Hanover County Public Schools announced today that its on-time graduation rate has climbed to 96 percent.
Of the students who entered the ninth grade during the 2016-17 school year, 96 percent graduated as part of the class of 2020, according to new data from the Virginia Department of Education. That’s an increase from 95.1 percent in the class of 2019 and the second-highest in the county since at least the class of 2007.
Hanover’s graduation rate continues to outpace the state’s, where 92.3 percent earned a Board of Education-approved diploma.
Nearly two in three Hanover County Public Schools graduates (65.1 percent) earned an advanced diploma, eclipsing the 51.8 percent statewide rate. At least 60 percent of Hanover graduates have graduated with an advanced diploma each of the past 10 years.
“Despite COVID-19 upending the final months of the school year, our seniors demonstrated great poise, resilience, and commitment,” said Dr. Michael Gill, Superintendent of Schools. “This announcement is a confirmation that we have some of the brightest and most talented students and educators in our classrooms. These achievements could not have been possible without their hard work, as well as the strong support of our families and community. Working together, they highlight why Hanover County remains a destination for a top-tier educational experience.”
The county graduated 1,379 students this year with the third-highest on-time graduation rate in Virginia among the 15 largest school divisions in the state.
All four comprehensive high schools in the county saw on-time graduation gains this year serving students the VDOE designates as economically disadvantaged. Economically disadvantaged students graduated at a 92 percent clip this year, up from 86.3 percent in 2019.
Four in five English Learners also graduated on-time, according to the new data, an increase of five percentage points from 2019. Additionally, a higher percentage (88.4) of students with disabilities graduated this year as compared with last year (87.6).
Here are some quick facts on the Hanover County Public Schools Class of 2020:
- 1,379 graduates
- 65.1% Advanced Diploma
- 30.8% Standard and Other Diploma
- 96% on-time graduation rate (up from 95.1% in 2019)
- 92% on-time graduation rate among economically disadvantaged students (up from 86.3%)
- 88.4% on-time graduation rate among students with disabilities (up from 87.6%)
- 80% on-time graduation rate among English Learners (up from 75%)
- 96.4% on-time graduation rate among Black students (up from 95.1% and highest since at least 2008)
- 2.23% dropout rate (lowest in five years)
More information can be found in the Virginia Department of Education’s School Quality Profile for Hanover County Public Schools.