05/27/2020
Connecticut State Department of Education Announces Graduation Rates Show Continued Improvement
On-Time Graduation Rates for Most Student Groups are the Highest Since Federal Reporting Method of Cohort Graduation Began in 2010-11
(Hartford) – Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona today announced that Connecticut’s four-year graduation rate improved to 88.5 percent for the cohort of 2018-19, an increase from 88.3 percent for the 2017-18 cohort. Students with high needs, which includes students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, students with disabilities, and English learners, improved at a faster rate from 77.9 percent in 2017-18 to 80.4 percent in 2018-19. On-time graduation rates for most student groups are the highest they have been since the cohort graduation method was first implemented for federal reporting in 2010-11.
Four-Year Graduation Rate Trend Data by Student Group
|
Student Groups |
2014-15 |
2015-16 |
2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
|
All Students Statewide |
87.2 |
87.4 |
87.9 |
88.3 |
88.5 |
|
High Needs |
76.1 |
76.8 |
78.1 |
77.9 |
80.4 |
|
Non-High Needs |
97.6 |
97.6 |
97.9 |
97.2 |
98.3 |
|
Eligible For Free Lunch |
73.3 |
74.4 |
76.0 |
77.5 |
78.6 |
|
Eligible For Reduced Lunch |
87.8 |
88.0 |
88.3 |
90.9 |
89.8 |
|
Not Eligible For Lunch |
95.3 |
95.1 |
95.5 |
94.0 |
95.8 |
|
English Learners |
66.7 |
67.3 |
68.4 |
67.8 |
71.5 |
|
Non-English Learners |
88.3 |
88.5 |
89.1 |
89.4 |
89.6 |
|
Special Education |
65.6 |
65.2 |
66.7 |
65.1 |
67.9 |
|
Non-Special Education |
90.8 |
91.3 |
91.8 |
92.0 |
92.7 |
“Commissioner Cardona and I have prioritized improving educational outcomes and making sure every student in Connecticut has equitable access to a quality education and the opportunity to succeed. Achieving a record-high graduation rate is a sign that we are headed in the right direction,” said Governor Lamont. “The COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed that a strong PK-12 system is our state’s best economic driver and we will continue to build on our successes to ensure that all students graduate prepared to strengthen our workforce and fill the jobs of the 21st century.”
“These widespread improvements are an ongoing testament to the collective efforts of all our educators,” said Commissioner of Education, Dr. Miguel A. Cardona. “While our excellent teachers are delivering challenging material in engaging ways, our amazing support personnel such as social workers, counselors, and job coaches are encouraging, motivating, and strengthening our students to persevere through the challenging times. These supports have always been important but are even more critical in the context of a pandemic.”
Results from the Next Generation Accountability System show that as graduation rates increase, students are also better prepared for post-secondary demands. Indicators 5 and 6 focus on college and career readiness. These indicators reflect students’ participation in rigorous coursework (AP/IB/Dual Enrollment, Career and Technical Education, or Workplace Experience) while in high school (Indicator 5), and meeting or exceeding benchmark scores on college readiness exams (Indicator 6). Both of those indicators improved over the last four years.
Strong improvements in graduation rates were also evidenced for districts in Connecticut’s Alliance District program, increasing 4.4 percentage points since 2014-15 to 82.0 percent.
Four-Year Graduation Rate Trend Data for Alliance Districts
|
Student Groups |
2014-15 |
2015-16 |
2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
|
Alliance Districts |
77.6 |
78.3 |
80.5 |
81.3 |
82.0 |
|
All Students Statewide |
87.2 |
87.4 |
87.9 |
88.3 |
88.5 |
Thirty-three districts participate in the Alliance District program. The program provides increased funding and technical support toward innovative programs and strategies that are designed to improve student engagement and outcomes. Many districts in the program have shown strong and sustained year-over-year increases in graduation rates. The Connecticut State Department of Education contacted leaders in New Britain, Vernon, Waterbury, and West Haven to learn more about the factors contributing to their improved graduation rates. Several themes emerged from those discussions including:
- Targeted programs and efforts (e.g., alternative programs, attendance appeals, student officer meetings, transformed learning spaces) that promote student agency and voice while maintaining academic rigor;
- Flexible options for earning or recovering credit (e.g., after school/summer programming, online courses, dual enrollment/pathway programs) that allow students to earn credit by demonstrating mastery of knowledge;
- Smaller environments with robust networks of support personnel (e.g., job coaches, bilingual social workers, guidance counselors) who genuinely care about the students and strive to improve their sense of connectedness;
- Personalized attention and individualized support through close tracking and monitoring of real-time student-level data (e.g., credits earned, attendance); and
- Proactive measures implemented throughout a student’s school career to ensure students are prepared to stay on-track when they arrive in high school.
To learn more about the successful strategies implemented in these districts, please see the accompanying document entitled Improving High School Graduation Rates: Insights from Four Connecticut Districts.
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