March 29, 2011

AgendaSection A: The Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate

Section B: Graduation Rate Goals and Targets

Section C: Reporting

Section D: Graduation Rate in AYP Determinations

Section E: Accountability Workbook

Section F: Timelines

• In previous years, the Arkansas Department of Education has reported and published, in various reports and formats, a graduation rate, also known as the completion rate.

• The computation of completion rate was a four-year model that tracked student enrollment by cohort groups, beginning with a

ninth grade cohort and following their progress through Grade 12. Students who dropped out and subsequently

completed the GED program were counted as drop outs and were not counted as high school graduates (See Accountability Workbook: Critical Element: 7.1)

PRIOR TO THIS YEAR

Summary

The Rationale for a Uniform Graduation Rate

• Establishing a uniform and accurate measure of the high school graduation rate that is

comparable across States is a critical step toward improving high school accountability.

• An adjusted cohort graduation rate will improve our understanding of the characteristics of the population of students who do not earn regular high school diplomas or who take longer than four years to graduate.

Definitions

Four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate definition

Regular High School Diploma

• “Regular high school diploma” means the standard high school diploma awarded to students in a State that is fully aligned with the

State’s academic content standards and does not include a GED credential, certificate of

attendance, or any alternative award.

• The term “regular high school diploma” also includes a “higher diploma” that is awarded to students who complete requirements above and

beyond what is required for a regular diploma.

What is the Four- Year Adjusted Cohort?• The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is the number of

students who graduate in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class.

• From the beginning of 9th grade, students who are entering that grade for the first time form a cohort that is subsequently “adjusted” by adding any students who transfer into the cohort later during the 9th grade and the next three years and subtracting any students who transfer out, emigrate to another country, or die during that same period.

The following formula provides an example of the four-year graduation rate for the cohort entering 9th grade for the first time in the fall of the 2008-2009 school year and graduating by the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

Number of cohort members who earned a regular high school diploma by the end of the 2011- 2012 school year

Number of first-time 9th graders in fall 2008 (starting cohort) plus students who transfer in, minus students who

transfer out, emigrate, or die during school years 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012

A-1 Four Year Adjusted Cohort Calculation

Legal Requirements• State law requires the Arkansas Department of Education to

publish the Annual School Performance Report, also known as the Annual School Report Card.

• The law also calls for the ADE to publish data for a three-year period for a variety of areas; one of which is the state’s

graduation rate.

• The graduation rate published in the 2011 Arkansas School Performance Report reflects the completion rate for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. The rate reported for the 2009-2010 school year is an “adjusted” four-year cohort graduation rate.

Questions: Four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate definition

Cohort-based graduation rates are accurate only if each student is assigned to a single cohort. For example, without a single cohort assignment, a student who repeated 9th grade might be included in two separate cohorts of 9th graders.

Unless the student skipped a grade later in high school or caught up with the original cohort, that student would not graduate within four years of starting 9th grade. Therefore, to ensure an accurate measure of a four-year graduation rate, the cohort must be based only on students who are first-time 9th graders.

A-4 Why must States base the four-year graduation

rate on “first-time in 9th grade” cohorts?

Yes. The four-year graduation rate counts a student who graduates with a regular high school diploma in four years or less as a high school graduate in his or her original cohort—that is, the cohort with which he or she started 9th grade.

The student may be included only in the graduation rate calculated for the cohort of students who started 9th grade. Thus, the numerator in the graduation rate calculation includes only members of the cohort that graduate in a particular year, not other students who may also graduate that year.

A-5Does the four-year graduation rate include a

student who graduates from high school in less than four years?

A-6May the four-year graduation rate include

students who graduate in the summer after their fourth year of high school?

• A State may, but is not required to, include students who graduate in the summer after their fourth year of high school among the cohort members who graduate in four years. However, the inclusion of such students in the four-year graduation rate may not delay annual AYP determinations.

• In order not to delay those determinations, a State that includes summer school graduates typically “lags” graduation rates for AYP determinations.

A-12. How is a student with a disability who has an (IEP) that includes a plan to complete graduation requirements in more than four years included?

• Only students who graduate with a regular high school diploma in four years or less may be included in the numerator of the four-year graduation rate. Thus, a student who takes more than four years to graduate, regardless of the reason, must be included in the adjusted cohort for the four-year graduation rate (the denominator) but may not be counted as a graduate (the numerator) when calculating the four-year graduation rate.

• A student with a disability who does not graduate with a regular high school diploma, may not be counted as graduating in calculating either the four-year or extended-year graduation rate.

Adjusting a cohort: Page 9

Adjusting a cohort: Page 9 • A-18. How is a cohort “adjusted”? • A-19. Which students may be “removed from a cohort”?

• A-20. What is the definition of a “transfer”? • A-21. When a student transfers into a school, to which cohort

should a school or LEA assign the student?

• A-22. If a student re-enrolls in a public high school after having dropped out of school for a period of time, how may a school or LEA count that student in the four-year or extended-year graduation rate?

Adjusting a cohort: Page 9 • A-23. May a school or LEA consider a student to be a transfer

if the student leaves a public high school and enrolls in a private school?

