What is a Cohort Four-Year Graduation Rate?
This is the way that graduation rates for high schools in Nebraska are now being determined. (Previously schools self-reported drop-out's and graduates).
A cohort represents the set of students sharing an expected graduation year. The expected graduation year is determined by adding four years to the school year when the student reaches 9th grade for the first time and remains unchanged. The 2011 graduation cohort is the group of students who entered 9th grade for the first time in the 2007-08 school year.
The Cohort Four-Year Graduation Rate is calculated by dividing the number of students in a cohort who graduate with a regular high school diploma in four years or less by the number of students in the Graduation Cohort.
The cohort is “adjusted” by adding any students transferring into the cohort and by subtracting any students who transfer out, emigrate to another country, or die during the time before the expected graduation year.
The High School Diploma Recipients count does not include certificates of achievement/attendance, alternative awards or General Education Diplomas (GED), those students remain in the denominator.
Why is this important?
High schools that are below a 75% Cohort graduation rate will be identified as a low achieving school.
