Among the states with the biggest rate gains
BUFFALO (AP) -- A new study shows New York is among states that have made the nation's biggest gains in graduating high school students.
The study by an education advocacy coalition finds the state is one of only two that have posted double-digit increases in graduation rates in recent years.
New York had a 60.5 percent graduation rate in 2002, when the national average was 72.6 percent. In 2009, it had a 73.5 percent graduation rate.
The report has been compiled by Civic Enterprises, the Everyone Graduates Center, America's Promise Alliance and the Alliance for Excellent Education.
It finds the nation is making progress in curtailing dropouts, but the pace of gains needs to improve in order to meet the coalition's goal of a 90 percent on-time graduation rate by 2020.
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