A new way of tracking high school students in Oregon reveals a far lower rate of graduation in four years than earlier reported.

file photo

Graduates file out to receive their diplomas.

The new system, quietly released by the Oregon Department of Education this week, shows 68% of all students who entered Oregon high schools in 2004 graduated in 2008.

Earlier, a different tracking system had calculated the state wide graduation rate at 84%.

Portland’s revised four-year graduation rate using the updated measurement was 54%.

Superintendent Carole Smith says she welcomed the more accurate numbers.

“So its brutal but its exciting because it lets us really move in and try to support individual students being successful and make the best of their time in high school,” said Smith.

More: Graduation rates by district (EXCEL)