CCSD Graduation Rate Exceeds State, Metro

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate for the Class of 2023 continues to exceed the state average and ranked second in metro Atlanta.

The four-year graduation rate of 92.2% topped the State’s average of 84.4%, according to a new report from the Georgia Department of Education released today.  Georgia, along with the rest of the U.S., calculates graduation rates based upon a 4-year cohort methodology.  

CCSD’s rate, down one-tenth of a point from last year, is the second highest among metro Atlanta county school systems.  River Ridge HS reported CCSD’s top Class of 2023 graduation rate of 95.3%, just ahead of Creekview HS with 95%.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said increasing the graduation rate and ensuring graduates are future ready are top priorities in CCSD’s Blueprint long-range strategic plan.  

“Congratulations to our graduates and thank you to our teachers, support staff, leaders, volunteers and partners who taught, coached and supported these students – your dedication and hard work does not go unnoticed,” Dr. Hightower said.  “Our mission is to prepare students for success in life, and high school graduation is a critical step.  We’re dedicated to continuous improvement, and even successes like this lead to internal review as we determine how to better support our teachers and staff in their important roles.”

CCSD’s five-year graduation rate, which tracks those students who need additional time to graduate, increased to 94% – up from 92%.  CCSD’s rate of students defined as “dropouts” by the State consistently remains low at 1 to 2%.  Some students in every year’s cohort need extra time to graduate due to reasons such temporary halts in learning for medical treatments or family emergencies.

“I’m incredibly proud of Georgia’s high-school seniors – and the teachers, leaders, and families who have supported them to produce these results,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “It’s important to remember that the positive news we’ve received lately – from this historic-high graduation rate to Georgia students beating the national average on the SAT – is more than just numbers.  Every data point represents an actual student and new opportunities that have opened up for their future.  I’m confident we’ll continue to see positive results as we invest in academic recovery and building a student-centered educational system.”
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