Douglas Graduation Rate Surpasses State Average For 4th Year

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA — The Douglas County School System Class of 2018 high school graduation rate of 86.5 percent once again surpassed the graduation rate for Georgia.

According to preliminary data released by the Georgia Department of Education Wednesday, the graduation rate for the state was 81.6 percent. Scores in Douglas County remained steady but saw a slight drop from 87 percent in 2017 to 86.5 percent in 2018. For the fourth consecutive year, all five Douglas County High Schools exceeded the state graduation rate of 81.6 percent.

“We want every student to graduate from the Douglas County School System. Our graduation rate has taken a small drop, but, for the most part, our graduation numbers have remained steady. We are committed to doing our very best to make sure we have the best resources and highest level of instruction in place so that every student is in a position to succeed,” said Trent North, superintendent. “We have tremendous work to do to produce the next generation of leaders. We will succeed because every student in the Douglas County Schools System deserves a high- quality education.”

(For more news like this, sign up for Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news in Douglasville — or other neighborhoods. Access Patch on the go with our iPhone app or our brand new app for Android phone users.)

The rate for the Douglas County School System was higher than Atlanta Public Schools, Cobb, Dekalb, Gwinnett, Paulding, Rockdale, and many other school districts. U.S. Department of Education mandates requires that Georgia report the graduation rate using the adjusted cohort rate. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort when a student first enters 9th grade and is calculated based on the number of students that graduate within four years.

While Chapel Hill High School increased their four-year cohort rate from 88.1 to 89.4 and Lithia Springs High School increased their rate from 83.4 to 83.6, Alexander High School had a decrease from 93.6 to 92.8, and Douglas County High had a decrease from 85.5 to 81.9. New Manchester High School dipped from 86.2 to 84.2. Even though these schools showed a slight decline, all five schools were still above the state average.

“Graduation isn’t just a conversation we have with our 12th-grade students. Our elementary and middle school administrators, counselors, and teachers understand the work done at their levels directly impacts whether a student is positioned to graduate in four years,” said Pam Nail, chief academic officer. “We will continue working to provide instructional resources and supports so that schools have what they need to provide a quality education for all students.”

For more information about graduation rates, please visit the school system website at www.dcssga.org or the Georgia Department of Education website.