COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 74

March 28, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Use of Graduation Rate for AYP Safe Harbor Calculations

 

This memorandum is intended to remind school divisions that the NCLB Graduation Rate will be used as the other academic indicator instead of science performance for Safe Harbor calculations when determining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) ratings for the 2008-2009 school year using assessment data from the 2007-2008 school year.

 

As you know, Virginia was approved to use the prior year's NCLB graduation rate with assessment data from the current year to determine AYP. As well, two years of disaggregated data are needed for Safe Harbor calculations. The Virginia Department of Education is now able to calculate NCLB Graduation Rates disaggregated by subgroup for the classes of 2006 and 2007.

 

The NCLB Graduation Rate is used in Safe Harbor calculations for high schools when any subgroup of students does not meet or exceed the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) for performance in reading or mathematics but has decreased the failure rate by 10 percent. The subgroup may make AYP if the NCLB graduation rate increases from the previous year. For 2008-2009 AYP ratings, the group would need to show improvement from 2005-2006 to 2006-2007.

 

The following table is provided to illustrate the relationship between the AYP rating year, assessment year, graduate year, and other academic indicator for high schools.

 

AYP Rating Year	Assessment Year	Graduates of Year	High School Other Academic Indicator	High School Other Academic Indicator for Safe Harbor Only
2006-07	2005-06	2004-05	NCLB Graduation Rate	Science
2007-08	2006-07	2005-06	NCLB Graduation Rate	Science
2008-09	2007-08	2006-07	NCLB Graduation Rate	NCLB Graduation Rate (2006 & 2007)
2009-10	2008-09	2007-08	NCLB Graduation Rate	NCLB Graduation Rate (2007 & 2008)

 

 

Should you wish to review your NCLB Graduation Rate data, please access your division and school report cards at this link: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/reportcard/.

Superintendents signed off on these statistics on the fall 2006 and fall 2007 Student Record Collection verification reports.

 

The NCLB Graduation Rate formula is as follows:

 

G / (O + G + D12 + D11 + D10 + D9)

 

Where:

G = the number of Standard, Advanced, and IB Diplomas awarded in a given year

O = the number of other exit documents awarded

D12 = the number of 12th grade dropouts in the current year

D11 = the number of 11th grade dropouts in the previous year

D10 = the number of 10th grade dropouts two years earlier

D12 = the number of 9th grade dropouts three years earlier

 

It is important to distinguish the NCLB Graduation Rate from the new National Governors Association(NGA)on-time graduation rate formula that has been adopted by the Board of Education and will be reported for the first time on the Class of 2008. The NCLB graduation rate and the NGA-style graduation rate will be reported on the School Performance Report Card in the fall of 2008.

 

Should you have any questions about how the graduation rate is used for Safe Harbor calculations, please contact the Office of Educational Information Management via e-mail to ResultsHelp@doe.virginia.gov.

 

BKCJr/BC