Petal School District Holds Second Highest Graduation Rate in the State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2023

PETAL, Miss. – The Petal School District (PSD) holds the second highest graduation rate in the state at 98.6% according to new figures released last week from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). The data is based on students who entered ninth grade for the first time during the 2018-19 school year.

98.6% is a record-breaking rate for the district, which has been rising over the last several years. Petal’s graduation rate among students with disabilities also increased from 84.2% for the 2017-18 cohort to 89.3% for the 2018-19 cohort, placing it 4^th in the state. Petal also placed in the Top 10 Districts with the Lowest Dropout Rate, at 0.7% compared to the state’s average of 9%.

Top 10 Districts with the Highest Graduation Rates

Top 10 Districts with the Lowest Dropout Rates

“I am so Panther Proud of our great faculty, staff and students for achieving our best results yet,” said Dr. Matt Dillon, PSD superintendent of schools. “This is not just a high school recognition, but a districtwide achievement, as it begins at the PreK level all the way up. Our faculty, staff and leadership work extremely hard to provide high quality educational opportunities for our students and to keep them engaged, and their hard work continues to pay off.”

MDE’s latest figures mark a continuing positive trend for Mississippi’s students, reflecting the highest statewide graduation rate of 88.9%.

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