New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch and New York State Education Commissioner John B. King Jr. Mon., June 17, released statewide high school graduation rates. Overall statewide graduation rates remained stable at 74 percent last year, despite higher graduation standards. The four-year graduation rates reported for school districts in Columbia and Greene counties were higher than the state average at 79 percent. The highest rate of completion was reported for the Windham-Ashland-Jewett district at 90.5 percent. Drop-out rates for students who entered the 9th grade in 2008 ranged from a low of 1.7 percent in the Greenville school district, to a high of 22.2 percent in the Hudson district. Tisch said of the statewide results, “Despite all the naysayers, raising standards was the right thing to do. Our teachers and students rose to the challenge. Now it’s time to rise to the next challenge."