Graduation Rates Dip Slightly at Hooch, Johns Creek, Northview

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- The results of the 2016 graduation scores show that Fulton again has the distinction of having the highest graduation rate in the metro Atlanta area.

That's according to the Fulton County School System, which said its 2016 graduation rate is 86.6 percent, a 1.3 percent jump over the 2015 rate of 85.3 percent.

The Georgia Department of Education released graduation results earlier this month. However, the school system said it received incomplete data, which required "additional revision and verification" before the numbers could be released.

Class of 2016 data shows nine Fulton County high schools saw graduation rate increases from the previous year. Three of those schools also increased their rates by more than 5 percent: McClarin High School (+17.8%), Banneker High School (+5.8%) and Creekide High School (+5.0%).

Graduation rates from 2015 to 2016 for Fulton high schools are as follows:

Most notable are the significant increases made over a five-year period. From 2011 to 2016, Fulton’s graduation rate increased 16.5%. While nearly all schools have shown gains, 10 of the district’s 18 high schools reported double-digit increases.

“The work that our schools are doing to increase students’ graduation opportunities is amazing and inspiring. Five years ago, some of our schools had stagnant progress in their graduation rates,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeff Rose. “Now, these schools have increased 20 to 30 percent in getting students to graduate on time. At a 2016 rate of 86.6 percent, we continue to be on track for meeting our strategic plan goal of 90 percent of all students graduating by 2017.”

This is the sixth year the Georgia Department of Education has calculated the graduation rate using the adjusted cohort rate, which is now required by the U.S. Department of Education.

The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort based on when a student first becomes a freshman. It is calculated using the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for student transfers. In contrast, Georgia’s former graduation rate calculation defined the cohort upon graduation, which may have included students who took more than four years to graduate

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