Paterson's high school graduation rate has risen — slightly. Here's why

Joe Malinconico
·3 min read

PATERSON — The city’s high school graduation rate crept slightly upward in 2022, reaching 81.3%, but remains below the high-water mark of 87.8% that Paterson hit in 2017.

A district report showed that 820 of Paterson schools’ 1,250 graduates this year got their diplomas by going through the portfolio appeals process in math and 729 did so in language arts.

Officials said the numbers for students going through portfolio appeals were higher than usual because New Jersey did not provide standardized high school diploma tests, as it has done in the past.

Eileen F. Shafer, Superintendent of Paterson Public Schools announces a partnership with local churches and faith-based organizations, to bring Confidence Closets to 33 schools, offering students in grades 6-12 access to necessary personal hygiene items, during a press conference on July 13, 2022. Students often go without needed items, especially due to the impact of the pandemic and rising inflation.

“The data that has been presented is encouraging, but it also indicates the challenges our students, families, teachers and administrators have been facing since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” said Superintendent of Schools Eileen Shafer.

In 2019, before COVID-19, Paterson’s graduation rate was 79.5%, according to the district’s data. The rate dropped to 78.8% in 2020 when the pandemic began but climbed to 80.2% in 2021.

New Jersey’s average graduation rate in 2019 was 91%.

Paterson officials said the number of students who got their diplomas through the portfolio alternative has been on the rise because of changes made during the pandemic. The state Education Department canceled its diploma tests the past two years during COVID-19, officials said.

More:Why has the election for Paterson's Board of Education been so quiet?

As a result, officials said, students had to take substitute tests, like the SATs, to qualify for their diplomas. Those who didn’t get the passing grade through the substitute tests turned to the portfolio appeals, officials said.

“All Paterson Public Schools high school graduates have met the district’s requirement to earn 125 credits, five more than the state requires,” said district spokesman Paul Brubaker. “The district’s graduates earn their credits by attending classes, passing assessments, and ultimately completing courses.

“Make no mistake,” Brubaker added, “despite the pandemic, Paterson Public Schools has established a strong three-year trend of increasing the high school graduation rate and is on track to continue the trend for years to come.”

The state Education Department has not yet released graduation rate numbers for all New Jersey districts.

In 2021, Paterson’s rate was higher than districts in Camden, 58.5%; Jersey City, 78%; and Trenton, 62.4%, according to the state’s website. But Paterson fell below the rates for East Orange, 83.5%; Irvington, 81.3%; Newark, 81.3%; and Union City, 88.5%.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Paterson school board member Corey Teague.

Another board member, Vincent Arrington, said he was worried Paterson’s rate would decrease in coming years as the state returns to pre-pandemic testing standards.

The district’s data showed that several city high schools exceeded the state graduation rate average, including Paterson P-Tech, at 98%; International, at 97%, and Rosa Parks, at 94.2%. But Paterson’s two largest high schools brought the numbers down, with John F. Kennedy posting an 86.3% graduation rate and Eastside coming in at 78.7%.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.

Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ high school graduation rates in 2022