Texas High School Attrition Rate Falls to Historic Low
Texas public high schools reached a historic milestone this year, with the statewide attrition rate dropping to 18% — the lowest level since the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) began tracking data in 1986. The finding, released in IDRA’s 39th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study, reflects major progress in reducing dropout rates, particularly among Latino and Black students.
According to the report, the attrition rate for Latino students fell to 22%, down from 26% the previous year, while the rate for Black students declined from 27% to 23%, a figure only matched twice in nearly four decades of data collection.
“These numbers represent real students whose futures have been positively changed,” said Celina Moreno, J.D., IDRA President and CEO.
We celebrate the difference schools’ investment in dropout prevention and college readiness has made to support students to graduation and beyond. But state and federal leaders must build on that momentum, not threaten it by weakening curriculum, underfunding schools, and attacking vulnerable students.
Celina Moreno, J.D., IDRA President and CEO
Despite the progress, the study warns that Texas still loses nearly one in five students before graduation and that students of color remain twice as likely to leave school as their white peers.
The 2023–24 study, led by Dr. Christina Quintanilla-Muñoz and Dr. Joanna Sánchez, found that:
• 18% of the freshman class of 2020–21 left before earning a diploma — equal to losing more than seven students per hour.
• 66,383 students from that class did not graduate.
• Since 1986, Texas high schools have lost a cumulative 4.2 million students from enrollment.
Each fall, IDRA publishes the only long-running statewide attrition analysis in Texas, measuring schools’ “holding power” — their ability to keep students enrolled through graduation. The organization identifies six factors that contribute to higher dropout rates, including exclusionary discipline, low funding, insufficient bilingual support, watered-down curricula, and high-stakes testing.
“At the most fundamental level, students stay in school and perform better when they feel welcome, safe, and secure,” Moreno added.
For more information or to read the full report, visit idra.org.
IDRA’s Frequently Asked Questions
What does the attrition rate show?
How many students leave school before graduating high school.
Why is this year’s decline notable?
Texas reached its lowest attrition rate ever, including record lows for Latino and Black students.
Do disparities still exist?
Yes. Students of color are still about twice as likely to leave school without graduating.
How many students did Texas lose this year?
More than 66,000 students — over seven every hour.
What helps keep students in school?
Supportive school climates, rigorous coursework, strong advising and equitable funding.
