INDIANAPOLIS — The 2023 Indiana state graduation rate is the highest it's been since 2016.
This is the second highest it's been on record.
Indiana Department of Education data shows 88.98% of students in the Class of 2023 graduated, up from 86.52% in 2022.
That's an increase of nearly 2.5 percentage points.
Statewide, graduation rates increased for:
- Black students – from 77.52% in 2022 to 82.43% in 2023 (4.91 percentage point increase);
- Hispanic students – from 83.86% in 2022 to 86.41% in 2023 (2.55 percentage point increase);
- English learners – from 85.60% in 2022 to 87.72% in 2023 (2.12 percentage point increase);
- Students in special education – from 76.39% in 2022 to 83.24% in 2023 (6.85 percentage point increase);
- and Students receiving free and reduced price meals – from 83.74% in 2022 to 88.74% in 2023 (5 percentage point increase).
One of those 2023 graduates is 17-year-old Jenna Ettenberger.
The straight A student wore her cap and gown this December, receiving her diploma from Brownsburg High School a semester early.
She wanted to finish up her secondary education that way she could get a head start on college.
Ettenberger did a lot of volunteer work at her mom’s clinic. She cleaned toys, helped set them out.
She also worked two jobs outside of school — one in a restaurant and another at an art studio — in order to save up for her higher education.
“I get a head start on college. With the dual credit AP classes I took, I’m already ahead. And then starting a semester early I’m even farther ahead. It’s less money I have to spend at college because I can leave earlier," Ettenberger said.
Wednesday is college move-in day for Ettenberger.
She’ll be heading down to Bloomington to attend Indiana University this spring.
She’s a member of the 21st Century Scholars Program and will major in exercise science.
Ettenberger says she hopes to become a physical therapist when she’s older, because she has a passion for working with children.
"My long term goal is to be that physical therapist and to help people and give back to the people who helped me and then the short term goal is just getting to college, getting into college. I think those really inspired me to work hard during my Junior and senior year," Ettenberger said.
