North Gwinnett News

Nearly 82% of students in Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) graduated from high school in 2023, according to data from the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). The district's four-year graduation rate stands at 81.9%.

Nine high schools in the district achieved graduation rates above 90%, with the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology leading at 99.6%. Other schools with high rates include North Gwinnett at 97% and Mill Creek at 94.7%. Archer High School, with a rate of 89.8%, and Lanier High School, at 89.3%, were just below the 90% mark.

Dr. Brett Savage, principal at Brookwood High School, praised his school's staff: “We believe it takes us all to maximize our potential,” he said. He acknowledged the challenge of addressing each student's needs in a large school setting and expressed a commitment to improvement despite their current success.

The GaDOE report also highlighted that five high schools—Central Gwinnett, Duluth, Mill Creek, North Gwinnett, and Paul Duke STEM—achieved their highest graduation rates in five years. Additionally, twelve schools saw an increase from last year.

“There is a lot of good work happening throughout our district,” stated Jadd Jarusinski, principal at Peachtree Ridge High School. He emphasized educators' dedication to student success across all schools.

Despite these achievements, GCPS's overall graduation rate decreased slightly from last year's 83.2% and remains below the state average of 84.4%. Mr. Jarusinski identified student attendance as a significant challenge due to learning losses during 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, described the data as mixed: “We are certainly pleased that the graduation rate at more than half of our schools has increased year over year," he noted while acknowledging room for improvement district-wide.

Georgia calculates its graduation rates using a federally required method based on a four-year adjusted cohort model starting from ninth grade.

Each state sets its requirements for earning a regular diploma; Georgia's are among the highest nationally, with Gwinnett County surpassing state standards.

Dr. Taylor announced plans to review this data further during an upcoming meeting with district leaders: “We will not be satisfied until each and every GCPS high school student graduates.”