ERIC Number: ED538974
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Feb
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Making Every Diploma Count: Using Extended-Year Graduation Rates to Measure Student Success. Updated
American Youth Policy Forum
States and districts are under increasing pressure to ensure all students complete high school in four years; however, many students who fall off-track on the way to graduation take longer than the traditional four years to earn a high school diploma or its equivalent. Unfortunately, those schools and districts serving overage, under-credit students, many of whom successfully complete high school beyond a four-year time frame, often are designated as "in need of improvement" due to low four-year graduation rates. In an effort to recognize schools and districts for their successful efforts to get struggling and out-of-school students back on-track to graduation, some states are beginning to gather five- and six-year graduation rates and are incorporating these extended-year rates into their accountability measures. States gathering such data are able to document increases in graduation rates when comparing four-year rates to five- and six-year rates. To ensure that schools' and districts' efforts to serve struggling and off-track students are recognized rather than discouraged, states should calculate and include five- and six-year high school graduation rates, in addition to four-year rates, in all graduation rate calculation used for accountability purposes. [This brief was written with Gateway to College National Network.]
Descriptors: Accountability, Outcomes of Education, Graduation, High Schools, Graduation Rate, Dropouts, Dropout Prevention, Secondary School Students, Academic Achievement, Academic Persistence, School Holding Power, Educational Indicators, Federal Programs
American Youth Policy Forum. 1836 Jefferson Place NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-775-9731; Fax: 202-775-9733; e-mail: aypf@aypf.org; Web site: http://www.aypf.org/
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: American Youth Policy Forum; National Youth Employment Coalition
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A