Graduation rates, released Thursday, show the Newton County School System is four percentage points higher than the rest of the state’s average.

The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, calculated using the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for student transfers.

Eastside had the highest graduation rate at 86 percent in 2014, but dropped from 2013. Newton had the biggest improvement from 72 to 80 percent.

Graduation rates by the numbers

School/system       2013 grad rate       2014 grad rate
Alcovy High                    74%                          75%
Eastside High                 88%                          86%
Newton High                  72%                          80%
NCSS                             73%                          77%
State                             72%                          73%

NCSS’s rate higher than the state
All three high schools individually surpassed Georgia’s graduation rate.

“We are very pleased that we have improved our graduation rate and outperformed the state in the process,” Superintendent of Newton County Schools Samantha Fuhrey said. “We aren’t where we want to be but we are definetly heading in the right direction. Our goal is to continue to improve the rate at which our students graduate with an ultimate goal of having every student graduate from high school. We have our work cut out for us, but I believe our students, teachers and leaders are up to the challenge.”