The Elizabethton City Schools System was able to make an impact with graduation rates according to information provided by the Tennessee Department of Education.
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced Tuesday that the 2015-16 graduation rate of 88.5 percent is the highest on record since the state swapped to a more “rigorous calculation” of graduation rates in 2011.
The information provided by the department stated the latest statewide graduation rate was nearly a full percentage point since last year and overall has increased three percentage points since the state implemented the new calculations.
Elizabethton High School made their mark at the end of the 2015-16 school year, boasting a graduation rate of 96.6 percent — well above the state’s average. The system’s CTE program also added 99 percent graduation rate for the 2014-15 school year, with last year’s totals currently unavailable.
“Our teachers work hard to make school interesting and relevant,” said Director of Elizabethton Schools Dr. Corey Gardenhour. “We offer a wide variety of programs and extracurricular activities — especially for a school our size — that allow students to develop interests and get involved. Our students come in as freshmen and we help them find places to belong and a way to succeed. That’s what keeps them in school.”
According to information received in a press release, the department stated that “Tennessee has been raising the expectations for both students and educators, and the state has seen significant gains as a result. These outcomes, including increases in graduation rates, are a testament to the work being done in schools across the state.”