Getting Results


Ontario's Graduation Rate

More students are graduating from high school in Ontario as a result of the support from educators and Student Success programs. Over the last five years, the province has seen a steady improvement in the number of high school graduates. Seventy-seven per cent of students graduated with a high school diploma in 2007-08, compared to 68 per cent in 2003-04. That rate means that an additional 36,000 students have graduated in four years.

Tracking Progress

This table shows the progress of Ontario's graduation rate:

Year

Graduation Rate

2003-04

68 per cent

2004-05

71 per cent

2005-06

73 per cent

2006-07

75 per cent

2007-08

77 per cent

Student Success Strategy and Programs

Transforming high school for all students is the focus of our Student Success Strategy. It gives Ontario students a greater opportunity to customize their high school experience to match their strengths, interests and career goals.

The government has been providing support and resources for students who struggle, and providing all high school students with more learning opportunities that match their aspirations for the future. Read more about our Student Success programs.

Target

The government has set an 85 per cent graduation rate target by 2010-11 – a significant increase from 2003-04. This means that more than 90,000 additional students will have graduated when the target is met.

Costs Of Dropping Out

Here are some facts captured in the Canadian Council on Learning’s report on the cost of dropping out of high school:

  • Labour and employment: A student who drops out can expect an income loss of more than $100,000 in their lifetime, compared to individuals with a high school diploma (and no postsecondary education).
  • Social assistance: The average public cost of providing social assistance is estimate at over $4,000 per year per student who drops out.
  • Crime: Students who drop out are overly represented in the prison population.
  • Health: A student who drops out enjoys fewer years at a reasonable quality of life. This is because there are strong associations between education and health across a range of illnesses (e.g., cancer, diabetes). Combining morbidity and mortality costs, there is an estimated cost to the student who drops out of more than $8,000 per year.