The McDuffie County School System is excited to announce that the district’s four-year cohort graduation rate has increased from 76.55% for the Class of 2018 to 82.19% for the Class of 2019, beating the state rate. While Georgia’s graduation rate rose slightly from 81.6% in 2018 to 82.0% in 2019, McDuffie County’s students showed an improvement of nearly 6%. Moreover, for the first time in the history of the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) reporting measures, all sub-groups – black, white, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged pupils – exceeded the graduation rate targets set by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA). The chart below shows the 2019 sub-group performance for McDuffie County Schools.
As part of the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), the Georgia Department of Education calculates the four- and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates. The four-year rate represents the percentage of students who entered grade nine and completed requirements for a regular high school diploma in four school years. Likewise, the five-year rate signifies the percentage of students who entered grade nine and earned a regular high school diploma in five school years. Students who transfer to the system are included in the cohort rates for their freshman classes, while those who transfer from the system for reasons not coded as drop-outs are removed.
McDuffie County Schools attributes this significant increase to the district-wide commitment toward ensuring all graduates are prepared for college, career and life.
Among these initiatives are the following:
- Specialized reading and math support classes
- Ongoing formative assessments to identify areas for re-teaching or acceleration
- Offering high school courses to middle school pupils in English language arts, math, science, fine arts, and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE)
- Expanded dual enrollment and Advanced Placement opportunities
- Growing work-based learning partnerships, including the Jumpstart apprenticeship program, with area industries and local businesses
- New CTAE career pathways, including drafting and design, early childhood education, computer science, cybersecurity, and welding
- Development of Individual Graduation Plans, updated annually in grades 8-12 with the student’s assigned guidance counselor
- High school credit recovery options through the McDuffie Achievement Center and Thomson High School summer and evening school programs
- Embedded credit repair opportunities to demonstrate mastery of individual concepts while a course is still in session
- Addition of the REACH Scholarship Program with mentors and academic coaches for recipients
For the 2019-2020 school year, the district plans to continue these efforts. In addition, the McDuffie County School System will expand its credit recovery opportunities to students in grades 6-8. Identified students will be offered the chance to take computerized courses, with support from teacher facilitators, after school four nights per week in order to progress toward grade level status in the fall of 2020.
This monumental increase reflects the hallmark of the “McDuffie on the Move” brand. Through innovative methods, the McDuffie County School System is committed to ensuring that all students entering the district will receive their diplomas during commencement in the Brickyard, with the traditional Thomson High School T proudly displayed on their graduation gowns. As a community, this is an accomplishment in which we all take pride. The McDuffie County School System salutes the students, parents, school employees, and citizens for their continued support of the district’s mission.