IDRA Attrition Studies

Each year, IDRA releases its attrition study. We have released these studies every year since 1986, when IDRA conducted the first study for the state of Texas. IDRA is the only organization to have consistently examined Texas attrition rates, enabling year-to-year comparisons. Below is the list of each study (we are working on getting those early-year studies online).

Texas attrition study 2024-25

Attrition Study 2024-25: Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2024-25 – High School Attrition Rate Worsens with Biggest Jump in Four Decades
News Release: Texas High School Attrition Rate Increases, Reversing Recent Progress – IDRA Releases 40th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study
Infographic: Texas high schools are losing one out of five students (2024-25)

Texas attrition study 2023-24

Public School Attrition Rate for Latino Students in Texas Reaches Historic Low
Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2023-24
News Release: Texas High School Attrition Rate Reaches Historic Low – IDRA Releases 39th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study

Texas attrition study 2022-23

Pandemic-Legacy High School Attrition Rate Increases Two Points; Black-White Gap Widens to 15 Points

Article: Preview of IDRA’s 38th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study
Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2022-23

Texas attrition study 2021-22

High School Attrition Rate Sees First Increase in Six Years

Attrition Study: High School Attrition Rate Sees First Increase in Six Years – Texas Public School Attrition Study 2021-22

Texas attrition study 2020-21 Study

Texas Public School Attrition Study, 2020-21 – Texas Reaches All-Time Low Attrition Rate but Still Loses Over 80,000 Students from its High Schools

News Release (2020-21 study): Texas High Schools Reaches All-Time Low Attrition Rate, but Still Loses 80,000 Students – IDRA Study Gives a First Look at the Pandemic’s Effect on Attrition Rates
Attrition Study 2020-21: Texas Public School Attrition Study 2020-21
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
Article: Preview of IDRA’s 36th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study – A First Look at the Pandemic’s Effect on Attrition Rates

Texas attrition study 2019-20

Texas High Schools Reaches All-Time Low Attrition Rate, but Still Lose 80,000 Students – IDRA Study Gives a First Look at the Pandemic’s Effect on Attrition Rates

News Release (June 2021): Texas High Schools Reaches All-Time Low Attrition Rate, but Still Lose 80,000 Students – See news release
Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study 2019-20 – See pdf
Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of five students – See infographic page
Infographic: 8 Types of Dropout Data Defined – See infographic page
Infographic: 6 Policies and Practices that Lead to Higher Dropout Rates – See infographic page
Infographic: Failing Students in Texas – Despite Good Intentions, In-Grade Retention Hurts Children – See infographic page

See reporter FAQs and resources regarding attrition and dropout data (and downloadable graphics)

Texas attrition study 2018-19

Texas High Schools Lost 1 in 5 Students Last Year – It Has Taken Over 3 Decades to Improve by Just 12 Points – 34th Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study Released by IDRA IDRA

Attrition Study (February 2021): Texas Public School Attrition Study 2018-19 – See pdf
Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of four students – See infographic
Infographic: Poor Children Are More Likely to Disappear from Schools in Texas: – See infographic
Trend graphs: See attrition rates and numbers over the last nine years – Look up your county
eBook: Types of Dropout Data Defined – See eBook

Texas attrition study 2017-18

Texas High Schools Lost 1 in 5 Students Last Year; It Has Taken Over 3 Decades to Improve by Just 11 Points – 33rd Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study Released by IDRA

News Release (December 6, 2018): Texas High Schools Lost 1 in 5 Students Last Year; It Has Taken Over 3 Decades to Improve by Just 11 Points – 33rd Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study Released by IDRA – See story
eNews: Texas High School Attrition Reaches All-Time Low of 29% for Hispanic Students, Statewide Rates Returns to 24% After One Year Bumps – See eLetter
Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study 2017-18 – See pdf
Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of four students – See infographic
Trend graphs: See attrition rates and numbers over the last eight years – Look up your county
County List: Which counties had attrition rates go up or down – See list
Checklist Tool: Quality School Holding Power Checklist – See checklist
eBook: Types of Dropout Data Defined – See eBook

