It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 11

In the same way that assessment results are not valid in comparing schools – as discussed on Page 8 of this series - neither is the graduation rate.

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) publishes summary data as well as data that distinguishes between categories of students that include the following:   All Students, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Students with Disabilities.

It is important to recognize that the proportions of students in each category can skew comparative graduation rates. What is actually a more valid measurement is a comparison of the graduation rates in each school across time.

Graduating classes in the 9 schools with different populations in this series ranged from 112 to 296 students in 2018.

A sampling of the graduation rates from 2016 to 2018 in these schools reflected an increase in the graduation rate for All Students from 83.5% to 84.0%; an increase of 78.5% to 82.5% in the rate for Black Students; an increase of 75.8% to 77.0% in the rate for Economically Disadvantaged Students; and an increase of 60.5% to 62.4% in the rate for Students with Disabilities.

Clearly, in spite of abysmal assessment results as reported in comparisons of schools, progress is being made across the board when students are compared with students like themselves.

Comparing graduation rates is only valid when the scores apply to the same school from year to year.