Graduation Rates Presentation to Georgia Appalachian Center for Higher Education

1. Graduation RatesPresentation to Georgia Appalachian Center for Higher Education Sue Derison, Director, Information Systems Forsyth County Schools October 25, 2010

2. Graduation Rate Completion Rate Drop-out Rate Cumulative Promotion Index Many Names……

3. Enrollment and Withdrawal reported in FTE, Student Data Record file and used for reporting each year (AYP, State Report Card) Codes for enrollment type and withdrawal type are mandated by this report Enrollment and Withdrawal

4. “A” Home School “B” Previous WD “C” Continuing “I” After Incarceration “N” Never attended (K) “O” From other state or country “P” From Private School “R” Re-entered other “S” After illness “T” From another GA system “U” Within same system “V” SB10 “W” School Choice “S” USCO Enrollment Codes

5. “C” Court or Legal “D” Death “G” HS Graduation “H” Home Study “T” Another GA system “V” Advanced in system “W” transfer in system “X” Out of state, country or to private “Y” SB10 to State School “Z” SB10 to private “1” SB10 to public “2” School Choice “3” USCO (Safe School) “4” DJJ “5” Non-compulsory Withdrawal Codes (now 26 codes)

6. “B” Marriage “E” Expelled “F” Financial Hardship/Job “I” Incarcerated “L” Low Grades/Failure “M” Military “O” Adult Ed/Post Secondary (GED) “P” Pregnant/Parent “R” Removed for Lack of Attendance “S” Serious Illness/Accident “U” Unknown Withdrawal Codes (now 26 codes) Drop Outs

7. Withdrawal codes must be documented by records requests from next enrollment school GTID system enables us to find the student if they remain in Georgia Administrators may document if they have evidence that the family left the US Documentation

8. Graduation Rate is used as Second Indicator for many high schools in AYP Schools must have 4 years of data Graduation Rate and Drop Out Rates are given in the State Report Card issued by Office of Student Achievement AYP/Report

9. 2011: Graduation rate calculation for AYP determinations does not change; Graduation rate on Report Card will report a Cohort Graduation Rate. 2012: Graduation rate for both AYP and Report Card will be the Cohort Graduation Rate 2011 and 2012 Graduation Rate Calculations

10. Graduation Rates GA

11. Apples to Oranges Leaver Method: THOSE WHO LEAVE Cohort Method: THOSE WHO STAY TO FINISH WITH THEIR CLASS IN 4 YEARS Required by NCLB all states to implement no later than 2012. Requires use of unique Identifier system. Change in Graduation Rate Calculation

12. Current Georgia Graduation Rate Method (Lever Method)

13. In Four Consecutive School Years Plus the Following Summer: First time 9th graders (Date entered 9th Grade) Add into group each year all students transferring into the school who have same first time 9th grade year Subtract all students withdrawing in each of those years Students found in other districts or documentation confirms non Drop-out will not count against a school School in GA that has most recent enrollment will be “charged” with the student Cohort Description

14. Cohort Graduation FormulaBegins and ends with group enter 9th grade 20XX + 4 Years

15. Georgia UNKNOWN Indiana 2006 Persistence Rate: 90% 2007 Cohort Rate: 76.5% North Carolina 2005 On-Time Rate: 96.1% 2006 cohort Rate: 68.1% Mississippi 2003 Completion: 81.3% 2005 Cohort: 60.8% Potential Impact: Lever to Cohort

16. Continued watch on subgroup populations – anticipate changes Continued resource allocation for quality of data collection and reporting School and community understanding of what the graduation rate means and how it will change Data Quality..Data Quality..Data Quality Issues with Change

17. Coordinate all enrollment and withdrawal functions in a central location with consistent practices – including home school documentation Engage counselors, school social workers/visiting teachers to verify students’ disappearance Utilize GaDOE resources to educate your community and LEA staff A few best practices….

18. Pursuant to Federal Reporting requirements of No Child Left Behind and newly updated Georgia Department of Education Student Enrollment and Withdrawal Rule 160-5-1-.28 (revised 08/09/10), in order to report your student with a withdrawal status of transferred to another Georgia school (T) or transferred to a private school or out of state (X), an official request for records must be received in writing from your student’s new school or record of intent to re-enroll the student is required. In order to report your student with a withdrawal status of transferred to home school (H), the parent/guardian must complete a letter of intent to home school with the Forsyth County Student Support Services department or the home school agency in the state in which you reside. If a written request for records is not received from your student’s new school/or a letter of intent to home school is not filed, your student will be reported to the Georgia Department of Education as a drop-out. Please have your student’s new school mail/fax requests for records . Parent: If an official request for records is not received within 10 days or you do not officially register with Forsyth County Schools to home school your student within 30 days, your student will be in violation of the Teenage Adult Driver & Responsibility Act (TAADRA). This law applies to students from age 14 and not yet 18. This violation will result in the suspension of the student’s drivers’ license or the opportunity to acquire a license for a period of one year (O.C.G.A. 40-5-22). Notify Parents

19. GaDOE Publications: ABCs of 2011 AYP Grad Rate Calculation Sheet Comparison of School Graduation Rates in GA Guidance on Enrollment and Withdrawal The Great Graduation-Rate Debate: Fordham Institute Diplomas Count: Education Week, Vol. 29, No. 34 June 10, 2010 Resources

20. Thank you sderison@forsyth.k12.ga.us