Graduation Rates: Students Who Started 9th Grade in 2000, 2001, and 2002

1
Graduation RatesStudents Who Started 9th Grade
in 2000, 2001, and 2002
2
The Percentage of Students in the 2002 Cohort by
Racial/Ethnic Group by Outcomes as of June 30,
2006 After Four Years
Despite improvements, Black and Hispanic students
graduated at substantially lower rates after 4
years than White and Asian students.
3
What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation
Rates

• Focus on improving the 9th grade promotion rate.
  This starts with bridge programs in the summer
  for students with low 8th grade scores. New York
  City has been able to estimate the probability of
  graduation based on a threshold number of credits
  upon entering 9th grade. That knowledge makes
  the summer bridge program an urgent matter.
• Figure out which children are in which cohort at
  the start of school. This makes the challenge
  more focused.
• Know the data, know the children personally, and
  make sure all the other adults do, too.

4
What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation
Rates

• Tell entering 9th graders that some will graduate
  in four years, and others have skills that we
  will work on, and they too will graduate in
  years five or six. Let no one feel excluded or
  like a failure.
• Work on those skills through morning, afternoon
  and evening sessions in flexible groups so
  students can easily move to a new group to learn
  the next skill set as they progress.

5
What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation
Rates

• Use short diagnostic tests often during the year
  to check gains in the skills measured by the
  standards and the Regents exams. Keep reassessing
  to ensure that students really grasp the content.
  
• By the middle of 9th grade, the students needing
  intensive help get an Advocate, who is a
  teacher committed to talking with each of the 15
  students in that teachers care every single day.

6
What Successful Schools Do to Raise Graduation
Rates

• In June of senior year, identify students who are
  a credit or two away from graduation. Assign
  someone to stay in daily contact with each of
  them and their families. Support the students
  through summer school and the August Regents and
  graduation.
• Schedule twice weekly meetings of teachers to
  examine student work, teacher practice, and the
  interim assessments that gauge student progress.
  Share the notes from these professional
  conversations.
• Make sure the support systems are in place
  attendance taking and analysis, social services,
  guidance.