PG County Graduation Rates Hit Record High: Schools

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – The graduation rate for Prince George’s County Public Schools set a record, according to data released Friday by the Maryland State Department of Education.

The state numbers show a graduation rate of 79 percent, a 2.16 percentage point increase in the overall four-year graduation rate for the school system. This is the highest graduation rate on record for the school district.

The following high schools made gains of 3 or more percentage points in their graduation rates:

• Fairmont Heights High School with an 13.40 percentage point increase
• Potomac High School with a 13.19 percentage point increase
• Suitland High School with a 6.91 percentage point increase
• DuVal High School with a 6.53 percentage point increase
• Frederick Douglass High School with a 4.54 percentage point increase
• Surrattsville High School with a 4.24 percentage point increase
• Central High School with a 3.50 percentage point increase
• Crossland High School with a 3.44 percentage point increase
• Henry A. Wise High School with a 3.38 percentage point increase

Principals from Fairmont Heights, Frederick Douglass and Potomac high schools, presented their strategies for increasing their graduation rates before the Maryland State Board of Education Friday in Baltimore.

“This is tremendous improvement and I am very proud of our students, staff, teachers and administrators for their hard work in achieving another impressive milestone. We are making steady progress toward outstanding academic achievement in PGCPS and this significant rise in our graduation rates is a great indicator of our success,” said Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell.

MSDE uses a four-year cohort method to calculate graduation rates. It follows a set group of students from freshman year through their senior year.

To view data for any district or school in Maryland, visit the 2015 Maryland Report Card website at www.mdreportcard.org.