NEW YORK STATE -- New data from the State Education Department shows high school graduation rates continue to climb.

A report released Monday focuses on students who entered ninth grade in 2007. Overall, 74 percent of those students graduated after four years of high school. That's .6 percent more than the year before.

Commissioner John King says while it's good news the graduation rate is increasing, those who do graduate need to be better prepared for college and a career.

King released a statement which reads in part, "...competition demands that we keep improving our graduation rates. But it also demands that we close the achievement gap and make sure students who do graduate are ready for college and careers. Next school year, we’ll be implementing the Common Core standards, which will help more students achieve college and career readiness."

If you'd like to see the full report, visit nysed.gov.