New York State's High School Graduation Rate Edges Past 80 Percent

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York state's high school graduation rate edged above 80 percent in 2017, but black and Hispanic students graduated at much lower rates than white students.

State education officials say black, Hispanic and white students all made small gains in the four-year graduation rate, but a 20-point gap exists between white students and their minority peers.

Data released Wednesday shows the overall June graduation rate was 80.2 percent, up from 79.7 percent in 2016.

Students in poorer urban districts also continue to lag behind. While nearly 95 percent of students in more affluent districts graduated in four years, the average graduation rate for Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers combined was 64 percent.

New York City posted a 71 percent graduation rate, up from 70 percent a year earlier.

"More kids in New York City graduate high school in four years than ever before in the history of New York City," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a visit to South Bronx Prep on Wednesday.

The city's dropout rate fell to 7.8 percent, the lowest on record.

"We have the will here in the city to keep making change," de Blasio said. "The fact that we could move the graduation rate up 8 points in just four years shows how much more is possible going forward."

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)