2021 Graduation Statistics

Interactive Graduation Data

This dashboard indicates the graduation rates by school district for the 2020-21 school year. Click to access, then hover your mouse over a school district to view additional information and special considerations.

State of Colorado - Grand Totals

Class of 2021
4-year graduation rate: 81.7%

How are these rates calculated?
Special Considerations

Class of 2020
4-year graduation rate: 81.9%
5-year graduation rate: 86.0%

Class of 2019
4-year graduation rate: 81.1%
5-year graduation rate: 85.1%
6-year graduation rate: 86.6%

Class of 2018
4-year graduation rate: 80.7%
5-year graduation rate: 84.9%
6-year graduation rate: 86.2%
7 year graduation rate: 87.0%

The four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2021 was 81.7 percent. Under the “Anticipated Year of Graduation” (AYG) cohort formula that was implemented beginning in 2010, students are assigned an unchanging anticipated year of graduation (AYG) when they enter into ninth grade (AYG is also referred to as "class of..."). The anticipated year of graduation is assigned by adding three years to the school year that a student begins ninth grade. The formula anticipates that a student starting ninth grade in the fall of the 2017-2018 school year will graduate with the Class of 2021. For more information, please see Frequently Asked Questions.

CDE Press Release-Colorado's four-year graduation rate dips slightly for first time in a decade

Graduation and Completion Data

Full 2021 Release:

District and School Graduates and Completers by Subgroups (XLS)

2021 District Level Data

2021 School Level Data

Still Enrolled Rates

Graduation Rates 2019-20

(Prior Year 2019-20)

Graduation Rates 2018-19

(Prior Year 2018-19)

Graduation Rates for 2017-18
(Prior Year 2017-18)

Please see the Dropout Prevention website for more information.

Anticipated Year of Graduation (AYG)/

Class of 2021 Graduation Rate Calculation

Four-Year Graduation Rate =

Number of students in the 2020-21 AYG cohort receiving a regular diploma
[within four years of entering ninth grade in 2017-18]

DIVIDED BY

Number of students entering from ninth grade plus number of transfers in
minus number of verified transfers out

NOTE: Beginning in 2006-07, Colorado school districts could not report students as transfers unless an official request for the student’s educational records is received from the school in question. If this request is not received, the Colorado district is required to report the student as a dropout.

Anticipated Year of Graduation (AYG)/

Class of 2021 Completion Rate Calculation

Four-Year Completion Rate =

Number of students in the 2020-21 AYG cohort receiving a regular diploma plus those completing with a non-diploma certificate or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)
[within four years of entering ninth grade in 2017-18]

DIVIDED BY

Number of students entering from ninth grade plus number of transfers in
minus number of verified transfers out

The completion counts and rates include all students who graduate in four years with a regular diploma plus students who complete in four years with a HSED or non-diploma certificate. It is important to note that graduates are included in the completer count and rate, therefore the completion counts and rates for any school or district will be greater than or equal to the graduation rate.

Special Considerations

Small districts: 53 of Colorado's 185 school districts and BOCES had a 2021 graduation cohort base (students who could have potentially graduated as part of the class of 2021) of 16 or fewer students.

Other non-graduating completers: The 2021 four-year completion rate for the state is 1.5 percentage points higher than the four-year graduation rate. The completion rate includes all graduates plus students who receive a HSED or certificate of completion.
Alternative Education Campuses (AECs): In the 2020-21 school year, there were 87 Alternative Education Campuses located in 44 local education agencies (districts, BOCES and CSI). At least 90% of the students served at AEC schools are considered at high risk of dropping out.

For data requests, please see CDE’s Data Request page.