JCSD graduation rates climb, stay well-above state average

Johnston graduates Mikaela Beckley, Ciara Becker, Mirnesa Becirovic and Adnana Becirovic. Photo courtesy of Merle Laswell/The Des Moines Register.

Johnston graduates Mikaela Beckley, Ciara Becker, Mirnesa Becirovic and Adnana Becirovic. Photo courtesy of Merle Laswell/The Des Moines Register.

Grad rates up, dropout rates down for the class of 2017

Graduation rates and dropout rates for students in the Johnston Community School District class of 2017 have been released by the Iowa Department of Education.

The graduation rate was 96.55 percent, up from 96.26 percent the year before. The district saw the dropout rate of 0.32 percent, or 10 students, in grades 7-12, during the last school year.  Graduation rate is impacted by dropouts, students who need a fifth year to complete their diploma, as well as special needs students who are in high school until 21 years of age.

State data show 91 percent of students in Iowa’s Class of 2017 graduated within four years, down from 91.3 percent for the Class of 2016. Iowa’s five-year graduation rate – which reflects students who were part of a graduating class but took an extra year to finish high school – was 93.4 percent for the Class of 2016, up from 93.3 percent for the Class of 2015.

Iowa’s annual dropout rate reflects the percentage of students in grades 9-12 who drop out of school during a single year. The annual dropout rate remained at 2.8 percent from the 2015-16 school year to the 2016-17 school year. The state’s 2016-17 dropout rate represents 4,183 students in grades 9 through 12.

Iowa continues to report 4-year and 5-year cohort graduation rates to reflect the work districts and schools put forth in helping all students earn diplomas. Iowa has adopted 4-year and 5-year cohort graduation rate methodology in accordance with federal requirements.

The 4-year cohort graduation rate is calculated for the class of 2017 by dividing the number of students in the cohort who graduate with a regular high school diploma (numerator) in four years or less by the number of first-time ninth graders enrolled in the fall of 2013 minus the number of students who transferred out plus the total number of students who transferred in (denominator).

The 5-year cohort graduation rate is calculated for the class of 2016 using a similar methodology as the four-year cohort rate.  This rate is calculated by dividing the number of students in the cohort who graduate with a regular high school diploma (numerator) in five years less or by the number of first time ninth graders enrolled in the fall of 2012 minus the number of students who transferred out plus the total number of students who transferred in (denominator).

Johnston Community School District Graduation Rates:

  • 2017 class 4 year cohort graduation rate:  96.55 percent
  • 2016 class 5 year cohort graduation rate:  97.51 percent

Statewide Graduation Rates:

  • 2017 class 4 year cohort graduation rate:  91 percent
  • 2016 class 5 year cohort graduation rate:  93.4 percent

Dropout Rates

A dropout is considered any student in grades 7-12 who no longer attends school anywhere and/or does not have school records at any institution, including home school. The dropout window for a school year begins on certified enrollment count day, October 1, of that school year and ends on the day before certified enrollment count day the following year.

Johnston Community School District Dropout Rates:

  • Number of grade 7-12 dropouts in 2016-17:  10
  • Number of grade 9-12 dropouts in 2016-17:    9
  • Grade 7-12 dropout rate in 2016-17:  0.32 percent
  • Grade 9-12 dropout rate in 2016-17:  0.44 percent

Statewide Dropouts:

  • The statewide dropout rate for grades 9-12 for 2016-17:  2.8 percent, or 4,138 students.

For questions relating to the Johnston Community School District graduation and dropout rates, please contact Bruce Amendt, Associate Superintendent, at 515-278-0470.