PIERRE, S.D.(KELO)- The report card on South Dakota Public Schools is showing great progress.

Attendance is up for economically disadvantaged students…along the graduation rates for that group.

State Education Secretary Joseph Graves is excited for the improvement.

Overall, the four-year graduation rate increased by two percent last year, to 84-percent.

One area that saw improvement is among economically disadvantaged students, whose graduation rates improved by six percent.

State Education Secretary says language arts and math scores held steady.

Graves says he’s confident a new statewide literacy initiative will lead to a boost in reading scores.