Graduation Rates Know Your Numbers

1
Graduation Rates Know Your Numbers

• Presented by
• Cyndi Holleman
• Education Information and Accountability Services
• Florida Department of Education
• www.fldoe.org/eias/
• 22nd Annual DOE Database Workshop
• Orlando, Florida
• June 18, 2008

2
Floridas Graduation Rate

• The percentage of students who graduated
• within four years of their initial enrollment in
• ninth grade

3
The Calculation Process

• Build the cohort
• Adjust the cohort by removing transfers
• Determine the graduates

4
Building the Cohort

• Includes all 1st time 9th graders in fall 2004-05
  membership
• Adds incoming transfers on the same schedule to
  graduate from EOY records
• New 9th graders in 2004-05
• New 10th graders in 2005-06
• New 11th graders in 2006-07
• New 12th graders in 2007-08

5
Adjusting the Cohort

• Removes the students that transfer out of the
  system
• Transfers to other public schools (W03, W3A, W3B,
  and W02)
• Transfers to private school (W04)
• Transfers to home education program (W24)
• Transfers to adult education program (W26)
• Deceased students (W12)

6
Determine the Graduates

• The following codes are considered graduates
• W06 WFW W43
• W6A WFT W45
• W6B WFA W52
• W07 WFB
• W10 WGA
• W27 WGD

7
What about the others?

• The remaining students are then categorized into
  two remaining buckets
• Dropouts (DNEs, W05, W13-W23)
• Non-graduates (W01, W08, W8A, W09, WPO)

8
Calculating the Rate

• Number of graduates from the adjusted cohort
• Number of all students in the adjusted cohort

9
The Districts Role

• Submit accurate data
• Review cohort reports
• Make edits and corrections as appropriate

10
DOEs Role

• Provide timeline and processing cycle
• Provide verification files
• Provide technical assistance
• Process updates
• Produce final graduation rates

11
Timeline and Processing Cycle

• March 20, 2008 Memo
• April 7, 2008 Cohort graduation rate preliminary
  file/report and archived records available to
  update
• June 30-July 25, 2008 Window for update to
  archived files
• 
  (Batches submitted by 4 PM will be processed that
  day.)
• July 8 15, 2008 Updated reports/file
  available. NOTE school level may be a day late.
• August 1, 2008 Reports/file available reflecting
  updates to archived files
• August 1, 2008 Due date for 2007-08 Survey 5
• September 5, 2008 Close of 2007-08 Survey 5 state
  processing window
• September 17, 2008 Initial reports available
• September 17, 2008 Preliminary graduation rates
  available
• October 14, 2008 2nd Preliminary graduation rate
  available
• NOTE This is the first year this has been
  available
• October 3- 24, 2008 Update window for 2007-08
  Survey 5 and archived files. Updates will be
  accepted for graduation rate purposes only.
  NOTE Updates must be received by 400 PM
  (EST) and updates are posted daily during
  this period.
• Early November 2008 2007-08 final graduation
  rate and final reports are released,
  contingent on review by the Office of the
  Commissioner
• NOTE This date is subject to change.

12
Verification Files

• District Files
• DPS.GQ.F63494.Y07085 (all students in
  cohort sorted by school)
• DPS.GQ.F63494.Y07085.ADULT (W26s)
• DPS.GQ.F63494.Y07085.DROPOUT
• DPS.GQ.F63494.Y07085.GRAD
• DPS.GQ.F63494.Y07085.NOTGRAD (not graduating)
• DPS.GQ.F63494.DATA
• DPS.GQ.F63494.ALPHA (all students in cohort
  sorted by name)
• School Files
• DPS.GQ.F70307.Y07085
• DPS.GQ.F70307.Y07085.ADULT
• DPS.GQ.F70307.Y07085.DROPOUT
• DPS.GQ.F70307.Y07085.GRAD
• DPS.GQ.F70307.Y07085.NOTGRAD
• DPS.GQ.F70307.DATA
• DPS.GQ.F70307.ALPHA
• Layout of .Data file
• DPS.DISTRICT.FORMAT.Y0708.F63494 or
  DPS.DISTRICT.FORMAT.Y0708.F70307

13
Technical Assistance

• Technical Assistance Papers (complete list of all
  EIAS TAPs at http//www.fldoe.org/eias/dataweb/tec
  h.asp)
• Identifying and Reporting Dropouts
• Reviewing Graduation Cohort Files
• Guide to Calculations for Graduation Rates
• EIAS Staff

14
Process Updates

• Only batch updates are allowed (except for most
  current surveys that are still open)
• Edits are made to COPIES of the archived files
  only
• Updates should be received by 400 PM EST for all
  due dates

15
Producing the Graduation Rates

• Two chances to review preliminary graduation
  rates
• September 17, 2008
• October 14, 2008
• Final reports released early November

16
Issues, Concerns, and Strategies
17
Withdrawal Codes

• The appropriate transfer/withdrawal code is
  critical
• Do the withdrawal/diploma codes match across
  formats?
• Did all the W01s show up the following year as
  expected?
• Was the W02 transfer code used appropriately for
  students transferring to another school within
  the same district?

18
Student ID is Key

• The student ID is critical when tracking students
  across surveys and reporting years
• Student Number Identifier Alias, Florida should
  never change
• Make sure edits are made to the correct Student
  Number Identifier - Alias

19
Grade Level

• Grade level is key to pull the students into the
  appropriate cohort
• Issues with mid-year promotions
• If not corrected, will be counted as a
  non-graduate eventually
• Must reflect previous 180-day school year

20
Students Should Only be Counted in One Cohort

• Additional School Year Students
• Repeaters
• Dropouts that later reenter school

21
Adult Graduates

• Unreported adult completers (W43, W45 and W52)
• Communication with Adult Centers, Community
  Colleges, or other agencies that award GEDs

22
Review the Reports

• Use the raw data files!
• Easier to sort by school, by grade, by withdrawal
  code, etc.
• See Sample reports (refer to TAP)
• Format provided (refer to TAP)

23
Sample Report Using Raw Data File
24
KNOW YOUR NUMBERS!

• If you submit accurate data,
• If you review your data and reports,
• If you correct your errors on time,
• You will be confident about your district and
  your schools graduation rates when they are
  released!

25
Three Different Rates

• Floridas Regular Calculation vs.
• NCLB Calculation vs.
• National Governors Association (NGA) Compact
  Calculation
• All use the same method what differs is the
  definition of graduate

26
EIAS Staff Resources

• Cyndi Holleman Cyndi.Holleman_at_fldoe.org
• Ali Raker Alice.Raker_at_fldoe.org
• Becky Spencer Becky.Spencer_at_fldoe.org
• Bethany Wester Bethany.Wester_at_fldoe.org

27
Online Resources

• Technical Guide for the 2007-08 Florida HS
  Graduation Rate http//www.fldoe.org/eias/eiaspub
  s/pdf/gradgde.pdf
• NCLB School Public Accountability Reports
• http//doeweb-prd.doe.state.fl.us/eds/nclbspar/in
  dex.cfm
• Florida School Indicators Report
• http//data.fldoe.org/fsir/
• Florida Public High School Graduation Rates
• http//www.fldoe.org/eias/eiaspubs/default.asp