The state graduation rate for Cincinnati's public high schools has gone up nearly 20% in the last decade. However, Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School's rate has dropped more than 16%.
Deputy Superintendent Tianay Amat said this could be due to high turnover.
"I would say leadership matters, consistent leadership," Amat said. "In that 10-year range, I believe there's been three to four principals."
Withrow University High School has also seen a decline of 16.6%.
In 2019 alone, two schools reported graduation rates of at least 99%. Those schools are Walnut Hills High School and the School for Creative and Performing Arts.
AP Enrollment Concerns
Concerns about AP test scores for Black students in Cincinnati were raised during Friday’s Student Achievement Committee meeting.
Only 20% of Black students from 10th through 12th grade are taking AP courses. Meanwhile, 55% of white students are taking AP courses.
Amat said changes will need to be made in the district's strategic plan to solve this issue.
"We don't want to take away from our white students - we want them to continue to excel and grow - but also close that gap with students of color," Amat said.
Currently, 1,876 out of 6,720 students are enrolled in AP courses. Only 694 Black students out of 3,965 eligible students are enrolled. Last year, 764 Black students were enrolled in AP courses.
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