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This article was originally published as the Executive Summary of the Statistical Analysis Report of the same name. The universe data are from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). | |||
Introduction The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) began collecting the counts of public school dropouts through the Common Core of Data (CCD) with the 1991-92 school year. A dropout was defined, in simplified terms, as an individual who had been enrolled at any time during the previous school year, was not enrolled at the beginning of the current school year, and had not graduated or transferred to another public or private school. The CCD is a voluntary collection, and dropout statistics are published for only those states whose dropout counts conform to the CCD definition. Dropout data were reported for 12 states for 1991-92. By 1997-98, this number had increased to 37. Since 1993, the CCD dropout statistics have been reported in the NCES annual publication Dropout Rates in the United States in conjunction with statistics from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The current report focuses solely on CCD data and introduces a high school 4-year completion rate based upon dropout and completion statistics. The 4-year completion rate is the proportion of students who leave school from the 9th through 12th grades who do so as completers. It is relatively unaffected by net enrollment loss or gain due to population changes or by double-counting students who are retained in a grade during the high school years. Unlike the high school completion rate reported from the CPS, which is based on all 18- to 24-year-olds, the CCD 4-year completion rate is limited to public school data from grades 9 through 12 over 4 years (figure A). The CCD rate thus excludes some persons reported through the CPS who completed high school or who received a GED-based equivalency credential in their twenties, as well as those who graduated from nonpublic schools. It should be stressed that this report does not include all states; the statistics are valid for those states reporting but may not be nationally representative.
Figure A.Example of how the CCD public high school 4-year completion rate is calculated SOURCE: Based on the completion-rate equation shown on p. 2 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted. Major Findings Some of the major findings from the analysis of public high school dropout and 4-year completion rate data are the following:
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Table A.Dropout rates for grades 9-12, by state: School years 1991-92 through 1997-98
Data missing. 1This state reported on an alternative July-June cycle rather than the specified October-September cycle. 2The following states reported data using an alternative calendar in the years indicated: Alaska (1995-96), Ohio (1993-94), Wyoming (1993-94), and Puerto Rico (all years except 1997-98). 3Effective with the 1995-96 school year, Louisiana changed its dropout data collection from school-level aggregate counts reported by districts to an individual, student-record system. The increase in the dropout rate is due in part to the increased ability to track students. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD): Data File: Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Dropout and Completion Data: School Years 1991-92 Through 1996-97 and Data File: Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Dropout Data: School Year 1997-98. (Originally published as table 2 on p. 22 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) |
Table B.High school completion rates, by state: School years 1994-95 through 1997-98
Data missing. 1Includes regular and other diplomas, as well as other completion credentials (e.g., certificates of attendance or other certificates of completion), but does not include high school equivalency credentials (e.g., GEDs). 2Effective with the 1995-96 school year, Louisiana changed its dropout data collection, which increased the number of its dropouts. In calculating the completion rates, 1995-96 data were used in place of older data. NOTE: The completion rate is calculated by dividing the number of high school completers in a given year by the number of high school completers in that year and dropouts over a 4-year period. A state that reported completers but not dropouts would not have a high school completion rate. Data for other completers are missing in the following states: Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Washington, and Wisconsin. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD): Data File: Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Dropout and Completion Data: School Years 1991-92 Through 1996-97 and Data File: Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Dropout Data: School Year 1997-98. (Originally published as table 10 on p. 49 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) |
Table C.High school 4-year completion rates,1 by race/ethnicity and state: School year 1997-98
Data missing. 1Includes regular and other diplomas, as well as other completion credentials (e.g., certificates of attendance or other certificates of completion), but does not include high school equivalency credentials (e.g., GEDs). 2Effective with the 1995-96 school year, Louisiana changed its dropout data collection, which increased the number of its dropouts. In calculating the completion rates, 1995-96 data were used in place of older data. NOTE: Total completers by race/ethnicity are obtained from the "State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education." The completion rate by race/ethnicity is calculated by dividing the number of high school completers by the number of high school completers and dropouts in a specific racial/ethnic group. A state that reported completers, but not by race/ethnicity, would not have a high school completion rate by race/ethnicity. Data for other completers are missing in the following states: Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Washington, and Wisconsin. Caution should be used when interpreting results by race/ethnicity as some of the racial/ethnic group populations are quite small in some states. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD): "State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education," 1998-99; and Data File: Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Dropout Data: School Year 997-98. (Originally published as table 12a on p. 51 of the complete report from which this article is excerpted.) |
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