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By Rebecca Klein

High school graduation rates were on the rise during the 2013-2014 school year, according to new preliminary data released by the U.S. Department of Education. The numbers also show that the graduation rate gap between white and black students and white and Hispanic students is decreasing in many states — a positive sign.

The new data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the Education Department. NCES is expected to release more graduation data in upcoming months, including the nation’s latest overall high school graduation rate. A record high of 81 percent of students graduated from high school in four years during the 2012-2013 school year.

The preliminary data released Monday did not give an overall graduation rate for 2013-2014, though it did list rates for individual states. Thirty-six states experienced an increase in graduation rates, while six saw decreases, according to a press release from the Education Department.

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