Definitions and Calculations Graduation, Completion and Dropout Rates: Definitions and Calculations 1

Why is this important? For schools and districts to understand terminology and its implications For schools and districts to understand how CDE calculates various rates, so that the schools and districts can impact and affect those rates

~ Key Terms~

Key Terms AYG – Anticipated Year of Graduation (4 years after entering 9th grade) IPST – Instructional Program Service Type (Free and reduced lunch, Title I, Migrant, etc.) Cohort – Group of students with same AYG and common IPST category. Graduate – Student receiving High School diploma

Key Terms Completer – Student receiving High School diploma, or HSE (GED), or certificate of completion SPF and DPF – School Performance Framework or District Performance Framework

2/27/2019 Key Terms Summer dropout – attributed to districts only (not schools); Student leaves the highest grade in a school (such as 8th grade) and is not reported at a public school in the state of Colorado the following school year

2/27/2019 Key Terms Adequate Documentation – Documentation indicating where a potential dropout is being educated. This can help reduce dropout rates. http://www.cde.state.co.us/datapipeline/snap_eoy Contains forms List of acceptable documentation Use moving to Mexico as an example; private school; out of state (Kansas, Texas); technology/reporting issues

~ Adequate Documentation ~

Document where a student goes? What happens to a student after they leave the district? Document everything – Get signatures Student leaving the country Student being home schooled Transfer to another district

Why? Make sure student is being educated Lower dropout rates Reduce graduation base count Improve graduation and completion rates Good practices

Where can I find more information? Adequate documentation http://www.cde.state.co.us/datapipeline/snap_eoy Documents Adequate Documentation of Transfer List Request for Confirmation of Enrollment and Attendance Notification of Withdrawal Student Transfer Follow up Request for records is not considered adequate documentation.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Reminder – Districts should transfer information to CDE that includes PII via secure file transfer process. Do not send files with PII over email. PII includes but is not limited to: Full name Home address Gender Birthdate Email address Telephone number Identification IDs For more information on PII, visit http://www.cde.state.co.us/dataprivacyandsecurity/procedures

~ Data ~

What is calculated? School, district and state rates: Graduation Completion Dropout Mobility Stability

How is data used? Research and evaluation Community organizations and foundations Local, state and federal accountability District monitoring Grant programs Public policy Policy agendas and prioritization

Overview of Rates 16

Overview of the calculations for dropout, graduation and completion rates Graduation Rate Completion Rate Dropout Rate 4-year cohort (The Class of…) 4-year cohort (The Class of…) Annual (July 1 to June 30) Time period # of students receiving a diploma, GED certificate, or designation of high school completion within 4 years of initially entering 9th grade # of students receiving a diploma within 4 years of initially finishing 8th grade Number of reported dropouts and “age outs” during the past year Numerator # of students finishing 8th grade four years earlier + transfers in – verified transfers out # of students finishing 8th grade four years earlier + transfers in – verified transfers out # of students that were in membership in grade 7-12 at any time during the past year Denominator Statewide 2012-13 Rate (and count) 76.9% 46,756 graduates / membership base of 60,777 79.6% 48,350 completers / membership base of 60,777 2.5% 10,664 dropouts / 425,226 records of student membership in grades 7-12 5-, 6-, and 7-year graduation rates are also calculated and posted for each cohort 5-, 6-, and 7-year completion rates are also calculated and posted for each cohort Students exiting to a GED program are not counted as dropouts in the dropout rate Notes 17

For More Information See the CDE website: www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/gradcurrent To find district and school rates: www.schoolview.org Contact Data Services at dataservicesunit@cde.state.co.us or datapipeline.support@cde.state.co.us 18