US High School Graduation Rate Up to 82 Percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's high school graduation rate has reached 82 percent, a new high.

The Education Department says the rate for the 2013-14 school year is the highest since it started using a new, uniform measure in 2010. Still, the numbers show nearly 1 in 5 students leaving high school without a diploma.

The newly released data showed that black and Hispanic students made some progress in closing the achievement gap with their white counterparts. About 72 percent of black students and 76 percent of Hispanic students earned diplomas in 2013-2014. For white students, the rate was 87 percent.

English language learners and students with disabilities had the lowest graduation rates.

Across the country, Iowa had the highest graduation rate. The District of Columbia had the lowest.