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Karen Golembeski: Given your research, how do you propose high school graduation rate [calculations] be changed to provide us with a more accurate picture of what is happening in our schools?
Jamie Fasteau: There are four major pieces to how we need to change high school graduation rate calculations to get a better picture of what’s happening and who it’s happening to. One, graduation rates need to be consistent, accurate, and transparent. Two, they need to be required to grow over time to the point of accountability. Three, they need to be disaggregated so that we get a better picture of who’s graduating and who’s not graduating so that schools and states can implement the appropriate interventions. And we need to weigh them equally with test scores for accountability purposes so that your test scores and your graduation rates are more important in accountability.
Karen Golembeski: We know that for some students, graduating in four years is not practical given their academic needs. Your proposed calculation gives credit to schools when students graduate within four, five, or more years. What are the pros and cons to allowing schools the flexibility to graduate students beyond four years?
Jamie Fasteau: Better policy should reflect the needs of students and also push schools, districts, and states towards the best answers for students. We know that the vast majority of students can graduate in four years. At the same time, we know that there are pockets of students for whom five years is a more appropriate timeframe. We want federal policy to reflect both, allow for the flexibility for five years but keep the primacy on the four-year rate where more students are graduating.
Karen Golembeski: Which school districts or states are making the most significant change in improving high school graduation rates in this country?
Jamie Fasteau: Because we have yet to bring federal policy into the graduation rate arena, too many states and districts are still very inconsistent in what they calculate, including inconsistencies between what they report to the federal government and what they report internally within their state.
However, we do see some change coming across the states and some major districts. The National Governors Association has put out a graduation rate compact, and we know that states are moving in the direction of that more accurate calculation. New York City is also a good example of a large urban district that’s taken the lead on more accurate calculations and using graduation rate calculations as part of their accountability formulas.
Karen Golembeski: In conclusion, what can parents and others do to help increase opportunities for the most vulnerable youth — especially those with learning disabilities — to graduate with a regular diploma?
Jamie Fasteau: The best thing parents can do is figure out what they want for their children after high school whether that’s a two-year degree, going into the workforce, or a four-year college, and build towards that goal. For example, if your child wants to go to a four-year college, you probably need four years of [high school] math. Figuring those things out and working with your school is the best way to get your student a high school diploma that leads him or her towards the next stage in life.
Karen Golembeski: Jamie, thank you for giving us so much of your time today. To learn more about the work of the Alliance for Excellent Education, please visit their website at www.all4ed.org.
This transcription was made possible by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation.
