The 2019 School District Report Card ratings have been issued and it shows West Columbia’s Gray Collegiate Academy with an “Excellent” rating. The S.C. Department of Education released the report card ratings Tuesday.

It is the the highest rating achieved by Gray in school history. Gray is in the Charter Institute of Erskine and its rating is the highest in the school’s district. Only five other Midlands high school schools achieved an “Excellent” rating.

“We have many things to celebrate at Gray, but most importantly, I am happy that my faculty and staff will receive the attention they deserve. They work hard daily to help our students achieve success,” said Dr. Brian Newsome, principal at Gray. “We have wonderful students and families at Gray, and they appreciate high expectations and accountability.

The academic gains in ratings show Gray Collegiate Academy is also succeeding at record levels with a graduation rate of 99.2 percent. The state average for graduation is 81 percent and the district average is 58.9 percent.

In Gray’s 2019 graduating class, 41 percent of their students held a 4.0 grade point average or higher and 6 percent earned a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

“The significant increase in overall performance is a testament to our mission; to have a small, safe, family centered learning environment and we are providing that to all families at Gray,” said Newsome.

The news of the “Excellent” rating comes at a great time for Gray, said Newsome. Tuesday (Oct. 1) was the start of new enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year.

Parent forums are listed on the Gray website at:http://graycollegiateacademy.org, so parents can learn more about Gray and how to become a student.

“We have already had a great response to the first day for new enrollment,” said Newsome. “The word is out that we provide great educational opportunities, and now this achievement is further evidence of that expectation.”