Cohort Graduation and
Annual Dropout Rates:
2014 Statewide Results
and Highlights of
Worcester Public Schools
College and Career Readiness Webinar Series
March 3, 2015
Welcome!
Please type your question or comment in the
chat window at any point during the
presentation
All phones will be muted
PowerPoint slides will be sent to all registered
participants, and will be posted to the CCR
website
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Agenda
• Part I: Statewide Cohort Graduation and Annual
Dropout Rates: Highlights of results for 2014
Presented by Rob Curtin, Director of Education Data
Services, ESE
• Part II: Highlights of a District Making Progress:
- Presented by Worcester Public Schools staff
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2013-14 Dropout and
Graduation Rate Data
Robert Curtin
Director, Education Data Services
Goals for Today
Gain a common understanding of graduation
and dropout rate methodologies
Present most recent and longitudinal
graduation and dropout rate data to illustrate
successes and areas for improvement
Answer any questions and take suggestions
for additional analyses
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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MassGrad Schools
 Selected as a result of having a dropout rate higher
than the state average in 2008-09
 76 Districts and 133 Schools; including 8 charter
schools
 30.7% of all enrolled students in grade 9-12
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Calculating Graduation Rates in MA
4 Year Rate – 2014 Cohort
# of students in cohort who graduate within 4 years
[# of 1st time 9th graders 4 yrs earlier] – transfers out + transfers in
Oct 1, 2010
9th grade first
time
Transfer out/deceased
What percent
graduate by
summer ‘14?
Transfer In
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Calculating Graduation Rates in MA
5 Year Rate – 2013 Cohort
# of students in cohort who graduate within 5 years
[# of 1st time 9th graders 5 yrs earlier] – transfers out + transfers in
Oct 1, 2009
9th grade first
time
Transfer out/deceased
What percent
graduate by
summer ‘14?
Transfer In
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Cohort Identification
9th
10th
11th
12th
2002-03
2006
2003-04
2007
2006
2004-05
2008
2007
2006
2005-06
2009
2008
2007
2006
2006-07
2010
2009
2008
2007
2007-08
2011
2010
2009
2008
2008-09
2012
2011
2010
2009
2009-10
2013
2012
2011
2010
2010-11
2014
2013
2012
2011
2011-12
2015
2014
2013
2012
2012-13
2016
2015
2014
2013
2013-14
2017
2016
2015
2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Graduation Rates
Massachusetts and MassGrad
Cohort
State 4yr
MassGrad 4yr
State 5yr
MassGrad5yr
2008
81.2
66.9
84.2
72.4
2009
81.5
67.3
84.0*
71.1*
2010
82.1*
67.2*
84.7
71.4
2011
83.4
69.0
86.3
73.7
2012
84.7
71.7
87.5
75.8
2013
85.0
73.0
87.7
76.7
2014
86.1
74.5
NA
NA
*New CD requirements
MA Public Schools = 4.6 percentage point increase since 2009
Non–MassGrad Grantees = 1.9 percentage point increase since 2009
MassGrad Grantees = 7.2 percentage point increase since 2009
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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MassGrad 2014 Cohort 4-Year Profile
N = 23,340
74.5% graduated (+1.5 from 2013)
11.4% dropped out (-1.7)
9.2% are still enrolled (-0.2)
2.1% received a GED (-0.4)
2.5% completed but did not graduate (+0.7)
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0.2% were permanently excluded (+0.1)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
MassGrad 2013 Cohort 5-Year Profile
N =24,323
76.7% graduated (+0.9 from 2012 cohort 5-year)
13.8% dropped out (-1.7)
3.3% received a GED (-0.8)
3.1% are still enrolled (+0.1)
0.2% transferred in their 5th year
2.9% completed but did not graduate (+0.3)
0.1% were permanently excluded (-0.1)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Calculating Annual Dropout Rates
The final dropout rate = [(Summer Dropouts + School Year Dropouts) – Returned Dropouts] / High School Enrollment
Summer Dropouts:
Students determined to be a
dropout over the summer before
the start of the current school
year.
