DeKalb County Schools Increases Four-Year Graduation Rate

The DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2020 is 75.97, based on data from the Georgia Department of Education released today. The 2020 graduation rate is a 2.56 percent increase over the 2019 rate of 73.41. Sixteen (16) of twenty-four (24) high schools (67%) demonstrated a four-year graduation rate increase. The following six (6) schools increased their rate by more than 5%, with the most notable improvement of double-digit gains occurring at Columbia High School and Stone Mountain High School. Both schools have met exit criteria and are removed from the state identified CSI Graduation Rate improvement list.

  • Columbia High School (+11.22)
  • Stone Mountain High School (+10.90)
  • Redan High School (+9.39)
  • Cedar Grove High School (+9.04)
  • Lithonia High School (+7.14)
  • Stephenson High School (+5.52)

“We want to commend the school administration and faculty as we recognize that this type of outstanding growth takes hard work and dedication,” said Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris. “We congratulate these schools and their communities for this outstanding accomplishment! We are proud of our improvements but see the urgency of the work ahead.”

Additional graduation rate increases were observed at the following ten (10) schools:

  • Chamblee High School (+0.62)
  • DeKalb Early College Academy (+1.37)
  • DeKalb School of the Arts (+1.23)
  • Druid Hills High School (+2.52)
  • Dunwoody High School (+0.50)
  • Elizabeth Andrews High School (+2.85)
  • Lakeside High School (+0.36)
  • Martin Luther King, Jr High School (+1.58)
  • Southwest DeKalb High School (+1.91)
  • Tucker High School (+0.91)

Five (5) high schools have demonstrated continued growth over the past couple of years:

School Name 2018 2019 2020 Percent Change
DeKalb School of the Arts 95.95 98.77 100 +4.05
Druid Hills High School 77.33 83.24 85.76 +8.43
Dunwoody High School 86.38 88.99 89.49 +3.11
Lakeside High School 81.56 84.51 84.87 +3.31
Martin Luther King, Jr High School 74.55 75.52 77.10 +2.55

In addition, three (3) DCSD high schools continue to have graduation rates above 95 percent, with two of these schools earning 100 percent in 2020.

  • Arabia Mountain High School – 99.67 (Title I School)
  • DeKalb Early College Academy – 100 percent (Title I School)
  • DeKalb School of the Arts – 100 percent

Furthermore, DeKalb County School District increased the number of schools earning a 4-year graduation rate above 80 to ten (10), an increase of five (5) from 2019.

  • *Cedar Grove High School (new in 2020)
  • *Druid Hills High School
  • Dunwoody High School
  • *Lakeside High School
  • *Lithonia High School (new in 2020)
  • *Redan High School (new in 2020)
  • *Southwest DeKalb High School
  • *Stephenson High School (new in 2020)
  • Tapestry Public Charter School
  • *Tucker High School (new in 2020)

*Denotes Title 1 School 


“In 2020, we increased the number of schools earning above an 80 percent four-year graduation rate to 13, which now includes 54 percent of our high schools. We will continue to identify and remove all barriers, so every high school reaches this milestone,” said Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris. “We are committed to strive for continual improvement until every scholar graduates and is prepared to excel in college and their career.”