MSD Wayne Graduation Rates Reflect Continued Focus on Success

Graduation rates in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township continue to impress.

The Indiana Department of Education has certified MSD Wayne’s district graduation rate for the 2017-18 school year at 90.96 percent. Ben Davis High School’s 2018 graduation rate is 92.8 percent, and for the eighth straight year, Ben Davis University High School achieved a 100-percent graduation rate.

MSD Wayne Superintendent Jeff Butts says many factors are responsible for the district’s impressive graduation rate.

“We have extremely strong high school curriculum and great teachers, of course,” Dr. Butts says. “But a high-quality education in MSD Wayne starts long before that, with our engaging early-childhood program. It continues throughout our elementary and middle schools, with well-rounded instruction that gets stronger in STEM subjects with every passing year. By the time our students reach high school, they are well-prepared to succeed.”

At the high school level, students in MSD Wayne receive added support if necessary. This support can include study tables, tutoring, after-school transportation, and alternative programs. A college & career ready focus in MSD Wayne provides students with a vision of what they need to do during their high school years in order to pursue college or careers after high school. In addition, improved counseling services in the district have increased the focus on academic success.

Ben Davis High School and Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center serve more than 4,200 students from Wayne Township and 24 other school districts. Ben Davis High School offers more than 20 advanced placement classes and its students earned more than 6,000 college credits during the 2017-18 school year. The Indiana Association of School Principals named Principal Sandra Squire the 2018 High School Principal of the Year for Marion County. Ben Davis High School math teacher Sarah Shannon was a Top Ten Finalist in the 2019 Indiana Department of Education Teacher of the Year competition.

Ben Davis University High School (BDU) is MSD Wayne’s early college high school. Founded in 2007, 87 percent of BDU’s 2017-18 seniors graduated with both their high school diploma and associate’s degree from Vincennes University.

“Our graduation rates reflect the support of a great community,” says Superintendent Butts. “We appreciate everything those who live and work in Wayne Township do to help keep our schools strong.”