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When Indianapolis Public Schools announced that the class of 2025 achieved a 93% graduation rate—exceeding Indiana’s all-time-high statewide graduation average—it marked more than just a statistical milestone. It represented the culmination of years of dedicated work by extraordinary educators, visionary school leaders and committed students who refused to accept anything less than excellence.
At the IPS Foundation, we have had the privilege of witnessing this transformation firsthand. Over the past seven years, our supporters have invested more than $25 million in postsecondary readiness initiatives because they believed in what IPS students could achieve when given the right resources and support.
These historic results prove that the belief was well-founded.
The numbers tell a remarkable story. IPS has climbed from an 81.5% graduation rate in 2023 to 87.5% in 2024 and now to 93% in 2025. All four direct-managed high schools—Arsenal Technical, Crispus Attucks, Shortridge and George Washington—exceeded the 90% threshold. Perhaps most significantly, IPS students outperformed their statewide peers across every demographic subgroup, with Black, Hispanic, multiracial, special education and English-learner students all posting higher graduation rates than their counterparts across Indiana.
These achievements belong to the teachers who stayed late to provide extra help, the counselors who ensured every student had a pathway to success, the principals who created school cultures where every student matters and Superintendent Aleesia Johnson, whose leadership has transformed school environments and deepened community engagement. They are the architects of this success.
But none of this would have been possible without strategic investments in the programs that made the difference. Since 2018, the IPS Foundation has been able to secure millions in funding to support postsecondary readiness programs across IPS. Our donors and partners understood that graduation rates don’t improve by accident—they improve through intentional, sustained support for initiatives that address real barriers to student success.
Today’s results show what’s possible when a community comes together around its students. Our partners understood that investing in programs like Freshman on Track, scholarships, professional development for staff, college tours, and college and career programs wasn’t just about funding—it was about ensuring that teachers, counselors and school leaders had the resources and supports they needed to help every student succeed.
As we celebrate this achievement, we must also recognize the students themselves—young people, who persevered through challenges, stayed focused on their goals and proved what is possible when talent meets opportunity. The class of 2025 has set a new standard of excellence for Indianapolis.
This milestone also carries a responsibility. Now that we know what’s possible, we must sustain and build on this success. The foundation remains committed to working alongside IPS to ensure that every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to the support they need to graduate ready for college, career and life.
To our donors and partners: Your generosity has literally changed lives. Every scholarship awarded, every program funded and every initiative supported has contributed to this historic achievement. You believed in the potential of IPS students before the data reflected it, and your sustained commitment has made all the difference.
To the educators and school leaders of IPS: You are the heroes of this story. You did the daily work of building relationships, maintaining high expectations, and ensuring that every student felt seen, supported and capable of success. This achievement is yours.
And to the class of 2025: Congratulations. You have shown Indianapolis—and all of Indiana—what excellence looks like. We cannot wait to see what you achieve next.
Together, we are building a stronger Indianapolis, one graduate at a time.•
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Riley is the interim CEO of the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation.
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