Graduation and Other Results: Students Who Began 9 th Grade in 2000 and 2001

1. Graduation and Other Results:Students Who Began 9th Grade in 2000 and 2001

2. Graduation and Other Results • Today we’re focusing on results for students who started 9th grade in 2000 after 5 years of high school and students who started 9th grade in 2001 after 4 years of high school. • We have a more complete picture than ever before because of the improved data system.

3. Improved Data System • We’re showing these results statewide, as we did last year. We’re also showing the results for each school and each district. • You know we’ve been moving toward a more complete data system. As a result, we’re able to count more students. • As we have explained before, it is not possible to compare these cohort results with the cohort results used in previous years. In those cohorts, we were not able to count all students.

4. Who Are the Students Who Started 9th Grade in 2000 and 2001? • They are the students who were in 4th grade in 1995-6 and 1996-7 – before New York raised standards. • They were in 8th grade in spring 2000 and 2001 – right after the 4th and 8th grade English and Math tests – based on higher standards – were first given. • Therefore, many entered high school without the benefit of a higher standards curriculum in elementary and middle school. They were unprepared to do high school work.

5. Performance of 8th Graders in Math in spring 2000 and 2001 was poor. Many showed serious problems. These are the students who had serious academic problems in high-need districts. Note that students in subsequent years improved significantly. Percentage of Students Scoring at Level 1

6. The percentage of 8th graders reaching all the standards in Math was low in 2000 and 2001.These are the students who had serious academic problems in high-need districts. Note that many students in subsequent years improved significantly. But much remains to be done. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

7. Middle School English: Many had serious problems in 2000 and 2001. These are the students who had serious academic problems in high-need districts. Note that students in subsequent years improved significantly. Percentage of students scoring at Level 1

8. Middle School EnglishAlthough later students in middle school had fewer serious academic problems in English, they have not able to achieve higher standards in English. This stands in direct contrast to their performance in math. The percentage of students scoring at Levels 3 and 4

9. The Picture Overall • The graduation rate for students starting 9th grade in 2000 was 71% after 5 years. • The graduation rate for students starting 9th grade in 2001 was 64% after 4 years. • The total number of general education graduates increased slightly last year. The total number of special education graduates decreased slightly. • Students who started 9th grade in 200l appear to have passed Regents Exams at somewhat higher rates after 4 years than students who started 9th grade in 2000 after 5 years. • More graduates are achieving higher standards and earning Regents Diplomas.

10. The Number and Percent of Graduates in the 2000 and 2001 Cohorts Who Earned Each Diploma Type *Required passing 8 Regents Exams plus 20.5 credits **Required passing 5 Regents Exams plus 22 credits ***Required passing 8 Regents Exams plus 22 credits Note that more than 75 percent of graduates in the 2001 Cohort earned diplomas requiring that they pass at least five Regents examinations with scores of 65 or higher.

11. Graduation Rate:Students Who Entered 9th Grade in 2000 After 5 Years

12. IEP Diploma Transferred to 2.1% GED Programs 5.7% Dropped Out 15.3% Still Enrolled Graduated 5.7% 71.2% Students Who Entered 9th Grade in 2000 After Five Years: Over 71 percent of students in the 2000 cohort graduated by June 2005. 6 percent were still enrolled. 210,159 Students All Students in Public Schools

13. Schools reported an additional 11,000 students in this cohort after 5 years that were not included in their totals after 4 years. This more complete reporting means the 67% four-year graduation rate we announced last year was probably a bit too high. Cohort results of students starting 9th grade in 2000 as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

14. Only a small majority of students in New York City and the Big 4 Cities had graduated after 5 years, but over 93 percent of students in Low Need Districts did. The Percentage of Students in the 2000 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

15. General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort graduated at a higher rate than all students after 5 years, but NYC students were much less likely than rest of State students to graduate. The Percentage of General-Education Students in the 2000 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

16. Fewer than one-quarter of students with disabilities in NYC graduated with a Regents or local diploma after 5 years; statewide almost 50 percent did. Many received an IEP diploma. The Percentage of Students with Disabilities in the 2000 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

17. Statewide, fewer than half of English Language Learners graduated after 5 years. The Percentage of Limited English Proficient Students in the 2000 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

18. Black and Hispanic students were less likely to graduate than Whites and Asians after 5 years. The Percentage of Students in the 2000 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

19. Males were less likely than females to graduate and more likely to dropout after 5 years. The Percentage of Students in the 2000 Cohort by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 5 years

20. Graduation Rate:Students Who Entered 9th Grade in 2001 After 4 Years

21. The graduation rate of all students in urban high need districts was low, generally ranging from 43 to 58% after 4 years. Many were still enrolled. Percentage of Students who started 9th grade in 2001 by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after Four Years

22. General education students had a higher graduation rate than all students after 4 years. Many in NYC were still enrolled. Percentage of General-Education Students who started 9th grade in 2001 by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after Four Years

23. The 4–year graduation rate for students with disabilities was low. Many were still enrolled. The Percentage of Students with Disabilities who started 9th grade in 2001 by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 4 years

24. Over 40% of English Language Learners were still enrolled after 4 years. The Percentage of ELL Students who started 9th grade in 2001 by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after Four Years

25. About 40% of Black and Hispanic students graduated after 4 years, showing a wide gap with white students. The Percentage of Students who started 9th grade in 2001 in Each Racial/Ethnic Group by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 After Four Years

26. Graduation Rates for Minority Students • The new data system provides statewide information we’ve not had before. • Four-year graduation rates for minority students are unacceptably low. This is a long-standing problem that must be solved. • New York City’s data, reported for many years, shows 4-year minority graduation rates have been low for over a decade.

