Cohort Graduation Rate Last updated: 08/20/09

Cohort Graduation Rate Objectives Understand the changes to the graduation rate. Understand how the cohort graduation rate will affect schools and districts

Cohort Graduation Rate Definition The cohort graduation rate is based on students who enter high school in a given year (for this year’s cohort that’s 05-06) and record how many of them graduate with a regular diploma within 4 years. States must compute and report a 4 year rate. States may request to also report a 5 year rate.

Cohort Graduation Rate Definition (cont) Modified diplomas and GEDs will reduce a school’s graduation rate. The non-regulatory guidance regarding the cohort rate can be found here: http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/hsgrguidance.pdf A-34. May a GED, alternative diploma, or certificate of attendance be counted as a regular high school diploma? No. Alternative graduation credentials that are not fully aligned with a State’s academic content standards may not be counted as a regular high school diploma for the purpose of calculating the four-year or extended-year graduation rate. Thus, students who graduate with a credential other than a regular high school diploma, such as a GED, modified diploma, or certificate of attendance, may not be included in the numerator, but must be included in the denominator of the four-year and extended-year graduation rate.

Cohort Graduation Rate Timeline ODE will start communicating with districts regarding students in the 2008-09 cohort that were not reported with an “outcome” August 2009 ODE will submit technical details regarding the calculation of the cohort graduation rate to the USED for approval October 2009 Districts will preview the 2008-09 cohort graduation rate Early April 2010 2008-09 Cohort graduation rate released Mid-April 2010 Cohort graduation rate included in 2009-10 AYP Designations August 2010

Cohort Graduation Rate Draft Proposal Establish an improvement rate over 12 years Establish a goal that 90% of students achieve a regular high school diploma in 4 years. Start with a target of 68.1% which is close to the state average Increase target 2% each year for 11 years Establish a safe harbor for graduation rate such that schools will “meet” if they reduce the percent who are non-graduates by 10% or more.

Cohort Graduation Rate Dos and Don’ts Dos Clarify what happened to students in the past using ODE’s survey tool Code the reason why students leave school accurately in the new Cumulative ADM Submit in SSID an accurate year for students’ first year in High School (9th grade) Retain some information (i.e. documentation) regarding the reason students leave school in grades 7-12

Cohort Graduation Rate Dos and Don’ts (cont) Don’ts Districts should not code students at the district level unless a school is not accountable for the educational decisions regarding the student

Cohort Graduation Rate In a Nutshell Cohort Graduation Rate counts regular diplomas within 4 years GEDs, modified diplomas, extended diplomas, and certificates will reduce the graduation rate