Escambia County School District’s (Fla.) 2016-17 graduation rate is 79.5 percent, according to a release.

Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said he’s pleased with the rate, which is based off of the previous year’s graduating class.

“Statewide graduation rates were released (recently) and everyone in Escambia County should be proud of the fact that our 2016-2017 high school graduation rate increased again this year, to reach a new high of 79.5 percent,” Thomas said in the release. “This graduation rate represents students who have graduated in four years. This means better opportunities for our students and our community.”

Thomas said the district has achieved an increase for nine years straight.

“In 2008, we were at 55 percent for our overall graduation rate and only 44 percent for our graduate rate for African American students,” he said. “This year, we are at 79.5 percent for our total graduation rate and 70.9 percent for our African American students.”

Thomas said that all of ECSD’s high schools are above 75 percent. Northview High School in Bratt had a 83.9 percent graduation rate for 2016-17.

“This success is due to the hard work of so many people and the results of cumulative efforts by our students, their families, their teachers and school administrators; including subject area specialists, guidance counselors and essentially everyone working in our school district,” he said.

The breakdown for all seven high schools’ graduation rates for the 2016-17 year is below:

• Escambia High School — 77.4 percent

• Pensacola High School — 80.9 percent

• Tate High School — 84.7 percent

• Pine Forest High School — 76.3 percent

• BT Washington High School — 79.2 percent

• Northview High School — 83.9 percent

• West Florida High School — 99 percent

“A student doesn’t become a high school graduate overnight, or even over the course of their senior year. We begin working towards graduation as soon as they arrive in kindergarten,” Thomas said. “We should all celebrate the hard work and success of these results. You all have my sincere congratulations.”