Improving High School Graduation Rates in Rhode Island

1
Improving High School Graduation Rates in Rhode
Island

• Elaine Budish, MPA
• Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
• September 25, 2008

2
Why Graduation Matters

• High school graduation can
• Improve opportunities for young adults
• Reduce poverty
• Increase economic security
• Reduce the risk of unemployment
• Reduce the likelihood that a person will
• Receive public assistance
• Be a teen parent
• Be incarcerated
• Have poor health

3
National Comparisons

• Nationally in 2005, 71 of Rhode Island students
  graduated on-time with a regular diploma, same as
  the U.S. rate (CPI calculation). Rhode Island
  ranks 30th according to this measure.
• We have not reached the point where these
  national analyses are based on a count of actual
  students in schools across the country because
  not all 50 states have transitioned to using the
  same methodology.
• Having accurate national comparison data on
  overall graduation/dropout rates as well as
  analyses for population and geographic subgroups
  (gender, race, ethnicity, special education
  status, foster care status, region, state, etc.)
  will lead to better policies and programs for
  students across the country.

4
Rhode Islands Old Graduation Rate Calculation

• RI previously used a direct cohort estimation
  formula (below).
• Under this formula, the graduation rate the
  dropout rate 100.
• The numbers were based on estimates of students
  at the school level.
• These estimates hid the magnitude of the number
  of students who dropped out in almost every
  school and district in the state. They also made
  it difficult to get accurate subgroup estimates
  (for special education, minority groups, etc.).

5
Rhode Islands New Graduation Rate Calculation

• The new cohort graduation rate shows the
  percentage of students from an entering 9th grade
  cohort who graduate on-time (w/in 4 years)
• The methodology uses a unique state-assigned
  student identifier data system that accounts for
  every student who enrolled in 9th grade.
• Dropout, GED and retention rates are calculated
  using the same formula, just replacing
  graduation rate/graduate with the other
  categories (dropout rate, GED rate and retention
  rate) where appropriate.

6
Comparing Rhode Islands Old and New Graduation
Rates

• Dropouts include students who are know to have
  dropped out and those students who are no longer
  enrolled in a RI school and whose status is
  unknown.
• People have many questions about the new data,
  how the new rates are calculated, what is
  included, how they differ from the old rates and
  what they mean.

7
Examples Old and New District Rates
8
Improvements with the New Measure

• More categories more information for policy
  decisions (no longer a reciprocal relationship
  between the graduation and dropout rates). It
  therefore become more important to talk about
  both the graduation rate and the dropout rate.
• Significantly more accurate data and
  calculations. More accurate information on
  subgroups as well, including at the school level.
• Moving from estimates to actual student counts
  makes this a more objective process and enables
  us to have a much better sense of how many
  students are falling between the cracks.

9
Problems with the New Measure

• Many schools and district are having difficulties
  proving that not all students with unknown status
  are dropouts (especially if they left the state
  or the country). This is a big problem for urban
  districts with many students in this category and
  few follow-up resources.
• We still dont have good data on students who
  drop out before they enroll in 9th grade.
• The formula doesnt give schools/districts NCLB
  graduation rate credit for students who take
  more than 4 years to graduate and who get a GED
  w/in 4 years.

10
Youth at Greatest Risk of Dropping Out

• Minorities
• Low-income youth
• Pregnant and parenting teens
• Youth in the foster care system
• Male students
• English Language Learners
• Students with special needs or disabilities
• The new data using the unique student
  identifiers allow us to find out what is really
  happening to students in these groups at the
  school, district and state levels.
• This information can then be used to advocate
  for targeted supports and services for students
  at greatest risk of dropping out as well as to
  track progress in improving outcomes for these
  groups.

11
Warning Signs for Students at Risk of Dropping Out

• Repeating one or more grades
• Performing below grade level in 4th grade
• Ongoing patterns of absenteeism or tardiness
• Multiple suspensions
• Poor grades and poor achievement on tests
• Moving or changing schools one or more times in a
  year
• Lack of connection or disengagement in school
• Failing one or more subjects in 9th grade (esp.
  English or mathematics)
• Now that we have the unique student identifier
  system in RI, we can use it to create early
  warning systems to ensure that we identify as
  many kids at risk of dropping out as early as
  possible and provide the necessary supports to
  help them graduate from high school and move on
  to meaningful school and work opportunities after
  graduation.

12
Conclusions

• The new data give our statewide and district
  conversations momentum and a common place to
  start working to improve educational outcomes for
  students.
• The new data are significantly more accurate, so
  at least we know what we are up against now and
  can use it to plan for the future and better
  support students at risk of dropping out.
• In districts with very high dropout rates,
  insufficient resources and structural barriers
  present powerful stumbling blocks to improving
  graduation rates.
• There are a number of statewide efforts focusing
  on reducing systemic barriers to innovation and
  improvement in Rhode Island schools and
  districts
• Rhode Island Dropout Prevention Summit (2009)
• The Governors Urban Education Task Force
  (2008-2009)
• High School/College Dual Enrollment Pilot Program
  (began in fall 2007)

13
Improving High School Graduation Rates in Rhode
Island

• Elaine Budish
• Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
• One Union Station
• Providence, RI 02903
• www.rikidscount.org
• ebudish_at_rikidscount.org
• (ph) 401-351-9400 x17
• (fax) 401-351-1758