Texas attrition study 2016-17

Texas High School Attrition Reaches All-Time Low of 29% for Hispanic Students, Statewide Rates Returns to 24% After One Year Bump – 32nd Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study Released by IDRA

News Release (October 31, 2017): Texas High School Attrition Reaches All-Time Low of 29% for Hispanic Students, Statewide Rates Returns to 24% After One Year Bump – See story
eNews: Texas High School Attrition Reaches All-Time Low of 29% for Hispanic Students, Statewide Rates Returns to 24% After One Year Bumps – See eLetter
Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study 2016-17 – See pdf
Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of four students – See infographic
Trend graphs: See attrition rates and numbers over the last eight years – Look up your county
County List: Which counties had attrition rates go up or down – See list
Checklist Tool: Quality School Holding Power Checklist – See checklist
eBook: Types of Dropout Data Defined – See eBook

Texas Charter School System Suffers Low Graduation Rates – The Class of 2016 saw Graduation Rates of 62% in Charter Schools compared to 90% in Traditional Public Schools

News Release (December 13, 2017): Texas Charter School System Suffers Low Graduation Rates – The Class of 2016 saw Graduation Rates of 62% in Charter Schools compared to 90% in Traditional Public Schools – See story
eNews: Texas Charter School System Suffers Low Graduation Rates – The Class of 2016 saw Graduation Rates of 62% in Charter Schools compared to 90% in Traditional Public Schools – See eLetter
Infographic: Pomp and Poor Circumstances – Texas charter schools miss the graduation and accountability mark according to TEA reports – See infographic
Charter School Article: Annual Dropout and Longitudinal Graduation Rates in Texas Charter Schools, 2009-2016 – See study

Texas attrition study 2015-16

Despite Graduation Rate Progress, Texas Appears Stuck at Losing One-Fourth of High Schooler – 31st Annual Texas Public School Attrition Study

News Release (November 1, 2016): Despite Graduation Rate Progress, Texas Appears Stuck at Losing One-Fourth of High Schoolers – See story
eNews: Despite Graduation Rate Progress, Texas Appears Stuck at Losing One-Fourth of High Schoolers – See eletter
Attrition Study: Texas Public School Attrition Study 2015-16 – See pdf
Infographic: Texas public schools are losing one out of four students – See infographic
Trend graphs: See attrition rates and numbers over the last 10 years – Look up your county
County List: Which counties had attrition rates go up or down – See list
eBook: Types of Dropout Data Defined – See eBook

Temporary Policy Relieves High-Stakes for 6,000 Students – Use of Individual Graduation Committees Unlocks Diplomas for Qualified Students

News Release (November 14, 2016): Temporary Policy Relieves High-Stakes for 6,000 Students – See story
eNews: Temporary Policy Relieves High-Stakes for 6,000 Students – See eletter
Infographic:Use of individual graduation committees unlocks diplomas for qualified students – See infographic
Factsheet: Accountability that Doesn’t Hurt Students – See factsheet

Texas High Schools Stand to Lose Over 2 Million Students in Coming Years – At Our Current Pace in Texas, Universal High School Education is Two Decades Away

News Release (November 21, 2016):Texas High Schools Stand to Lose Over 2 Million Students in Coming Years – See story
eNews:Texas High Schools Stand to Lose Over 2 Million Students in Coming Years – See eletter

Zero Tolerance Policies Push Students Away – High Attrition Rates of Black Students and Hispanic Students Are Linked to Exclusionary Discipline

News Release (December 1, 2016): Zero Tolerance Policies Push Students Away – See story
eNews: Zero Tolerance Policies Push Students Away – See eletter
Infographic: 6 School Policies that Lead to Higher Dropout Rates – See infographic
Web Story: Zero Tolerance in Texas Graphs & Tables – “Zero Tolerance Policies in Texas Push Black Students and Hispanic Students Away from School” – See story
Web Story: Zero Tolerance in Bexar County Graphs & Tables – “School Policies and Practices Impact High School Attrition Rates in Bexar County” – See story
eBook: Resources on Student Discipline Policy and Practice (second edition) – See eBook
Article: In-Grade Retention in the Early Years – What’s Holding Children Back? –See article