Midtown High School freshman Sarah Paisley Owen broke records at the Georgia State Swim Championships on National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Atlanta Public Schools continues to celebrate the success of the class of 2024 and is proud to share that our scholars earned a total of $228,947,153 in scholarship offers!
North Atlanta led the charge with more than $40 million in scholarship offers earned, while both Midtown High School and Benjamin E. Mays High School pulled in more than $20 million in scholarship offers each. This year’s senior class surpassed the APS 2023 school year total of $221 million.
“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and talent of our students,” APS interim superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle said. “I want to congratulate each and every one of them for their outstanding accomplishments and wish them continued success in their future endeavors. I would also like to thank our amazing teachers and supportive families for helping our students reach this tremendous milestone. This is truly a proud moment for the APS community.”
Congratulations to the APS class of 2024 for this incredible accomplishment!
| School | Total Scholarships offered (including athletics) |
| Atlanta Classical Academy | $5,824,016 |
| Benjamin E. Mays High School | $20,531,832 |
| B.E.S.T. High School Academy | $3,104,645 |
| Booker T. Washington High School | $20,561,950 |
| Charles R. Drew Charter Jr. Sr. Academy | $14,144,060 |
| D.M. Therrell High School | $16,534,538 |
| Frederick Douglass High School | $6,735,125 |
| G.W. Carver High School Early College | $19,500,000 |
| G.W. Carver High School STEAM | $11,096,140 |
| Midtown High School | $26,115,384 |
| KIPP Atlanta Collegiate Charter School | $17,632,822 |
| Maynard Jackson High School | $10,624,460 |
| North Atlanta High School | $42,793,948 |
| South Atlanta High School | $9,529,339 |
| Total | $228,947,1153 |
A Capstone presentation cover slide presented at the APS Internship Capstone Celebration. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Approximately 50 seniors from Carver Early College and Midtown High School students marked the culmination of their internship journey on April 18 at the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Internship Capstone Celebration.
Organized by the Teaching and Learning Department’s Gifted and Talented Education program, the event provided a platform for students to present their projects and engage with representatives from the program’s 25 partners, which comprise corporations, nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions.
Gifted and Talented Education instructional coach Andrew Nichols emphasized the program’s decade-long commitment to fostering experiential learning opportunities for APS high school students.
“We’ve been in every high school at one point or another,” Nichols said. “We are looking to grow our program, bring new high schools back into the program, and see these opportunities become available to more students all across the city.”
Spanning from January to the end of March, the internship program provided participating students with invaluable hands-on experience, totaling between 40 and 60 hours each. The students were able to leave their school campus early a few days a week to gain hands-on experience in a professional environment.
Midtown High School senior Donovan Yon (r) networking with other Gifted Internship Program participants. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Donovan Yon, a senior at Midtown, secured an internship at Security Capital Investment Banking, an investment brokerage in Atlanta. For Yon, the internship was a gateway to entering Georgia State University’s business program next year with prior experience in finance.
“I learned how to use Excel and I learned how the economy works,” Yon said. “I also learned how to invest, and I was told by my mentors every day how we have a huge head start from most people in the field because we’re [being taught] in high school. It was a very good opportunity, and I’m really grateful for it.”
Judith Yelivora, a senior at Carver Early College, presented her Capstone presentation on her internship with South College Nursing Facility. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
Likewise, Judith Yelivora, a senior at Carver Early College, found her experience at South College Nursing Facility inspirational, especially considering her aspirations in bioinformatics.
“My experience was very enlightening,” Yelivora said. “I’ve been looking at going into the healthcare field, and [the internship] was very hands-on, especially when we engaged with the clinical and mother-baby simulations.”
The event not only commemorated students’ achievements, but also highlighted how experiential learning can assist in shaping their futures.
“I got to sit in a few human body and nursing fundamentals classes, and I was able to get a visual into what it would look like if I were studying to enter the healthcare field.” she said.
