September 17, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County School District was among 67 across the state which improved its high school graduation rate in 2018-19. Locally, the rate was at 94.4%, an increase from 93.7% the previous year. It also exceeded the state’s graduation rate by 4.7%.
The DCHS graduation rate has been up and down over the last several years. For 2016-17 it was 95.41%. Three years ago, the rate was 97.58% and 95.8% four years ago.
Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said that the state graduation rate for the 2018-19 school calendar, 89.7 percent, not only is more than half a percentage point higher than the previous year, but it’s the highest graduation rate on record for Tennessee. That translates into an increase of 183 graduates statewide.
“While this is certainly something to celebrate, I know we can do even better! Ultimately, I would like to see all 130 districts that serve high school students have a 90 percent graduation or better. That’s something my team will be very focused on over the next four years, along with making sure those students have a career or college path in mind the day they walk across the stage to get that diploma,” said Schwinn.
Tennessee has set high expectations for both students and educators, and students have made significant gains as a result. As part of this work, the state transitioned to a more rigorous calculation for graduation rates in 2011, and even under the new criteria, rates have continued to rise.
For the 2018-19 school year, the most notable gains and overall achievements in the state are:
• 67 districts improved their graduation rates from 2018 to 2019, with four of those districts improving by five percentage points or more. Districts with significant gains included Tennessee School for the Deaf (29 percentage points), Lewis County (10 percentage points), Hancock County (7 points), and Trousdale County (6 points).
• 49 districts— more than a third statewide— have graduation rates at or above 95 percent, which is an increase from last year.
• Four districts had a graduation rate of 100 percent, including Huntingdon Special School District, South Carroll, Bradford, and Oneida.
• 32 schools had graduation rates of 100 percent.