Help me with the math here

[UK78ALUM]

I would have assumed that graduation rates and dropout rates were inversely related. Obviously that's not the case, so that means there must be at least a third category in the math here. Can you complete high school but not graduate? What is the other option here?

Report: Graduation, dropout rates increased in 2008



By Ashlee Clark - aclark@herald-leader.com (aclark@herald-leader.com)
More Kentucky high school students graduated last year, but dropout rates increased slightly, according to the Kentucky Department of Education.

High school graduation rates increased from 83.72 percent in 2007 to 84.52 in 2008, according to a news release from the department.

The overall high school dropout rate increased from 3.17 percent in 2007 to 3.30 percent in 2008, according to the release. In grades 9 through 12, 314 more students dropped out in 2008 than in 2007. Dropout rates for nearly all ethnic groups rose from 2007 to 2008.American Indian and black students had the highest dropout increases at 1.83 percent and 1.37 percent, respectively.

The state reports graduation rates to comply with No Child Left Behind Act requirements.

[oruacat2]

Interesting. How do they compile those percentages? Only seniors graduate, but students from ALL grades can potentially drop-out. Is there a time-factor at play here? Do they track CLASSES - all students who enter as freshmen in Year X, but then either graduate or not within a 4 year time frame?

If that's the case, maybe transfers in/out, suspensions, etc, would skew the numbers?

Edit - the more I think about it, this is just shoddy writing on that reporter's part. I think we're looking at two different categories here: 84% of seniors graduating versus 3% of dropouts coming from grades 9-12....

[surveyor]

Would not graduation rates be defined as those who graduated the year intended, i.e. one who never failed a grade?
If one fails his senior year, then he repeats and graduates the following year. Thus, for that particular year, he would be counted among those who didn't graduate, but he also didn't drop out.

[UK78ALUM]

Would not graduation rates be defined as those who graduated the year intended, i.e. one who never failed a grade?
If one fails his senior year, then he repeats and graduates the following year. Thus, for that particular year, he would be counted among those who didn't graduate, but he also didn't drop out.

:thumbup:
I think this is the answer. And had I given it more thought, I would have remembered that I had a friend who completed all the courses after summer school, but didn't "graduate" until December. (We had both a Winter and Summer graduating class).

Thanks!

[surveyor]

I do agree with KD regarding the shoddy reporting.

Numerous times I've read similar reports and wondered why pertinent information wasn't included in such stories.

My niece is planning to major in journalism at UK. I save such articles for her to read say, "Do better than this".:icon_biggrin:

Of course, her major may well change a few times before she settles on one.
Journalism is at a cross-roads right now.

[UK78ALUM]

My niece is planning to major in journalism at UK. .

Check your inbox for a PM from me.

[Sir Richard F. Burton]

I recently saw that 50% of Black/hispanics drop out. I was stunned by that number. I know that every school system defines "dropout" their own way since the methodology they choose serves to make the school system look bad or good.

This sheds some light on the numbers in our most populous state.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr09/yr09rel073.asp