Monroe County graduation rate jumps to 91.9% in 2024-25

The Monroe County School District announced a notable rise in its federal graduation rate for the 2024–2025 school year, moving districtwide from 86.9% to 91.9%, a 5.0 percentage-point improvement over the prior year. That increase outpaced the statewide rise of 2.5 points and lifted Monroe County ten places in state rankings for the Federal Graduation Rate.

The gains were pronounced among student subgroups, with students with disabilities (ESE) improving from 82.1% to 90.4%, an 8.3-point jump, and English language learners (ELL) climbing from 60.5% to 77.2%, a 16.7-point increase. District officials credited targeted supports for the improvements and praised contributions from students, teachers, families and community partners.

At the school level, Marathon High School rose to a 93.8% graduation rate, Coral Shores High School to 96.7%, and Key West High School to 92.3%. Those individual-school results helped drive the districtwide advance and reinforce gains across the island chain, from the Lower Keys through Key West and Marathon.

For local families and the island economy, a near 92% graduation rate carries practical implications. Higher high school completion increases the supply of credentialed workers available to tourism, hospitality, construction and marine trades that anchor the Keys' seasonal and year-round labor markets. Over time, improved diploma attainment tends to correlate with higher earnings, lower unemployment rates and reduced reliance on social services, all of which can stabilize household finances in a county with a high cost of living and a workforce subject to seasonal swings.

Policy implications center on sustaining the supports that drove these results. The substantial ELL and ESE gains suggest targeted interventions produced measurable effects; maintaining or expanding language acquisition programs, adaptive learning services and family engagement initiatives will be important to lock in progress. The district’s climb in state rankings may also strengthen its case when competing for discretionary program funds or partnerships, though any future resource shifts will depend on state-level allocation formulas and local budget choices.

Educators caution that year-to-year gains need follow-through to become durable trends. For Monroe County, the immediate question is whether the district can sustain accelerated improvements across all subgroups and translate higher graduation counts into postsecondary enrollment and workforce readiness. For parents and local employers, the uptick offers reason for cautious optimism: more graduates mean a broader local talent pool as the Keys prepare for another busy tourism season and longer-term economic development.