After college, Yelivora plans on using her education to develop ways of improving existing healthcare systems.
Carver Early College senior Jaliyah Bones (r) sharing her presentation on her internship with South College Nursing Facility. Photo by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
For fellow Carver Early College senior Jaliyah Bones, who also interned with South College Nursing Facility, the experience led to a transformative realization about her own career path.
“At first, I wanted to go into veterinary care because I wanted to be a vet,” Bones said. “But after interning with South Nursing, I think I want to be an OBGYN. It was a fun experience, and I talked to the nurses who gave me insight.”
Carver Early College principal Christina Rogers shared the Gifted and Talented Internship Program’s ability to demonstrate to the students how academics play an integral role in what they desire to accomplish.
“What I have gained from listening to the scholars today, and their experiences, is an awareness of how these in-field opportunities really expose them to other professions,” Rogers said. “It really challenges them to push themselves to think about what they can achieve on their next level.”
Next month, hundreds of APS seniors will participate in graduation ceremonies marking the end of their high school journey. With programs like the Gifted and Talented Internship Program, participants will have professional work experience and be prepared for college, career, and life.
View the slideshow below for a photo recap of the Internship Capstone Celebration. Photos by Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
The Georgia Department of Education’s Georgia Scholars program honors high school seniors who achieved excellence in school and community life, and this year, three Atlanta Public Schools students made the list.
Shalin Bhatia, Diana Jachman and Vadym Nahornyi from Midtown High School were recognized along with 177 other graduating seniors across the state.
“We are extremely proud of our students for this outstanding recognition! Being honored for their academic accomplishments and community engagement not only speaks to who they are as students but also who they are as people. It underscores that we are not only educating scholars but graduating good citizens,” APS interim superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle said.
Click HERE for the full list of Georgia Scholars
Georgia Scholars carried exemplary course loads during their four years of high school, performed excellently in all courses, successfully participated in interscholastic events within their schools and communities, and assumed leadership roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools.
“These 177 Georgia students have made our state proud through their stellar efforts in the classroom and in their communities,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “The Georgia Scholar designation is a recognition of their leadership and diligence. I wish them great success as they continue into their futures and know they will continue to contribute to their communities and to our state.”
The Georgia Scholar program is coordinated by GaDOE in partnership with local districts and schools.
Sarah Paisley Owen, a freshman on the Midtown High School Swim and Dive team, ended her phenomenal freshman season by breaking two state records at the GHSA 4-5A state championship meet in the McAulley Aquatic Center at Georgia Tech on February 7, 2024.
Not knowing what to expect in her first appearance at the state championship meet, Owen just wanted to make it to the finals and support her teammates. Instead, she swam a 22.65 in the 50-yard freestyle preliminaries, breaking the state record while securing her spot in the finals later that evening. She also swam a comfortable 100 freestyle preliminaries race securing the top seed for the final.
“In the morning, I was just trying to make finals and stretch it out,” she said. “In the 50 free, I saw that I was really close to the record, so I wanted to just go ahead and get it in the morning.”
That was how her morning began and she was just getting warmed up. Owen felt better going into her afternoon events with one goal already accomplished. In the 50-yard freestyle, she dropped her own state record to 22.25. Lowering her time from the morning session by .4 seconds and winning her first state championship victory.
“My start in the morning was a little slower than I wanted to be, so I adjusted that in the evening, and I think it was a good race,” she said. “I held my back half really well, which was another goal of mine.”
In the 100 freestyle, Owen shaved 1.7 seconds off her preliminary time (50.64) and broke Olympian Amanda Weir’s 2004 record (49.06) with a 48.94. Later in the meet, Owen’s 100-yard record was broken during the 4×100 freestyle relay. Owen did not compete in that final event because Midtown was disqualified during the preliminaries.
“I think my teammates were more excited than I was because it didn’t really set in that I broke this really cool state record that’s been there for 20 years,” Owen said. “My teammates, they’re just so supportive and I just love being around them. They were really excited for me and it was just a great environment.”
