High school graduates of the class of 2024 excelled in numerous academic areas of study and matched the class of 2023 with the highest on-time high school graduation rate on record at 86%, according to the latest College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI) report, released March 31. Among these students, 34% graduated with honors, the highest level in the past five years.
The class of 2024 CCRI report details the outcomes of 11,613 students among 67 public schools including public charters. The CCRI is produced annually by Hawaiʻi P–20 Partnerships for Education (Hawaiʻi P–20), in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) and the University of Hawaiʻi.
Class of 2024 overall college enrollment increased from 51% to 52% and the proportion of class of 2024 graduates who attended a UH campus increased 3 percentage points from the previous year, from 31% to 34%. Of particular note, the percentage of completers who enrolled in a UH two-year campus increased from 17% to 19%, the highest percentage since 2020.
“The increase in college enrollment at the UH Community Colleges highlights the growing impact of our strengthened career pathways between HIDOE high schools and our seven community college campuses,” said Della Teraoka, interim vice president for the UH Community Colleges. “With UH two-year enrollment on the rise and four-year enrollment reaching record levels, these collaborative efforts are creating more opportunities for students to pursue higher education and succeed right here at home.”
The class of 2024 also had the highest number of completers in the last five years to earn a score of three or better on an Advanced Placement exam to 18%, and the most completers of Dual Credit classes, which increased 3 percentage points from last year (24% to 27%). Additionally, there was a 3% increase from 2023 of students who entered UH after completing college-level credits through Dual Credit in high school for English and math.
Graduates who earned the Seal of Biliteracy (students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in both of the state’s two official languages, English and Hawaiian; or either of the two languages and at least one additional language, including American Sign Language, by high school graduation) increased to 557 to 598 from the class of 2023, and CTE (career and technical education) honors also increased from 21% to 22%. The top three CTE programs completed by concentrators for the class of 2024 were hospitality, tourism, and recreation (23%); cultural arts, media and entertainment (20%); and health services (17%), all of which are integral areas of Hawaiʻi’s economy.
“Although college-going data from the class of 2024 demonstrates a turnaround from previous years, there are reasons for concern with academic readiness, especially in math,” said Stephen Schatz, executive director of Hawaiʻi P–20. “Math readiness is key across various industries, whether students aspire to be doctors, welders, auto mechanics, nurses, or teachers.”
UH degrees significant return on investment
In a study that evaluated the workforce earnings of UH graduates who earned two- and four-year degrees, the UH Economic Research Organization found that nine years after completing a college degree, students who received Pell grants earned wages similar to their non-economically disadvantaged peers, mitigating the effects of intergenerational poverty. Throughout their lifetimes, a college degree holder earns a 27% higher income, or $2.8 million more in wages for a bachelor’s degree and $2.7 million more, or a 22% higher income, for an associate of science and associate of applied science degree, when compared to students who stopped out and did not earn a degree.
