While I do commend the Administration on its commitment and focus on high school reform, I believe that we must focus on graduation as the key accountability measure.

In this statement, Rep. Rubén Hinojosa frames “graduation” as the most meaningful indicator of whether high school reform is working. He acknowledges the Administration’s attention to reform—suggesting a policy debate already underway—yet argues that accountability systems should prioritize outcomes that reflect student completion rather than narrower proxies (such as test scores, seat time, or interim benchmarks). The quote implies that reforms can become distorted when schools are judged primarily on metrics that do not capture persistence to a diploma, and it positions graduation rates as a public-facing, comprehensible measure of institutional responsibility and equity.