The Crenshaw County School System scored in the top 13 percent of school systems in graduation rates for the Class of 2012, officials announced Monday night.

Superintendent Randy Wilkes said  Crenshaw County as a whole graduated 90 percent of its students, while statewide only 75 percent of students graduated.

Individually, Luverne High School topped the county’s schools with 95 percent of students graduating, followed by Brantley School at 93 percent and Highland Home School at 80 percent.

Wilkes said the new graduation rate is based on the percentage of first-time entries into the ninth grade that finished high school with a diploma within a four-year period.

Statistically, Crenshaw County is tied for eighth best score with Oxford City Schools, and is the second highest ranking county school system in the state. Neighboring Coffee County had a 94 percent graduation rate.

Wilkes attributed the success to “students’ desire to learn; supportive parents; caring teachers, administrators and supervisors who seek various means to actively engage students in the learning process; skillful tutors; effective counselors; helpful board; knowledgeable past and present leadership; creative and diverse scheduling; implementation of productive drop out prevention programs such as Jobs for Alabama Graduates; and utilization of state funds such as Children’s First, at-risk and High Hopes.”

“All of the aforementioned components must work cooperatively and collaboratively and best practices must be implemented appropriately and timely to ensure that all students are prepared for life,” Wilkes said. “Crenshaw County Schools will not be content until every student graduates.”