Update on the Office of Dropout Prevention: Dropout Rates; School Attendance; and Truancy Issues Sheril R. Smith, Ph.D., Director Office of Dropout Prevention, Mississippi Department of Education

Dropout & Graduation Rates  New Calculation Methodology 4-year cohort method adopted by the NGA Uses first-time 9 th graders only (no repeaters) Follows students for 4 years  This method will be adopted by all states in the coming years

Dropout / Graduation Data by Gender & Race Graduating Class of State Source: Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Research and Statistics represents percentage point change over previous cohort

The Importance of CLEAN Data for Accurate Dropout / Graduation Rates  We are sure our data process is reliable, we now have to ensure the data is valid. The actual codes for transfers and dropouts do matter There MUST be supporting documentation for any transfers If there is no documentation, the student will be counted as a dropout All releases / transfers/ enrollment reports MUST be verified before signing off on it  These data cleaning procedures will be in effect beginning in the school year

Number of Transfers by Grade:

Sum of Transfers (T4, T5, T8) by Grade

Partnering with School Attendance Officers  Legally, it is the LEA’s responsibility to provide information to the SAO’s (State Auditor’s Office)  Summer Activity Clean-Up Process SAO’s are responsible for verifying the list of no- shows  Transfer Verification – need written documentation  Dropout Codes Please work with SAO’s to ensure accuracy of codes (20 codes) Use Code 19 – Reason Unknown – if you are not sure

Partnering with School Attendance Officers (cont’d)  Suspensions & Expulsions Any out-of-school suspensions need to be entered into MSIS After 5 unexcused absences, SAO’s should be notified within 2 days  SAO data should match MSIS data – this past year, only 3 school districts had matched data

Truancy Rates – Policy 3104  New policy adopted last October Definitions for: Cumulative Enrollment; Excused & Unlawful Absences; Truancy & Habitual Truancy; School Day  Highlights For the purpose of calculating truancy rates, out of school suspensions shall not be considered unlawful absences. Out of school suspension days shall not be factored into truancy rate calculations. Students that satisfy the school day attendance requirements shall not be considered absent and/or calculated in the truancy rate, including students enrolled in alternative education programs, GED Options programs, and students detained in juvenile detention centers. Calculations for: truancy rate; habitual truancy rate; suspension rate; expulsion rate.

General Education Development (GED) Testing  GED Options Program MDE maintains a contract with the American Council on Education (ACE) GED Options program is offered through the high school – student remains enrolled in high school If the student attends a GED program through a community-based organization (CBO), he/she is counted as a dropout (MDE is working with the Board of Community & Junior Colleges on a waiver process to count CBO students as completers Please ensure  accuracy of T7 codes: transfer to CBO program  Enrollment in GED Options

Questions??? Sheril R. Smith, Ph.D., Director Office of Dropout Prevention