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FERMIN LEAL/EDSOURCE TODAY

California education officials last week bragged about the seventh consecutive year of improvement in the statewide high school graduation rate, which reached 83.2 percent for the class of 2016. That was 0.9 percentage point above the previous year. However, behind that omnibus number is a world of variety, both among ethnic groups, school districts and individual high schools.

EdSource has created a database that families and educators can use to look up how well their districts and schools are doing in getting students their diplomas within four years. They can also search for dropout rates and measurements of how many students are taking more than four years to finish high school.
Here is the link to search district by district.
It is no surprise that school districts in affluent communities generally do better. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, in a beach side portion of Los Angeles County, recorded a 98.6 percent graduation rate and Silicon Valley's Palo Alto Unified hit 94.9. In contrast, the urban Los Angeles Unified District, which serves many low income students, showed a 77 percent graduation rate, and the similar Oakland Unified had 64.9 percent.
Use this link to research individual high schools.
Across the state, 149 schools report 100 percent graduation rates, including such campuses as Shasta High in Shasta Union High School District and South Hills High in Covina-Valley Unified in Los Angeles County. And many, of course, fell far short, especially some continuation and detention-based schools that deal with a population of troubled youth.

The increases in the statewide and local graduation rates in recent years have been attributed to education funding boosts that helped decrease class size and expand career-technical classes. Another factor is in play as well: the suspension of the high school exit exam last year.

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Graduation and dropout rates: Look up California districts and high schools

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FERMIN LEAL/EDSOURCE TODAY California education officials last week bragged about the seventh consecutive year of improvement in the statewide high school graduation rate, which reached 83.2 percent for the class of 2016. That was 0.9 percentage point above the previous year.

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FERMIN LEAL/EDSOURCE TODAY

A U.S. Department of Education report shows that California's high school graduation ranking dropped from 30th in 2012-13 to 33rd in 2013-14, even though its graduation rate increased slightly.

The preliminary data released Monday shows that states have continued to increase high school graduation rates and to narrow the graduation rate gap for low-income students, students of color and English learners. But Minnesota, Alabama and Delaware surpassed California in state rankings by making more significant gains.

California's graduation rate rose from 80.4 percent in 2012-13 to 81 percent the following year. Black students graduated at a slightly lower rate in 2013-14, dropping from 68.1 percent to 68 percent. The graduation rate for Hispanic and Latino students, however, grew by 1.3 percentage points during that time, from 75.7 percent to 77 percent, while the rate for whites improved 0.3 percentage points, growing from 87.7 to 88 percent.

The state's graduation rate mirrored the previously announced national average of 81 percent. Iowa had the highest graduation rate in 2013-14 at 90.5 percent, while the District of Columbia posted the lowest rate at 61.4 percent. The U.S. Department of Education received the data directly from the states.

"The hard work of America's educators, families, communities and students is paying off, particularly after several years of intense work by educators transitioning to new, higher standards," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a prepared statement. "This is a vital step toward readiness for success in college and careers for every student in this country."

The National Center for Education Statistics expects to release final graduation rate data, along with the country's newest graduation rate, in the next few months.

"The hard work of America's educators, families, communities and students is paying off, particularly after several years of intense work by educators transitioning to new, higher standards," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a prepared statement.

California was among 36 states that increased graduation rates, while six had decreases and eight had no change over the two-year period. States with the biggest gains were Delaware, Alabama, Oregon, West Virginia and Illinois.

From 2012-13 to 2013-14, Minnesota, Alabama and Delaware surged ahead of California, improving their graduation rates from 80.4 percent or lower to 81.2 percent, 86.3 percent and 87 percent, respectively.

"While these gains are promising, we know that we have a long way to go in improving educational opportunities for every student - no matter their zip code - for the sake of our young people and our nation's economic strength," Duncan said.

The majority of states saw their gaps in graduation rates dwindle, but by how much varied between subgroups of students. California, for example, narrowed its gap between Hispanics and whites, and between all students and low-income students and English learners. But the gap increased slightly between blacks and whites and between all students and those with disabilities.

The gap shrank by 1 percentage point between Hispanics and whites, 0.6 percentage points between all students and low-income students, and 1.3 percentage points between all students and English learners. However, the gap increased 0.4 percentage points between blacks and whites and 0.5 percentage points between all students and those with disabilities.

