Eugene School District 4J

Superintendent Miriam Mickelson will convene an internal committee in the coming weeks tasked with analyzing data and developing a plan to improve 4J’s graduation rates.

The announcement comes as the district’s four-year high school graduation rate declined for a second consecutive year to 78.2 percent last spring, according to data released by the state education department this week.

Of the 1,415 students in the Class of 2025’s adjusted cohort, 1,107 graduated on-time with diplomas, or 78.2 percent, a 0.8-percentage-point drop from the prior year. Despite the decline, 4J’s on-time graduation rate for the Class of 2025 remains 6.2 percentage points higher than in 2014.

Dr. Mickelson, seven months into her tenure at 4J, said it’s critical for the district to take the necessary steps to reverse the recent downward trajectory. 

“We have to do better for our students,” she said. “Every day, our teachers and school staff show dedication and care for students. As a district, it is our responsibility to honor their work by building strong, coordinated systems that meet students where they are and respond to what they need.

“Our commitment is to ensure we work together and provide every student the opportunity to finish strong.” 

Dr. Mickelson is 4J’s fourth superintendent in five years, including chief executives who served on an interim basis. Churchill and North Eugene high schools, which saw notable declines in their graduation rates from the prior year, welcomed new leadership at the start of the current year after principal departures happened during 2024-25. Stable school and district leadership is traditionally a major contributor to sustained improvement in areas like graduation. 

The Class of 2025 on-time graduation rates did contain bright spots, particularly for certain student groups that have been historically underserved:

• The on-time rate for students with disabilities surged 13 percent compared to last year and an impressive 45 percent from 2014. Key to that success is increased outreach and engagement with families to improve attendance, opportunities provided by career & technical education electives, and targeted interventions to help students make up credits needed to graduate on time.
• The rate for American Indian/Alaska Native students and English Language Learners – students whose first language is not English – improved 41.2 and 20.1 percent, respectively, from the prior year.

The on-time or “four-year cohort” graduation rate tracks students beginning in ninth grade and measures how many of those students graduate within four years. The rate is adjusted for students moving in or out of the district. 

Students who take an extra year to graduate with a diploma are included in a separate five-year graduation rate. That rate was 81.1%, a 1.3-point drop from the prior year.

With more 4J students earning GEDs, the Class of 2025’s four-year completion rate – which combines graduates with students who complete a GED or extended diploma – increased 0.7 points, to 84.9 percent.

More information about high school graduation rates can be found on the Oregon Department of Education website.