High School Graduation
In today’s economy, people with a high school diploma have better employment prospects. Increasingly, a person who lacks a high school diploma is more likely to live in poverty, suffer from poor health, and engage in crime. The measure used for High School Graduation is the four-year graduation rate, which is considered to be on-time graduation for high school students. View data notes for this measure.
Data Visualization
Four-Year High School Graduation Rate (2013-2025 School Years)
Use the dropdown menu below to view data on different groups.
Key Takeaways
School Year 2020-21
The high school graduation rate has remained relatively consistent the last few years.
Disparities were present in four-year graduation rates by student economic status.
Fewer economically disadvantaged students graduated on time (82%) compared to their non-economically disadvantaged peers (90%).
Disparities were present in four-year graduation rates by gender.
Fewer male students graduated on-time (84%) compared to female students (88%).
Disparities were present in four-year graduation rates by race/ethnicity.
Slightly fewer Black students than White students graduated in four years, 87% compared to 89%. Fewer Hispanic/Latino students graduated in four years (82%) compared to their Black and White peers.
Working together to improve High School Graduation
Across Forsyth County, individuals, organizations, community groups, networks, and public institutions are working to ensure every child graduates high school.
The strategies below represent the many ways our community is working toward that shared goal. By making these efforts visible, we can better understand how our work fits together, identify opportunities for collaboration, and strengthen our collective impact.
Train a diverse cohort of local residents as teachers in pedagogical best practices
WST-01
Develop a life-long love of reading and learning by providing culturally relevant summer learning opportunities and reading materials for children
FRS-01
Build community power and lasting family leadership infrastructure within schools by holding regular Freedom Family Tables
FRS-02
Build capacity of educators and future educators to effectively deliver culturally relevant curriculum
FRS-03
Provide academic support and inspire academic confidence so that students are college-ready.
CLT-01
Empower families as active partners in student success by strengthening educational knowledge, workforce skills, economic stability, and access to wraparound supports.
CLT-02
Facilitate network connection & collaboration among providers of youth extracurricular services to align programming, build capacity around best practices, and increase access
HTC-01
Collaboratively design and implement youth programming events that promote protective factors for youth
HTC-02
Raise awareness of and increase community support for youth well-being needs through public demonstrations, publications, and events.
HTC-03
Work collaboratively with partners to identify gaps and identify resources for youth mental health supports
MBK-01
Transform the policies, practices, and resource flows that influence how schools, law enforcement, and community institutions respond to student behavior.
SJP-01
Build capacity and strengthen collaboration, trust, and shared ownership among the school system, law enforcement, juvenile justice, community organizations, and families, to create coordinated responses that better support students.
SJP-02
Shift the beliefs, expectations, and cultural norms surrounding school discipline held by individuals within the organizations serving students in Forsyth County.
SJP-03
Data Notes
Four-Year High School Graduation Rate
Economic disadvantage is defined as students who are receiving free- or reduced-price lunch.
Data source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction