Georgia's high school graduation rate remains relatively unchanged, coming in at 83.7 percent compared to 83.8 percent in 2020.
According to Meghan Frick with the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia's graduation rate has increased by 14 percentage points since 2012.
“Given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am pleased to see Georgia’s graduation rate holding steady,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said to WGXA News. “Combined with the class of 2021’s increases in ACT and SAT scores, this is an encouraging indicator about the work being done in public schools. Teachers and students have continued to succeed in the face of challenging circumstances. Of course, there is still work to do – we will continue our efforts to ensure every student sees the relevance of their high-school education and receives a diploma that directly prepares them for their future.”
WGXA News examined graduation rates for all Middle Georgia school systems. Montgomery County is the only district in the region to achieve a 100 percent graduation rate. Of the 32 school systems in Middle Georgia, all but four met or exceeded the state's average graduation rate. Bibb County, Macon County, Twiggs County, and Crawford County Schools are the four districts in our region to score below the state average.
In Bibb County, 80.7 percent of high school seniors graduated in 2021, an increase from 76.1% in 2020. The district says all six high schools showed growth from year to year, including Howard High School's 85 percent graduation rate, a new district high.
“Bibb County, like the rest of the state and nation, has really been thrown for a loop because of COVID-19," Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones said. to WGXA News. "One of the goals we set early was to get to a graduation rate of 90 percent by the year 2025, and COVID-19 helped kick us off that path. This year, I am thrilled we are back on path. Our graduation rate is above 80 percent for the first time. Four of our six high schools have graduation rates above 80 percent as well, and the other two schools had fantastic gains from last year to this year. I am thrilled, I am excited, and it shows the hard work students, teachers and staff have put in place to make education better in Bibb County. Congratulations to all."
Crawford County Schools recorded a graduation rate of 70.7 percent, the worst in Middle Georgia.
Below is a list of all graduation rates for Middle Georgia:
- Baldwin County - 84.8%
- Bibb County - 80.7%
- Bleckley County - 92.9%
- Butts County - 89.3%
- Crawford County - 70.7%
- Crisp County - 85.8%
- Dodge County - 90.9%
- Dooly County - 87.8%
- Dublin City - 94.2%
- Hancock County - 87.1%
- Houston County - 88.8%
- Jasper County - 88.3%
- Johnson County - 87.5%
- Jones County - 87%
- Lamar County - 86.3%
- Laurens County - 87.9%
- Macon County - 78.2%
- Monroe County - 91%
- Montgomery County - 100%
- Peach County - 84.1%
- Pulaski County - 94.4%
- Putnam County - 90.6%
- Sumter County - 92.3%
- Taylor County - 85.5%
- Telfair County - 90.5%
- Thomaston-Upson County - 87.8%
- Treutlen County - 87.7%
- Twiggs County - 76.2%
- Washington County - 93.2%
- Wheeler County - 85.9%
- Wilcox County - 97.6%
- Wilkinson County - 93.9%