State Education Department: Graduation Rates Show Improvement

FULTON, NY – The New York State Education Department reports that four-year graduation rates are up statewide from where they were two years ago.

The State Education Department (SED) released the results of statewide graduation rates Monday. Within its report, SED says that graduation rates are up almost three percentage points from graduation rates two years before.

“Graduation rates have improved slightly overall, but they need to improve much faster,” Regents Chancellor Robert M. Bennett said in a release that was issued with the report. “Students must graduate and continue their education to ensure their lifetime earnings will support themselves and their families.”

Bennett stressed that the potential is there. He noted that resources for education have increased and will increase again this coming year.

“School leaders and teachers must use practices that work, create better connections between middle and high school, and call on higher education and business to partner,” Bennett said. “This will be a major issue for the Board of Regents this coming year.”

The data shows that graduation rates at Fulton’s G. Ray Bodley High School came in below the statewide average. Elizabeth Conners, Fulton’s executive director of instruction and assessment, was taking part in new teacher orientation this morning and could be reached for comment.

According to the data, Fulton’s 2006-07 graduation rate came in approximately 10 percent below the statewide average with 59 percent of 306 students in the 2003 total cohort earning Regents or local diplomas in four years. The 2002 cohort of 273 students held the same 59 percent graduation rate. Those figures were just below the 2001 cohort of 288 students with 61 percent graduating in four years.

Adding a year to the time needed to graduate, Fulton’s 2002 cohort increased its graduation rate to 67 percent and its 2001 cohort increased its rate to 68 percent. That percentage increased another point to 69 percent with another year of school for the 2001 group.

For the first time, the State Education Department collected data showing graduation rates in August. Statewide, 71 percent of the students who started ninth grade in 2003 had graduated by August 2007; up two percent from those who had graduated in June.

Fulton‘s difference was more substantial, however. The percentage of students who started high school in 2003 and graduated in four years increased from 59 percent in June to 64 percent by August 2007.

County wide, Fulton’s four-year graduation rate for the 2003 cohort was the lowest. However, it also represented the third largest number of students in the cohort.

The largest cohort that started high school in 2003 and graduated in four years was found in Oswego City School District with 67 percent of 421 students graduating. The second largest number of students was in Central Square Central School District with 370 students enrolled in the cohort and 65 percent graduating by June 2007.

The highest four-year graduation rate in the county was found in Sandy Creek Central Schools with 83 percent of students graduating. That district also had the lowest number of students enrolled in the 2003 cohort, which was made up of 93 students.

Sandy Creek was among five of nine school districts in Oswego County that reported percentages above the state average. The others included APW, Mexico, Phoenix and Pulaski.

“We have made progress with an increase of two percent in the graduation rate. However,  it is important to note that the initiatives we are putting into place to improve our graduation rate do not have an influence on these particular numbers as the state report is for the students who commenced their high school experience in 200,” said Oswego’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Cathy Chamberlain. “We are hopeful that the new initiatives we have put in place will continue to raise the percent of students who graduate.”

There are two types of statistics that the state addresses, Chamberlain said.

The first is twelfth graders graduation rate and for 2006-07 which was 80% compared to 79% previous year.

The other involves looking at cohort groups. This would focus on how many students entered ninth grade and four years later how many of those same students graduated. The graduation rate in the report was 69% compared to 67% the previous year.

“Some of our students will graduate after five years. When we look at the percentage of students who graduate after five years the number would increase to 73%,” she pointed out.

In Hannibal, Superintendent Michael DiFabio said he was looking not only at the flat graduation rate, but also at the percentage of the numbers of students who are still engaged. Of the 135 students enrolled in the 2003 cohort, 64 percent graduated in four years and another four percent earned an IEP diploma. DiFabio noted that 10 percent are still enrolled.

“That shows that they are still engaged in their education,” DiFabio said. “I believe that is a positive indicator.”

Looking outside of Oswego County at districts that Hannibal often uses for comparisons, DiFabio said that Weedsport Central School District stood out from the pack, bringing in a 90 percent four-year graduation rate for its 2003 cohort of 91 students.

“That is stellar,” DiFabio said.

DiFabio said that as a smaller district, Hannibal boasts the ability to provide personal relationships with its students. Building on that, he said that the high school is also working to implement the 31 recommendations under Breaking Ranks 2 this year.

“We will have a new administrative team at the high school this year with a new principal and a new assistant principal,” he said. “We are working on Breaking Ranks 2 and are focusing our efforts on students who might fall through the cracks.”

DiFabio pointed out, too, that Hannibal brought a drop out prevention counselor into the high school during the 2007-08 school year. Because the results released Monday only factor up to the end of the 2006-07 session, he said it is difficult to know if that position is making a difference in Hannibal.

“We are going to work on the things we have in place, implementing Breaking Ranks 2 and building relationships with our students to keep them engaged in their education,” he said. “I am also going to contact Weedsport to find out what they are doing over there.

“Maximizing our relationships with students to keep them engaged is the key,” he added. “We will get the staff to focus on what we have, work with Breaking Ranks and keep our new technology in the classroom piece going. Together, I believe that will make a difference.”

Data presented in the report was based on data submitted by school districts to the data repository as of July 15, 2008. Students were reported based on their date of entry in ninth grade and their last enrollment status as reported in the warehouse.

To read the full release from SED, click HERE.

To see the statewide graduation rates as reported, click HERE. missing or outdated ad config

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