MCPS 8th out of 24 Counties in Graduation rate for 2010

With today's release of the High School Assessments and 2010 Graduation rates I took a quick look at some data, not real in depth but a few key points.   Clearly MCPS is not a State leader in the areas measured by these indicators.
 
Graduation Rate, MCPS was only the 8th best rate in Maryland, out of 24 school systems.  The second quartile.    While this is up from only 11th best last year, as you can see in the data, a long way to go to move up to 7th (+2.35%), and were they to fall 2% MCPS would drop to 14th.  MCPS currently sits at the top of a large cluster of the second tier Maryland School Districts.  
 
I also must note that when I looked at last years graduation rates MCPS responded that it was "neither valid nor fair" to compare MCPS to other Maryland School Districts.   I disagree.  What could be more valid and more fair?
 
Bob A.
 

County Name	Graduation Rate
Carroll	95.31
Frederick	94.56
Howard	94.31
Worcester	93.43
Garrett	92.82
Calvert	92.47
Washington	92.36
Montgomery	90.01
Charles	89.83
Allegany	89.65
Queen Anne's	88.94
Anne Arundel	88.86
Saint Mary's	88.83
Harford	88.38
Talbot	87.89
Baltimore County	86.08
Prince George's	84.42
Cecil	83.91
Somerset	83.33
Wicomico	82.74
Caroline	82.71
Kent	81.03
Dorchester	80.43
Baltimore City	65.9
All Public Schools	86.55