COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Collier County Public Schools made history last school year with its highest graduation rate ever, reaching 94.4% and placing the district among Florida's top 15 performers.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to the district's superintendent about how this was possible:
The graduation rate was the highest in all of Southwest Florida and exceeded the state average by more than 2%.
Superintendent Dr. Leslie Ricciaradelli said she personally monitors every student's progress throughout their high school career. Even after this record-setting achievement, the district is already tracking the next graduating class.
"There is nobody that can do this alone. We have people from the district office down to the school level. And again, like I said, even our athletic coaches are aware of where their kids stand in terms of needing and to meet graduation requirements," Ricciaradelli said.
Despite making history, the superintendent expects the graduation rate to climb even higher in future years.
She says the achievement represents a collaborative effort across all levels of the school district, from administrators to teachers to athletic coaches, all working together to make sure students meet graduation requirements.
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