District seeking to improve data collection tied to dropout rate
On Tuesday, the Colorado Department of Education released the latest graduation and dropout rates for districts across the state, including the Boulder Valley School District. After several years of gains, BVSD's 4-year on-time graduation rate for the class of 2022 stayed relatively stable this year. It was 91.6%, down slightly from 91.9% last year and BVSD saw a 2.3 percent increase in the graduation rate of students in the Economically Disadvantaged category.
Additionally, BVSD also far outpaces the state graduation rate of 82.3%
The district also recorded an increase in its dropout rate, which is calculated based on all students enrolled within the district between 7th and 12th grade a given year. This year it grew from 0.5% to 0.9% with the number of students leaving the district prior to graduation growing from 78 to 136.
The district believes the dropout rate increase is due, in part, to limited success in efforts to document where students who left BVSD ultimately enrolled, and the technical detail that students who leave BVSD but cannot be determined to have enrolled elsewhere are--with few exceptions--considered dropouts.
Unsuccessful documentation of dropouts at grades 9-11 last year would be expected to impact future graduation rates as each cohort of students reaches the year where they would have graduated on time.
BVSD, however, is engaging in an initiative to improve the quality of this information. The district has been redefining the codes associated with students who have left the district and is working to ensure that schools utilize the system with fidelity. The system was implemented at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, so any improvements in data tracking would be seen starting with the Class of 2023.
BVSD takes the post graduate success of its students incredibly seriously. It has a team of engagement specialists and attendance advocates who work tirelessly to identify and support students who for one reason or another are not attending school. They work with impacted families to remove obstacles to attendance, ensuring that they have both academic and social emotional supports needed.
2021-2022 Graduation Rate Specifics
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BVSD graduation rates increased for students identified as Asian and White
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Rates for students identified as American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Two or more Races decreased from last year*
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There were no Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students reported as graduates this year*
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There was an 2.3% increase for graduates that are categorized as Economically Disadvantaged and students identified as Homeless recorded a 1.7% increase
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Students with disabilities had a decrease in their graduation rate of 2.8%, limited English Proficiency had a decrease in their graduation rate of 1.8%, and students identified as Gifted and Talented had a decrease of 0.4%
*BVSD’s Black, American Indian and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander groups are quite small so use caution in comparing percentages from one year to the next.
2021-2022 Dropout Rate Specifics
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No dropouts were reported for students identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, or Native Hawaiin or other Pacific Islander
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The dropout rate increased for Asian, Hispanic or Latino, White, and students with Two or more Races
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Students with Title I and Homeless students rates decreased. Students with Disabilities, Limited English Proficient, Economically Disadvantaged, and Gifted and Talented all had increases in their dropout rates
Please see the following websites for more information:
News Release: https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/newsrelease-grad-dropoutrelease
Graduation Statistics: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/gradratecurrent
Dropout Statistics: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/dropoutcurrent
Mobility/Stability Statistics: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/mobility-stabilitycurrent