Secretary Spellings has vowed to nationalize the definitions related to dropout/graduation rates. This is a good thing. In fact, it's the approach NCLB should have taken form the start - national goals and definitions, but state level efforts to reach those goals.
Be that as it may, using the current nationally recognized, if flawed, definitions, new state data shows slightly more of Kentucky's public school pupils are graduating high school and fewer are dropping out.
The Kentucky Department of Education released data on Wednesday that shows Kentucky's graduation rate has increased from 83.26 in 2006 to 83.72 percent last year. The data shows the percentage of high school dropouts fell from 3.3 percent in 2006 to 3.2 percent in 2007.
While the current definition may not be perfect, it is consistently used in Kentucky and is valid for verifying the positive change.
SOURCE: KDE press release
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The current graduation rate formula for Kentucky is completely dependent upon the state's dropout data. That data was officially audited by the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts in 2006 and found seriously flawed.
While other, better calculations do indicate some improvement in the graduation rate here, relying upon the official department of education formula to reach that judgement is not defensible.
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