The percentage of Coweta County School System high school students graduating on-time rose to 91.7 percent for the class of 2023.
That reflects a 1.2 percent increase in Coweta’s overall graduation rate in 2023 over 2022, according to a report released by the Georgia Department of Education on Tuesday. Coweta County’s overall graduation rate was more than 7 percent higher than the state of Georgia’s 2023 rate, which also increased from 2022 to 2023.
The graduation rate tracks the percentage of high school students who graduate within four and five years of entering high school.
The report also indicates the second year in a row of graduation rate increases among Coweta County high school students, and Coweta County Assessment and Accountability Director Jillian Andrew noted that Coweta’s average graduation rate for 2023 was a record for Coweta Schools. This year’s 91.7 percent rate slightly tops the Coweta County School System’s previous high of 91.6 percent, reported in 2020.
Andrew noted that all three of Coweta’s high schools posted rates of over 90 percent. Individually, East Coweta High School posted a 2023 graduation rate of 90.8 percent, Newnan High a rate of 91.7 percent, and Northgate a rate of 93.8 percent.
“Graduation rate isn’t just about high school. It’s representative of the great work that goes on Pre-K through 12th grade,” said Coweta Superintendent Evan Horton. “I couldn’t be more proud of the work that’s going on across our system.”
Both Georgia and Coweta County graduation rates have seen overall increases since the state began using the four and five year “cohort graduation rate” as a standard measure, as required by federal law.
The “Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate” measures the percentage of students who enter high school together as freshmen (the ‘cohort’) who then go on to earn their high school diploma. The calculation of the rate adjusts for student transfers.
For the calculation, students who are entering ninth grade for the first time form a “cohort” that is subsequently adjusted by adding any students who transfer into the cohort during the next three years and subtracting any students who transfer out.
Georgia calculates the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate – also called the “on-time” graduation rate – by dividing the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. Students who don’t graduate in that cohort may still go on to meet graduation requirements with additional semesters of coursework. The overall graduation rate combines and weights both four and five year graduation rates for a standardized overall graduation rate.
“I’m incredibly proud of Georgia’s high-school seniors – and the teachers, leaders, and families who have supported them to produce these results,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “It’s important to remember that the positive news we’ve received lately – from this historic-high graduation rate to Georgia students beating the national average on the SAT – is more than just numbers. Every data point represents an actual student and new opportunities that have opened up for their future. I’m confident we’ll continue to see positive results as we invest in academic recovery and building a student-centered educational system.”
Coweta County’s graduation rate has remained consistently above the state average during that period, despite having higher standards for graduation under its block scheduling system than most Georgia school districts. Coweta high schools have also used a number of strategies and supports to increase graduation rates throughout that time, including:
Relevant and challenging instruction by high-quality teachers.
Individual graduation plans for each student which are closely monitored by faculty.
Online credit recovery opportunities for students who encounter difficulty in classes, and content-based support and Saturday school opportunities.
Tutoring available during the day and before and after school.
Students-support services outside of the classroom including counseling and staff advisors, online facilitator, ELEVATE Coweta Students, and community mentors.
ELEVATE Coweta Students partnerships working with the most at-risk students.
Screening for students in math and ELA starting as they transition from 8th to 9th grade and continuing each grading period throughout a student’s time in high school.
Emphasis on 9th grade readiness and careful scheduling of students
Innovative scheduling opportunities, including literacy and math focus as well as accelerated and advanced learning opportunities through the Central Educational Center, dual-enrollment opportunities and work-based learning.
Organizing professional learning communities for teachers and monitoring the impact of those opportunities by department and content area.
Content nights for parents to encourage family awareness and support for student’s graduation requirements, high school scheduling and academic content.
Focusing short-term federal funds made available to Coweta County in recent years into additional teaching personnel, tutoring and other initiatives that have addressed learning loss and increased student support.
To see more on state-wide school and district graduation rates from the Georgia Department of Education, go here.