Georgia’s high school graduation rate rose to 80.8 percent in 2010, up 17 points from 2003 to an all-time high, Gov. Sonny Perdue announced last week. Gov. Perdue, a Republican, credited a state policy of putting a graduation coach in every middle and high school to focus on students at risk of dropping out. State officials, however, warn that the number will likely plummet after Georgia starts using a federally mandated way of calculating graduation rates that better accounts for dropouts.
A version of this article appeared in the November 03, 2010 edition of Education Week as Ga. Graduation Rate Hits All-Time High