Clayton County’s high school graduation rate rose this year, though Clayton County students still graduate at rates below the state average.

Districtwide, Clayton’s graduation rate for the Class of 2016 rose nearly 3 percentage points this spring, reaching 69.1 percent. That’s one of the largest improvements in metro Atlanta.

But Clayton’s graduation rate is still one of the lowest graduation rates in the region and below the statewide graduation rate of about 79.2 percent.

The Clayton schools with the largest increases in their graduation rates include North Clayton High School and Forest Park High School. At North Clayton, the 2016 graduation rate rose about 15 percentage points. At Forest Park, it rose 7 percentage points.

The schools with the largest decreases included Riverdale High School and Mount Zion High School.

Clayton County high school 2016 graduation rates

ajc.com
icon to expand image

Source: Georgia Department of Education

About the Author

Keep Reading

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the FAMU Marching 100 head drum major, stands at attention ahead of the halftime performance at homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. At many historically Black colleges and universities, the marching band is as popular on campus as the football team. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

Featured

The renovation of Jekyll Island's Great Dunes golf course includes nine holes designed by Walter Travis in the 1920s for the members of the Jekyll Island Club. Several holes that were part of the original layout where located along the beach and were bulldozed in the 1950s.(Photo by Austin Kaseman)

Credit: Photo by Austin Kaseman