She didn’t realize until after her events, that her record-breaking performance happened on National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
“Afterwards, I saw different posts about Women’s Sports Day and I thought that it was really cool that just happened to be the day that I broke the record,” she said. “I think it’s really inspiring to see things like that, so I really want to inspire other girls in the sport and in other sports that they can do things like this.”
Midtown Swim and Dive has been a competitive program and developed a number of impressive swimmers. They had a swimmer win gold at the state meet last season who went on to compete at the Division 1 level. The girls relay team won a bronze medal, and they also have a diver compete at the state meet who is signed to Dartmouth.
But what Sarah Paisley Owen has done as a freshman is special. In addition to the 50 free and 100 free, she also swims in the 200 and 400 free relays. In the 4 x 50 free relay finals, she recorded the fastest split (21.87 seconds) of the meet leading the team to a 3rd place finish.
“This is our very first time setting a state record,” Midtown High School head swim and dive coach Malaika Jordan said. “This is the first time that everyone who started in the prelims were able to come back for finals. We were really excited about that. Midtown’s swim and dive program is just getting better and better each year.”
Midtown took 16 swimmers, one diver and two alternates to the state championship meet this year. According to coach Jordan, the future is very bright for the program with mostly freshmen making up the girls’ team and an improved boys’ team with key seniors on the team.
After watching Owen break pool records throughout the season and ultimately the state records, coach Jordan and Midtown have a lot to look forward to.
“We’re already planning to put our G.O.A.T., SP (Sarah Paisley) in key positions, but we have a whole team that can rally around her or swim with her,” coach Jordan said. “We’re looking to be top-three. We’re really looking to be number one next year with our girls.”
| Swim Meet | Date | Event | Time | Notes |
| GA 13-14 Long Course State Championships | 07/15/23 | 100 meter freestyle | 56.78 | 1st place, 13-14 state record |
| Speedo Junior National Championship Irvine, CA | 08/04/23 | 50 meter freestyle | 25.61 | 6th place, Olympic Trials Qualifying Time, 13-14 state record |
| Speedo Winter Junior Championship East Columbus, Ohio | 12/07/23 | 50 yard freestyle | 22.21 | 6th place, 15-16 state record |
| Medeline June Brown Invitational at Marist | 12/15/23 | 50 yard freestyle | 23.05 | meet record |
| 53rd Metro Swimming and Diving Invitational at Westminster | 1/20/24 | 100 yard freestyle | 50.02 | meet record, All-American Qualifying time AA-A |
| APS City Championship Meet | 1/24/24 | 50 yard freestyle | 23.90 | meet record |
| GHSA 4-5A Swimming and Diving Championships at Georgia Tech | 2/7/24 | 50 yard freestyle | 22.25 | 1st place, gold medal, state record |
| GHSA 4-5A Swimming and Diving Championships at Georgia Tech | 2/7/24 | 100 yard freestyle | 48.94 | 1st place |
| GHSA 4-5A Swimming and Diving Championships at Georgia Tech | 2/7/24 | 200 yard freestyle relay | 21.87 (anchor split) | 3rd place, bronze medal, fastest split in the field. |
Coach Jordan’s exciting ambitions are quite realistic with Owen on the team. Not only is she also surrounded by other talented swimmers to compete with, but Owen has been knocking down goals since she began swimming competitively.
When she was younger, Owen’s first goal was to compete in a triathlon. In pursuit of this new challenge, she learned that she loved being in the water and competitive swimming. That led her to club swimming, which she has done for the last six years with Metro Atlanta Aquatics Club (MAAC). When she joined Midtown Swim and Dive, her reputation had preceded her, and coach Jordan was impressed from the first time she saw Owen hit the water.
“The buzz was all around that we have this phenomenal swimmer that will be coming to Midtown,” Jordan said. “Our first meet when she swam, all I remember is seeing these legs go “phphphphph” and I was like, ‘Look at those motorboats.’”
