MADISONVILLE-The Monroe County School System is bragging on their three area high schools after state Report Card data was released recently.

"There's not much we can criticize them on," Data Instructor Lee Anne Strickland told the Monroe County Board of Education on Thursday night during a presentation on Report Card findings. "We have to brag a lot of our high schools."

As previously reported in The Advocate & Democrat, the school system as a district had the highest growth in East Tennessee in Algebra I.

"In this category, we have people coming to us saying, 'Tell us what you're doing!'" said Strickland.

In addition to the continued growths at the high school level, graduation rates continue to incline.

"This is our shining star," said Strickland.

As a whole, the district's graduation rate now sits at 94.9 percent, up from 91.3 percent last year.

Tellico Plains High School's graduation rate increased from 92.6 to 94.6 percent, Sequoyah High School's graduation rate increased from 93.9 to 94.9 percent, and Sweetwater High School's graduation rate increased from 89.7 to 94.7 percent. Monroe Academy also showed the greatest growth in their graduation rate, increasing from last year's 82.2 percent to 96.3 percent.

See full story in the Sunday, Nov. 11, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.