Ed Board Looks To Boost Mass. Graduation Rates

Massachusetts education officials are looking to boost the high school graduation rate and ensure that more students have taken the courses they need to be ready for college.

The goals will be discussed Monday at a special meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The board says it hopes to raise the five-year high school graduation rate to 88.3 percent for the class of 2014. The current statewide rate is 84 percent.

Officials also hope to increase the MassCore completion rate from 70 percent to 82.5 percent. MassCore is a recommended program of high school studies which includes four years of English and math and three years of lab sciences. .

The state plans to use a $15 million federal grant to help achieve the goals.