Perhaps the ultimate measure of our success as a school system is the attainment of a meaningful high school diploma by our students that prepares them for college and career success. Earlier this month, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction released the most recent data on the on-time graduation rate for the class of 2015 and the extended graduation rate for the class of 2014.

The on-time graduation rate measures the percentage of students who successfully earn a high school diploma within four years of beginning high school in the 9th grade.

Northshore’s on-time graduation rate for the class of 2015 is 90.8 percent. That rate places us in the top quartile of the 32 districts in the Puget Sound Educational Service District. The on-time graduation rate ranged from 70 percent to 93.9 percent across those 32 districts, compared to a statewide average of 78.1 percent.

The extended graduation rate measures the percentage of students who successfully earn a high school diploma within five years of beginning high school in the ninth grade.

Northshore’s extended graduation rate for the class of 2014 is 93.3 percent. That rate also places us in the top quartile of the 32 districts in the Puget Sound Educational Service District where the extended graduation rate ranged from 68.8 precent to 95.4 percent. The statewide extended graduation rate for the class of 2014 is 81.1 percent. It is indeed gratifying to see our on-time and extended graduation rates well above the state average and in the top quartile of our region. And, there is still room for further improvement. While graduation rates in general are at historically high levels and learning opportunities and options in our high schools are increasingly growing, the reality is that a high school diploma only does not get students as far in life as it did in the past. More and more, a high school diploma is merely a minimal entry point to future opportunities for career options, advancement and economic security.

For the past six years, the student achievement goals and performance measures that have guided our work have contained a heavy emphasis not only on increasing our on-time and extended graduation rates, but also on encouraging students to engage in rigorous high school coursework aligned to their future goals and aspirations. As we have greatly expanded advanced courses and introduced new and innovative programs across our high schools in recent years, our students are becoming better prepared for continued study and training after high school that is so important for their futures. This is critical work and a focus that must be sustained to inch those percentages of students earning a meaningful high school diploma ever closer to 100 percent attainment.

Larry Francois is the Northshore School District superintendent.