Georgia high school graduation rate increases

ATLANTA (AP) Georgia education officials say the graduation rate for the state's public high schools increased nearly two percentage points over the previous year.

The Georgia Department of Education released the 2013 graduation figures Wednesday morning.

Education officials say the rate increased from 69.7 percent in 2012 to 71.5 percent in 2013.

The graduation rate for African-American students was 64.3 percent; and the rate for Hispanic students was 62.4 percent.