Members of the Chautauqua Lake High School Class of 2018 are pictured during commencement. Chautauqua Lake’s 97% graduation rate in 2022 topped all schools in the county. P-J file photo

Chautauqua Lake topped all Chautauqua County high schools in 2022 graduation rates.

For Dr. Josh Liddell, Chautauqua Lake superintendent, the result validates the hard work put forth by teachers, administrators, students and parents.

Students in the Class of 2022 were in high school when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, forcing school districts across the country to alter learning plans that, at times, kept students at home.

“The Class of 2022, which is connected to this rate, had to persevere through a host of unique pandemic-related circumstances,” Liddell said. “For Chautauqua Lake, we were blessed to have this cohort of students in school for in-person instruction throughout a high percentage of their high school career.

“We feel an in-person learning environment was an important factor that enabled us to have such a high graduation rate and some of the highest state assessment and regents scores in the area.”

In 2022, 59 of the 61 students at Chautauqua Lake graduated high school for a graduation rate of 97%, according to data from the New York State Education Department.

“Chautauqua Lake is very proud to have the highest graduation rate in the county,” Liddell said in a statement to The Post-Journal.

A year ago, 81 of the 86 students in Chautauqua Lake’s 2021 class graduated high school.

Liddell said his leadership team has made it a priority to ensure a high percentage of students are involved with co-curricular activities.

“We feel that keeping students engaged with school athletics, musicals, clubs and student organizations increases the likelihood that they will enjoy their school experience and in turn, perform well in the classroom,” he said.

Eight schools in Chautauqua County had a graduation rate of 90% or more last year. They are: Chautauqua Lake, 97%; Panama, 96%; Sherman, 96%; Bemus Point, 95%; Forestville, 94%; Frewsburg, 92%; Southwestern, 91%; and Pine Valley, 91%.

Out of those schools, Southwestern had the most enrolled students with 99.

Fredonia Central High School, with 100 enrolled students, had a graduation rate of 87% in 2022.

Two of the county’s high schools with the largest student body population, Jamestown and Dunkirk, had the lowest graduation rate last year. According to state Education Department information, of the 354 enrolled students, 265 graduated from Jamestown High School in 2022 for a 75% graduation rate. Of the 177 enrolled students in Dunkirk, 126 graduated for a 71% rate.

The rates were similar in 2021, with a 75% graduating in Jamestown and 68% in Dunkirk.

“Dunkirk has seen graduation rates in the 70s for many years, and it is something that I take very seriously,” Michael Mansfield, Dunkirk superintendent, said. “This is not just a high school issue; it’s a district issue.

Mansfield said district staff are concerned with the number of students who are not graduating, but added, “We also want to know the outcomes for those who do (graduate). Are they prepared? Can they compete?

“In order to answer those questions, DCSD has developed short- and long-range plans, including the reconfiguration of the district buildings, quality professional development for teachers, administrators and support staff, opportunities for teacher collaboration and the sharing of students for individualized instruction, social and emotional well-being, career planning and guidance, and communication with families to enhance family and community engagement.”

Only one other school in the county had a graduation rate last year that did not reach at least 80%. At Westfield, 37 of the 48 seniors enrolled graduated for a rate of 77%.

Dr. Kevin Whitaker, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, noted what goes into calculating a high school’s graduation rate, which can be impacted by students dropping out and those who take longer to receive a diploma. As defined by the state Education Department, the four-year “cohort graduation rate” is a measure of the number of students from a ninth-grade, freshman class who successfully graduate high school four years after entering their freshman year. That number can be adjusted based on students who transfer to a school or leave over the next three years.

Whitaker believes Jamestown High School can achieve a graduation rate above 90%. He said JPS has partnered with Learning Circle, which provides districts with information in dashboard form on student school performance. The superintendent also referenced research, including from Robert Balfanz and Elaine Allensworth, highlighting early warning indicators to identify students who are most likely to drop out and thus impact graduation rates later on. Three factors most found to have an impact on students dropping out include attendance, behavior problems and course failures.

State Education Department information shows Jamestown had a 15% dropout rate in 2022. The drop out rate for Dunkirk last year was 20%, while the drop out rate at Chautauqua Lake was 3%.

Staff reporters Timothy Frudd and M.J. Stafford contributed to this story.