Diplomas Count - Issue 34, 2012 - 32

Sources and Notes
DEFINING READINESS
College-readiness deﬁnition: State has formal expectations for what students will need to know and be able to do in order to be admitted to state’s two-year and/or four-year institutions and enroll in credit-bearing courses. State approaches to deﬁning college readiness have been classiﬁed into the following categories: courses, skills, standards, and tests. Some states’ deﬁnitions may include elements that do not fall into categories established for this analysis. EPE Research Center annual state policy survey (2011-12 school year), 2011. Focus for advanced recognition: State awards honors for accomplishments in core academic subjects and/or accomplishments in career-technical program. Ibid. Basis for advanced recognition: State awards honors for accomplishments in one or more of the following areas: courses, GPA, and tests. Some states have requirements that do not fall into categories used in this analysis. Ibid.

How Does the EPE Research Center Calculate Graduation Rates?
Diplomas Count uses the Cumulative Promotion Index (CPI) method to calculate high school graduation rates for American public schools. This approach allows the EPE Research Center to compute the percent of public high school students who graduate on time with a diploma. The CPI method represents the high school experience as a process rather than an event, capturing the four key steps a student must take in order to graduate: three grade-to-grade promotions (9 to 10, 10 to 11, and 11 to 12) and ultimately earning a diploma (grade 12 to graduation). Each of these individual components corresponds to a grade-promotion ratio. Multiplying these four grade-speciﬁc promotion ratios together produces the graduation rate. Different methods for calculating a graduation rate may employ different deﬁnitions of a “graduate.” The CPI method adheres to federal guidelines, under which only students receiving standard high school diplomas count as graduates. Recipients of General Educational Development diplomas, certiﬁcates of attendance, and other nondiploma credentials are treated as nongraduates in this context. States must adopt a similar deﬁnition of a graduate for the rates they calculate to fulﬁll federal accountability requirements, although they may employ different deﬁnitions for other purposes. The 2012 edition of Diplomas Count presents a new analysis of graduation rates for the high school class of 2009, the most recent year for which information is available. Data for 2009 and prior years were obtained from the U.S. Department of Education’s Common Core of Data (CCD), an annual census of all public schools and school districts in the country. Counts of diplomas for California, Nevada, and Vermont were not available from the CCD for the 2008-09 school year. The EPE Research Center obtained comparable graduation data directly from the state education agencies, where available. The EPE Research Center calculates graduation rates for all school districts in the country that issue diplomas (that is to say, those with a 12th grade). Statistics for the nation and states are generated by aggregating district-level data upward.

Alternative credential for not meeting all standard requirements: State offers credential, such as certiﬁcate of attendance, for students not meeting criteWork-readiness deﬁnition: K-12 education system ria for standard diploma. Ibid. has formal expectations for what high school students will need to know and be able to do in order to be pre- Basis for alternative credential: State offers alterpared for work. State approaches to defining work native credential for students with disabilities or those readiness have been classiﬁed into the following catego- young people failing exit exams, although other students ries: courses, skills, standards, and tests. Some states’ may be eligible in some states. Ibid. deﬁnitions may include elements that do not fall into categories established for this analysis. Ibid. Industry certificate or license: State offers high school students option of participating in career or techDistinct deﬁnitions of readiness: K-12 education nical program or pathway that leads to industry-recogsystem has different deﬁnitions of college readiness and nized certiﬁcate or license. Ibid. work readiness. Ibid.

HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION CREDENTIALS

HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMS

State has exit exam: State requires that students pass exit exam or one or more end-of-course exams in Credits to earn standard diploma: Credit require- order to graduate. EPE Research Center annual state ments are expressed in Carnegie units unless otherwise policy survey (2011-12 school year), 2011. speciﬁed. One Carnegie unit is equivalent to one year of coursework. Credits reﬂect minimum or default course Subjects tested: Academic subject areas covered on requirements mandated by state for standard high state exit exams. Ibid. school diploma. Education Commission of the States, Standard High School Graduation Requirements (50- Exam based on standards for 10th grade or state), 2012. higher: State has exit exam(s) aligned to state 10th grade standards or higher in at least one academic subStandard diploma options: Indicates types of reg- ject. This includes exams that cover standards from 9th ular diplomas issued by state: standard, college pre- to 11th grades or end-of-course exams for courses that paratory, and/or career-technical specialization. EPE are typically taken in 10th grade or above. Ibid. Research Center annual state policy survey (2011-12 school year), 2011. Financing for remediation: State provides at least partial ﬁnancial support for remediation of students Advanced recognition for exceeding standard re- who fail exit exams. Ibid. quirements: State offers advanced diploma or other form of recognition for students who exceed require- Appeals process or alternative route: State alments of standard diploma by completing additional lows students to appeal after failing exit exam or has coursework, achieving high grade point average (GPA), alternative route students can take to earn standard or other accomplishments. Ibid. diploma. Ibid.

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Diplomas Count - Issue 34, 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Diplomas Count - Issue 34, 2012