U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN)
N041 – Graduation Rate File Specifications
Version 5.1
SY 2008-09
March 2010
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION N041 – Graduation Rate File Specifications v5.1
This technical guide was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. ED-PEP-09-O-0044 with 2020 Company, LLC. Brandon Scott served as the contracting officer’s representative. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred.
U.S. Department of Education
Arne Duncan
Secretary
Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development
Carmel Martin
Assistant Secretary
March 2010
This technical guide is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, N041 – Graduation Rate File Specifications, Washington, D.C., 2009.
This technical guide is also available on the Department’s Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/edfacts
On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center at (202) 260–0852 or (202) 260–0818.
DOCUMENT CONTROL
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Title: / N041 – Graduation Rate File SpecificationsRevision: / Version 5.1
Issue Date: / March 2010
Security Level: / Unclassified – For Official Use Only
Filename: / n041-5-1.doc
DOCUMENT HISTORY
Version Number / Date / Summary of Change /1.0 / Version 1.0 or subsequent updates (i.e., 1.1, 1.2, etc.) of this file specification is used to build files for SYs 2003-04 and 2004-05.
2.0 / Version 2.0 or subsequent updates (i.e., 2.1, 2.2, etc.) of this file specification is used to build files for SY 2005-06.
3.0 / Version 3.0 or subsequent updates (i.e., 3.1, 3.2, etc.) of this file specification is used to build files for SY 2006-07.
4.0 / Version 4.0 or subsequent updates (i.e., 4.1, 4.2, etc.) of this file specification is used to build files for SY 2007-08.
5.0
State Review Version / June 2009 / · Replaced SY 2007-08 with SY 2008-09.
· Replace category Race/Ethnicity with new category Major Racial Ethnic Group. (Note – This change was reversed in version 5.1)
· Updated all instances of “grand total” with “total of the education unit.”
· Removed NOTCOLLECT as a permitted code from all category code sets.
· 1.0 – Revised language in paragraph on information requirement for this file.
· 1.2 and 2.0 – Guidance updated.
· 2.0, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2 – Updated guidance on racial ethnic
· 4.3, 5.3, 6.3 – Added note that examples use 5 original permitted values.
· 4.3, 5.3, 6.3 – Updated data file examples for SY 2008-09.
5.0
Final / July 2009 / 2.0 – Added new question, “If a student changes subgroup membership by the end of high school, how would that student be counted in the four-year graduation rate?”
5.1 / March 2010 / · Replaced category Major Racial Ethnic Group with Race/Ethnicity. (This change reverses the second bullet in the row “5.0 State Review Version” listed above.)
· 1.2- In table 1.2-1 in the row “zero rates” for SEA level changed from zeros not required to zeros required.
· 4.3, 5.3, and 6.3 – Corrected school year in header of data file examples.
RELEASE AUTHORIZATION
Name / Signature / DateAuthor
QA
Release Authority
PREFACE
This document provides technical instructions for building files that can be submitted through the Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN). This document is used in coordination with the EDFacts Workbook, EDFacts Business Rules Guide and the EDEN Submission System User Guide.
EDEN is a centralized, coordinated repository of state reported, K through 12, educational data residing at the U.S. Department of Education. The EDEN Submission System is an electronic system that facilitates the efficient and timely transmission of data from SEAs to the U.S. Department of Education.
March 2010 / v / SY 2008-09U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION N041 – Graduation Rate File Specifications v5.1
Contents
DOCUMENT CONTROL ii
PREFACE iv
1.0 PURPOSE 1
1.1 Changes from the SY 2007-08 File Specifications 1
1.2 Requirements for Submitting this Data Group 1
2.0 GUIDANCE FOR SUBMITTING THIS FILE 3
3.0 GUIDANCE FOR SUBMITTING THIS FILE 5
3.1 Population Status 5
4.0 STATE EDUCATION AGENCY GRADUATION RATE FILE 6
4.1 Header Record Definition 6
4.2 Data Record Definition 7
4.3 SEA Graduation Rate File Examples 9
4.3.1 Partial Record Sample for Fixed Format SEA Graduation Rate File 9
4.3.2 Partial Record Sample for Comma–Delimited File Format SEA Graduation Rate File 10
4.3.3 Partial Record Sample for Tab–Delimited File Format SEA Graduation Rate File 11
5.0 LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY GRADUATION RATE FILE 12
5.1 Header Record Definition 12
5.2 Data Record Definition 13
5.3 LEA Graduation Rate File Examples 15
5.3.1 Partial Record Sample for Fixed Format LEA Graduation Rate File 15
5.3.2 Partial Record Sample for Comma–Delimited File Format LEA Graduation Rate File 16
5.3.3 Partial Record Sample for Tab–Delimited File Format LEA Graduation Rate File 17
6.0 SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE FILE 18
6.1 Header Record Definition 18
6.2 Data Record Definition 19
6.3 School Graduation Rate File Examples 21
6.3.1 Partial Record Sample for Fixed Format School Graduation Rate File 21
6.3.2 Partial Record Sample for Comma–Delimited File Format School Graduation Rate File 22
6.3.3 Partial Record Sample for Tab–Delimited File Format School Graduation Rate File 23
March 2010 / v / SY 2008-09U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION N041 – Graduation Rate File Specifications v5.1
1.0 PURPOSE
This document contains instructions for building fixed and delimited files to submit EDFacts Data Group: Graduation Rate Table, DG563. The definition for this data group is in the row “Table Name” in Table 4.2-1.