27. The gap in the graduation rate between male and female students after 4 years was significant. The Percentage of male and female students who started 9th grade in 2001 by Outcomes as of June 30, 2005 after 4 years

28. Why Did Almost 30% of Students Not Graduate in 5 Years? • Students must pass their courses and earn course credits to graduate. Local schools determine passing grades in these courses. • If students enter 9th grade with serious academic problems (scoring in Level 1 in Math and English), they fail their courses. They are held back and don’t take other courses. They don’t earn enough credits to graduate. • The students who did not graduate were unprepared for high school work and failed their courses.

29. What Are the CoursesThat Students Had to Pass? • Students had to earn 22 course credits to graduate. (A credit equals a year-long course.) Students had to PASS: • 4 years of English • 4 years of social studies (including U.S. History and Global History) • 3 years of math • 3 years of science • Courses in the arts, health, and physical education.

30. Regents Exam Results • You might think that students did not graduate because they failed the Regents Exams. • That’s not true. • In fact, most dropouts did not take Regents Exams during their entire high school career. • Why? Because these are end-of-course exams, given after a student has passed his or her course in, say, math or history or science. • Therefore, students who fail the course – or don’t even take the course – typically do not take the exam. • Instead, students who dropped out were students who were unprepared for high school work and did not pass their courses.

31. Regents Exam Results:Students who started 9th grade in 2000 after 5 years

32. The vast majority of general education students who took Regents Exams passed them after 5 years. But many still had not taken them.

33. Students with disabilities are not required to pass Regents Exams. Many had not taken them after 5 years.Performance in NYC was especially low.

34. Most English Language Learners who took Regents Exams passed them after 5 years. However, many had not taken them.

35. Students who dropped out after 5 years typically had not taken Regents Exams. Many who took them passed.

36. Regents Exam Results:Students who started 9th grade in 2001 after 4 years

37. Students who started 9th grade in 200l appear to have passed Regents Exams at somewhat higher rates after 4 years than students who started 9th grade in 2000 after 5 years.

38. The vast majority of general education students who took Regents Exams passed them after 4 years. But too many had not taken them because they were unprepared for high school work and had failed their courses.

39. Students with disabilities are not required to pass Regents Exams. Many had not taken them after 4 years.Performance in NYC was especially low.

40. Most English Language Learners who took Regents Exams passed them after 4 years. However, many had not taken them.

41. Students who dropped out after 4 years typically had not taken Regents Exams. Many who took them passed.

42. The annual number of high school graduates has increased over time. The total number of general education graduates increased slightly last year. The total number of special education graduates decreased slightly.

43. More general education graduates are reaching higher standards. More are earning Regents Diplomas. The increase last year was especially large, because for the first time, students could earn a Regents Diploma passing 5 Regents Exams and an Advanced Regents Diploma with 8 Regents Exams. General-Education Students: Total Number of Diplomas Awarded and Number of Regents Diplomas Awarded 1996- 97 to 2004-05 School Years

44. More graduates with disabilities are reaching higher standards. More are earning Regents Diplomas. The increase last year was especially large, because for the first time, students could earn a Regents Diploma passing 5 Regents Exams and an Advanced Regents Diploma with 8 Regents Exams. Students with Disabilities: Total Number of Diplomas Awarded and Number of Regents Diplomas Awarded 1996-97 to 2004-05 School Years

45. More of the Picture: Progress, But Many Problems • As we’ve announced before, student achievement in elementary and middle school is up over the past 6 years. • The Education Trust says that based on the latest NAEP 4th grade tests, New York is 3rd in reading growth for African-American students and 2nd in reading growth for Latino students from 1998 (when standards were raised and the new tests began) to 2005. • New York’s own tests also show progress in elementary and middle school.

46. New York’s own 4th grade tests show progress for Black and Hispanic Students.Since 1999, when the first 4th grade tests were given, the percentage of Black and Hispanic students meeting all the standards has doubled. Percentage of Students Scoring at Levels 3 and 4

47. In Middle School English, fewer students have serious academic problems now than in 2000 and 2001. Fewer Black and Hispanic students especially show serious academic problems, scoring at Level 1.

48. BUT --- • Progress to date is not enough. • We need to work with great urgency – to close the achievement gap faster in elementary and middle school. • Even more urgently, we must close the achievement gap in high school, where it has not improved yet.

49. Closing the Achievement Gap • Summit on New York Education in November drew 650 leaders from pre-K-12, higher education, libraries, museums, PBS, business, community groups, others. • Now the Regents, with the cooperation of these leaders, are working on urgent new actions to close the gap.

50. What Can Be Done • Set graduation targets. Schools statewide should set targets. The Regents could direct the 127 high schools with lowest results (below 70% graduation) to set targets for graduation and attendance and describe what they will do to meet them. • Hold local school boards accountable for meeting them. Reports on performance of the 127 schools may lead the Regents to take more action or define new policy.