Cobb County Graduation Rates Up Three Years Running; Campbell's Rate Up, but Behind County Pace

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).

Smyrna’s Campbell High School failed to meet the county’s average graduation rate, however. The Spartan Class of 2014 graduated at a 66.1 percent clip, 0.2 percentage points fewer than the Class of 2013 before them. The news isn’t all bad for Camppell, though; since the 2010-11 school year, the school’s graduation rate has increased by 1.56 percentage points.

“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.”