Hermiston, Pendleton, Umatilla school districts rank well above state average for high school graduation rates
By Terry Murry on Thursday, January 29th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – Three Umatilla County school districts have announced four-year high school graduation rates that are substantially higher than Oregon’s average. Hermiston saw a 4.9 percent increase to 85 percent of the class of 2025 graduating on time. Pendleton’s graduation rate grew by six percent to 89.7 and Pendleton High School alone came in at 94.6. The Umatilla School District showed a slight drop to 87 percent. All are well above the state average of 83 percent.
Each school district did a deep dive into all of the statistics released Wednesday by the Oregon Department of Education. They are below in alphabetical order in full.
HERMISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Hermiston School District has released its graduation data for the 2024-2025 academic year, showcasing continued growth and student success. The district’s four-year graduation rate climbed to 85.0%, reflecting a 4.9% increase from the previous year’s rate of 80.1 %. This encouraging progress mirrors statewide trends, with Oregon reporting a graduation rate of 83.0%.
Additionally, Hermiston’s four-year completion rate, which accounts for students who earn extended diplomas or GEDs, reached 87.4%. While the district celebrates this milestone, it also recognizes that graduation rates can fluctuate from year to year based on the unique characteristics of each graduating class. The 2024-2025 graduation rate reflects the outcomes of a particular cohort of students supported through ongoing district initiatives and instructional efforts.
Superintendent Dr. Tricia Mooney noted, “This increase reflects the determination of our students and the focused efforts of our educators. Each graduating class is different, and while we are proud of this progress, we remain committed to adapting our support systems to meet the evolving needs of every group of students.”
Director of Secondary Education Scott Depew added, “These results are a direct reflection of the incredible work happening in our classrooms every day. Our teachers are using classroom-level evidence and interim assessment data to identify student needs, adjust instruction, and provide targeted support. This intentional, responsive approach to teaching is helping more students stay on track and successfully reach graduation.”
Hermiston School District remains committed to working in partnership with families, staff, and community members to create supportive learning environments and prepare all students for lifelong success.
PENDLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Pendleton School District (PSD) is proud to announce that its graduation and completion rates for the 2024-2025 school year are the highest in the past 15+ years. Through the hard work and dedication of the students, staff and supportive families, the district’s regular diploma rate climbed to 89.7%. This marks a significant 6% increase from the previous year, exceeding the Oregon state average of 83%.
District-Wide Excellence: The 2024-2025 data highlights a district-wide trend of improvement.
• Dropout Rate: The district dropout rate fell to 1.7%, a 2% improvement over the previous year.
• Students with Disabilities: Graduation rates for this group increased to 89.7%, an improvement of nearly 18% from the year prior.
• Completion Rates: The district’s 4-year completion rate reached 91.3%, while the 5-year completion rate rose to 87.9%.
• Early Success: The “9th Grade on Track” rate reached 86% district-wide, providing a strong foundation for future graduating classes.
Pendleton High School (PHS): Pendleton High School continues to demonstrate exceptional performance with a graduation rate of 94.6%, an increase of nearly 6%.
• Students with Disabilities: PHS achieved a graduation rate of over 95% for this group, a 20% increase from the previous school year.
• 9th Grade Foundation: 93% of 2024-2025 ninth grade students ended the school year on track for graduation.
• Total Completion: The 4-year completer rate (including diplomas, GEDs, and modified diplomas) reached 95.7%.
Hawthorne Alternative High School: Hawthorne Alternative High School successes continue with a 72.2% graduation rate. This is the highest rate in the school’s history and represents a 17% increase from the previous year.
A Commitment to Growth and Continual Improvement
While we recognize these great successes, the Pendleton School District remains focused on ensuring success for every student. The district is actively working to bridge the “graduation gap” where graduation rates for minority student groups do not yet match the general population.
• Native American Students: Current graduation rate is 78.4%, while above the state average of 74%, this represents a decrease of 5% from the previous school year.
• Hispanic Students: Current graduation rate is 78.8%. This is 1% behind the state average and nearly a 3% decrease from the previous year. The district is committed to targeted improvements and additional support systems to bring these rates into alignment with the district’s overall average.
2024-2025 Performance at a Glance Category PSD All Students State Average 89.70% Students with Disabilities 83% 89.70% Students Experiencing Poverty 72.20% 81.80% Dropout Rate 71.30% 1.70% 4-Year Completion 2.90% 91.30%
A Message from the Superintendent: 85.50% “This year’s data isn’t just a collection of numbers; it’s a reflection of the grit shown by our students and the relentless support of our educators. Seeing our district graduation rate hit 89.7%—the highest in over 15 years—proves that when we set high expectations and provide the right resources, our students rise to the challenge. I am especially proud of our students with disabilities, who matched our district average at 89.7%, showing that every student in Pendleton can succeed.
“With a 94.6% graduation rate at Pendleton High School and a historic 72.2% at Hawthorne Alternative High School, we are proving that every path to a diploma is valid. Whether a student thrives in a traditional setting or finds their way through our alternative programs, our goal remains the same: a clear path to a successful future.
“However, our mission is not yet complete. While we celebrate these record-breaking gains, we are looking closely at the graduation rates for our Native American and Hispanic student groups. These figures are a call to action. We are committed to closing these ‘graduation gaps’ with the same urgency and dedication that led to our overall success this year, ensuring that excellence in Pendleton truly means excellence for every student, every day.” – Dr. Michelle Jensen, PSD Superintendent
UMATILLA SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Umatilla School District is proud to announce that the Umatilla High School (UHS) Class of 2025 has once again demonstrated academic excellence, with the “All Students” group and nearly every student demographic exceeding the State of Oregon’s graduation averages. Despite a slight decrease in the overall graduation rate this year to 87% from 89.5% for the class of 2024, Umatilla High School continues to significantly outperform the state average of 83%.
This trend of excellence is visible across various student groups, most notably within our Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, where both “Participants” and “Concentrators” achieved a graduation rate of over 95%. While the district celebrates these broad successes, we remain deeply committed to the success of our smallest cohorts. This year’s graduating class included 44 former English Language Learners (ELL) and 14 migrant students. While these numbers are small in scale and impact percentages accordingly, the district emphasizes that they represent individual lives and futures that matter immensely.
The 2025 data showed a former ELL graduation rate of 88.6% and a migrant student graduation rate of 78.6%. While competitive, the district recognizes there is room for growth in these categories – the only student groups that did not out-perform the state averages.
“Every student who walks through our doors is a priority,” said the Umatilla School District Superintendent Heidi Sipe. “While our numbers often exceed state benchmarks, we are not satisfied if even one student does not experience success. We are already looking toward the future by initiating conversations with partner districts to learn from their successes with former ELL and migrant populations.”
The Umatilla School District remains committed to bilingual education and evidence for the success of that program is found in the seventeen students who earned the Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy, demonstrating high-level proficiency in both English and Spanish.
In addition to high school completion, the Class of 2025 demonstrated significant college readiness. Collectively, the graduating class earned a staggering 3,171 college credits through dual enrollment programs which are fully paid for by the district. Seventeen earned both their high school diploma and an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degree from Blue Mountain Community College simultaneously. This achievement saves these families thousands in tuition costs and places these students two years ahead as they enter the university system or the workforce.
“While we are always striving for improvement, we are proud of the student successes evident in the Class of 2025 graduation data. I am thankful for the dedication of our staff across the district to support students in reaching this important milestone and helping them launch into successful futures,” said Superintendent Heidi Sipe.