• A-24. May a school or LEA consider a student to be a transfer if the student leaves a public high school to be home schooled?

• A-25. May a school or LEA consider a student to be a transfer if the student leaves a public high school and enrolls in another educational program?

• A-26. Why is written confirmation required before a student may be removed from a cohort?

A-18. How is a cohort “adjusted”?

• The four-year graduation rate follows a cohort, or a group of students, who begin as first-time 9th graders in a particular school year and who graduate with a regular high school diploma in four years or less.

• An extended-year graduation rate follows the same cohort of students for an additional year or years. The cohort is “adjusted” by adding any students transferring into the cohort and by subtracting any students

A-19. Which students may be “removed from a cohort”?

Only a student who transfers out and enrolls in another school or in an educational program that culminates in the award of a regular high school diploma, emigrates to another country, or dies may be removed from a high school’s or LEA’s cohort.9

Before removing a student from a cohort, a school or LEA must obtain confirmation in writing that the student transferred out, emigrated, or is deceased. No other students may be removed from the cohort.

A-26. Why is written confirmation required before a student may be removed from a cohort?

• It is critical for a school or LEA to have written confirmation that a student has transferred, emigrated to another country, or died before a student is removed from a cohort. Written documentation facilitates audits and, thus, will help ensure that States, LEAs, and schools have an accurate measure of graduation rate.

• Unless a school or LEA can confirm in writing that a student has transferred out, emigrated to another country, or is deceased, the school or LEA must consider that student to be in the adjusted cohort for purposes of calculating the four-year or extended-year graduation rate.

A-27Documentation

• It is critical for a school or LEA to have written confirmation that a student has transferred, emigrated to another country, or died

before a student is removed from a cohort.

• Written documentation facilitates audits and, thus, will help ensure that States, LEAs, and schools have an accurate measure of

graduation rate.

• Unless a school or LEA can confirm in writing that a student has transferred out, emigrated to another country, or is deceased, the school or LEA must consider that student to be in the adjusted

cohort for purposes of calculating the graduation rate.

A-32. If, after multiple attempts, an LEA cannot obtain official written documentation that a student has transferred out, may the LEA remove the student from the cohort?

No. Although in some cases it may be difficult for an LEAto obtain official written documentation of a student’stransfer, the student may not be removed from thecohort simply because the student’s status cannot bedocumented.

Section BGOAL AND ANNUAL TARGETS: Page 14

Goal and Annual Targets• Additionally, the ADE established annual graduation rate

targets that reflect continuous and substantial improvement from the prior year toward meeting or exceeding the State’s graduation rate goal as required in 34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(3)(i)(B) of NCLB.

• The Annual target established for Arkansas is a graduation rate of 70%. This is effective for 2011 AYP determinations. In order to meet AYP for the secondary indicator, high schools and LEAs may meet the graduation rate by either meeting (or exceeding) the State’s goal or meeting (or exceeding) the annual graduation rate target.

B-2. When is a State required to set a graduation rate goal and annual targets that meet the

requirements in the 2008 Title I regulations?

• Beginning with AYP determinations based on school year 2009-2010 assessment results, a State must have a single goal and annual targets that meet the criteria in 34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(3)(i), regardless of whether the State is using the four-year graduation rate or a transitional graduation rate.

•A State may amend its Accountability Workbook to change its goal and targets once it begins using the four-year graduation rate for reporting and AYP determinations

Graduation rate goal

• B-3. Must a State set the same graduation rate goal for all high schools?

Yes. As required in 34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(3)(i)(A), each State must set a single graduation rate goal that represents the graduation rate it expects all high schools in the State to meet. Moreover, if a State chooses to implement an extended-year graduation rate, the goal for this rate must be the same as the rate for the four-year graduation rate.

B-4. Is a State required to use a specific process or method to determine its graduation rate

goal? • No. There is no specific process or method that a State must

use to establish its graduation rate goal.

• Additionally, the State’s graduation rate goal need not be 100 percent because the Department recognizes that not all students graduate with a regular high school diploma. However, because all but a small percentage of students can and should graduate with a regular diploma on time, the Department expects each State to establish a rigorous graduation rate goal.

Annual graduation rate targets B-5. In addition to establishing a graduation rate goal, must a State establish annual graduation rate targets?

Yes. A State must establish annual graduation rate targets that reflect continuous and substantial improvement from the prior year toward meeting or exceeding the State’s graduation rate goal (34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(3)(i)(B)).10 High schools and LEAs may meet the other academic indicator (i.e., graduation rate) by either meeting (or exceeding) the State’s goal or meeting (or exceeding) the annual graduation rate targets.

Section CREPORTING : Page 18

C-1. When are States and LEAs required to report the four-year graduation rate?

• Under 34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(4)(ii)(A), a State and its LEAs must report the four-year graduation rate on report cards providing assessment results for the 2010-2011 school year.12

• For report cards providing assessment results for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years, States and LEAs may report either a transitional graduation rate or the four-year graduation rate (34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(4)(ii)(C)).

