The most recent published Tennessee data put Hamilton County's four-year graduation rate at 94.2% for the 2024-25 cohort, up from 83.8% in 2015-16. That is a 10.4-percentage-point increase over nine years.

The statewide rate rose from 88.5% to 92.3% over the same period. Hamilton moved from 4.7 points below the state to 1.9 points above it.

Four consecutive annual gains

Hamilton's rate reached 87.0% in 2019-20, fell to 85.5% in 2020-21, and then increased in each of the next four reporting years. The gain from 2020-21 to 2024-25 was 8.7 points.

The district's all-students cohort grew from 3,012 students in 2015-16 to 3,401 in 2024-25. The number of reported graduates rose from 2,525 to 3,204.

Among Tennessee districts with 2024-25 cohorts of at least 1,000 students, Hamilton's 10.4-point increase was the largest over this period.

Subgroup gains

All 10 student groups with a published rate in both endpoint years improved.

• Special education: 64.3% to 87.9%, a 23.6-point increase.
• English learners: 63.0% to 88.5%, a 25.5-point increase.
• Hispanic students: 77.4% to 92.8%, a 15.4-point increase.
• Black students: 81.2% to 93.1%, an 11.9-point increase.
• Students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch: 83.1% to 91.9%, an 8.8-point increase.

These rates establish the changes but not their cause. Explanations involving programs, staffing or other local conditions are unresourced here.

Hamilton leads the four-district comparison

Hamilton did not start at the top among the four districts compared here. In 2015-16, Knox County reported 90.3%, Hamilton 83.8%, Davidson County 81.0%, and Shelby County 78.7%. Hamilton ranked second.

In 2024-25, Hamilton's 94.2% was the highest of the four. Knox County reported 92.0%, Memphis-Shelby County Schools 84.4%, and Davidson County 83.6%.

Graduation rates and cohort outcomes come from the Tennessee Department of Education's Data Downloads. The most recent file used here covers the 2024-25 cohort.

Detailed code that reproduces the analysis and figures in this article is available exclusively to EdTribune subscribers.