By AP
Frankfort, KY – Statistics from the Kentucky Department of Education show the state's high school dropout rate declined for a third straight year for boys and girls alike and for all ehnic groups except American Indians.
Also students had a better attendance record and fewer were held back to repeat a grade. More high school graduates reported making a successful transition to college, the military or a job.
The report of "Non-Academic Data" for the 2002-2003 school year is one component of Kentucky's system of school accountability.
The department reported 6, 082 dropouts in a student population of 182,494 students in grades 9 - 12. That's a rate of 3.3%. That compared with rates of 3.94% the previous year and 4.76% two years before.