69´«Ã½

Special Report
College & Workforce Readiness

Mapping Out High School Graduation

June 19, 2006 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

The EPE Research Center mapped 2002-03 graduation rates for public school districts across the nation. Low levels of graduation (shown in red) predominate in urban centers nationwide as well as in the largely rural communities of the South, Southeast, and Southwest. The national graduation rate is 69.6 percent.

2002-2003 High School Graduation Rates by State

SOURCE: EPE Research Center, 2006

(Download (PDF; 9 MB; this is a large download) showing the district graduation rates and boundaries.)

NOTE: Map image courtesy of ESRI, a Redlands, Calif., company that designs and develops geographic information system (GIS) technology. District graduation rates were calculated by the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center using the Cumulative Promotion Index (CPI) method. Graduation rates could be directly computed for districts serving 93 percent of all public school students in the country. In a small number of cases where values could not be directly calculated, the EPE Research Center estimated a rate based on a nationwide statistical analysis that takes into account graduation-rate patterns observed for other public school districts with similar characteristics.

How does the EPE Research Center calculate graduation rates?

Calculation Formula

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge: Calculation Formula

Diplomas Count uses the Cumulative Promotion Index (CPI) method to calculate graduation rates. The CPI estimates the probability that a student in the 9th grade will complete high school on time with a regular diploma. Graduating from high school is represented as a process rather than a single event. The CPI rate captures four key steps a student must take in order to graduate: three grade-to-grade promotions (9 to 10, 10 to 11, and 11 to 12) and ultimately earning a diploma (grade 12 to graduation). The formula below illustrates the CPI formula for calculating graduation rates for the class of 2002- 03, the most recent year of data available from the U.S. Department of Education’s Common Core of Data.

Online Mapping Tool

Later this week, the online version of Diplomas Count will offer a powerful mapping tool – permitting users to zoom in on each of the nation’s school districts, and produce a standardized report that compares district, state, and national figures. Users will be able to navigate easily to school districts they are interested in analyzing, download reports that include maps and tables with relevant data, and see how their district compares with others in the state and nation.

See how the state graduation numbers look coming out of that application

2002-2003 High School Graduation Rates by State

SOURCE: EPE Research Center, 2006

Related Tags:

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69´«Ã½
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness As Biden Prepares to Leave Office, He Touts His 'Classroom to Career' Work
At a White House event, the president and first lady highlighted their workforce-development efforts.
3 min read
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024.
Ben Curtis/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Can the AP Model Work for CTE? How the College Board Is Embracing Career Prep
The organization known for AP courses and the SAT is getting more involved in helping students explore potential careers.
5 min read
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024.
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024. Long an institution invested in preparing students for college, the College Board increasingly has an eye on illuminating career options.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness The Way 69´«Ã½ Offer CTE Classes Is About to Change. Here's How
The revision could lead to significant shifts in the types of jobs schools highlight, and the courses students are able to take.
4 min read
Photo of student working with surveying equipment.
E+
College & Workforce Readiness Even in Academic Classes, 69´«Ã½ Focus on Building 69´«Ã½' Workforce Skills
69´«Ã½ work on meeting academic standards. What happens when they focus on different sets of skills?
11 min read
69´«Ã½ participate in reflections after a day of learning in Julia Kromenacker’s 3rd grade classroom at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
69´«Ã½ participate in reflections after a day of learning in Julia Kromenacker’s 3rd grade classroom at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The Bullitt County district that includes Old Mill Elementary has incorporated a focus on building more general life skills, like collaboration, problem-solving, and communication, that community members and employers consistently say they want from students coming out of high school.
Sam Mallon/Education Week