Savannah-Chatham graduation rate climbs to 87.8%, Woodville Tompkins hits 100% again

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools said more students graduated at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

The district’s graduation rate climbed to 87.8% this year, with 2,292 students earning their diplomas.

100% graduation rate maintained for over a decade

At Woodville Tompkins Technical and Career High School, the graduation rate is 100%. The school said it has maintained that mark for more than a decade.

Christine Holmes, assistant principal at Woodville Tompkins Technical and Career High School, said the achievement requires ongoing effort.

“Every year it’s still a lot of work that goes into 100% graduation rate and with that becoming the norm within the district it makes us even more excited that students are being able to celebrate that major milestone and see the hard work payoff in the form of graduation,” Holmes said.

Work starts freshman year

For Woodville Tompkins, that work starts freshman year. The school identifies students who may enter ninth grade behind in literacy and works to make sure they don’t stay behind.

Holmes, a former English teacher, said she has seen the impact of literacy firsthand.

“Before I became an administrator, I was an English teacher, and I would always say once a student learns to read and loves to read they can do anything they wanna do and be in the world,” Holmes said.

District focuses on early literacy

The district is putting a greater focus on literacy early because of that connection. The Chatham Educational Alliance’s new Moonshot Initiative aims to get 95% of Savannah-Chatham third graders reading on grade level by 2031.

Holmes said watching students graduate is an emotional experience.

“As you see the students walk past, I have to do everything possible not to cry. It’s just an emotional experience looking out to the students,” Holmes said.