“When she hit the water, it was mind-blowing how fast she was. But not only how fast she is, but her overall package. She’s smart, nice, and hard-working,” she added. “Just everything about her just makes her the G.O.A.T., or we say the LeBron of the water. We’re just looking forward to what she’s going to do.”
Breaking the state record was on Owen’s list of goals heading into the season, and with each meet she crept closer and closer. Even after breaking a state record, she continues to set her goals higher.
“As far as high school swimming goes, I want to make my records faster and get records in other events,” she said. “I want to get my name on all of them.”
Even though the high school swim season is over, Owen still has another major event ahead on her calendar. She has qualified to compete in the 2024 Olympic Trials, which will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 15.
“She’s at a 48.94 in ninth grade. She just turned 15. Come on?” Jordan said. “We’re excited. We’re ready to see world records being broken. Not just state. Not just national. You’ll see her later. You’ll see her name at the Olympics. Not just this one, but in many years to come. And we’ll say she’s APS, Midtown High.”
The Maynard Jackson Lady Jaguars are the 2023-2024 GHSA Girls Basketball 5A State Champions!
The Lady Jaguars (29-1) defeated the Midtown Lady Knights 58-44 in the championship game Thursday night at the Macon Coliseum.
The replay of the championship game is available on demand at NFHS Network.
The Lady Jaguars, coached by Michelle Powell, went undefeated in region play. The team, led by seniors Talisa Cornish and Shakira Gresham, now carries the No. 1 state ranking in 5A and No.7 overall state ranking. Over the past three years, the Lady Jaguars have a 65-7 overall record and are 43-2 in region play. They defeated Midtown three times over the course of the regular season and region tournament.
Maynard Jackson playoff run:
- Rd 1: Defeated Flowery Branch 80-27
- Rd 2: Defeated Kell 72-45
- Rd 3: Defeated #1 Ranked Union Grove 80-55
- Rd 4: Defeated Cartersville 77-57
The Lady Knights, coached by Matravious Little, finished second in the region (15-3) behind their championship opponent. The only region losses for Midtown were in games against Jackson. This year’s team, led by sophomore Devin Bockman, went on a phenomenal run to reach the state championship final.
Midtown playoff run:
- Rd 1: Defeated Loganville 60-33
- Rd 2: Defeated GAC 69-48
- Rd 3: Defeated Jones County 58-37
- Rd 4: Defeated Dalton 73-63
It was another great, competitive game between these two APS powerhouses! Let’s Go APS!
APS is ready for baseball season! The APS baseball teams introduced themselves and shared their goals for the upcoming season during the APS Baseball Media Day event at Therrell High School.
This year will be an exciting year for APS teams.
North Atlanta High School will replace two MLB draft picks and several seniors after going 27-7 and finishing 18-0 in region play last season. Still, head coach Ricky Plante spoke highly of this year’s roster, and the team is keeping its own high expectations.
Therrell High School head coach Ryan Christian, who won coach of the year last season, has built the Panther program to improve each season. The Panthers won 10 games last season, 8-8 in region play, and aim to be even better this season.
The Jackson Jaguars didn’t have much to say as far as words go, but head coach Des Stegall has the team focused on one thing. Winning. The Jaguars went 22-8 last season with a 13-3 region record. The team starts the season off with an exciting matchup against Redan.
Best Academy, Carver, Douglass, Drew Charter, KIPP, South Atlanta, Washington, Midtown and Mays also had the opportunity to give their insights on their respective teams and the upcoming season.
