Mayor Michelle Wu announced Monday that the Boston Public Schools showed an uptick in its high school graduation rate, bringing the school system to a new record high of 81.3%, according to state data.
“I say every day around the city that our top priority is making Boston a home for everyone and that has everything to do with our young people, our schools, school communities and opportunities for families in Boston,” the mayor said during a press conference at Roxbury’s Dearborn STEM Academy. “That is the story behind these numbers.”
The figure represents both a 1.6% increase from Boston’s 2024 graduation rate of 79.7%, and a slight increase from the previous BPS graduation record of 81%.
When that record was set in 2022, state officials expressed concern over Boston potentially overestimating its graduation rates by failing to properly document when students dropped out. A spokesperson for the department said that BPS has worked to improve their data and tracking systems over the last few years, giving the state more confidence in the quality of their data.
Boston’s year-to-year increase in its high school graduation rate outpaced the state’s, but its 2025 record rate still lags behind the statewide graduation rate by nearly 10%. As Massachusetts’ largest school district, Boston is home to a diverse student population with a larger proportion of high-needs learners who require additional supports.
Wu, who was introduced by Dearborn STEM Academy seniors Jhamani Stuckey and Melanie Herrera, said the uptick came with increases across every student demographic group. The biggest gains, she said, were made by multilingual learners, whose graduation rate increased by 5%.
“And it’s no coincidence that alongside the highest-ever graduation rate, we also saw one of the lowest dropout rates in BPS recorded history — the lowest one ever except for the year that was all remote during the height of the pandemic,” Wu said.
Nearly 9% of students dropped out in 2025, state data show.
“We didn’t get here by lowering any expectations for students who might be experiencing challenges or moving the goalposts and making it easier for people to get by,” she said. “Instead, we got here by ensuring that every single student in every single classroom is seeing grade-level content and getting the support they need to thrive.”
The mayor and BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper attributed the increased completion rate to a re-engagement center that helps address the needs of students at risk of dropping out.
“They either had... issues that they couldn’t keep coming [to school], they had to work, or they’re taking care of a parent, lots of different reasons,” said Skipper. “But that means knocking on doors. It also means going into schools that have the highest dropout rate and sitting with students like you and having those real conversations.”
The mayor also pointed to widening college and career pathway programs, like more Advanced Placement classes that allow students to earn college credit.
