Oregon graduation rate nears 80 percent after 2nd year of solid gains Updated 11:36 AM ; Posted Jan 24, 8:03 AM By Betsy Hammond | The Oregonian/OregonLive Oregon’s high school graduation rate improved by 2 percentage points for a second straight year, marking the most sustained improvement in a decade, the state reported Thursday. Statewide, 79 percent of students in the class of 2018 earned diplomas within four years, the Oregon Department of Education said. The gains were broadly shared, with Latinos, Native Americans, whites, low-income students, girls and boys all matching or exceeding the statewide rate of improvement. The improvement in the statewide rate meant 935 more students earned diplomas last spring than would have done so, had the rate held flat. The most glaring exception to the otherwise rosy report was among black students, whose on-time graduation rate remained mired at 68 percent after showing steady gains the previous ...