State Superintendent June Atkinson honored 12 school districts and 43 high schools Friday for having the highest four-year cohort graduation rates among all districts and schools in 2013-14. GCS had seven schools with a 100 percent graduation rate last year, the most in the state.

GCS’ Class of 2014 had a record breaking graduation rate of 88.5 percent, besting last year’s rate of 86.2 percent. The seven schools that achieved 100-percent graduation rates are The Middle College at Bennett, The Middle College at N.C. A&T, Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, The Academy at Central, The Academy at Smith, The Early College at Guilford and Weaver Academy.

Fourteen other schools achieved graduation rates over 90 percent, including 10 traditional schools with larger student populations: Andrews High, Greensboro College Middle College, Grimsley High, GTCC-Greensboro, GTCC-High Point, GTCC Jamestown, Northeast High, Northern High, Northwest High, Page High, Ragsdale High, Southeast High, Southern High and Southwest High.

Representatives from the districts and schools were honored and received plaques at a luncheon held in Durham. To receive an award, schools must have been open for at least four years.

“Our statewide graduation rate has climbed from 68 percent in 2006 to reach a record high of 83.9 percent in 2013-14,” said State Superintendent June Atkinson. “This progress is the direct result of the work done in many of these districts and schools to ensure that nearly every student who enters high school leaves with a diploma. I applaud the superintendents, principals and teachers for their commitment to their students’ success. Our ultimate goal is to reach a statewide rate of 100 percent in the near future and their work brings us even closer to making that goal a reality.”

The full report on the state's cohort graduation rates, as well as previous years' reports, is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting/cohortgradrate.