The data collected using this file specification are used to monitor and report performance on programs and activities supported by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended. These data will be used as responses in the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR).
A separate document contains the XML file formats. General guidance for constructing all file types may be found in the EDFacts Workbook.
1.1 Changes from the SY 2007-08 File Specifications
Other than the editorial changes and guidance updates listed in the document history on page ii, there have been no other changes to this file specification.
1.2 Requirements for Submitting this Data Group
This section contains two tables that summarize the reporting requirements. The first table contains the reporting period, the education units included or excluded, the type of count, and zero count reporting. The second table contains the required categories and applicable totals.
Table 1.2-1 Graduation Rate, Core Reporting Requirements
SEA / LEA / SchoolReporting Period / Entire school year
Education units reported / Include SEA / Operational LEAs with a 12th grade / Operational schools with a 12th grade
Education units not reported / Closed, inactive, or future LEAs
LEAs that do not have a 12th grade / Closed, inactive, or future schools
Schools that do not have a 12th grade
Zero rates / Required / Not required / Not required
The following table indicates the valid combinations of categories and the subtotals and/or totals needed for this file. An “X” in the column indicates that the column must be populated when reporting that particular category. The total indicator must be either “Y” (Yes) or “N” (No). If the record is for a detail count, specify an “N” (No). If the record is for a subtotal or education unit total, specify a “Y” (Yes).
Table 1.2–2: Graduation Rate, Required Categories, and Applicable Totals
Category Set / Table Type / Race / Ethnicity / Sex (Membership) / LEP Status (Only) / Disability Status (Only) / Economically Disadvantaged Status / Migrant Status / Total Indicator / Comments /Category Set A / GRADRT / X / N / Rate by Race / Ethnicity
Category Set B / GRADRT / X / N / Rate by Sex (Membership)
Category Set C / GRADRT / X / N / Rate by LEP Status (Only)
Category Set D / GRADRT / X / N / Rate by Disability Status (Only)
Category Set E / GRADRT / X / N / Rate by Economically Disadvantaged Status
Category Set F / GRADRT / X / N / Rate by Migrant Status
Total of the Education Unit / GRADRT / Y / Graduation Rate for All Students
2.0 GUIDANCE FOR SUBMITTING THIS FILE
This file specification is used to collect the SY 2008-09 graduation rates.
See below for additional guidance concerning this file:
How is the graduation rate calculated?
Section 200.19 of the Title I regulations issued under the ESEA, on December 2, 2002, defines graduation rate to mean:
· The percentage of students, measured from the beginning of high school, who graduated from public high schools with a regular high school diploma (not including a GED or any other diploma not fully aligned with the state’s academic standards) in the standard number of years. The calculation of the percentage is the transitional graduation rate defined in the state’s Accountability Workbook; or,
· Another more accurate definition developed by the state and approved by the Secretary in the state’s Accountability Workbook that more accurately measures the rate of students who graduate from high school with a regular diploma; and
· Avoids counting a dropout as a transfer.
The Secretary approved each state’s definition of the graduation rate, consistent with section 200.19 of the Title I regulations, as part of each state’s Accountability Workbook.
Using the definition of the graduation rate that was approved as part of your state’s Accountability Workbook, please provide graduation rate data for the school year.
What is the “Total of the education unit record”?
For this file, the total of the education unit record is the graduation rate for all students.
