When looking at a graduating class, it is important to know not just how many graduated but how many started high school in this Class. For the Class of 2005, there were 100,230 students in the cohort (the Class) in 9th grade. Four years later, there were 69,429 regular diplomas awarded. This means that 69.3% of the Class of 2005 got regular diplomas. Other diploma types such as Special Diplomas, Modified Standard Diplomas, and General Achievement Diplomas are not considered in this table. This table is based on data from the Virginia Department of Education's website (http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Publications/grads/grad0405.html)
This table lists the percentage of the Class of 2005 receiving Standard or Advanced Studies diplomas by school division. After the top row, the state totals, the divisions are listed from lowest percentage of students receiving diplomas to highest percentage of diplomas.
Standard and Advanced Studies Diploma rates for the Class of 2005
| Divisions | Percentage of 9th graders earning regular diploma in 2005 | Number of 9th graders in 2001 | Standard diplomas | Advanced diplomas | Total regular diplomas in 2005 |
| STATE TOTALS | 69.3% | 100230 | 33,049 | 36,380 | 69,429 |
| Cumberland | 22.5% | 111 | 1 | 24 | 25 |
| Norfolk | 34.3% | 3,608 | 693 | 543 | 1,236 |
| Portsmouth | 38.9% | 1,669 | 349 | 301 | 650 |
| Bristol | 41.3% | 213 | 43 | 45 | 88 |
| Hopewell | 42.0% | 383 | 98 | 63 | 161 |
| Roanoke City | 43.2% | 1,145 | 308 | 187 | 495 |
| Lee | 44.6% | 408 | 138 | 44 | 182 |
| Petersburg | 45.1% | 475 | 174 | 40 | 214 |
| Richmond City | 45.5% | 2,107 | 608 | 350 | 958 |
| Danville | 47.3% | 785 | 237 | 134 | 371 |
| Northumberland | 48.4% | 155 | 49 | 26 | 75 |
| Fredericksburg | 49.3% | 221 | 51 | 58 | 109 |
| Colonial Beach | 51.7% | 60 | 16 | 15 | 31 |
| Northampton | 52.1% | 192 | 81 | 19 | 100 |
| Southampton | 52.2% | 274 | 52 | 91 | 143 |
| Dinwiddie | 52.2% | 410 | 146 | 68 | 214 |
| Nottoway | 52.6% | 211 | 61 | 50 | 111 |
| Surry | 54.3% | 129 | 33 | 37 | 70 |
| Gloucester | 54.9% | 652 | 189 | 169 | 358 |
| Charles City | 56.2% | 89 | 26 | 24 | 50 |
| Staunton | 56.3% | 247 | 40 | 99 | 139 |
| Lynchburg | 57.0% | 852 | 229 | 257 | 486 |
| Buchanan | 57.1% | 294 | 138 | 30 | 168 |
| Charlottesville | 58.3% | 357 | 78 | 130 | 208 |
| Halifax | 58.6% | 524 | 163 | 144 | 307 |
| Campbell | 59.1% | 805 | 235 | 241 | 476 |
| Caroline | 59.3% | 339 | 149 | 52 | 201 |
| Buckingham | 59.8% | 199 | 79 | 40 | 119 |
| Appomattox | 60.1% | 203 | 51 | 71 | 122 |
| Prince Edward | 60.2% | 249 | 67 | 83 | 150 |
| Greene | 60.3% | 234 | 79 | 62 | 141 |
| Henry | 60.5% | 800 | 293 | 191 | 484 |
| Hampton | 60.5% | 2,126 | 797 | 490 | 1,287 |
| Covington | 61.2% | 85 | 32 | 20 | 52 |
| Westmoreland | 62.1% | 169 | 74 | 31 | 105 |
| Newport News | 62.2% | 2,625 | 913 | 721 | 1,634 |
| Accomack | 62.4% | 495 | 209 | 100 | 309 |
| Essex | 62.5% | 168 | 50 | 55 | 105 |
| Amelia | 62.6% | 155 | 56 | 41 | 97 |
| Winchester | 62.6% | 297 | 93 |