1. NYS/FEHB Regional Data-Graduation Rate 2001 – 2003 Cohort

2. 2 Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4 Years Results Through June, All Students Graduation rates reported by school districts have increased slowly overall during the past two years.

3. Graduation Rates for Districts 87% 2003 Cohort Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4 Years Results Through June, All Students 85% 83% 79% 77% 76% 75% 72% 66%

4. 4 For students who entered 9 th grade in 2003, graduation rates were higher in August 2007 than in June. This increase represents about 5,500 more students graduating statewide.

5. 5 Four Year Graduation Rates for June and August for the 2003 Cohort

6. 6 More students statewide graduate after 5 and 6 years. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5 and 6 Years Results Through June Cohort Membership 2001 212,272 2002 214,729 2003 220,332

7. 7 High Need Rural Districts Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5 and 6 Years Results Through June Cohort Membership 2001 14,476 2002 14,549 2003 14,455

8. Average Need Districts Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5 and 6 Years Results Through June Cohort Membership 2001 69,008 2002 69,820 2003 71,893

9. Low Need Districts Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5 and 6 Years Results Through June Cohort Membership 2001 29,093 2002 30,209 2003 31,452

10. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4,5, and 6 Years 2001 Cohort After 4 YearsAfter 5 YearsAfter 6 YearsCohort Membership BM79%85% 66 CH80%82% 49 LP89% 56 LL71% 7 MA73%75% 219 SR64%74% 101 SRF74% 76%34 SL84%86% 156 TL76%80% 88

11. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5, and 6 Years 2001Cohort

12. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4,5, and 6 Years 2002 Cohort After 4 YearsAfter 5 YearsAfter 6 YearsCohort Membership BM72%74%N/A78 CH84%90%N/A58 LP83% N/A69 LL100% N/A6 MA68%72%N/A225 SR65%67%N/A104 SRF78% N/A32 SL75%76%N/A147 TL78% N/A97

13. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5, and 6 Years 2002 Cohort

14. After 4 YearsAfter 5 YearsAfter 6 YearsCohort Membership BM76%N/A 63 CH83%N/A 53 LP85%N/A 75 LL75%N/A 8 MA72%N/A 205 SR66%N/A 112 SRF87%N/A 23 SL77%N/A 158 TL79%N/A 72 Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4,5, and 6 Years 2003 Cohort

15. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5, and 6 Years 2003 Cohort

16. Although 4-year graduation rates for students with disabilities have not improved, more students are remaining in school. Fewer are dropping out. GED 1.9% GED 2.2% Cohort Membership 2001 28,906 2002 26,999 2003 28,528 Results After 4 Years, Through June

17. Dropped Out Transferred to GED Still EnrolledIEP Diploma GraduatedCohort Membership BM12%2%8%N/A79%66 CH14%N/A2%4%80%49 LP7%N/A 4%89%56 LL14%N/A 71%7 MA15%0%9%2%73%219 SR14%6%14%2%64%101 SRF3% 6%12%74%34 SL4%8%4%1%84%156 TL8%6%8%2%76%88 Results After 4 Years 2001 Cohort

18. Results After 4 Years 2002 Cohort Dropped Out Transferred to GED Still EnrolledIEP Diploma GraduatedCohort Membership BM12%1%10%5%72%78 CH7%N/A9%N/A84%58 LP12%1%4%N/A83%69 LLN/A 100%6 MA11%0%19%1%68%225 SR11% 13%N/A65%104 SRF9%3%6%N/A78%32 SL7%3% 12%75%147 TL7%1%11%2%78%97

19. Results After 4 Years 2003 Cohort Dropped Out Transferred to GED Still EnrolledIEP Diploma GraduatedCohort Membership BM11%N/A11%2%76%63 CH9%N/A4% 83%53 LP8%1%5%N/A85%75 LL13%N/A13%N/A75%8 MA12%N/A14%2%72%205 SR11%4%14%4%66%112 SRFN/A 13%N/A87%23 SL11%1%8%4%77%158 TL7%1%11%1%79%72

20. 20 Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4 Years Through June Four-year graduation rates for students with disabilities are especially low in high need districts.

21. More students with disabilities graduate after 5 years. Percentage of Students Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4, 5 and 6 Years Results Through June Cohort Membership 2001 28,906 2002 26,999 2003 28,528

22. 22 Of those students who graduate, most receive a Regents or Advanced Regents Diploma. Few receive a Local Diploma. Total Cohort Graduation Rate after 4 years, credentials earned by students who graduated 2001, 2002, 2003 Total Cohorts Totals may not add to 100% because of rounding.

23. 23 Percentage of Total Cohort Who Received a Regents Diploma or Advanced Regents Diploma through June After 4 Years This and the following slides show the percentage of students getting a Regents Diploma out of all the students who started 9 th grade.

24. 24 Percentage of Total Cohort Who Received a Regents Diploma or Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation After 4 Years Results Through June By Need/Resource Capacity Category Very few students with disabilities earn a Regents Diploma.

25. 25 Percentage of Total Cohort Who Received a Regents Diploma or Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation After 4 Years Results Through June By Racial/Ethnic Category Total Cohort Graduation Rate Public Schools, American Indian / Alaska Native Students 2001, 2002, 2003 Cohorts

26. 26 Percentage of Total Cohort Who Received a Regents Diploma or Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation After 4 Years Results Through June By Racial/Ethnic Category Total Cohort Graduation Rate Public Schools, White Students 2001, 2002, 2003 Cohorts

27. Working to Get Accurate Data This year we transitioned to a new data system that gives a unique ID to every high school student. Now this ID will follow students throughout their school years. This will help make it easier to ensure the data are accurate. School districts are required to keep documentation on every student who transfers to another district. Otherwise that student must be counted as a dropout. During the next year, we will be monitoring reported data to ensure that correct documentation is available and help districts improve as needed. We will publish the findings.

28. What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation Rates Focus on improving the 9th grade promotion rate. This starts with “bridge” programs in the summer for students with low 8th grade scores. New York City has been able to estimate the probability of graduation based on a threshold number of credits upon entering 9th grade. That knowledge makes the summer bridge program an urgent matter. Figure out which children are in which cohort at the start of school. This makes the challenge more focused. Know the data, know the children personally, and make sure all the other adults do, too.

29. What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation Rates Tell entering 9th graders that some will graduate in four years, and others “have skills that we will work on,” and they too will graduate in years five or six. Let no one feel excluded or like a failure. Work on those skills through morning, afternoon and evening sessions in flexible groups so students can easily move to a new group to learn the next skill set as they progress.

30. What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation Rates Use short diagnostic tests often during the year to check gains in the skills measured by the standards and the Regents exams. Keep reassessing to ensure that students really grasp the content. By the middle of 9th grade, the students needing intensive help get an “Advocate,” who is a teacher committed to talking with each of the 15 students in that teacher’s care every single day.

31. What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation Rates In June of senior year, identify students who are a credit or two away from graduation. Assign someone to stay in daily contact with each of them and their families. Support the students through summer school and the August Regents and graduation. Schedule twice weekly meetings of teachers to examine student work, teacher practice, and the interim assessments that gauge student progress. Share the notes from these professional conversations. Make sure the support systems are in place: attendance taking and analysis, social services, guidance.