Graduation Counts: A Report of the NGA Task Force on State High School Graduation Data

Publisher: National Governors Association
Publication Date: 2005

Description (written by WestEd)

Since the release of the National Governors Association's (NGA) Action Agenda for Improving America's High Schools, the NGA Center for Best Practices has continued to release information to inform and guide states on state-wide reform efforts to improve America's high schools. The main recommendation of the report, Graduation Counts: A Report of the NGA Task Force on State High School Graduation Data, and agreement made in the compact signed by more than 40 governors is for states to move toward using a standard calculation for a high school graduation rate.

The five main NGA recommendations related to tracking and reporting graduation data are:

  • Immediately adopt the following formula: graduation rate equals the number of on-time graduates in year X, divided by the number of first-time entering 9th graders in year (X minus four), plus the number of transfers in, minus the number of transfers out.
  • Build states' data systems and capacity to ensure they can collect, analyze and report key indicators and eventually adopt a longitudinal student tracking system.
  • Use additional, complementary indicators to provide better understanding about student outcomes.
  • Develop public understanding about the need for reliable graduation and dropout rates.
  • Collaborate with local education, business and community leaders to build political and public will for successful implementation of these recommendations.

    • Find all Resources by Topic

    Would you like to see all of SchoolsMovingUp's offerings by topic? Go to our Topics section to see Webinars, Tips to Go, Schools on the Move, Districts on the Move and more organized by topic.

    Suggest a Resource

    Submit a school improvement article or a link you think would complement our site.