BEST Academy baseball 
Carver baseball 
Douglass baseball 
Drew Charter baseball 
Maynard Jackson baseball 
Mays baseball 
Midtown baseball 
North Atlanta baseball 
KIPP baseball 
South Atlanta baseball 
Therrell baseball 
Washington baseball 
Kelli Stewart, cofounder of L.E.A.D. Center for Youth 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-Lead 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Mekhi Smith, Crawford Long Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D. Trevon Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle SchoolFirst Team All-L.E.A.D. 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Tristian Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Jalen Duboise, Crawford Long Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Tymeco Cameron, John Lewis Invictus Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Brandon Muldrow, Jean Childs Young Middle School 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D.: Julius Thames, Herman J. Russell West End Academy 
APS Middle School Baseball First Team All-L.E.A.D. 
Minority Baseball Prospects Founder Alex Wyche speaks at APS Baseball Media Day. 
MLB scout Clarence Johns spoke at APS Baseball Media Day.
The future of APS baseball also had a moment to shine as well. The L.E.A.D. Center for Youth, founded by C.J. and Kelli Stewart, recognized its inaugural First Team All L.E.A.D. team comprised of student athletes from the L.E.A.D. APS Middle School Baseball Development League.
First Team All-L.E.A.D. Honors Team
- Mekhi Smith, Crawford Long Middle School
- Jalen Duboise, Crawford Long Middle School
- Trevon Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle School
- Tristian Wilbourn, John Lewis Invictus Middle School
- Tymeco Cameron, John Lewis Invictus Middle School
- Brandon Muldrow, Jean Childs Young Middle School
- Julius Thames, Herman J. Russell West End Academy
APS also brought two guests with major league experience to speak at media day.
Alex Wyche, founder of Minority Baseball Prospects, gave his insights into how his database serves as a resource to help minority baseball players navigate recruiting and scouting. Clarence Johns, a professional major league scout, shared his journey through Major League Baseball and the professional side of evaluating talent for big league clubs.
Both provided insightful information for the APS student-athletes about their potential in the sport both on and off the field.
Opening Day is just around the corner for the 2024 APS baseball season, and the teams are ready to play ball.
What better way to start the spring semester than celebrating the 13 APS scholars who earned a four-year, full-tuition scholarship through The Posse Foundation?
After returning from the holiday break, The Posse Foundation held an acceptance ceremony for the 60 students and their families at The Gathering Spot, where they congratulated the students for their achievements. More than a few proud tears were shed as the students and their families shared how thankful they were for this great opportunity.
The 13 APS Posse scholars accounted for over $3 million in scholarship money.
2024 APS Posse Scholarship Recipients
| Minnah Dunlap | Maynard H. Jackson High School | Bard College – Posse 16 | $251,160 |
| Imani Johnson | Midtown High School | Bard College – Posse 16 | $251,160 |
| Luke McCullough | North Atlanta High School | Boston University – Posse 17 | $255,192 |
| Sanai Conoly | Charles R. Drew Charter School | Brandeis University – Posse 14 | $257,392 |
| Isla Edwards | Charles R. Drew Charter School | Brandeis University – Posse 14 | $257,392 |
| Shemaiah Perry | KIPP Atlanta Collegiate | Brandeis University – Posse 14 | $257,392 |
| Shelby Terry | North Atlanta High School | Brandeis University – Posse 14 | $257,392 |
| Niya Colbert | KIPP Atlanta Collegiate | Texas A&M University – Posse 10 | $162,428 |
| Caydence Walker | Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy | The College of Wooster – Posse 17 | $238,200 |
| Adriana Claudio | North Atlanta High School | The George Washington University – Posse 9 | $258,800 |
| Stella Maximuk | Midtown High School | The George Washington University – Posse 9 | $258,800 |
| Joseph Muche | Midtown High School | The George Washington University – Posse 9 | $258,800 |
| Eamon Walsh | Midtown High School | The George Washington University – Posse 9 | $258,800 |
“APS is one of our best partners,” Jamaal Greer, director of Posse Atlanta, said. “We really thrive on trying to affect the city of Atlanta and get as many APS scholars as possible.”
The Posse Scholarship is a leadership training, merit-based scholarship that partners with six colleges and universities to offer 10 scholarships each. As they prepare to enter their respective colleges, the students will meet with their Posse weekly for team building experiences and already have a group of peers to lean on when they reach campus.
