Graduation
Every student entering high school is automatically placed into a 4- year cohort. Students who transfer out are subtracted from the cohort. New enrollees are added to the cohort as they transfer in. The number of graduates four years later is used to calculate the 4- year cohort graduation rate (graduates divided by students in the cohort). Similarly, the number of cumulative graduates five and six years later is used to calculate the 5-year and 6-year cohort graduation rates,respectively.
About this metric
High school graduation is an essential milestone on the road to college and/or a career with a living wage. By including 4-year, 5-year and 6-year cohort graduation rates, the CORE districts are placing value on continuing to work with youth who need an additional year or two to complete high school graduation requirements (e.g., late entering English Learners who need additional time as they learn English along with their academic coursework).
Who Receives this Indicator? 1
This indicator is based on the four-year cohort graduation rates and only applies to LEAs and schools that have 30 or more students in the four-year graduation cohort in both current and prior years. A graduation cohort is a group of high school students who could potentially graduate during a four-year time period (grades nine through twelve).
Students who earn a Special Education Certificate of Completion or a high school equivalency certificate are not counted in the numerator as high school graduates, but are included in the denominator. Students who earn a traditional high school diploma, an adult education high school diploma, or have passed the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) are counted as high school graduates and are included in the numerator as well as the denominator.
When Students Change Local Educational Agencies or Schools 1
All first-time grade nine students are included in the cohort. Once a student enters into the cohort, they remain in that cohort. If the student moves to a different school or LEA, they are removed from the first school/LEA’s cohort and included in the second school/LEA’s cohort.
Measurement method
Every student entering high school is automatically placed into a 4-year cohort. Students who transfer out are subtracted from the cohort. New enrollees are added to the cohort as they transfer in. The number of graduates four years later is used to calculate the 4-year cohort graduation rate (graduates divided by students in the cohort). Similarly, the number of cumulative graduates five and six years later is used to calculate the 5-year and 6-year cohort graduation rates, respectively.
California Department of Education (2017). California School Dashboard Technical Guide, pp. 40. Available online at:
Calculation Formula for Status2
Class of 2015Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate Formula
Number of students who earn a regular high school diploma by the end of 2014–15 cohort
divided by
Number of first-time grade nine students in 2011–12 plus students who transfer in, minus students who transfer out, emigrate, or die during school years 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, and 2014–15.
Three-Year Weighted Average (Class of 2012, 2013, and 2014)
The Graduation Rate Indicator is the only state indicator to use a three-year weighted average. This average is used to calculate Change and the formula is below:
Class of 2012 Graduates + Class of 2013 Graduates + Class of 2014 Graduates
divided by
Students in the 2011–12 Cohort (class of 2012) + Students in the 2012–13 Cohort (class of 2013) + Students in the 2013–14 Cohort (class of 2014)
If an LEA, school, or student group does not have three years of cohort data, the weighted average is calculated using the one or two years of available cohort data.
Calculation Formula for Change3
Current Year Status minusThree-Year Weighted Average
Thresholds
Status
Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / BlueLow / High / Low / High / Low / High / Low / High / Low / High
Graduation Rate (4-, 5-, and 6- year) / 0 / 66 / 67 / 84 / 85 / 89 / 90 / 94 / 95 / 100
2 California Department of Education (2017). California School Dashboard Technical Guide, p. 41. Available online at:
3California Department of Education (2017). California School Dashboard Technical Guide, pp. 42. Available online at:
Change
Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / BlueLow / High / Low / High / Low / High / Low / High / Low / High
Graduation Rate (4-, 5-, and 6- year) / -100 / -6 / -5 / -1 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 4 / 5 / 100
5 x 5 grid
Level /Change of -6 or worse in Graduation Rate /
Change between -1 & -5 in Graduation Rate /
No Change in Graduation Rate /
Change between 1 to 4 in Graduation Rate /
Change of 5 or better in Graduation Rate
Status of 95 or better Graduation Rate
Status between 90 & 94 Graduation Rate
Status between 85 & 89 Graduation Rate
Status between 67 & 84 in Graduation Rate
Status of 66 or worse in Graduation Rate
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