Graduation Rates are up in Georgia
A little more good news for our state. Still a long way to go, of course.
Georgia’s graduation rate has jumped to over 75 percent, the highest level ever. The state’s final graduation rate for 2008 is 75.4 percent, an increase of more than three points from last year.
“Georgia continues to make great progress in getting more students to graduate on time with a meaningful diploma,” said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. “In 2008, we had more than 83,000 students who graduated on time, which is 27,000 more than we had just five years ago. That’s a testament to focus, collaboration and a lot of hard work by our teachers and students.”
Governor Sonny Perdue said: “The progress we have made in our graduation rate has been nothing short of remarkable. Rising from just barely over 60 percent in 2002 to now over 75 percent reflects the commitment of our teachers, students, parents and graduation coaches.”
The state’s 2008 graduation rate was released as part of the final Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report. Initial AYP results were released in July. The final release takes into account students who graduated over the summer and retest scores from the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) in grades 3, 5 and 8, as well as school and system appeals. The AYP report is mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The final report shows that about 80 percent of Georgia’s schools made AYP in 2008.
“It was much more difficult to make AYP this year and yet, in the end, four out of every five schools in Georgia met the mark,” Superintendent Cox said. “That is very good news.”