The Posse Foundation remains connected with their scholars throughout their first two years on campus to help guide them through college life by providing a campus mentor and meeting throughout their college careers.
KIPP Atlanta Collegiate senior Shemaiah Perry was excited to be accepted by the Posse Foundation, and already has a plan for his college career.
“It was great to be accepted. I know now that my mom doesn’t have to pay as much as she would have, so that’s really good,” he said. “Now that I have a Posse, it’s a lot easier for me because I know I can go to people, I can have college readiness courses, and that’s going to help me excel at the collegiate level.”
Perry was accepted into the Brandeis University Posse and plans on pursuing and completing the MBA program in five and a half years.
“KIPP Atlanta Collegiate was very helpful. They kept getting on us about applying for scholarships before the deadline and not on the deadline at like 11:59 p.m. on the day,” he said. “They really helped me, and I know they helped my classmates as well find out what they want to do after high school.”
High school basketball season tips off this week, and the APS boys and girls basketball teams are ready for another exciting season.
Before hitting the court, APS coaches and players introduced themselves and set their goals and expectations for the 2023-2024 season at the APS Basketball Media Day at Therrell High School.
“We want to give the young ladies and young men the opportunity to show what they predict about the season,” APS director of athletics Corrie Collier said. “We want our young people to represent themselves to the fullest. If they feel good about representing themselves, they’re going to represent their program, their school, and the district well. Anytime they can do well for themselves and their schools, we’re proud.”
Sylvester “Sly the Sports Guy” Williams and Joel Hillsman hosted an entertaining discussion with the teams to get a glimpse of what fans can expect to see this season.
Last season, 12 APS teams advanced to the Georgia High Schools Association state playoffs – seven boys and five girls squads. Some highlights were:
- Maynard Jackson girls finished with a record of 26-2, won the Class 5A-Region 5 championship, and advanced to the state semifinals.
- Midtown girls were 22-9, placed second to Maynard Jackson in the region, and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
- Frederick Douglass boys advanced to the state semifinals after finishing second in Class 3A-Region 5.
- Benjamin E. Mays boys finished 21-9, finished second in Class 5A-Region 5, and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
- South Atlanta boys went 23-9, won the Class 2A-Region 6 title, and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
The players are excited to get the season started, and some didn’t balk at calling out which teams they couldn’t wait to play this season. The South Atlanta Hornets boys basketball team was called out by a couple of teams eager to match up against them, and the Booker T. Washington Bulldogs girls’ team has an early season matchup with the Mays Raiders that they’re looking forward to.
It’s gearing up to be an exciting year for APS basketball.
“I’m looking forward to watching these young ladies and young men just get out here and showcase what they’ve worked hard for and reap the benefits of it,” Collier said. “We have an interim superintendent, Dr. Battle, who loves athletics. I know she and her team will be right there rooting all of them on the entire way.”
Atlanta Public Schools is celebrating the graduating Class of 2023, which raised the bar and achieved the district’s all-time highest graduation rate.
That’s right! APS achieved an 86.6 percent graduation rate for cohort 2023, according to graduation data released today by the Georgia Department of Education. By achieving its all-time high graduation rate, APS also exceeded the state graduation rate of 84.4 percent by 2.2 percentage points.
“I am incredibly proud of the graduating Class of 2023,” APS Interim Superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle said. “We are simply elated to celebrate another historic accomplishment! Our students and staff have worked extremely hard to increase our graduation rate and for our results to surpass the state average is truly a testament to the tremendous efforts of everyone in Atlanta Public Schools. We plan to continue building on this momentum by amplifying the work we’re currently doing.”
