Georgia’s public charter schools are improving the state’s overall public school system by ensuring more Georgia students graduate from high school. According to data released from the Georgia Department of Education, the collective 2021 graduation rate for Georgia’s charter schools is 89.1%. That’s more than five percentage points higher than the state graduation rate (83.7%). That percentage increases when brick-and-mortar (non-virtual) public charter schools are compared to the state average. Georgia’s non-virtual public charter schools outperformed the state graduation rate by almost nine percentage points—92.5% compared to 83.7%.
 
Public charter high schools with high 2021 graduation rates include Baconton Community Charter School (100%), Lake Oconee Academy (100%), Pataula Charter Academy (100%), Academy for Classical Education (99.1%), Charles R. Drew Charter School (99%), Walton High School (96.1%) Statesboro STEAM Academy (95%), Hapeville Charter Career Academy (94.2%), Tapestry Public Charter School (93.8%), Atlanta Classical Academy (92.7%), Cairo High School (92.3%), Furlow Charter School (86.4%), KIPP Atlanta Collegiate (85.2%) and Berrien Academy Performance Learning Center (84.2%).
 
“We commend these public charter high schools for helping students cross the finish line and successfully preparing them for college and future career opportunities,” said Tony Roberts, President and CEO of the Georgia Charter Schools Association. “Public charter schools offer personalized attention, are often small in size and have the ability to accommodate different learning styles. These rigorous and high-quality public schools work hard to keep students engaged and ensure they receive their high school diplomas.” 
 
In addition to surpassing the state, many of these public charter high schools also exceeded graduation rates in their local districts or attendance zones. This graduation rate comparison does not include “alternative charter schools,” which, by law, provide services focused on dropout prevention and credit recovery. Georgia uses a four-year adjusted cohort rate to calculate graduation rates as required by federal law.