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Comparing Four-Year and Extended-Year Graduation Rate Calculations

Four-Year Rate

Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate


Beginning with 2009-10 rates, a four-year adjusted cohort rate will be calculated annually as follows:

number of students in the cohort who graduate within four years with a regular high school diploma1
number of students who form the four-year adjusted cohort for the graduating class


Students are assigned to one and only one statewide cohort when they first begin high school in Wisconsin public schools.2 Students are not counted in the rate until the end of the four-year time frame for their assigned cohort. At the end of the four-year time frame, adjustments are made to remove any non-graduate from the cohort if the most recent school/district confirms in writing that the student transferred out, emigrated to another country, or is deceased prior to the end of the four-year time frame.

Extended-Year Rates
Legacy Graduation Rate Formula

2003-04 through 2010-11 rates have been and will continue to be calculated annually as follows:
number of students who graduate with a regular high school diploma1that year
number of students expected to complete high school that year


Students count as graduates in the rate for the year they graduate. The "number of students expected to complete high school" is the denominator used to calculate graduation and completion rates and is the sum of

  • the dropouts over four years (also known as cohort dropouts) plus
  • students who reached the maximum age without completing high school plus
  • high school completers (any credential).

The current DPI rate is considered an “extended-year rate” because the relevant graduation time frame is not limited to four years. This rate will be discontinued after 2010-11 when sufficient data are available to calculate a six-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

Six-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate

Beginning with 2011-12 rates, a six-year adjusted cohort rate will be calculated annually as follows:

number of students in the cohort who graduate within six years with a regular high school diploma1
number of students who form the six-year adjusted cohort for the graduating class


Students are assigned to one and only one statewide cohort when they first begin high school in Wisconsin public schools.2 Students are not counted in the rate until the end of the six-year time frame for their assigned cohort - this includes students graduating in 3, 4, 5, and 6 years. At the end of the six-year time frame, adjustments are made to remove any non-graduate from the cohort if the most recent school/district confirms in writing that the student transferred out, emigrated to another country, or is deceased prior to the end of the six-year time frame.

 


 

  1. ”Regular high school diploma”, pursuant to federal regulations 34 C.F.R. §200.19(b)(1)(iv)), means the standard high school diploma that is awarded to students in the State and that is fully aligned with the State’s academic content standards or a higher diploma that does not include a GED credential, certificate of attendance, or any alternative award. In Wisconsin, this includes any high school diploma that meets the requirements of §118.33 (1) (a) or (d), Wis. Stats.

  2. Assignment to a statewide cohort is based on two factors:
    • school year of student's first high school enrollment period in Wisconsin public schools, and
    • student’s grade level placement at the time of that first high school enrollment period. After a student is assigned to a statewide cohort, the assignment is permanent. Each statewide cohort is associated with 4 and 6 year graduation time frames that begin at grade 9.