Frederick Douglass High School Class of 2023 
Frederick Douglass High School Class of 2023 
Jackson High School Class of 2023 
Jackson High School Class of 2023 
North Atlanta High School Class of 2023 
North Atlanta High School Class of 2023 
Midtown High School Class of 2023 
KIPP Atlanta Collegiate Class of 2023 
KIPP Atlanta Collegiate Class of 2023 
Carver STEAM and Carver Early College High School Class of 2023 
Carver STEAM and Carver Early College High School Class of 2023 
Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy Class of 2023 
Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and BEST Academy Class of 2023 
Benjamin E. Mays High School Class of 2023 
Benjamin E. Mays High School Class of 2023 
South Atlanta High School Class of 2023 
South Atlanta High School Class of 2023
A total of 2,812 students graduated on-time from APS in 2023. The percentage of students who graduated in 2023 is the highest recorded since 2012, when the state adopted the cohort graduation rate as required by federal law. This is an increase of 121 graduates from 2022. The class of 2023 included 3,247 students, 44 larger than the 2022 cohort. See Figure 1.
Figure 1: APS Graduation Rates (Graduate Counts/Cohort Sizes)
Reaching the district’s highest graduation rate culminates four years of hard work for this class. This historic class also completed half of its high school career during a pandemic, which shows that our students, schools, and staff can achieve strong outcomes even amid adversity.
Let’s look at our schools.
Of the 16 schools with graduating classes, 11 achieved percentage-point gains compared to 2022. Douglass High School led the way with the largest increase from a traditional high school and achieved a 7.2-percentage-point gain. Other traditional schools achieving gains include Mays (+5.7), Midtown (+4.9), North Atlanta (+4.5), Atlanta Classical (+3.9), South Atlanta (+3.3), Carver STEAM (+2.1), Carver Early (+1.4), KIPP Collegiate (+0.9), Jackson High School (+0.4). See Figure 2
Figure 2: 2023 APS Graduation Rates and Change from 2022
In addition, eight schools had graduation rates greater than 90%: Atlanta Classical Academy (100%), Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (100%), Drew Secondary (98.4%), North Atlanta (94.2%), BEST (93.8%), Carver Early (93.1%), KIPP Collegiate (93.0%), and Midtown (91.3%).
With APS reaching higher numbers of total students graduating, the district must take a harder look at improving these numbers across our diverse demographics.
Let’s take a look at some other results from the latest graduation rates:
• Graduation rates for Black students (84.7%) reached an all-time high with the 2023 cohort, while the rate for Hispanic students (82.3%) and White students (96.7%) were higher than the cohort 2022 rates. See Figure 3.
• Nearly 12 percentage points separated the graduation rates of Black students and White students. This is one percentage point lower than the cohort 2022 difference.
• Graduation rates for students with disabilities (76.2%) reached an all-time high with a four-percentage point increase over 2022.
• The 2023 graduation rate for English learners (65.7%) was lower than the 2022 graduation rate of 76.1%, a difference of 10.4 percentage points.
• Graduation rates for Economically Disadvantaged students (82.8%) reached an all-time high with a 2.5 percentage point increase over 2022.
Figure 3: APS Graduation Rates by Race
“We recognize that gaps in achievement persist among our students, so we are continuing to implement strategies for increasing achievement across all student groups,” Dr. Battle said. “These strategies include cultivating a district of readers, shifting resources toward the classroom, operating with openness and collaboration, empowering our educators, and making a personal commitment to excellence. This formula, in conjunction with the availability of ongoing wraparound services, will not only increase student achievement but will benefit the whole child and will allow more to cross the finish line.”
Together, our entire team is responsible for these record-setting gains! Thank you for your ongoing commitment to Atlanta Public Schools.
Note: Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate
Georgia has calculated an adjusted cohort graduation rate as required by federal law since 2012, and this calculation has not changed over this period. APS only reports the official state graduation rate. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is the number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. From the beginning of ninth grade, students who are entering that grade for the first time form a cohort that is subsequently “adjusted” by adding any students who transfer into the cohort during the next four years and subtracting any students who transfer out. Students who drop out remain in the four-year adjusted cohort.