Richmond Public Schools no longer has the lowest on-time graduation rate in Virginia.

According to a presentation Monday night to the Richmond School Board by RPS Chief Academic Officer Tracy R. Epp, RPS increased its 2021 graduation rate from 71.5 percent in 2019-2021 to 78.8 percent in 2020-21.

That’s an increase of 7.3 percentage points.

Richmond no longer has the lowest on-time graduation rate in the Commonwealth, the board learned. Hopewell and Prince Edward County schools had lower rates at 77.3 percent and 74.2 percent, respectively, according to the state Department of Education data.

Ms. Epp told the board that the graduation rate also increased by 24.8 percentage points for Latino students, 57 percent of whom graduated within four years. According to the state data, that’s the highest jump of any subgroup in the state.

“RPS saw the highest growth of any district in the Commonwealth when it came to its Latino students’ graduation rate,” Superintendent Jason Kamras told the board.

The on-time graduation rate for African-American students remained flat, with 80.7 percent graduating on time in 2019-20 compared with 80.6 percent in 2020-21.

Ms. Epp informed the board that the overall bump was below what RPS had projected at 85.7 percent. The difference was attributed to students not completing necessary work over the summer and other factors.

“A win is a win is a win,” Ms. Epp told the board regarding the projections and the actual numbers. She added that the school district should honor the work of students, principals, counselors who made the gains possible.

“We should focus on that. We credit work done at Huguenot and George Wythe high schools with helping support Latino students across the graduation finish line,” Ms. Epp said.

According to VDOE data, George Wythe’s student population is nearly 50 percent Latino. The school saw its graduation rate rise from 50 percent to 61.2 percent.

The credit for the increase goes to Wythe’s former principal, Joe Pisani, and its current principal, Riddick Parker, as well as teachers and staff who have stepped up to meet the academic needs of the students, she said.

Statewide, 93 percent of seniors graduate on time.

Additionally, RPS’ Class of 2021 overall dropout rate is down to 15 percent, with about 40 dropouts in the previous academic year re-enrolling in school.

For African-American students, the 2021 dropout rate went from 12.4 percent to 11.5 percent, while the dropout rate for Latino students went from 65 percent to 40 percent.

In another well-debated matter, the board voted 5-4 Monday night to approve Mr. Kamras’ recommendation to change the role of police officers in schools rather than eliminate them.

The board approved the plan to modify the uniforms of school resource officers, or SROs as they are known, to a softer design; to develop a diversion program to end arrests on school grounds for any nonviolent offenses; and to provide officers with additional training in restorative and trauma-informed practices. Administrators at schools with SROs also would receive additional training on when and how it is appropriate to engage an SRO in a student matter.

RPS will meet with the Richmond Police Department to adjust their Memorandum of Understanding covering police officers in schools.

The school administration also recommended immediately establishing a 10- person SRO Committee composed of two representatives from the School Board, two representatives from the administration, two students, two teachers and two parents/caregivers to collaborate with police representatives on updating the MOU for implementation no later than the start of the 2022-23 school year.

Additionally, RPS expects to revisit the MOU when it sunsets in 2023 for any further adjustments.