A window into the Class of 2025, and what keeps students from graduating

Over a decade ago, former Oregon governor John Kitzhaber announced an aspirational goal to improve the state’s low-ranking high school graduation rate. His mission: a 100% graduation by 2025.   If successful, Oregon would catapult its rock-bottom national ranking to the top. It was a very ambitious goal. And so back in 2012 - when ‘Call Me Maybe’ was the song you heard everywhere - OPB set out on a very ambitious goal too. We decided to document the stories of a kindergarten class on their journey all the way through high school.       Now, the twenty-seven students we met when they were six years old are all on different paths – one student is even graduating early. But most are about to enter their senior year of high school in the fall. Education reporter Elizabeth Miller has been following the class of 2025 for years, and she gives us a window into their lives.    OPB Class of 2025 podcast: https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/30/listen-now-class-of-2025/   OPB Class of 2025 reporting: https://www.opb.org/specialreport/class-of-2025/ For more Evergreen episodes and to share your voice with us, visit our showpage. Follow OPB on Instagram, and follow host Jenn Chávez too. You can sign up for OPB’s newsletters to get what you need in your inbox regularly.   Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps: Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.