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Chatham County Schools report state‑leading growth; 90.4% four‑year graduation rate
Summary
District staff told the Chatham County Board of Education on Sept. 8 that every school met or exceeded growth in 2024‑25, the district led the state in the share of schools exceeding growth, and the district’s four‑year graduation rate rose to 90.4%.
Chatham County Schools officials told the board on Sept. 8 that the district’s 2024‑25 accountability results showed broad gains: every school met or exceeded growth, the district led the state in the percentage of schools exceeding growth, and the four‑year graduation rate rose to 90.4%.
District staff framed the results as evidence that systemwide supports delivered across feeder patterns are producing measurable outcomes. “This year’s results tell a powerful story of what’s possible when a community believes in the students. Excellence is no longer the exception in Chatham County Schools,” Superintendent Jackson said during the presentation.
What the data showed Presenters said 100% of the district’s schools met or exceeded growth, placing Chatham among only three districts statewide with that result; Chatham had the largest percentage of schools exceeding growth. At the school‑grade level, 52.6% of district schools received an A or B performance grade versus about 21% statewide. Chatham Middle posted a notable growth index increase and rose 14 points in the school‑performance integer.
High‑school indicators and college access The district reported a 90.4% four‑year graduation rate, the highest in recent years. Staff also highlighted college‑access and credentialing measures: 921 college acceptances for the graduating class and roughly $33 million in scholarships reported; students earned more than 4,000 college credits through dual‑enrollment programs. The district said AVID students accounted for 73% of scholarship dollars totaling about $24 million.
Areas for continued focus Presenters identified Math 3 performance and English‑learner progress as relative weaknesses compared with state averages and listed those areas as priorities for the coming year. Staff described curriculum and intervention steps underway, including district rollout of phonics foundations in K‑2, expanded EL curriculum K‑5, continued MTSS coaching, and targeted work on math course rigor and alignment.
Third‑grade reading and assessment context Staff provided detailed context for third‑grade reading proficiency, explaining how exemptions, alternate assessments and portfolio pathways affect the headline proficiency rate. They reported that combining students with good‑cause exemptions, students who passed the grade‑level assessment, and those who met alternate pathway criteria raised the district’s reported third‑grade proficiency to about 82.5% under the state’s composite counting method; staff cautioned that some counts fluctuate year to year as student cohorts change.
Board response and next steps Board members congratulated staff and asked clarifying questions about subgroup graduation trends and the state’s counting rules for math and course rigor. District leaders said they will continue targeted professional development, maintain dual‑enrollment supports and monitor subgroup outcomes, especially for multilingual and Hispanic students where gains lagged overall.
Ending No board action was required; the presentation was informational. District leaders said they will bring continued updates on math‑3 performance and multilingual student outcomes during the year.
