Coffee County School Board members heard district leaders report that the districtwide graduation rate increased to 92.5% in the most recent year, compared with the state rate of 87.2% and up from 88.9% in 2024.

Board presenters also highlighted that seniors at Wiregrass Regional Career Academy posted a 98.2% graduation rate, an increase of 2.2 percentage points from the prior year. The board noted that another high school (referred to in the meeting as Coteague High School) is up nearly 3 percentage points to 95%.

District leaders said the Wiregrass Regional Career Academy serves a relatively small senior class (described in the meeting as “barely over 200 students”), and board members framed the academy’s programming as an alternative pathway that keeps students engaged by offering career-focused, real-world coursework and industry-recognized credentials. Board presenters said the academy and related campus programs were created after the district became a charter system and that the program’s graduation-rate gains reflect several years of improvement.

Board members and staff also described qualitative benefits of smaller, career-focused settings: presenters said many students find a sense of identity and purpose when they move from larger high schools into the academy environment.

The board used the meeting to recognize school principals during National Principal Appreciation Month. A board member called principals “the heart of our schools” and thanked them for leadership, calling on the public to join in applause for school leaders who oversee roughly 7,500 students in the district.

No formal action was taken on the graduation statistics; the information was presented as part of district updates and special recognitions.