Does the graduation rate add up?

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel claimed last week that while Jean-Claude Brizard, his pick for Chicago Schools CEO, headed the Rochester, N.Y., district, “graduation rates climbed from 39 percent to 51 percent in three years under his leadership.’’ Here’s what actually happened to the four-year graduation rate­, calculated with August graduates and starting before Brizard took over as superintendent in January 2008 through what the Rochester district estimates will be the August 2010 rates.

Year Aug. grad rate

2006 39 percent

2007 48 percent

2008 52 percent

2009 46 percent*

2010 51 percent**

*State graduation requirements made tougher

**estimated

Source: Rochester School District