Oregon puts focus on graduation rate gains

Oregon released graduation rates for the 2013-14 school year Thursday, showing the number of students graduating up to 72 percent from 68.7 percent a year ago, reflecting steady growth over the last five years — and a broader definition change that the state calls a fairer way to report the numbers.

With a recent report that Oregon’s 2013 graduation rate was worst in the country, The Associated Press noted Thursday, “Oregon public high schools have to start picking up the pace if they are to achieve Gov. John Kitzhaber’s demand for a 100 percent graduation rate by 2025.”

Here’s the rest of the full news release from the Oregon Department of Education:

Growth in graduation rates for underserved populations also saw a promising increase in five years, including an 8.5 percent increase for African American students and a 7.4 percent increase in rates for Hispanic students, the agency said.

“While it’s not acceptable that 28 percent of our students are not completing high school, my commitment is to call for continued focused investments in the powerful work happening across the state to alleviate barriers to student success,” said Chief Education Officer Nancy Golden.

“That work is beginning to close the opportunity gap and getting us closer to reaching our statewide education goals. With a sustained focus on meeting the needs of each of our students, the number graduating will continue to climb.”

The governor’s slate of recommended strategic investments for the 2015-17 biennium propose to build on graduation rate gains resulting from strategic investments in the 2013-15 biennium and proven effective programs, to scale up and accelerate student outcomes.

For example, Jefferson School District increased the number of students completing high school in five years by 12 percent since last year.

The school is a recipient of a 2013-15 investment to replicate the Eastern Promise Program, designed to ensure more students have access to college credits in high school. Another investment in a program called CLASS, designed to empower educators and improve effectiveness, is showing graduating rates higher than the state average in all 40 districts with the program.

The governor’s recommended investments will also heavily emphasize closing gaps between students during the early years before they start, smoothing key student transitions to ensure students are better positioned for success, and investing in applied learning such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs to engage more students during high school and keep them on track to graduate.

Several districts boast rates well above the state average. Woodburn School District, which has a district-wide dual language program, has a graduation rate 23 points higher among Hispanic students than the state as a whole. Stanfield School District in Eastern Oregon has a graduation rate 19 points higher than the state average among Hispanic students.

“There is remarkable work going on in districts across our state from Woodburn to Stanfield,” said Deputy State Superintendent Rob Saxton. “Districts offering multiple pathways for student success are pulling their students through high school and allowing them to imagine what they are capable of as an adult.”

Use of a more accurate, comparable calculation

The 2013-14 school year began a shift to a calculation method more consistent with states across the country. The modification resulted in additional groups of students included in Oregon’s graduation count this year that impacted the rates.

“The inclusion of additional students in the rate calculation provides a clearer, more accurate, and complete picture of how many students our schools are helping to reach this important milestone,” said Saxton. “The changes also make our rates more comparable with other states, allowing for a more apples-to-apples comparison than we have had in previous years.”

One set of students counted among graduates this year were those awarded a modified diploma. In previous years, this group of students was counted as high school completers rather than graduates, despite satisfying the requirements to receive a diploma.

Many other states already include modified diplomas in their graduation rates, so this change gives students and schools credit for the hard work that goes into receiving a diploma, and provides a more accurate comparison across the country.

With their inclusion in Oregon’s graduation calculation, students earning a modified diploma will now be eligible for federal financial aid, decreasing an important barrier for post-secondary participation.

The calculation also included students who had met the requirements for a diploma after four years but opted to stay for an additional year in a fifth-year program offered by some districts.

For a complete list of graduation rates click here.

The Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB) is chaired by Governor John Kitzhaber and was created in 2011 to oversee an effort to build a seamless, unified system for investing in and delivering public education from birth to college & career. OEIB is dedicated to building a student-centric system that links all segments of the educational experience together to ensure each student is poised for a promising future.