Defintion

School Progress Graduation Rate Calculations

In 2008, the U. S. Department of Education directed each state to use a cohort graduation rate for reporting purposes beginning in 2011 and for accountability purposes in 2012. Maryland law requires the state to use the cohort graduation rate for School Progress determination in 2011.

The Maryland State Board of Education approved standards for the cohort graduation rate in 2011. Graduation rate is the “other academic indicator” used to determine School Progress for high schools. The standards adopted are:

• Four-year cohort graduation rate: 81.5%
• Five-year cohort graduation rate: 84.4%
• 2020 four and five year cohort graduation rate goal: 95%

In 2012, the cohort graduation rate is measured for the all students group and each subgroup for School Progress at the state, school system, and school level. Maryland calculated targets utilizing the four-year and five-year cohort graduation rate by setting annual equal increments toward the goal (2020 95%) of reducing by half the percentage of non-graduate students in each subgroup. The targets are uniquely defined for each school, school system and the state depending upon the 2011 baseline for the four-year and five-year graduation rates.

The graduation rate AMO for 2012 can be achieved by following the progress of the cohort of students entering grade nine for the first time in fall 2007. The graduation rate AMO can be met using the following two-question process:

1. Has the school, school system, or state achieved the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) for the four-year cohort graduation rate for the student cohort entering grade nine for the first time in fall 2007 and graduating no later than 2012? If the rate is achieved the standard is met. If the standard is not met a second analysis (#2 below) is conducted.
2. Has the school, school system, or state achieved the AMO for the five-year cohort graduation rate for the same cohort entering grade nine for the first time in fall 2007 graduating no later than 2012? If the five-year cohort graduation rate is achieved the standard is met, otherwise the standard is not met.

For further information on the calculation of the four and five year cohort graduation rate please see the Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate definition.