OPB’s ‘Class of 2025’ project culminates with seniors graduating, followed since kindergarten

In 2012, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber announced a goal that by 2025, the state would achieve a 100% high school graduation rate. Although Oregon today graduates only about 4 out of 5 students, that aspiration sparked the creation of OPB’s “Class of 2025” project. Journalists at OPB began tracking 27 students starting in first grade at Earl Boyles Elementary School in Southeast Portland through their senior year. For the past 12 years, the production team has documented the students’ triumphs and setbacks, transitions to new schools and social dynamics, along with the family members, teachers and administrators who’ve been helping them reach this milestone. The first podcast episode featuring some of those students at David Douglas High navigating their senior year is now available and a TV documentary featuring other seniors will be released in November. Joining us to discuss “Class of 2025” are three students: Josh, Joel and Anais. OPB editor and “Class of 2025” executive producer Rob Manning and Elizabeth Miller, an OPB education reporter and the reporter, producer and host of the “Class of 2025” documentary, also join us to reflect on the project and what it reveals about Oregon’s education system.

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