How the Graduation Rate Is Calculated Dr. Cathy McNeal Director, Assessment and Accountability December 15, 2016

Alabama Has Multiple Categories in the Cohort Graduation Rate Graduate Alabama High School Diploma Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Endorsement Alabama High School Diploma with Career Tech Endorsement Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Career Tech Endorsement Alabama High School Diploma with Advanced Academic and Advanced Career Tech Endorsements

Alabama Identifies Multiple Categories in the Cohort Non-Graduation Rate Non-Graduate Exited with a document other than a diploma Special Education – Graduation Certificate Alabama Occupational Diploma Exited with a document other than a diploma – GED Retained in 12th Grade (Special education ONLY) Failed to complete all credit requirements

Graduation Rate Cohort Window Is Edited in the ALSDE Application Portal Graduation Cohort Summary Graduates Completers Still Enrolled Dropouts Withdrawn (still in cohort) Missing Records No Shows Missing records and no shows were not found anywhere in the state

Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate The formula is the percentage of students who entered ninth grade and graduated within four years. The formula equates to the number of on-time graduates in a given year divided by the number of entering first-time ninth graders four years earlier, adjusting for transfers in and out. Students are tracked individually from the time they start ninth grade.

Five-Year Cohort Graduation Rate To determine the Four-Year Graduation Rate Use the 2011-2012 to 2015-16 data Review the current status of students identified as - Still Enrolled No Show Withdrawn (Still in Cohort) Missing Records Dropouts Go through the four-year process to determine if the status of these students changed for the Five-Year Cohort Graduation rate.

ALSDE Requirements to Edit the Graduation Rate Functional

Editing Categories For Making Cohort Changes Requires Documentation Category Need Documents Cohort Status Move to Graduate or Completer Status YES Remain in Current School Cohort Move to Withdrawn-Out of Cohort Status – Moved Out of State or Country or to a Private School or Private Tutor Remove From State Cohort Move to Withdrawn-Still in Cohort Status – Went to Another Public School in Alabama Remove from School Cohort but Add to Another School Cohort Move to Withdrawn Status – Location Unknown Move to Dropout Status Move to Foreign Exchange Status Remove from State Cohort Duplicate Student Record Merge Records in Cohort Still Actively Enrolled in School Incarceration: Enrolled in Program that Culminates in Diploma Removed from State Cohort Incarceration: Enrolled in program that Does NOT Culminate in a Diploma Remains in School Cohort Switch Cohort Year Moved to Appropriate Cohort - * Note if in Alabama School in 8th & 9th Grade – Cohort Stands

Glossary of Terms Used in the Graduation Application Still Enrolled (Non- Graduates) Students who do not complete all requirement for graduation within a four-year cohort period but who remain enrolled in school working toward completion of requirement or who remain enrolled as a special education student served until the age of 21. Withdrawn (Still in your Cohort – Non-Graduates) Student is withdrawn but records are not requested or sent to transfer school. School does not have documentation to support that the student transferred. No Show (Non-Graduates) Student leaves over the summer and never returns to complete an official transfer or drop-out form.

A Dropout is a Non-Graduate and Counts Against the School’s Graduation Rate Dropouts (Non-Graduates) According to the Common core of Data (CCD) definition, a dropout is an individual who Was enrolled in school at sometime during the previous school year; Was not enrolled at the beginning of the current school year; Has NOT graduated from high school or completed a state- or system-approved education program; And does not meet any of the following exclusionary conditions: Transfer to another public school district, private school, or state- or district approved education program; Temporary absence due to suspension or school-approved illness; or Death

Glossary of Terms Used in the Graduation Application Completers (Non-Graduates) Student who exited with a document other than a regular diploma such as a GED, Alabama Occupational Diploma or Special Education Certificate. Graduate A student who completes all requirements for a state approved regular diploma. Switch Cohort Year A student who was a first-time 9th grader in a year other than 2012-13.

Certain Withdrawn Students Do Not Count Against a School’s Graduation Rate Withdrawn (Out of Cohort) Student is withdrawn, moved out of state or country, to a private school, private tutor, Online School and records are requested or sent to the transfer school. Withdrawn (Transfer within State) Student is withdrawn to another public school in the state of Alabama.