GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. – High school graduation rates continue to increase in Glynn County.
According to an article on the district's website, new figures by the Georgia Department of Education, show Georgia’s high school graduation rate has increased for the fifth consecutive year, from 79.4 percent in 2016 to 80.6 percent in 2017. In Glynn County, however, the school system’s overall graduation rate rose from 83 percent in 2016 to 90.9 percent in 2017, or nearly 8 percentage points.
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“This achievement speaks volumes to the hard work and dedication of our teachers, school administrators, district and, most importantly, our students,” said Glynn County Schools Superintendent Dr. Virgil Cole. “We are very proud of the new graduation rates for Brunswick High and Glynn Academy, and we will keep working toward a 100 percent graduation rate.”
The Georgia DOE’s analysis report credits the growth in the state’s overall graduation rate to an increase in students’ access to unique, personalized learning opportunities that keep students engaged, i.e. Career Pathways, dual enrollment, AP and IB programs, work-based learning and internships.
Cole said progress can be attributed to the district’s concerted effort to meet regularly with school administrators and identify students’ individual learning needs.
“By having regularly planned meetings each month with our administrators, teachers and counselors, we have united our efforts to make graduation a priority, and this team effort is certainly having a demonstrable impact on our schools,” Cole added.
At Brunswick High, the graduation rate rose from 77.3 percent in 2016 to 87.5 percent in 2017; Glynn Academy saw a 94.9 percent graduation rate in 2017 compared to 89 percent last school year. While monthly “scheduled check points” were a factor, Dr. Valerie Whitehead, executive director of assessment and accountability, said it was equally important to provide students with tailored instruction that transcended a "one size fits all" teaching approach.
“Throughout the year, school administrators and counselors discuss each student’s progress toward graduation and we look for ways to provide support in helping students stay on track. If they are in need of some flexibility, we offer students who need a non-traditional approach to high school with the option of Coastal Plains,” Whitehead said.
The charter high school provides students with a convenient, flexible, self-paced format and “has all the bells and whistles of a high school with certified teachers, mentors and counselors but is just held in the evenings from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.,” Whitehead added.
Another factor in the graduation rate increase was due to schools utilizing data more effectively, said Dr. Jim Pulos, assistant superintendent for student achievement.
“We’ve done a lot to clean up data for students who have left us, but we are also tracking graduates to help them get caught up if they fall behind and offering night school to those who could benefit from an alternative education program,” Pulos said. “Our focus on graduation is making sure our students are in the right place to receive the best education, and this graduation increase is proving that we are making the best decisions for our students.”
This is the first year Georgia’s graduation rate has risen above 80 percent using the adjusted cohort calculation now required by federal law, reports the Georgia DOE. Due to the changes in calculation, 50 Georgia school districts recorded 2017 graduation rates at or above 90 percent.
The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class, as cited by the DOE’s report.