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More California Students Graduate, Drop Out In 2008-2009

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A new state report shows that California public high school students are graduating at a higher rate, but more students also are dropping out.

The Department of Education report released Tuesday found that about 70 percent of public school students graduated from high school during the 2008-09 school year -- an improvement from 68.5 percent the previous school year.

Meanwhile, the four-year dropout rate for the school year is 21.7 percent -- up from the previous year's 18.9 percent.

Dropout rates for African-American students remained the highest at 36.9 percent, and Hispanic students followed at 26.9 percent. Both groups saw their dropout rates worsen by three percentage points each from the previous school year.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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