Gwinnett County’s graduation rate inched up from the prior school year, according to data released Tuesday by the state’s Education Department.
The graduation rate for the 2015-16 school year was 79.6 percent, the data showed. Gwinnett’s graduation rate during the 2014-15 school year was 78.1 percent.
The graduation rate for the Buford city school system was 91.4 percent, a slight decline from the 2014-15 graduation rate of 92 percent.
Preliminary statewide data showed the graduation rate went up from 78.8 percent to 79.2 percent.
The increases come as Georgia has changed graduation test requirements and as many schools have increased the use of online classes in which many students earn credit without mastering the material. Georgia eliminated its High School Graduation Test starting with the class of 2015. Now high school students must take state tests in certain subjects, but they don't have to pass the tests to graduate.
In recent years, many districts too have paid more attention to tracking down students who leave school before graduation in an effort to keep them in school—and avoid labelling them as dropouts which would bring down graduation rates.
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You can find test scores, graduation rates and other critical information about your school at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's new Ultimate Atlanta School guide.
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