High school graduation rates continue to climb in Iowa, according to the Iowa Department of Education. Data released by the department Tuesday show about 90% of students in Iowa’s 2015 graduating class completed high school within four years. Officials say Iowa became the first state in the country with a graduation rate above 90% last year. The graduation rate in Waterloo was the highest in the schools history. Waterloo administrators credit several programs aimed at helping students catch up once they fall behind in credits, including a summer school program and the Performance Based Diploma Academy, or PBDA, at West High.
