FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
James Canning, 313-580-2845, jcanning@sandi.net
Mike Murad, 619-925-4790, mmurad@sandi.net
6,009 SD UNIFIED STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE, MOVE ON TO COLLEGE & CAREERS
SD Unified School District’s Projected Graduation Rate is 90.9% for the 2024-25 School Year
Board of Education in 2025 Approved Alternative Graduation Sequencing for Future Implementation to Tackle the 11.8% Not Graduating with Their Peers
SAN DIEGO (MAY 28, 2025) – The 2024-25 school year is coming to a close this month and 6,009 seniors in the San Diego Unified School District are projected to graduate with their peers. San Diego Unified School District’s projected graduation rate for the 2024-25 school year is preliminarily estimated at 90.9%, with final numbers available after summer school is complete.
“We are excited for all our graduates,” said Dr. Fabi Bagula, San Diego Unified School District Superintendent (Interim). “Each student at San Diego Unified walks their own unique path to graduation, and it’s not always a straight line, but neither is life. The lessons students learn from their studies and experiences while attending our schools prepare them for their future, whether they choose to attend college or head directly into a career that fuels their passions.
“As educators, student success both in the classroom and in life after graduation is the ultimate reward for doing this work and I could not be prouder of all those students who preserved and reached this milestone,” Dr. Bagula continued. “Congratulations San Diego Unified graduates!”
687 graduating seniors earned the State Seal of Biliteracy, an official recognition awarded by all U.S. states to high school students who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other language. It is a 14% increase over last year’s 601 recipients. Nineteen students this year received a double seal, making them trilingual. A cohort of 305 students are still waiting for pending approval of their State Seal Biliteracy requirements, which will be finalized in July. San Diego Unified awards the seal for 13 different languages and it appears on the student’s diploma or transcript to highlight their language skills to colleges and employers. The goal is to encourage multilingualism, value cultural diversity, and prepare students for a global society.
76 graduating seniors earned the State Seal of Civic Engagement, an award for students excelling in civics, making a difference in their communities, and knowing how democracy works. It is a 553% increase over last year’s 12 recipients.
San Diego Unified high schools are filled with student stories of success including:
- Derious McCovy, Mission Bay High School (Story Link)
- CJ Ippolito, Scripps Ranch High School (Story Link)
- Kemyron McCoy, Lincoln High School (Story Link)
- Christian Sanabria, Kearny High School (Story Link)
- Angela Aquino, Mission Bay High School (Story Link)
To see who the 2024-25 San Diego Unified Valedictorians and Salutatorians are, click this link.
One of San Diego Unified’s goals is to increase graduating student cohorts’ level of college and career preparedness, as measured by the College/Career indicator on the California School Dashboard, from 59.9% of high school graduates placed in the “Prepared” level in August 2023 to 71.9% by August 2030.
2024 California School Dashboard Graduation Rate
The 2024 California Schools Dashboard released last November revealed some upward trends for San Diego Unified to continue building upon when compared to the previous year, including that College and Career Indicators positively increased 3%. This means more students are prepared for college or a career. Also, of five large urban districts, in terms of overall status, San Diego Unified was highest in Graduation Rate and College/Career readiness.
| Measure | San Diego Unified | Los Angeles Unified | Fresno Unified | Long Beach Unified | San Francisco Unified |
| Graduation Rate | (88.3%) | (86.7%) | (86.2%) | (83.3%) | (83%) |
| College/Career | (62.9%) | (45.4%) | (43.1%) | (48.8%) | (57.8%) |
Alternative Sequence to High School Graduation Approved in 2025
In January, the San Diego Unified Board of Education approved a policy for the school district to continue to uphold current A-G aligned graduation requirements per Board Policy 6146.1, while simultaneously offering alternative graduation sequences that are flexible yet rigorous pathways to graduation that re-engage the 11.8 percent of students who typically do not graduate with their peers and contribute to the 3.2 percent district drop-out rate. By providing targeted, individualized support to meet the needs of the 11.8 percent, the district is expanding opportunities for students to pursue community college dual enrollment coursework and Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway completion to ensure post-secondary success for each and every graduate.
“This shift reflects the best of who we are as a district: A district committed to excellence without exception, equity without compromise, and the unwavering pursuit of success for 100% of the students, 100% of the time,” Dr. Bagula said earlier this year. “While we will continue to uphold the A-G aligned graduation requirements that set a high bar for all students, we must also recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach does not meet the needs of every learner.”
San Diego Unified is committed to guarding against any unintended tracking or overidentification. This is why the District’s plan includes a phased approach and strong oversight. The phases are:
- In Phase One (May -August 2025), the Office of Graduation will audit data, align transcript reviews with CCI readiness, and facilitate meetings with students, families, and staff to plan graduation pathways.
- In Phase Two (September-December 2025), San Diego Unified will pilot the process, monitor student progress, and begin building school-site referral systems.
- In Phase Three (February-May 2026), responsibility will transition to school sites, with continued district-level oversight, postsecondary counseling, and disaggregated reporting to ensure equity across all student groups. This is when full implementation occurs.
To learn more about the San Diego Unified School District, click here.
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James Canning (He/Him)
Executive Director, Strategic Communications & Information
San Diego Unified School District
jcanning@sandi.net | www.sandiegounified.org
Mobile Phone: 313-580-2845
4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 92103
Note: I may send and respond to emails outside of my normal workday or workweek. Please do not feel obligated to reply outside of your normal work schedule. Thank you.
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