The percentage of students graduating from high school has risen from 68.3 percent to 83.8 percent, making it the highest rate recorded in North Carolina’s history.

The increase in graduation rates is possibly linked to more challenging standards and more graduation requirements. Today, students are required to earn a minimum of 22 course credits, whereas high school students who entered prior to 2009 only needed 20 credits for graduation.

In addition, the five-year cohort graduation rate reached 84.9 percent. This includes subgroups of students with particular needs, like those with limited English proficiency.

State Superintendent June Atkinson praised the successes, saying “We will continue to focus efforts on boosting this rate at the state, local and school levels so that every student graduates from high school prepared to succeed.”

Read more facts and statistics about graduation rates in North Carolina.