Cobb County Graduation Rates Up Three Years Running; Allatoona, North Cobb Rates Follow Suit

The Georgia Department of Education released its yearly graduation report for the 2013-14 school year on Thursday, and it showed a third consecutive year of growth in Cobb County’s graduation rate.

Data shows that the county’s graduation rate reached 78.2 percent in 2013-14, 1.7 percentage points above the 2012-13 graduation rate and above the state graduation rate of 72.5 percent in 2013-14. The graduation rate also topped the school district’s strategic plan target for the year as well as the Department of Education’s target on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).

In Acworth, both Allatoona High School and North Cobb High School beat the county’s graduation rate by a wide margin. 87.1 percent of the Buccaneers’ Class of 2014 earned diplomas, an increase of 0.5 percentage points over the class of 2013. North Cobb’s seniors kept pace and put up a graduation rate of 82.9 percent, a 1.4 percentage point increase over the previous year.

“I am thrilled to see continued improvement in our graduation rate,” said Interim Superintendent Chris Ragsdale in a statement. “Our teachers are working continuously using innovative teaching methods to encourage students to stay in school and increase their achievement level. Of the many indicators that measure how well we are doing as a school district, graduation rate is one of the most important. Ensuring that students graduate on time and are prepared for success is our ultimate goal. It is great to see that we are performing at a high level in that regard.”