4-year graduation rate falls at West Potomac, rises at Mount Vernon, Edison and Hayfield

West Potomac High School (Fairfax County photo)

West Potomac High School’s four-year graduation rate dipped in 2016, leaving it four points below the county average and second-to-last overall among high schools and secondary schools in FCPS, according to statistics released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) last month.

West Potomac’s four-year graduation rate was 87.8 percent, compared to 90.8 percent in 2015. The FCPS average for 2016 was 92.3 percent, while the Virginia average was 91.3 percent.

The VDOE calculates the four-year graduation rate by the number of students who entered the 9th grade for the first time in 2012-2013 and graduated in four years or less. More info on their methodology can be found here.

West Potomac also had a 10 percent dropout rate for the class of 2016, the second-highest rate among FCPS schools.

Thomas Jefferson had the highest graduation rate in FCPS at 99.8 percent, while Stuart High School had the lowest graduation rate at 82.5 percent (see full list below). Stuart also had the highest dropout rate.

The three other high schools that draw students from the Route 1 area — Mount Vernon, Edison and Hayfield —  all saw increases in their graduation rates. The highest local graduation rate belonged to Hayfield, which had 96.8 percent.

Mount Vernon had Fairfax’s biggest jump in graduation rates, going from 88.9 in 2015 to 93.1 percent for 2016.

Edison’s average rose from 94 percent to 94.5 percent.

Where Fairfax ranks locally

The 2016 four-year graduation average for Fairfax, which is the largest school system in the state, ranked in the upper half of other Northern Virginia jurisdictions:

City of Falls Church*: 99.5
Loudoun County: 95.9
Fairfax County: 92.3
Prince William County: 91.7
Arlington County: 91.1
City of Manassas Park*: 86.3
City of Alexandria*: 82.1
City of Manassas*: 79.8

*These jurisdictions have only one high school

4-year graduation rates in Fairfax County for all schools