(1) 2012-13 EOY SIMS
School Year Dropouts:
•Students determined to be a dropout during the current
school year.
Check against all other districts’ data to see if dropout
is enrolled or graduated from another district (i.e.
“found” students)
(2) October 1, 2013 SIMS
High School Enrollment:
•The High School Enrollment is based on
this October 1 SIMS collection. This is the
denominator when calculating dropout
rates.
(3) 2013-14 EOY SIMS
--------
(4) October 1, 2014 SIMS
Returned Dropouts:
Check if any Summer Dropouts or School Year
Dropouts are reported in the following school
year’s October 1 SIMS.
Students reported as enrolled, graduated or
received an high school equivalency in any district
are removed from the total dropout count.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Annual Dropouts 2007-2014
All Students
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Annual Dropout Rate 2007-2014
All Students
Gap decrease
from 3.4 points
to 1.9 since
implementation
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Annual Dropout Rate 2007-2012
Selected Populations - MassGrad
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Major Findings
 Dropout rates in the aggregate and in all subgroups
are the lowest in 12 years since using SIMS and
lowest in decades by any measure
 A 48.1% reduction in the number of dropouts in
MassGrad schools since 2007 and 9.9% since last year
 “Dropout Gap” between state and MassGrad districts
has decreased since implementation
 MassGrad schools account for 60.7% of all dropouts
while having 30.7% of the high school enrollment
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Dropout and Graduation Rate
Information
MA Student Information Management System:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/sims/
MA Graduation Rates:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/gradrates/
MA Dropout Rates
http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/dropout/
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Contact Information
Robert Curtin
Director, Education Data Services
781-338-3582
rcurtin@doe.mass.edu
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
A Look at Worcester Public
Schools
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
4-year Graduation Rates by School
Change from 2013 & 2014
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Worcester Public School Presenters
• Kristen Leo, Senior Systems Analyst
• Bruce O’Connell, Assistant Principal, North High
School
• Carmen Melendez, Head Guidance Counselor, South
High School
• Jane Dowd, Head Guidance Counselor, Burncoat
High School
• Dolores Gribouski, Ed.D, Manager of Curriculum,
Instruction and School Leadership:
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District-wide Initiatives
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 Graduation Improvement Teams
• Membership
• Guidance Counselor
• School Adjustment Counselor
• Administrator
• Focused Instructional Coach
• Faculty Members
• Activities
• Data Analysis and strategic planning for off-track students.
• Transition Planning/ Programming for 8th grades moving into
high school.
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 Alternative Pathways
• Collaborate with comprehensive high schools for referral and
learning plans
• Flexible schedules
• Smaller class size
• Additional social-emotional support
• Collaborate with agencies
 Returnee
• Conduct outreach and re-engagement efforts focused on
recent dropouts
• Computer-based credit recovery
• personalized learning support
 College & Career Readiness Network
 Computer-based Credit Recovery
 Attendance Buy-Back
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Systematic use of Data
Focus on student success
•
•
•
•
•
•
Segmentation Study
Monthly Baseline Data
EWIS
Course Completion report
MassCore Progression
Data Monitoring Chart
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North High School
Mass Grad Coalition
Restorative Justice
9th Grade Teams
Buy-back
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South High School
College-going Culture
Service Learning
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Burncoat High School
Summer Transition Program
Paving the Path for Our At-risk Students:
Middle School to High School Transition
Collaboration
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On the horizon…
• Currently working with middle school to
establish graduation improvement teams
• Establish coalitions at each high school
• Increase elementary, middle school, high
school vertical communication opportunities
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For more information…
Graduation rate data:
 http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/gradrates/
 http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/gradrates.aspx
Dropout rate data:
 http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/dropout/
Annual dropout vs. cohort graduation rates:
 http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/gradrates/dropoutvsgrad.html
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Thank you!
Month
Webinar Title
3/10/15
Career Development
Education: Career Awareness,
Exploration and Immersion
Summer Transition Programs
Individual Learning Plans
MA Model for Comprehensive
School Counseling Programs
4/14/15
5/12/15
6/09/15
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education