By Theresa Woelk

Staff writer

HERMISTON Hermiston High School has one of the largest decreases in Hispanic student dropouts in the state, according to a state report.

The Oregon Department of Education published its official dropout rates for the 1999-2000 school year on Thursday.

Most area high schools experienced a decrease in dropout rates and ranked below the state average of 6.3 percent, which is down from 6.6 percent during the 1998-99 school year.

The state rate is at the lowest in the past three years.

State Superintendent Stan Bunn was pleased to see state high schools increasing their holding power but cautioned that schools still need to do more because the rates are unacceptable.

The rates at HHS went down last year and over the past four years, yet remain above the state average.

HHSs dropout rate decreased from 9.4 percent to 6.49 percent last year. The school recorded that 75 out of 1,155 students dropped out of last year.

(See complete story in March 20 edition of The Hermiston Herald)