I spend a great deal of time in these regular communications sharing the great accomplishments of the students currently attending Northshore schools. In this letter, I'd like to share some interesting statistics on where our students go after graduating from our schools.
In recent years we have seen great improvements in the ability to track our students' educational pursuits following graduation. The Education Research and Data Center out of the Washington State Office of Financial Management (www.erdc.wa.gov) is a growing source of such valuable information.
The most recent data available is for the graduating class of 2010. Of the 1,498 NSD graduates in 2010, 78% entered higher education directly from high school, compared to a statewide average of 62%. Over 80% of those college-bound students enrolled in a Washington state college or university with 37% entering a public 4-year institution, 6% entering a private 4-year institution, 38% attending a public 2-year institution, and 1% attending a private 2-year institution. The remaining 18% enrolled out-of-state, with the vast majority of those entering a public or private 4-year college or university.
The college application deadline for this year's seniors is rapidly approaching. One measure of our success as a district is whether those students will gain entrance to the colleges and universities they pursue. As students and their families eagerly await those acceptance letters later this spring, I am confident that our students will continue to do well.
Larry Francois, Northshore School District Superintendent
