HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – Harrisonburg High School has been recognized by the Virginia Department of Education with an Exemplar Performance Award.

Harrisonburg is one of 21 high schools in the Commonwealth to receive the Continuous Improvement Award: Graduation and Completion Index and Dropout Rate.

To qualify for this award, a school must be Accredited or Accredited with Conditions and demonstrate an increase in the Graduation and Completion Index for each of the past three years with a total increase across the three years of four percent or more.

Additionally, the school must demonstrate a decrease in the dropout rate for each of the past three years.

According to HCPS Communication and Policy Coordinator Kelly Lineweaver, HHS had a graduation rate of 96% last year, which exceeded the state average of 88%.