Research Library
Every Student Counted
Subtitle: Using Longitudinal Data Systems to Calculate the National Governor Association’s High School Graduation Rate and Improve Student Success
Publisher: Data Quality Campaign
Publication Date: 2007, July
Publisher City: Austin
Publisher State: TX
Summary or Abstract: Historically, states have used different calculations to arrive at high school graduation rates. In 2005, all 50 governors signed the National Governors Association (NGA) Graduation Counts Compact and made a commitment to use a common method for calculating high school graduation rates -- the “NGA Graduation Rate.” This method is based upon having a longitudinal data system consisting of 10 elements that tracks individual students from year to year and across campuses and districts. At the time of publication, 13 states said they would report their graduation rates using the NGA Graduation Rate and 39 states said that by 2010 they will begin reporting graduation rates this way. At the time of publication, California was identified as having 4-5 of the elements out of the ten that are essential to a longitudinal data system. The report includes an Appendix that identifies other methods used to calculate graduation rates.