The Associated Press is reporting New York is one of two states nationwide to post a double-digit increase in its graduation rate. A study released Sunday, Mar. 18, by a coalition of education advocacy organizations found the state's graduation rate went from 60.5 percent in 2002, to 73.5 percent in 2009. New York finished second behind Tennessee, among 24 states showing improvement. The national graduation rate is now 75.5 percent, according to the report. Approximately 32,000 more New York students graduated in 2009 than in 2002; 130 schools statewide had a graduation rate of 60 percent or less in 2010, down from 145 in 2002. The improved rate was attributed to "a sharper focus on high-needs districts and a strong commitment to getting diplomas into the hands of all students." Read the full Associated Press story online.