Attrition and Dropout Rates in Texas
Texas public schools are losing one out of five students.
Each year, IDRA releases its attrition study. Attrition rates are an indicator of a school’s holding power, the ability to keep students enrolled and learning until they graduate. Key findings from the latest study show the following.
- Texas schools are failing to graduate more than one of every five high school student.
- 18% of the freshman class of 2020-21 left school prior to graduating with a high school diploma. This translates to losing more than seven students per hour.
- Texas public high schools lost a total of 66,383 students from the 2020-21 freshman class by 2023-24.
- Texas public high schools have lost a cumulative total of more than 4.2 million students from public high school enrollment since 1986.
- For the Class of 2024, Latino students and Black students were approximately two times more likely to leave school without graduating than white students – a consistent trend.
See reporter FAQs and resources regarding attrition and dropout data (and downloadable graphics).
Quick Links to IDRA’s Attrition Study Stories and Resources
Attrition Study 2023-24: Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2023-24 – Public School Attrition Rate for Latino Students in Texas Reaches Historic Low
News Release: Texas High School Attrition Rate Reaches Historic Low – IDRA Releases 39th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study
Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of five students
Infographic: 8 Types of Dropout Data Defined
Infographic: 6 Policies and Practices that Lead to Higher Dropout Rates
Trend graphs: See attrition rates and numbers over 10 years
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Additional Resources
Book: Courage to Connect: A Quality Schools Action Framework
Overview of the Valued Youth Partnership program, which keeps 98 percent of students in school (PDF)
Ideas and Strategies for Action
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the attrition rate show?
How many students leave school before graduating high school.
Why is this year’s decline notable?
Texas reached its lowest attrition rate ever, including record lows for Latino and Black students.
Do disparities still exist?
Yes. Students of color are still about twice as likely to leave school without graduating.
How many students did Texas lose this year?
More than 66,000 students — over seven every hour.
What helps keep students in school?
Supportive school climates, rigorous coursework, strong advising and equitable funding.
2023-24 Attrition Study
Texas public schools are losing 1 of 5 students
Look Up Your County for 10 Year Trend Graphs
6 Policies and Practices that Lead to Higher Dropout Rates 
