Is the dropout tide finally turning? New report says yes.

A new national report from Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center finds that the nation’s graduation rate has increased significantly, following two consecutive years of declines and stagnation.

With the dramatic turnaround, the nation’s graduation rate stands at 72 percent — the highest level of high school completion in more than two decades, according to the report. 

The report shows that the nation’s public schools will generate about 145,000 fewer dropouts than the previous year — giving reason to believe that the long push to combat the nation’s dropout crisis is finally starting to show results. 

"Just as Americans have been following the stock market and employment reports for signs of an economic turnaround, education-watchers have been on the lookout for improving graduation rates for the better part of a decade," said EPE vice president Christopher Swanson. “It looks like we are finally seeing strong signs of a broad-based educational recovery, which we hope will gain further momentum."

But don't celebrate yet. Despite the marked progress highlighted in the report, nearly 3 out of every 10 students in America’s public schools still fail to earn a diploma. That amounts to 1.2 million students falling through the cracks of the high school pipeline every year, or 6,400 students lost every day — most of whom are members of historically disadvantaged minority groups. 

Also included in the report: State graduation briefs for the 50 states and the District of Columbia featuring detailed data on current graduation rates and trends over time. How does your state fair? Did it's progress keep pace with the rest of the nation? Share your thoughts here or e-mail us at editor@nodropouts.org.