Basic mathematics-

Rhonda Simmons / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: May 13, 2007

When it comes to figuring out graduation percentage rates, it's not always that simple.

It all comes down to how you calculate the numbers.
At Culpeper County High School, 92.5 percent graduated in the 2002-03 school year, according to the Virginia Department of Education.

However, Education Week - a national education journal - rated CCHS at 77 percent during that same year in a recent online study released last week.

"Because of varied calculations, some factors in there change the numbers," said Julie Grimes, DOE public information officer.

"It's not as simple as taking how many people got a certain diploma and dividing that number by how many there were starting the ninth grade four years ago."

According to the DOE Web site, standard, advanced studies, special, GED and modified standard diplomas are factored into the calculations. The state also tracks students during a typical four-year period starting with the ninth grade.

Eric Conti, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said CCPS administrators don't calculate graduation rates. They submit data to the state and the state determines the graduation, completion and dropout rates based on student information. There have been annual changes in calculation of graduation rates associated with No Child Left Behind, Conti said.

"The difference in the NCLB calculation and the state calculation may be the cause of the discrepancy," he said.

Researchers at Education Week used a "cumulative promotion index" method to determine the rate. First, they estimate the probability that a student in the ninth grade will complete high school on time with a regular diploma.

"Graduating from high school is represented as a process rather than a single event," according to Education Week's Web site.

Researchers use four key steps a student must complete in order to graduate: three grade-to-grade promotions (ninth to 10th, 10th to 11th and 11th to 12th) and finally obtaining a diploma after completing the senior year.

Research Center Assistant Director Carole Vinograd Bausell said the method used by Education Week researchers was comparable and a simple process.

Education Week uses the 2002-03 year because it's the most recent year of data available from the U.S. Department of Education's Common Core of Data.

While Conti says he doesn't disagree with the math, he does, however, disagree with what the math is trying to measure.
"For instance, there was a graduation calculation a few years back that did not take into account whether a student moved out of the district," wrote Conti, via e-mail Thursday afternoon.

"I disagreed with this calculation. Graduation rates should be a relatively easy calculation, but it is not."

Next year, Conti said, the state is expected to implement a newly established student testing identification number in the hope of keeping better track of students that relocate from district to district.

Conti is looking forward to this new technique.
"Losing track of students negatively impacts graduation, dropout, and completion calculations," he said.

For Conti, establishing programs and pathways are necessary to help struggling students. He referred to the three R's solution within the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as an example for success: rigor, relevance and relationships.

"We need funding for the staff to provide smaller classes for struggling students," he said. "Moreover, we need to support Mr. (Jeff) Dietz's (the high school principal) efforts to establish a high school literacy program."

"Kids who read well, graduate," Conti added.