The Vicksburg Warren School District’s 4-year high school graduation rate increased for the fourth year in a row, moving from 86.8 percent in the 2021 report to 88.0 percent in 2022.

This increase, made official last week by the Mississippi Department of Education’s Board of Directors, is the highest ever reported by the District and surpasses the last-posted national average of 85 percent.

Over the past eight years (since 2013), VWSD’s graduation rate has increased 29.5 percentage points and is only 0.4 percentage points shy of the state’s average of 88.4 percent.

This accomplishment exceeds the school board’s original strategic goal of increasing the graduation rate by 20 percentile points.

“The Board’s vision for student success goes well beyond graduation,” said Superintendent Chad Shealy. “Our principals, teachers, and staff have worked hard to help students connect with an exit strategy — enrolled, enlisted, entrepreneur or employed with meaningful credentials, and they are engaging them in relevant learning and building strong student/teacher relationships. We know these are the things that make kids successful and increase our graduation rate. It is also simply the right thing to do for our students.”

Vicksburg High School achieved a 91-percent graduation rate, which beats both the national average rate and Mississippi’s average graduation rate of 88.4 percent. Warren Central High School achieved an 85.9 percent rate, besting the national average. River City Early College High School (RCECHS) reported a 100-percent graduation rate for its Class of 2021 seniors. Students who graduate from RCECHS are officially counted at their zoned high school.

“The data tells us that what we are doing is working. We will keep expanding the programs that are in place and continue to provide our students a jump-start to their future,” Shealy said. “Our vision is to graduate all — and all means all — students college, career and life prepared. We will keep pushing to accomplish this for the betterment of our students and the community.”

For more information from the Mississippi Department of Education on graduation rates, visit: https://www.mdek12.org/news/2020/1/16/Mississippis-Graduation-Rate-Exceeds-National-Average_20200116