C-1. When are States and LEAs required to report the four-year graduation rate?

Under 34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(4)(ii)(A), a State and itsLEAs must report the four-year graduation rate onreport cards providing assessment results for the 2010-2011 school year.12

For report cards providingassessment results for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010school years, States and LEAs may report either atransitional graduation rate or the four-year graduationrate (34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(4)(ii)(C)).

C-3: P.18When must a State begin to use the four-year graduation rate in AYP determinations?

Unless a State receives approval for an extension from the Secretary, the State must include the four-year graduation rate in AYP determinations beginning with determinations based on the assessments administered in the 2011-2012 school year.

However, States should begin using the four-year graduation rate in AYP determinations as soon as they are able.

C-5. Where must States and LEAs report graduation rate?

• States and LEAs must report graduation rate data, in the aggregate and disaggregated by subgroups, on their annual report cards. In addition, States must submit aggregated and disaggregated graduation rates to EDFacts, the centralized portal through which States submit their education data to the Department (OMB collection 1810-0614). These data will be used to generate the Consolidated State Performance Report information on graduation rates.

Section DGRADUATION RATE IN ACCOUNTABILITY

DETERMINATIONS: Page 20

D-1. When must a State begin to use the four-year

graduation rate in AYP Determinations? • Unless a State receives approval for an extension from

the Secretary, the State must include the four-year graduation rate in AYP determinations beginning with determinations based on the assessments administered in the 2011-2012 school year (34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(5)(i)).

• However, States should begin using the four-year graduation rate in AYP determinations as soon as they are able.

D-3. May a State “lag” its graduation rate data to

include summer graduates in its graduation rate? • Yes. As explained in question A-6, a State may lag its graduation

rate data in order to include summer graduates in AYP determinations.

• Using lagged graduation rate data in AYP determinations means that the four-year graduation data from the previous academic year will be used in AYP determinations with the assessment results and participation rate for the current academic year. Lagging data is permitted for both the four-year and extended-year graduation rates.

D-6. When must a State include disaggregated graduation rates in AYP determinations?

A State must include disaggregated graduation rates inAYP determinations beginning with determinationsbased on assessments administered in the 2011-2012school year (34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(5)(i)).

D-9. Must States disaggregate graduation rate data

for the “other academic indicator” used in making AYP determinations?

• Yes. The regulations require disaggregation of graduation rate data for the same subgroups that are used to determine whether students in various subgroups have achieved proficiency.

• The subgroups for which graduation rate data must be disaggregated are the following: economically disadvantaged students; students from major racial and ethnic groups; students with disabilities, as defined in section 9101(5) of the ESEA; and LEP students, as defined in section 9101(25) of the ESEA.

Section EACCOUNTABILITY WORKBOOK: Page 26

E-1. Must a State revise its Accountability

Workbook to address the graduation rate requirements in the 2008 Title I regulations?

Yes. Each State must submit a revisedAccountability Workbook to the Department for technical assistance and peer review (34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(6)(ii)).

E-2. What information must a State include in its

revised Accountability Workbook?

• A description of the progress the State is making toward meeting the deadline for calculating and reporting the four-year graduation rate.

• An explanation of how the State’s graduation rate goal represents the rate the State expects all high schools in the State to meet and how the State’s annual targets demonstrate continuous and substantial improvement from the prior year toward meeting or exceeding the State’s goal.

E-2. What information must a State include in its

revised Accountability Workbook?

• The graduation rate for the most recent school year of the high school at the 10th percentile, the 50th percentile, and the 90th percentile in the State, ranked in terms of graduation rate.

• If the State intends to use an extended-year graduation rate in AYP determinations, a description of how it will use that rate with its four-year graduation rate to determine whether its schools and LEAs have made AYP.

Accountability Workbook Revisions (Policies)

• Graduation Rate• Reconfigured Schools Definitions• Smart Accountability• Minimum Group Size for Graduation• Timeline

SECTION F. TIMELINE AND EXTENSION

F-5. What are the consequences for a State that does not meet the 2010-2011 deadline?

• Any State that does not meet the 2010-2011 deadline for reporting the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and that did not submit a request for an extension by March 2, 2009 and have its request granted by the Secretary will be out of compliance with the regulations.

• As such, the Secretary has the discretion to take appropriate action, including, but not limited to, the following: placing a condition on a State’s Title I, Part A grant award; requiring the State to enter into a compliance agreement with the Department; or withholding Title I, Part A State administration funds.

Report Card

• The new four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate has been placed in the 2010 Pre-Publication Performance Report on NORMES.

Federal Requirements

• Consistent with instructions from the United States Department of Education staff in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Arkansas must report the graduation rate on the Report Card starting in 2010-2011 and also disaggregate the data. We will use the Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Rate Graduation Rate for AYP decisions next year based on the 2011-2012 assessment results(http://www2.ed.gov/policy/el

sec/guid/hsgrguidance.pdf pages 19 and 28).

Contact Information

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Charity Smith, Assistant Commissioner Division of Academic Accountability Arkansas Department of Education

501.682.1298charity.smith@arkansas.gov