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New graduation rate challenging to schools

By Mark Harrison
The Times-Journal

Published March 10, 2010

A new method being used to calculate Alabama's graduation rate shows only 65 percent of students finished high school on time in 2009, which is a 21 point difference from the state's previously reported rate of 86 percent.

The new formula, called the four-year Cohort Graduation Rate, only counts students who receive a high school diploma within four years as graduates. The state previously counted anyone who received any of six available diploma options regardless of the amount of time it took.

Local education officials say the new formula will almost certainly have a negative impact on graduation rates – at least the appearance of them.

“Any school can expect the graduation rate, with this new formula, to drop at least 15 percent initially,” said Jason Mayfield, federal programs supervisor for the DeKalb County School System. “I can foresee lots of problems and issues with the new formula – but it will definitely force our hand at looking at what we’re doing with instruction and intervention, and fortunately we have already taken some proactive steps.”

He said those steps include a credit recovery system that allows struggling students to catch up.

Fort Payne Superintendent Jimmy Cunningham said the goal, under the new formula, is to achieve a 90-percent graduation rate. He said under the old formula, the city system’s rate is 86 percent.

“Initially, the new formula is almost certain to have a negative impact on the rates. It’s going to change the way the graduation rate is calculated, and it’s going to be a more difficult rate to achieve,” Cunningham said.

He said the new formula will calculate minority groups individually, rather than lumping those groups together as the old rate did. The new formula is a complicated one that “locks” students into a “cohort group” that they must graduate with in order to be counted toward graduation rates, “spring cohort graduates plus summer cohort graduates divided by ninth-grade cohort plus transfers in minus transfers out.”

Several states have already switched to the new formula and all will be required to make the change by 2012. The new method was developed by the National Governors Association to create a uniform definition so accurate comparisons of high school graduation can be made across states.

Alabama's previous graduation formula was developed for Annual Yearly Progress calculations under the No Child Left Behind Act and was approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

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