Henry County Schools’ Historic Four-Year Graduation Rate Nears 90%, Continues to Surpass State’s Record-High Rate

HENRY COUNTY, GA – Henry County Schools’ four-year graduation rate increased by three percentage points to a historic high of 89.8% for the 2024-2025 school year, according to data released by the Georgia Department of Education on Sept. 29.

Eight of 11 district high schools with year-over-year data improved upon last year’s graduation rate.

The district’s overall four-year graduation rate surpassed this year’s record high rate of 87.2% for the state of Georgia, as well as last year’s district rate of 86.8%.

The 89.8% graduation rate is a record for Henry County Schools since the state began using the adjusted cohort calculation first required by federal law in 2011, with the previous high of 88.8% coming in the 2019-2020 school year. Furthermore, the district’s graduation rate is up by 16.5 percentage points over the inaugural calculation of 73.3% in 2011.

HCS celebrated a total of 3,773 four-year graduates from its high schools in winter, spring, and summer commencements during the 2024-2025 school year.

The following seven high schools saw four-year graduation rates higher than 90%, an increase from four schools last year:

• Impact Academy High School (95.9%)
• Ola High School (94.9%)
• Union Grove High School (94.3%)
• Locust Grove High School (93.4%)
• Luella High School (93.3%)
• Dutchtown High School (92.5%)
• Hampton High School (91.9%)

Impact Academy’s district-high graduation rate represents its inaugural graduating class, following its transition from a program to a school in 2024.

Three high schools – Ola, Locust Grove, and Luella – reached historic highs since 2011.

Locust Grove High School saw the most notable year-over-year gain with its four-year graduation rate increasing from 80.5% in 2024 to 93.4% in 2025 – a nearly 13-percentage-point improvement.

“We are extremely proud of the significant increase to our graduation rate, but even more importantly are the students that this percent increase represents,” said Locust Grove High Principal Tony Townsend. “It’s the mission and vision of Locust Grove High School to graduate students who are college, work, and life ready. Our ‘True BLUE’ mission specifically outlines a student experience that culminates in an outstanding achievement like our increased graduation rate, but it has been the work of this community, the teachers, the staff, and most importantly, the students themselves that have made this happen. Congratulations to the entire Locust Grove community on this incredible accomplishment.”

Additional schools saw improvements as follows: Luella High School (+6.3 percentage points), Stockbridge High School (+6), Woodland High School (+2.4), Dutchtown High School (+2), Union Grove High School (+1.3), Eagle’s Landing High School (+0.7), and Ola High School (+0.6).

Several identified student subgroups surpassed the state graduation rate for those groups, including students with disabilities (+4.6 percentage points), African American students (+4.5), English learners (+2.5), Hispanic students (+1.6), Asian/Pacific Islander students (+1.5), and economically disadvantaged students (+0.9).

The following subgroups also demonstrated year-over-year increases: White students (+4.5 percentage points), students with disabilities (+4.2), African American students (+3.5), Asian-Pacific Islander students (+2.2), and economically disadvantaged students (+1.1).

“The improvement in our graduation rate highlights the hard work of our entire community –students, families, teachers, and staff,” said HCS Superintendent Dr. John Pace III. “Guided by our Board of Education, we prioritize nurturing environments where every student can succeed. Beyond graduation rates, this improvement underscores our commitment to preparing students for their next steps, whether higher education, military service, or entering the workforce. We are dedicated to preparing students for college, career, and life, demonstrating that bright futures begin in Henry County Schools.”

Georgia calculates a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate as required by federal law, which reflects the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma, divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduation class.

Georgia defines adjusted cohort as the number of students entering school from the beginning of ninth grade, plus any students who transfer into the cohort during the next three years and minus any students who transfer out.

“The improvement in our graduation rate underscores the strong support systems in place for students along their educational journey,” said Board Chair Sophe Pope (Dist. 4). “It also highlights the impact of strategic initiatives implemented across the district. Our staff, families, and the wider community play a critical role in advancing student outcomes and ensuring every graduate has the opportunity to succeed, and we are seeing the results of these partnerships.”

Tactics under the district’s current 2021-2026 Community-Inspired Strategic Plan to enhance student engagement and support include key programs targeting equitable access, college and career counseling, and mentorship opportunities. These initiatives have been instrumental in advancing the district’s mission and vision and cultivating a high-performance culture.

HCS continues to promote strategies that support Priority Student Outcomes aimed at ensuring graduates meet requirements for college admission and college readiness benchmarks, and to increase the number of graduates completing industry certifications or career pathways. These efforts have empowered students with opportunities and access and cultivated a culture of purpose to influence graduation rates.

View the Georgia Department of Education’s press release and access school- and district-level data across the state.