Graduation By the Numbers

The recent release of "Diplomas Count 2010: Graduation by the Numbers" explores falling U.S. graduation rates. To be fair, the more recent practice of following cohorts through 4 years of high school is a more accurate reflection of graduation rates than those used in the past. For many, the numbers are not surprising, yet they are troubling. The report includes profiles of districts with high failures rates. It also describes schools that overcame the odds. These schools typically had systems in place to monitor and track student achievement. Support was provided to students as they began to teeter rather than simply reporting the numbers that fell through the cracks. In the context of assessment, it is important to examine practices that will lead to accurate measures of what students know, understand, and can do and also provide an early warning system for interventions. You can learn more about the report at:
http://www.americanpromise.org
http://www.edweek.