The Kentucky Department of Education recently announced that 31 Kentucky high schools, including Williamsburg High School and Corbin High School, have received the prestigious College Success Award from GreatSchools.org, the nation’s leading nonprofit school information site.
Now in its sixth year, the recognition honors public high schools that excel at preparing students to enroll and succeed in college, as determined by available data in each state.
Kentucky’s recipients are among 1,436 winners in 19 states that have demonstrated successful track records of graduating students who enroll in two- or four-year colleges, are ready for college-level coursework and persist on to their second year. College readiness is crucial for high school students’ future success as companies still overwhelmingly hire candidates with a college degree.
Corbin has a four-year high school graduation rate of 92 percent compared to a 91 percent state average. About 62 percent of Corbin graduates pursue an in-state college or vocational program compared to the state average of 45 percent. A total of 79 percent of Corbin graduates returned to college for a second year. Corbin received the College Success Award in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024, according to the GreatSchools website.
Williamsburg has a four-year high school graduation rate of 97 percent compared to a 91 percent state average. About 47 percent of Williamsburg graduates pursue an in-state college or vocational program compared to the state average of 45 percent. A total of 84 percent of Williamsburg graduates returned to college for a second year. Williamsburg received the College Success Award in 2021 and 2024, according to the GreatSchools website.
“We want to provide vibrant learning experiences for all our students, which means we are ‘All In’ when it comes to making sure every student is equipped to succeed after high school,” said Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher. “For many, that means pursuing a postsecondary education. Our College Success Award-winning schools are models of excellence both within the Commonwealth and across the nation, underscoring our commitment to keeping students at the forefront of what we do each day.”
The College Success Award is possible because Kentucky is leading the nation in both collecting and transparently sharing information on how students perform after high school, which is valuable information for families, educators, and policymakers.
“We applaud Kentucky for prioritizing a high-quality public education that puts students on the path to bright futures,” said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools. “It’s inspiring to see how entire school communities — students, teachers, and families — can work together in pursuit of a common goal: success for all. Congratulations to these 31 schools for receiving the College Success Award as proof of their hard work and dedication.”
Other area schools making the list were Barbourville Independent School and South Laurel High School.
