COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Muscogee County School District's four-year graduation rate reached 96.3% in 2026, nearly eight percentage points above Georgia's statewide rate of 88.5%. The district's rate increased from 96.1% in 2025, marking a 0.2 percentage-point gain and what district officials called "a new personal best for MCSD." All nine district high schools recorded graduation rates of at least 92%, according to results released Sept. 28.

Five Muscogee County high schools set all-time graduation records in 2026, while two maintained perfect 100% rates. The district's overall graduation rate has climbed 2.8 percentage points since 2023, when it stood at 93.5%. Although the district continued improving in 2026, Georgia's statewide graduation rate increased faster, narrowing the difference between local and state results.

Graduation rates at all nine Muscogee County high schools

The district's Sept. 28 release provides four years of graduation data for each of its nine high schools. Columbus High School and Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts maintained 100% graduation rates throughout the entire period from 2023 through 2026. Kendrick High School posted the largest one-year improvement in 2026, climbing from 95.9% to 98.2%.

Every school exceeded Georgia's 2026 statewide graduation rate of 88.5%. Carver recorded the district's lowest 2026 rate at 92.5%, while Columbus and Rainey-McCullers remained at 100%. The district identified Carver, Hardaway, Jordan, Kendrick and Shaw as the five schools that established new all-time highs.

Muscogee County versus Georgia: Four years of results

The statewide graduation rate also reached a record in 2026, according to the Georgia Department of Education. Georgia reported that 88.5% of students graduated within the four-year cohort measurement, compared with 87.2% in 2025. The state described its latest result as an all-time high since Georgia began using the federally required adjusted cohort calculation in 2011.

The 2026 comparison requires a small correction to the district's published table. The district lists its advantage over Georgia as 7.7 percentage points, but subtracting the state's 88.5% rate from Muscogee County's 96.3% produces 7.8 percentage points. Columbus Times uses that calculated difference, while the figures for 2023, 2024 and 2025 match the district's published comparisons.

The district exceeded the statewide average in each of the four years shown in the data. Its advantage measured 9.1 percentage points in 2023, decreased to 8.7 in 2024, increased to 8.9 in 2025 and narrowed to 7.8 in 2026. Those comparisons establish four consecutive years above the state average in the available table, although the district did not specify the total length of its streak.

Why the gap narrowed in 2026

Muscogee County's rate increased by 0.2 percentage points between 2025 and 2026, from 96.1% to 96.3%. Georgia's statewide rate increased by 1.3 percentage points over the same period, from 87.2% to 88.5%. Because the state improved by a larger amount, the district's advantage narrowed even though its own graduation rate reached a new high.

Looking across the four-year period, Muscogee County improved from 93.5% in 2023 to 96.3% in 2026, a gain of 2.8 percentage points. Georgia improved from 84.4% to 88.5% during those same years, an increase of 4.1 percentage points. Both sets of figures show improvement, with the statewide rate gaining more ground over the four-year comparison.

The Georgia Department of Education reported that 147 school districts recorded graduation rates of at least 90% in 2026. Of those districts, 69 achieved graduation rates of 95% or higher, a group that includes Muscogee County at 96.3%. The state also reported that its graduation rate has increased by 21.1 percentage points since 2011.

Five schools improved, two declined and two remained perfect

Kendrick recorded the largest increase among Muscogee County high schools, gaining 2.3 percentage points from 95.9% in 2025 to 98.2% in 2026. Hardaway followed with a 2.2-point gain, moving from 94.6% to 96.8%, while Jordan improved by 2.1 points, from 94.5% to 96.6%. All three schools set new graduation-rate records, according to the district.

Shaw also established an all-time high, increasing 0.8 percentage points from 97.0% to 97.8%. Carver improved by 0.4 points, moving from 92.1% to 92.5%, and joined the list of schools reaching new highs. Together, those five schools accounted for all the district high schools that recorded year-over-year increases in 2026.

Two schools reported declines from their 2025 graduation rates, despite remaining above the statewide average. Northside decreased by 1.6 percentage points, from 97.3% to 95.7%, while Spencer declined by 0.8 points, from 94.8% to 94.0%. Both schools nevertheless maintained graduation rates exceeding Georgia's 88.5% statewide figure.

Columbus and Rainey-McCullers recorded no change because both schools maintained their 100% graduation rates. Their published results show perfect rates in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Across the district's nine high schools, five improved, two declined and two remained unchanged compared with the previous year.

What the graduation rate means for schools

The district identifies a 90% graduation rate as the standard for success at the state and national levels. All nine Muscogee County high schools surpassed that threshold in 2026, with the lowest school rate reaching 92.5%. The district's overall 96.3% rate also placed it above Georgia's statewide graduation figure.

Graduation rates contribute to Georgia's College and Career Ready Performance Index, commonly called CCRPI. The district's reported measure is a four-year cohort graduation rate, and the state uses the adjusted cohort calculation required by federal law. Georgia began using that calculation in 2011, the starting point for the state's reported long-term improvement.

What education leaders said

Muscogee County School District Superintendent Dr. David Lewis credited students, teachers, staff and early intervention efforts for the district's continued progress. His statement also emphasized preparing graduates for their next steps beyond school. The district included his comments in its Sept. 28 announcement, quoted below.

"We are pleased and proud to see the graduation rate continue to improve in 2026. This progress reflects the perseverance of our students, the dedication of our teachers and staff, and our intentional efforts to identify students who need additional support and intervene early. Our goal is not simply graduation, but ensuring every student is prepared for what comes next, whether they choose to enroll, enlist, or enter the workforce. We celebrate the Class of 2026 and remain committed to helping every student succeed in school and beyond."

State School Superintendent Richard Woods also recognized the people who contributed to Georgia's graduation results. His comments accompanied the Georgia Department of Education's Sept. 28 announcement of the statewide record. Woods said, "I'm incredibly proud of the class of 2026, and the teachers, families, school and district staff, and communities who supported them."

## How we did this Columbus Times reviewed the Muscogee County School District's Sept. 28, 2026, graduation announcement and the Georgia Department of Education's statewide graduation release from the same date, using information verified Oct. 27. We compared four-year graduation rates for all nine district high schools, calculated school-level percentage-point changes and checked the district's results against Georgia's published statewide figures. Our calculations identified a 7.8-point district advantage in 2026 rather than the 7.7 points printed in the district's comparison table, and all quoted statements appear exactly as provided in the source releases.