DeKalb County School District’s graduation rates increase

Eight of 10 student subgroups show substantial gains

 DEKALB COUNTY, GA–The DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2024 is 79.1 percent, based on data from the Georgia Department of Education released today, Oct. 8.

The overall graduation rate increased by 3.3 percentage points compared to the previous year. The Class of 2024 represents the highest graduation rate for DCSD in the last decade.

In addition to the All Students category improvement, seven out of nine district student subgroup rates (77.8%) increased over the prior school year. They represented the highest graduation rates for

these populations over the past 10 years.

Subgroup Improvement % Class of 2023 v. Class of 2024

• All Students increased by 3.3 (75.8 to 79.1)
• Asian/Pacific Islander Increased by 4.8 (80.6 to 85.4)
• Black Increased by 2.6 (77.0 to 79.6)
• Hispanic Increased by 6.5 (60.7 to 67.2)
• White Increased by 2.7 (91.6 to 94.3)
• Economically Disadvantaged Increased by 3.7 (73.6 to 77.3)
• English Learner Increased by 5.8 (54.9 to 60.7)
• Students with Disability* Increased by 4.7 (62.6 to 67.3)

*The 2024 school year marks the 7th consecutive annual gain for the Students with Disability subgroup.

“These graduation improvements are only possible because of the determination and focus of our students, teachers, families, support staff, and administrators who have committed to doing the work necessary to achieve this important milestone,” said Superintendent Devon Q. Horton. “Our Board of Education also deserves credit for investing strategic resources to enhance student achievement and outcomes, such as these impressive graduation rate gains.”

Eighteen of 25 high schools (72%) increased their four-year graduation rate. The most notable school double-digit gains occurred at the following three high schools:

• McNair High SchoolIncreased 21.7% (55.2 to 76.9)
• DeKalb Alternative SchoolIncreased 13.5% (15.9 to 29.4)
• Columbia High SchoolIncreased 10.7% (72.0 to 82.7)

High School (+8.1), East DeKalb Special Education Center (+7.9), Stephenson High School (+7.1), Lakeside

High School (+6.6), and Cross Keys High School (+6.0).

Additional graduation rate increases were observed at the following 10 high schools: Dunwoody HS

(+4.8), Cedar Grove HS (+4.4), Elizabeth Andrews HS (+3.7), Chamblee HS (+3.4), Tapestry Public Charter

(+3.0), Druid Hills HS (+2.7), Redan HS (+2.0), Towers HS (+2.0), Stone Mountain HS (+1.6), Arabia

Mountain HS (+0.3),

The following high schools continue to sustain graduation rates above 95 percent:

• DeKalb Early College Academy* 100% Third year in a row at 100 percent!
• Arabia Mountain High School* 98.9%
• DeKalb School of the Arts 97.2%
• Tapestry Public Charter School* 96.8%

*Title 1 School

“We are continuing to implement our MIRACLES framework to restructure and enhance our schools into more highly engaged, student-centered learning environments,” Superintendent Horton said. “The one thing that will never change is our commitment to nurturing our culture and climate, ensuring the success of all students.”

Last year, one of the District MIRACLES Tenets was developing a system-wide Graduation Cohort Monitoring Protocol. These standard operating procedures were fully integrated into the Horizon high schools during the 2023-24 school year and monitored by district-level Area Horizon staff. Furthermore, the district restructured and hired dedicated staff to increase support to all high schools across DCSD.

This year, the graduation cohort monitoring protocol has been expanded to all high schools as a system-wide expectation. Several MIRACLES Tenets have been launched to support future graduation rate gains:

• Disconnect to Reconnect: A classroom instruction re-engagement initiative limiting student cell phone access during the school day.
• Acceleration Academies: A drop-out initiative to re-engage students seeking to earn their high school diploma.
• Chancelight: Support for over-aged middle school students to accelerate their transition into high school.
• Post-Secondary P.U.S.H. Plan: A plan to Prepare, Uplift, and Support students Holistically in grades 6-12 as they transition to high school and graduate prepared to achieve their post-secondary goals.
• Improve Instructional Core: Integrate an evidence-based literacy platform to support students with disabilities in some of our Horizon schools.
• Instructional Language Plans for English Learners: student-specific plans to increase the English language acquisition skills of identified English learners.