ODYSSEYWARE

Under No Child Left Behind, accountability for student success is measured in two ways. The most controversial has been adequate yearly progress (AYP), which requires “continuous and substantial” yearly improvement in performance by students, and is generally based on standardized test scores. AYP is also measured by state-defined graduation rate benchmarks.

After a realization that the nation appears to be facing a crisis in high school completion, a much needed investigation into the way we define and measure graduation rates was initiated. As a result, a new way of calculating graduation rates will be used by all 50 states beginning in 2012.

One of the major changes to the way graduation rates will be calculated involves the number of years it takes a student to complete high school. In the past, many schools included not only students who completed high school in four years in their count of graduates, but also those who required more than four years to get a diploma. Under the guidelines that take effect in 2012, only students who complete graduation requirements in four years will be included in the count.

This will, for some states, lower graduation rates and, therefore, put their Title I funding at risk.

How this affects actual high schools remains to be seen. Some states, anticipating the result, have put new programs into place to reduce the fallout from the new guidelines.

As reported in the Birmingham News, Alabama, a state that expects its graduation rate to drop by 20 percent using the new formula, is implementing innovative programs to counteract any effects it may have.

According to state Superintendent Joe Morton,

It doesn’t matter which formula you choose to use, the fact of the matter is too few students are graduating from high school on time, and we owe it to the future of this state to find effective ways of keeping our students in school. This is not about appearance or public relations. This is a real issue that is affecting our state. Yes, we’ve made progress, but we can’t rest on our laurels. One student not graduating on time is one too many.

ODYSSEYWARE® offers academic solutions that help schools elevate their graduation rates. Through assessments that identify learning gaps and our Prescriptive Credit Recovery, students are succeeding and earning their diplomas with proven, innovative, online curriculum.