Understanding the New Graduation RateSample Presentation

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Why Did the Graduation Calculation Change?

In an effort to standardize the method being used among the states, the U.S. Department of Education has mandated a four-year adjusted cohort calculation method for all states, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year.

The intent is to have a uniform, comparable rate and to be transparent about graduation data.

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What is the Four- Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate?

The number of students who graduate in four years with a regular high school

diploma divided by the number of students who entered high school four years earlier (adjusting for transfers in

and out).

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2010 Four- Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Formula

# of cohort members graduating by (2009-2010)

# 1st time 9th graders (fall 2006) plus transfers in, minus students who transfer out,

emigrate or die during 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10

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What is Different about the Four- Year Adjusted Cohort

Graduation Rate?The number of students who graduate in

four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who entered high school four years earlier

(adjusting for transfers in and out).1.Students must graduate in four years2.Students must receive a regular high school diploma3.Students can only transfer out of the cohort with certain EXIT codes

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1. Students must graduate in four years

In order to be included in the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, a student must receive their diploma by Oct 1 (in the year they graduate).

Any student who takes longer than four years to graduate will be counted as a non-graduate in the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

This does apply to students with disabilities who have an IEP and English language learners who have an ILP that says they can stay in school until their 21. 6

2. Students must receive a regular high school diploma

A regular high school diploma means the standard high school diploma awarded to students in a state that is fully aligned with the state’s academic content standards and does not include a GED credential, certificate of attendance, or any alternative award.

Students who leave high school to attend an unaccredited private school or homeschool will count as non-graduates because these schools are not required to be fully aligned with the state’s academic content standards. 7

3. Students can only transfer out of the cohort with certain

EXIT codes A student can transfer out of the cohort

for the following reasons: Transfer to a public school in Kansas Transfer to a public school in another

state Transfer to an accredited private school Transfer to a juvenile correctional facility

where educational services are provided Moved to another country Student death

All other EXIT codes (except graduation) will count the student as a non-graduate.

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How is the Cohort Established?

The Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) system allows us to track individual students throughout their high school career.

The cohort is established the first time we see the student as a ninth grader.

First-time ninth grade status is based on End of Year Accountability (EOYA) records.

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How is Subgroup Membership Determined?

Race, ethnicity and gender: Based on the EXIT or EOYA record

with the latest school entry date.

Students with disabilities, free and reduced lunch, English learners, migrant and homeless status: Based on whether the student was

classified in these subgroups at any time during high school

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How is the Cohort Finalized?

The last EXIT record submitted for a student during his or her high school years is used when calculating the graduation rate.

EXIT codes determine status of student at time of cohort graduation rate calculations (i.e. graduate, non-graduate or transfer out)

If a student has an EOYA record but no EXIT record then it is presumed that the student is remaining in school for a fifth year.

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What About Early Graduates?

Students who graduate in less than four years will have their graduation “banked” and applied to their original cohort graduation rate.

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What About Late Graduates?

Students who graduate over the summer (by Oct 1st) will be included in their four-year adjusted cohort rate.

Students who graduate the following year (their fifth year) will be counted as graduates in their five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

The state is considering whether to calculate a six-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

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Kansas 2010 Graduation Rates

Student Group

4-Year (2007-2010)

5-Year (2006-2010)

All Students 80.7% 75.2%

Free/Reduced 70.1% 63.3%

IDEA students 68.7% 65.6%

ELL 66.8% 62.2%

Black/African Am.

66.2% 60.5%

Hispanic 70.3% 62.1%

White 84.5% 81.1%

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Kansas 2010 Four-Year Graduation Rates

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Kansas 2010 Five-Year Graduation Rates

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District__ Four-Year Graduation Rates

Insert District and School data here

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District__ Five-Year Graduation Rates

Insert District and School data here

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Goals & Targets for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Goal—80%

Targets—◦ If rate is 80% or higher, target is 0◦ If rate is between 50-79%, target is

3% improvement of prior year’s rate◦ If rate is less than 50%, target is 5%

improvement of prior year’s rate

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AYP Determinations

For AYP determinations, Kansas will◦ First look at four-year adjusted cohort

If goal or target is met, made AYP◦ If goal or target is not met, look at five-year

rate If goal is met, made AYP

For 2011 AYP, the four-year cohort started in 2006-07

For 2011 AYP, the five-year cohort started in 2005-06

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Difference Between Graduation and Dropout Calculations

The graduation rate is calculated using the four-year adjusted cohort rate.

The dropout rate is calculated annually and reflects the number of seventh– twelfth grade students who drop out in any one school year.

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Difference Between Graduation and Dropout Rates

The dropout rate cannot be the inverse of the graduation rate for two specific reasons:

The dropout rate is calculated using one year of data while the graduation rate is calculated using four years of data.

The dropout rate is calculated on seventh– twelfth grade students while the graduation rate is calculated on ninth-twelfth grade students.

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Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing

-A note from KSDE Don’t let this federal regulation or your

graduation rate keep you from doing what is best for the students.

If they need the extra time in school, give it to them. Don’t be deterred from enrolling students who will not finish in four-years.

We are developing an Early Warning Indicator System to help schools identify students who are off-track for success.

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Contact Information

Insert your contact information here

Jessica Noble, Education Program Consultant

Kansas State Department of Education785-296-3163

jnoble@ksde.org

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