DeKalb Schools' Graduation Rate At 75 Percent, New Figures Show

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA – The high school graduation rate for the DeKalb County School District rose one percentage point from last year to 75 percent, according to new statewide figures released Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Education. Between 2013 and 2018, DeKalb's graduation rate improved 15 percentage points, closing in on the state’s rate of growth each year.

Here are some notable increases in high school graduation rates:

• Southwest DeKalb – from 74 percent (2017) to 86 percent (2018) – 12-point increase
• Stephenson – from 80 percent (2017) to 87 percent (2018) – 7-point increase
• Ronald E. McNair – from 62 percent (2017) to nearly 69 percent – 7-point increase

Three DCSD high schools have graduation rates of 90 percent or more, far surpassing the state average:

• Arabia Mountain (99 percent) – Title I School
• DeKalb Early College Academy (100 percent) – Title I School
• DeKalb School of the Arts (96 percent)

Nine high schools have graduation rates of 80 percent or more, two more schools compared to 2018, all of which have surpassed or are close to exceeding the state graduation rate of 81.6%:

• Cedar Grove (82 percent) – Title I School
• Chamblee Charter (83 percent) – Title I School
• Dunwoody (86 percent)
• Lakeside (82 percent) – Title I School
• Miller Grove (80 percent) – Title I School
• Redan (82 percent) – Title I School
• Southwest DeKalb (86 percent) – Title I School
• Stephenson (87 percent) – Title I School
• Tucker (85 percent) – Title I School

Overall, Georgia's high school graduation rate increased again in 2018, rising to 81.6 percent from 80.6 percent in 2017. State officials said this is an all-time high for Georgia's graduation rate since the state began using the adjusted cohort calculation now required by federal law. Seventy-four Georgia school districts recorded 2018 graduation rates at or above 90 percent.

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