Wisconsin High School Graduate Projections

Projections were generated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Applied Population Laboratory (APL) from historical data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The historical number of graduates is calculated as regular diploma completers from prior cohorts within 4, 5, and 6 years. Due to collection errors for some districts and private schools, particularly for the 2015-16 school year, APL estimated the historical enrollment and graduates based on the affected districts’ or private schools’ particular histories. Historical data by race/ethnicity were estimated when a number was unreported due to student privacy policies. Projections were developed by applying recent average grade-to-grade transition ratios to recent K-12 enrollments.

Projections of total high school graduates were generated statewide, by county, and by Workforce Development Area (WDA) as defined by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Projections of private high school graduates and public high school graduates by race/ethnicity are available for WDAs and for the following counties with large populations: Brown, Dane, Kenosha, La Crosse, Marathon, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Racine, Rock, Sheboygan, Walworth, Waukesha, Winnebago. Categories projected to have 50 or more graduates are included.

Race/ethnicity is only available for public high school graduates. DPI data do not distinguish among Asian American groups or include international students. Separate categories for Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Two or More Races were added in 2011. The projections combine Asian American and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander into a single category, Asian/Pacific Islander.