Slightly more students are graduating in Mississippi, and fewer students are dropping out.

The Mississippi Department of Education announced Thursday that the state’s 2024-25 graduation rate is 90.8%, and the dropout rate is 7%. The numbers represent students who were freshmen in 2021-22, more than a year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The new figures are an improvement on last year’s, when the graduation rate was 89.2% and the dropout rate was 8.5%.

The dropout rate has steadily decreased since 2023, and the graduation rate has been trending upward for years, aside from a slight drop — less than 1 percentage point — last year.

The latest numbers, which do not include students who earned a GED or a certificate of completion, are lower for students with disabilities: a 71.1% graduation rate and a dropout rate of 14.6%. The graduation rate is still higher than in 2025. 

A news release from the department notes that the improved numbers are due to targeted interventions, including more options for meeting graduation requirements and a focus on career and technical education programs.

“These results reflect the hard work of teachers, administrators, parents, and, of course, students,” said Lance Evans, state superintendent of education, in a statement. “With continued support from the state Legislature to provide funding, MDE is committed to supporting students with innovative programs and educators with professional learning opportunities designed to produce continued progress across the state.” 

The Mississippi School of the Arts and Union Public School District graduated 100% of their students this past year, according to the state data. Other districts with the state’s highest graduation rates include the Mississippi School for Math and Science, Benton County School District and Alcorn School District.