AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas and five other states have tied for America’s third-best high school graduation rate under a new system that makes nationwide data easier to compare.

Preliminary U.S. Department of Education data released Tuesday reported Texas’ four-year graduation rate was 86 percent for the Class of 2011.

That’s the same as Tennessee, New Hampshire, Indiana, Nebraska and North Dakota.

It was one percentage point behind Vermont and Wisconsin, while Iowa led the nation with 88 percent.

Texas was No. 1 in the country among on-time graduation rates for white and Asian students, and tied for first with Montana in black-student graduation rates.

Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams applauded the results. He said they prove “our public schools are delivering a high quality education and our students are having great success.”

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