2 Beaufort County high schools see drop in graduation rate but other 4 are doing better

Beaufort County School District’s high school graduation rate improved for a seventh consecutive year in 2017, reaching a record 84.1 percent, according to state education data released Wednesday.

The district defines its graduation rate as the percentage of students who complete high school “on time” and earn a diploma in four years, according to a district news release.

Under superintendent Jeff Moss’ tenure, the graduation rate has risen nearly six percentage points, from 78.3 in 2014 to 84.1 in 2017.

The district’s continued improvement mirrors state and national trends.

South Carolina’s 2017 graduation rate of 84.6 was also an all-time high, the release said.

Two of the six district high schools — Bluffton High and Battery Creek High — saw slight drops in their graduation rates from 2016 to 2017.

For the first time ever, two schools’ rates — Hilton Head Island High and May River High — exceeded 90 percent.

“If your entire system is improving, all the way from prekindergarten through Grade 12, then on-time graduation rates can be viewed as key indicators,” Moss said in a district news release. “Seven straight years of improvement is something that everyone can be proud of, and that means our educators, our students, our parents and all of our community supporters.”

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 9:55 AM with the headline "2 Beaufort County high schools see drop in graduation rate but other 4 are doing better."