New! How are graduation rates reported by racial ethnic?
The document EDFacts Guidance on Submitting Racial and Ethnic Data contains directions on how to report racial and ethnic data.
How are graduation rates reported by disability status (only)?
Include in the rate only students who meet the definition of children with disabilities (IDEA) in section 4.2 of the EDFacts Workbook.
How are graduation rates reported by LEP status (only)?
Include in the rate only students who meet the definition of limited English proficient (LEP) students in section 4.3 of the EDFacts Workbook.
How are graduation rates reported by economically disadvantaged status?
Include in the rate only students who meet the state’s definition of economically disadvantaged status.
How are graduation rates reported by migrant status?
Include in the rate only students who meet the definition of eligible migrant students in section 4.4.1 of the EDFacts Workbook.
If a student changes subgroup membership by the end of high school, how would that student be counted in the four-year graduation rate?
In some cases, a student who is part of one subgroup as a 9th grader may no longer be part of that subgroup as a 12th grader (e.g., a student might be LEP upon entering high school, but designated proficient in English by the end of high school). States are responsible for developing clear and consistent rules for how to count such students in the four-year graduation rate. Some states count students in the subgroups in which they were members in 9th grade, while others count students in the subgroups in which they were members in 12th grade. Each state should have "business rules" for how such students are to be counted that are applied consistently throughout the state, and consistently across grade spans (i.e., elementary, middle, and high school).
3.0 GUIDANCE FOR SUBMITTING THIS FILE
Being able to readily identify any particular file transmission is an important consideration for users of the EDEN Data Submission System. Being able to identify a particular file can greatly facilitate any technical assistance that may be requested by the state. A maximum of 25 characters (including the file extension) is allowed for the file name. The following is the naming convention for Graduation Rate file submissions:
sslevGRADRATESvvvvvvv.ext
Where:
ss = Two–character USPS State Abbreviation for the submitting SEA.
lev = Three–character abbreviation for the level submitted. Use:
SEA for a State Education Agency Graduation Rate submission
LEA for a Local Education Agency Graduation Rate submission
SCH for a School Graduation Rate Submission
Filename = GRADRATES (no more than nine characters).
vvvvvvv = Up to seven–character alphanumeric string designated by the SEA to uniquely identify the individual submission (e.g., ver0001, v010803).
.ext = Three–character file extension identifying the file format as follows:
.txt – fixed format
.csv – comma–delimited format
.tab – tab–delimited format
3.1 Population Status
The “Pop” column in the header and data records is coded as follows:
M - Mandatory, this field must always be populated
A - This field is populated in accordance with table 1.2-1
O - Optional, data in this field is optional
4.0 STATE EDUCATION AGENCY GRADUATION RATE FILE
This section describes the fixed file and delimited file specifications used to transmit information pertaining to the SEA Graduation Rate File. The file type is specified in the header record.
4.1 Header Record Definition
The header record is required and is the first record in every file submitted to the EDEN Submission System. The purpose of the header record is to provide information as to the file type, number of Data Records in the file, file name, file identifier, and file reporting period.
Section 4.3 contains examples of the header record.
Table 4.1–1: Graduation Rate, SEA Header Record
Data Element Name / StartPosition / Length / Type / Pop / Definition / Comments / Permitted Values /
File Type / 1 / 50 / String / M / Identifies the type of file being submitted. / SEA GRADUATION RATE
Total Records In File / 51 / 10 / Number / M / The total number of Data Records contained in the file. The header record is NOT included in this count.
File Name (Including file extension) / 61 / 25 / String / M / File Name and extension are provided by the SEA. The file name should be the same as the external file name. (Please see File Naming Convention in Section 3.0 of this document.)
File Identifier / 86 / 32 / String / M / Any combination of standard characters to further identify the file as specified by the SEA(e.g., a date, person’s name, and version number).
File Reporting Period / 118 / 9 / String / M / Enter the Academic School Year for which data is being reported. The required format for entering the File Reporting Period is "CCYY–CCYY" or "CCYY CCYY", where either a hyphen or a space must separate the beginning and ending years (e.g., 2008-2009 or 2008 2009).
Filler / 127 / 254 / String / M / Leave filler field blank.
Carriage Return / Line Feed (CRLF) / 381 / 1 / M /
4.2 Data Record Definition
Data Records are required and immediately follow the header record in every file submitted to the EDEN Submission System. Data Records provide counts for the specified categories as well as subtotals and education unit totals.