▁Class ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁was ▁ 7 4 ▁percent , ▁a ▁four - point ▁increase ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁gradu ation ▁rate ▁of ▁ 7 0 ▁percent . ▁Between ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁District ▁gradu ation ▁rate ▁improved ▁ 1 4 ▁percentage ▁points . ▁ ▁Ind ict ment ▁ ▁Form er ▁De K al b ▁County ▁School s ▁Super int endent ▁C raw ford ▁Lewis ▁was ▁ind icted ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁along ▁with ▁former ▁De K al b ▁County ▁School s ▁Chief ▁Oper ating ▁Officer ▁Pat ▁Pope ▁( Re ed ), ▁and ▁others , ▁on ▁criminal ▁charges ▁related ▁to ▁a ▁school ▁construction ▁sc andal . ▁The ▁ind ict ment ▁listed ▁four ▁counts ▁of ▁ra ck ete ering , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ft ▁by ▁taking ▁and ▁b ri ber y . ▁ ▁Sho oting ▁and ▁host age ▁situation ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁a ▁man ▁with ▁an ▁A K - 4 7 ▁entered ▁the ▁front ▁office ▁of ▁Ron ald ▁E . ▁Mc N air ▁Disc overy ▁Learning ▁Academy , ▁an ▁elementary ▁school , ▁and ▁bar ric aded ▁himself . ▁He ▁fired ▁six ▁sh ots ▁at ▁police ▁officers ▁outside , ▁who ▁returned ▁fire . ▁The ▁school ' s ▁students ▁were ▁ev acu ated . ▁Anto in ette ▁T uff , ▁a ▁school ▁book keeper , ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁conv ince ▁him ▁to ▁surrender ▁without ▁further ▁violence ;