New formula to shrink graduation rates - Salt Lake Tribune:
"Utah's high school graduation rates won't likely seem as impressive once the federal government starts making all states crunch the numbers the same way in 2011.
Starting next school year, the federal government will make all states use the same formula and rules to calculate graduation rates in an effort to make sure rates aren't inflated and make comparisons between states easier. Under that new formula, however, Utah's graduation rates will likely be significantly lower than they have been.
For example, the state's 2008 graduation rate of 87.8 percent would drop to 78 percent if the federal formula were applied today, according to the State Office of Education. That's because each formula counts different types of students as dropouts or graduates, or doesn't count them at all."
"Utah's high school graduation rates won't likely seem as impressive once the federal government starts making all states crunch the numbers the same way in 2011.
Starting next school year, the federal government will make all states use the same formula and rules to calculate graduation rates in an effort to make sure rates aren't inflated and make comparisons between states easier. Under that new formula, however, Utah's graduation rates will likely be significantly lower than they have been.
For example, the state's 2008 graduation rate of 87.8 percent would drop to 78 percent if the federal formula were applied today, according to the State Office of Education. That's because each formula counts different types of students as dropouts or graduates, or doesn't count them at all."