Public school grad rates up 16.6 percent

Darwan Lazard proudly announced that the “Evangeline Parish school system has been recognized by the Louisiana Department of Education for its graduation rate.”
Lazard, who is the school district’s assistant superintendent, shared this news at Wednesday night’s school board meeting.
The graduation rate is determined by the number of students graduating from the four public high school’s in Evangeline Parish, which are Ville Platte High, Pine Prairie High, Mamou High, and Basile High.
Lazard said, “For the first time in a long time I would say that we are ahead of the State’s average graduation rate.”
The state’s graduation rate average is 77.5, and according to the assistant superintendent, “Evangeline Parish’s graduation rate as a whole is at 79.5” based on the number of students that graduated in 2015.
“It is very important to the State that we raise our graduation rates, and we have made significant progress,” said Lazard. “The growth that we have achieved as of the last reporting from the 2015 cohort graduation rates represents a 16.6 increase in the score,” since 2012.
The asst. superintendent, who was standing in at the meeting for superintendent Toni Hamlin, made sure to give credit to the individuals who have helped the school district reach this accomplishment.
Lazard said, “Hats off to the high school principals and staff for helping the district achieve progress.”
The progress Evangeline Parish has seen in it’s graduation rate has also set it apart from other school districts in the state.
According to Lazard, the growth that has been achieved has put Evangeline Parish’s School District “in the top 10 districts in the state.”
Lazard said, “We are making great strides in the Evangeline Parish School District, and we plan to continue making progress each school year.”