Nearly 82% of Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) students graduated from high school in 2023. According to data released by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE):
- GCPS’ four-year graduation rate is 81.9%.
- Nine GCPS high schools, the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology (99.6%), North Gwinnett (97%), Mill Creek (94.7), McClure Health Science (94.4), Brookwood (93.9), Paul Duke STEM (93.3), Grayson (92.9), Seckinger (91.4), and Peachtree Ridge (90.4), had graduation rates above 90%. Archer, 89.8%, and Lanier, 89.3%, fell just below the mark.
Dr. Brett Savage, principal at Brookwood High, is proud of the school’s teachers and support staff. “We believe it takes us all to maximize our potential,” Dr. Savage shares. “With Brookwood being such a large school, it is a true challenge to understand the unique needs and supports necessary to help each student reach academic success. Although we’re excited about this year’s graduation rate, we are already looking at how we can improve.”
GaDOE data also shows:
- Five high schools, Central Gwinnett, Duluth, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett, and Paul Duke STEM, had their highest graduation rate in the past five years.
- 12 high schools, Archer, Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Duluth, Grayson, the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, Meadowcreek, McClure Health Science, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett, Paul Duke STEM, and Parkview, saw their graduation rate increase from the previous year.
“There is a lot of good work happening throughout our district,” Jadd Jarusinski, the principal at Peachtree Ridge High, shares. “I know we have educators at all of our schools who care for our students, are dedicated to teaching our AKS at high levels, and want to do whatever it takes to give every student their best opportunity to succeed.”
GCPS’ 2023 graduation rate of 81.9% is down slightly from 2022, when it was 83.2%. It also falls below the state average of 84.4. “The number one challenge in high school is student attendance,” Mr. Jarusinski explains. “Over the past three years, our students have experienced significant learning loss due to the COVID pandemic. This highlights the importance of attendance and the need for students to be in class every day.” Dr. Al Taylor, GCPS chief of schools, says the graduation data is a mixed bag. “We are certainly pleased that the graduation rate at more than half of our schools has increased year over year, and more than a third have surpassed 90%,” Dr. Taylor shares. “The educators at those schools should be celebrated, but at the same time, the district-wide graduation numbers show there is plenty of room for improvement, which is why we remain committed to providing the support our students need to be college and career-ready.” Dr. Taylor and district leaders are scheduled to review and discuss the graduation data at the Gwinnett County Board of Education’s October meeting. “We will not be satisfied until each and every GCPS high school student graduates,” Dr. Taylor shares.
Georgia calculates “a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate,” as federal law requires. This rate is the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. From the beginning of 9th grade, students entering that grade for the first time form a cohort that is subsequently “adjusted” by adding any students who transfer into the cohort during the next three years and subtracting any students who transfer out.
While all states use the same calculation, each sets its requirements for students to earn a regular high school diploma. Georgia has some of the highest requirements in the nation for students to graduate with a regular diploma, with Gwinnett County requirements surpassing those of the state.
The school-by-school report of graduation rates in Gwinnett high schools is as follows.
| School | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Archer High School | 89.8% |
| Berkmar High School | 71.4% |
| Brookwood High School | 93.9% |
| Central Gwinnett High School | 79.5% |
| Collins Hill High School | 81.1% |
| Dacula High School | 85.6% |
| Discovery High School | 80.7% |
| Duluth High School | 86.7% |
| Grayson High School | 92.9% |
| Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology | 99.6% |
| Lanier High School | 89.3% |
| McClure Health Science High School | 94.4% |
| Meadowcreek High School | 81.9% |
| Mill Creek High School | 94.7% |
| Mountain View High School | 87.4% |
| Norcross High School | 79.8% |
| North Gwinnett High School | 97.0% |
| Parkview High School | 88.7% |
| Paul Duke STEM High School | 93.3% |
| Peachtree Ridge High School | 90.4% |
| Seckinger High School | 91.4% |
| Shiloh High School | 81.1% |
| South Gwinnett High School | 76.6% |