(Des Moines, Iowa) Iowa leads the nation in high school graduation rates.
The National Center for Education Statistics reports 91-percent of Iowa students in the Class of 2016, completed high school within four years.
The report says the national high school graduation rate is at an all-time high of 84-percent.
State Education officials say Iowa's graduation rate has climbed three percent, in the past six years.
Education Director Ryan Wise says while Iowans should be proud of being number one, there's still work to be done to ensure all students are prepared to succeed beyond high school. He says the work supports the Future Ready Iowa goal of 70-percent of Iowans having education or training beyond high school by the year 2025.
Department of Education Spokesperson Staci Hupp tells WHO Radio News currently 58-percent of Iowa's workers have post-secondary education or training, which could lead to more rewarding careers, and to fill a need for employers in need of skilled workers.