1 Graduation Rates: Students Who Started 9 th Grade In 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006

22 The Bottom Line Statewide graduation rates are increasing slowly, but are still too low. Results are uneven among school districts. Graduation rates for English Language Learners are far too low. The Achievement Gap persists. Graduation rates for Students with Disabilities are far too low. Aspirational Performance Measures, newly reported this year, tell more about high school outcomes and will inform Regents decisions on graduation requirements.

333 Percentage of Students Graduating with a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation diploma After 4 Years Results Through June, All Students Graduation rates reported by Big 5 city school districts have increased overall during the past six years. *Large City N/RC = Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers combined.

444 Percentage of Students Graduating with a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation diploma After 4 Years Results Through June, 2010 All Students Outside of the Big 5, graduation rates for high need urban/suburban and rural districts have increased by 4 to 5 percentage points over the past six years. Average and low need districts have the highest graduation rates.

55 Although more students statewide are earning diplomas after five and six years in high school, many of these are Local Diplomas. The percentage of students earning Regents Diplomas with Advanced Designation remains relatively flat over time. Four YearsFive YearsSix Years 71.8% 77.4%77.0% 69.3% 70.9% 75.6% 73.4% 78.3%78.9% Cohort Membership , , , ,744 For the next 10 slides, the cohort graduation rate is presented at the top of the columns. The overall rate may not equal the sum of each diploma type due to rounding. Statewide, the percentage of cohort members earning a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation Diploma

66 The graduation rate for New York City has risen steadily. Many graduates earn a Local Diploma after five and six years. Four YearsFive YearsSix Years 61.0% 67.8%69.2% 52.8% 56.4% 59.0% 62.6% 66.1% 65.6% NYC, the percentage of cohort members earning a Local, Regents or Regents with Advanced Designation Diploma Cohort Membership , , , ,346

7 The Achievement Gap Persists The overall graduation rate achievement gap is narrowing, but only for the local diploma. The gap is widest for the Advanced Designation diploma. As a percentage of the cohort, more black and Hispanic students earn local diplomas than white students. 5 th and 6 th year graduates are predominantly black and Hispanic. The gap is narrower in NYC and the 4 than statewide for overall graduation rate and for Advanced Designation

88 Statewide, the graduation rate achievement gap has declined. The gap is larger and has increased slightly, however, based on the percent of the cohort that earned a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. As a percent of the cohort, more Black and Hispanic students earned Local Diplomas than do White students. Black v. WhiteHispanic v. White Percentage Point Difference in Percentage of Cohort Earning Credentials after Four Years Positive values indicate the rate for Black/Hispanic students was lower than for White students Negative values indicate the rate for Black/Hispanic students was higher than for White students

99 Graduation rates by credential awarded, All Public Schools % 57.7% 84.1% 54.2% 52.2% 82.0% 54.8% 82.7% 57.3% the percentage of cohort members earning a Local, Regents or Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation, selected racial ethnic groups after 4 years The cohort graduation rate is presented at the top of each column, the overall rate may not equal the sum of each diploma type due to rounding.

10 Beyond Graduation Rates: Aspirational Performance Measures The Local Diploma will no longer be an option for most general education students who begin grade 9 in September 2008 or later. The Board of Regents is considering new student graduation requirements that are aligned with college- and career-readiness. Last year, based on research, 3-8 English and Math assessment scoring was aligned with high school performance. The Department will implement changes to the assessment program to better support the determination of college- and career-readiness. The Regents are establishing Aspirational Performance targets to be used by schools and districts to measure progress.

Cohort Outcomes on two Aspirational Performance Measures (APMs) are reported this year for all Districts and High Schools 1. Advanced Regents Diploma Percentage APM The percentage of cohort students who earned a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation (22 units of credit, 7-9 Regents examinations at 65 or above, and advanced course sequences in languages other than English, CTE, or the arts); 2. ELA/Math APM The percentage of cohort students who graduated with a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation diploma and earned a 75 or greater on their English Regents examination and earned a 80 or greater on a math Regents examination Outcomes on APMs are significantly lower than the overall graduation rates. We will report APMs for schools and districts while college and career-ready graduation requirements are phased in for students.

12 All Students After 4 Years Results Through June Aspirational Performance Measures (APMs) as a percentage of the cohort compared to the Graduation Rate percentage for students who started 9th grade in 2006 for the Big 5 City School Districts *Large City N/RC = Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers combined.

13 All Students After 4 Years Results Through June Aspirational Performance Measures (APMs) as a percentage of the cohort compared to the Graduation Rate percentage for students who started 9th grade in 2006 by Racial/Ethnic Group

14 English Language Learners, Students with Disabilities, General Education Students, and All Students After 4 Years Results Through June Statewide Aspirational Performance Measures (APMs) as a percentage of the cohort compared to the Graduation Rate percentage for students who started 9th grade in 2006

15 Graduation Rates: Students Who Started 9 th Grade In 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006

16 Graduation Rate Release: 2006 Cohort through June/August 2010 Students excluded from a school/district cohort: Transferred to a different New York public school, nonpublic school, or a school outside New York Transferred to home-schooling Transferred to a postsecondary school prior to earning a diploma Transferred outside district by court order * Left the United States Deceased * Will change with implementation of USDOE cohort rules, which are summarized at

17 Graduation Rate Release: 2006 Cohort through June/August 2010 Graduation Rate equals the number of students in the 2006 cohort who earned a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation diploma divided by the total number of students in the 2006 cohort Students who earn GED or IEP diplomas cannot be included as graduates for graduation rate reporting purposes* Students who are enrolled in, earned a credential from, or dropped out of a New York school or approved GED program, but who are not included in any school or district’s cohort (e.g., the student’s last regular enrollment record was fewer than five months), are included in the statewide and New York City cohort for graduation rate reporting. * See federal guidance at

18 Required Documentation for Removal from the Cohort Transfer: Written request for a transcript from the receiving school, a record of sending a transcript to the receiving school, written acknowledgement from the receiving school that the student has registered, written notice of the intent to instruct at home, copy of post-secondary admission notification and schedule of courses taken, or a copy of the court order placing student out of district. Left the United States: Written statement from a parent or guardian indicating a destination or written documentation from a school administrator of a conversation had with the student’s parent indicating that the family is leaving the country, which the administrator includes in the student’s file. See federal guidance at

19 Aspirational Performance Measures (APMs) were calculated based on the total number of students in the 2006 cohort as of June 2010 (including students who dropped out or transferred to an approved GED program). Graduation rate is the percentage of these students who graduated with a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation diploma. Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation requires 22 units of credit, passing 7 to 9 Regents examinations with 65 or above, and advanced course sequences in languages other than English, CTE, or the arts. ELA/Math APM is the percentage of these students* who graduated with a Local, Regents, or Regents with Advanced Designation diploma and scored**: 75 or higher on the English Regents examination, and 80 or higher on a mathematics Regents examination * Students who were enrolled in New York Performance Standards Consortium schools who have been approved to use a portfolio assessment to meet the mathematics assessment requirement for graduation have been excluded from the cohort for this analysis. ** Or who achieved the minimum score accepted by the Department on an approved alternative to a Regents examination. Aspirational Performance Measures (APMs)

20 Graduation Rates: Students Who Started 9 th Grade In 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006