High school graduation rate increases

According to the Wyoming Department of Education, the high school graduation rates in the state increased from 78.6 percent in 2012-13 to 79.14 percent for the 2014-15 school year. In Hot Springs County, the graduation rate increased from 77.6 percent in the 2013-14 school year to 81.8 percent in 2014-15.

Hot Springs County High School Principal Scott Shoop said the school has made significant changes to rules and regulations that were often a negative factor in students staying in school.

"We have implemented a three-tier intervention model designed to catch students before they fail classes," he said. "We have worked hard on changing the culture of our school and the learning climate in each classroom."

Schoop said it is frustrating if a student does not graduate with their cohort. When this happens, they are a factor is this statistic.

"Some students with disabilities or significant personal issues take longer to meet the criteria for graduation," he said. "For example, a court ordered placement of a student counts against us if the student fails to finish a program of study while they are in placement. There are examples of students counting against us when they have not been in our school or community for years."

The school's concerted efforts are to develop a positive relationship with each student, Shoop said.

"We are striving to build a school where students want to be and want to learn," he said.

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires intentional work to ensure individual student growth and close monitoring of graduation rates. Full graduation rate statistics can be found at edu.wyoming.gov/data/graduation-rates/.