Hall County school system juniors have outperformed the state on the 2008 Georgia High School Graduation Tests.

According to Hall school officials, 96 percent of students passed the math portion; 92 percent, English; 91 percent, science and social studies; and 85 percent, students passing all portions.

By comparison, statewide, 92 percent of students passed the math portion; 90 percent, English; 86 percent, science and social studies; and 79 percent, students passing all portions.

The numbers represent students taking the tests for the first time.

Students must pass the tests to receive a diploma and can take them repeatedly, even after they graduate, until they pass them.

Percentages for individual high schools, as well as data for Gainesville High School, weren’t immediately available.

Hall school officials said that North Hall High School fell just shy of all of its students passing the math test.