Georgia grad rate tops 80 percent, governor says
Gov. Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday morning that Georgia's graduation rate has hit 80.8 percent -- up nearly two points from last year and more than 17 points since he took office in 2003.
Perdue broke the news at North Hall High School, where he credited faculty and students with having done more than their part to raise the state's graduation rate.
The Gainesville area school's graduation rate hit 95 percent, up from 75 percent in 2003, the governor told students.
The state's rate was at 63 percent eight years ago and now is at 80.8 percent, Perdue said.
“There is nothing greater we can do for a young Georgian than encourage them to stay in school,” the governor said.
Perdue set a goal of reaching the 80 percent rate by the time he left office.
“Improving the graduation rate is the top education priority in the state of Georgia,” said State Schools Superintendent Brad Bryant. “Our high school principals, teachers and students should take a lot of pride in the fact that more students than ever are graduating in Georgia."
All groups of students saw sizable increases in their 2010 graduation rate, compared to 2003. Georgia’s African-American students had a graduation rate of 75.8 percent, up more than 23 percentage points from 2003. The state’s Hispanic students had a graduation rate of 77.6 percent, up more than 29 percentage points from 2003. And Georgia’s economically-disadvantaged students raised their graduation rate to 76 percentage in 2010, up more than 24 percentage points from 2003.
