Texas at a Glance
Not Doing the Math
Nearly a third of Texas students left high school between ninth and 12th grade in 2004-05, according to the Texas Education Agency. While some students graduate early, transfer out of state or get held back, many drop out.
The state's attrition rate, or the percentage of students who do not make it from ninth to 12th grade, has improved since 2000-01, but only slightly.
Texas attrition rate by percentage, grades 9-12
| School year | Attrition percentage | Actual number of students |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 36.7% | 127,769 |
| 2001-02 | 35.5 | 124,433 |
| 2002-03 | 33.6 | 120,793 |
| 2003-04 | 32.6 | 117,554 |
| 2004-05 | 32.1 | 117,127 |
Source: Texas Education Agency.