MONROE - Monroe's 2008-09 graduation rate lagged behind other school districts in the area and behind the state average.
Monroe had a graduation rate of 77.4 percent for the 2008-09, the most recent statistics available from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
According to a report of graduation rates, done in part by Johns Hopkins University, the state's graduation rate for the 2008-09 school year was almost 90 percent.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said the graduation number can be misleading because it includes students in the virtual high school. Students in the virtual school take classes online classes. About 300 students are in the virtual school.
"The students in the virtual school don't always graduate in four years," Brown said. "It might take longer for some of those kids."
Brown said the DPI determines Monroe's graduation rate based on the number of students that attend the high school and the number of students in the virtual school.
"If it takes some students longer than four years to graduate that number counts against the school district."
Brown said students are in the virtual school because it offers an alternative to traditional education. He said it makes sense that some of the students in the virtual school might take longer than four years to complete their high school studies.
Other school districts in the area performed better than the state average. Two school districts, Juda and Argyle, had 100 percent graduation rates in the 2008-09 school year.
Juda Superintendent Phil Updike, said smaller school districts are able to provide extra support for students. There were 25 students in the 2008-09 Juda graduating class. Argyle had 29 students in its graduating class.
"When you have a smaller class, the teachers can give the students more guidance and instruction," Updike said.
Other area schools and graduation rates include:
Albany, 94.9 percent
Brodhead, 97.9 percent
Black Hawk, 94.4 percent
Darlington, 97.4
Monticello, 95 percent
New Glarus, 93.5 percent.
The goal set by the federal government is that schools graduate nine out of 10 students by the year 2020, according to the Associated Press.
Monroe had a graduation rate of 77.4 percent for the 2008-09, the most recent statistics available from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
According to a report of graduation rates, done in part by Johns Hopkins University, the state's graduation rate for the 2008-09 school year was almost 90 percent.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said the graduation number can be misleading because it includes students in the virtual high school. Students in the virtual school take classes online classes. About 300 students are in the virtual school.
"The students in the virtual school don't always graduate in four years," Brown said. "It might take longer for some of those kids."
Brown said the DPI determines Monroe's graduation rate based on the number of students that attend the high school and the number of students in the virtual school.
"If it takes some students longer than four years to graduate that number counts against the school district."
Brown said students are in the virtual school because it offers an alternative to traditional education. He said it makes sense that some of the students in the virtual school might take longer than four years to complete their high school studies.
Other school districts in the area performed better than the state average. Two school districts, Juda and Argyle, had 100 percent graduation rates in the 2008-09 school year.
Juda Superintendent Phil Updike, said smaller school districts are able to provide extra support for students. There were 25 students in the 2008-09 Juda graduating class. Argyle had 29 students in its graduating class.
"When you have a smaller class, the teachers can give the students more guidance and instruction," Updike said.
Other area schools and graduation rates include:
Albany, 94.9 percent
Brodhead, 97.9 percent
Black Hawk, 94.4 percent
Darlington, 97.4
Monticello, 95 percent
New Glarus, 93.5 percent.
The goal set by the federal government is that schools graduate nine out of 10 students by the year 2020, according to the Associated Press.