The ability to compare graduation rates nationwide improved in 2010, when all states, districts and schools began using the same metric - called "the adjusted cohort graduation rate" - which tracks students as they move from 9th through 12th grades.

California initially released its 2013-14 graduation rates in April, reporting that it had reached 80.8 percent, which was a state record. However, that number was subsequently adjusted to 81 percent, spokeswoman Pam Slater said Monday.

Related

Graduation rate increases for fifth straight year

At the time, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson praised the increase, especially in light of the state's recent adoption of the more rigorous Common Core standards.

"This is more evidence that the dramatic changes taking place in our schools are gradually helping to improve teaching and learning in every classroom," Torlakson said in April. "We have raised academic standards, started online testing, given local districts more flexibility in spending, and provided more resources to students who need it most."

However, he said more attention should be focused on closing gaps.

"I challenge educators, parents, students, and community leaders to continue the hard work needed to help every student graduate - and to make a special effort to raise graduation rates for English learners and Latino and African-American students," he said.

The state plans to release its 2014-15 graduation rate data next spring.

The U.S. Department of Education has invested more than $1 billion in programs and grants aimed at preparing students for college and careers, according to a news release. These include early education programs and others aimed at closing opportunity gaps and achievement gaps, including Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation, School Improvement Grants, and expanding college access and affordability.

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California's 2013-14 grad rate increased from year before

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FERMIN LEAL/EDSOURCE TODAY A U.S. Department of Education report shows that California's high school graduation ranking dropped from 30th in 2012-13 to 33rd in 2013-14, even though its graduation rate increased slightly. The preliminary data released Monday shows that states have continued to increase high school graduation rates and to narrow the graduation rate gap for low-income students, students of color and English learners.

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Common Core Standards, 2009-2015

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New York Times

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CON - How Common Core prepares students for college

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CON - How Common Core prepares students for college

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Concordia University at Portland September 2012

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Students in the United States are lagging behind those in many other countries and many students today enter college unprepared for the work required.

A large number of colleges now put incoming students through a series of courses that teach them how to analyze literature, compose coherent papers, and other basic skills they should have learned in high school. To remedy this situation, the nationwide Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS) is working to develop standards for states to implement. Students who meet those standards will be better prepared for college.

Benefits of Common Core State Standards

Easier assessment. Parents are one of the most important factors in helping get their kids ready for college, and CCSS can help parents support their children to reach their educational goals. Because the CCSS specifically state what students should accomplish by the end of each grade level, parents can understand and help assess whether their children are meeting these standards. Even in states that haven't adopted the standards, parents can review them and help fill in the gaps where their children are not yet meeting the standards.

Learning techniques. It's often not specific knowledge of information, but understanding of principles of how to learn that help students succeed in college. Rather than focusing on learning specific facts, the CCSS include modes of learning and higher-order skills that prepare students for college. Students who build an internal structure of how to assimilate information will be better able to apply this structure to their college courses, and eventually to the workplace. Having flexible standards that focus on the end results of the student's character and skill set, not just knowledge, helps shape the types of teaching and class work in the K-12 setting that will help students learn how to learn.

Advanced reading materials. The language arts portion of the CCSS emphasizes the reading of increasingly complex texts. The assigned reading in college courses is often published in academic circles, and is much more advanced than textbooks written for a high school level. Increased exposure to complex texts in high school helps students learn how to read and understand the types of materials they will encounter in college. This helps them complete their assignments more quickly and efficiently and get the most out of their college courses.

Consistent standards. The CCSS program is especially beneficial for students who move to a different state during their K-12 education. This prevents them from repeating material. Existing state standards don't have set years in which students learn particular skills or topics, which can cause students who move frequently to miss out on large portions of K-12 education. The CCSS helps all students get a basic education in the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college, regardless of whether or not they moved frequently during childhood.

College preparation. Having common standards from one state to another helps put students on the same footing as their peers when they enter college. Many colleges draw students from across the country, and with states working toward the same goals in their K-12 education systems, the students will have similar educational backgrounds. This will help prevent some students from lagging behind their peers when they enter college. In addition, colleges will be better able to develop their curriculum with the assumption that incoming students have specific skills, so they can jump right into instruction rather than wasting time on introductory courses.

One of the best parts about the CCSS initiative is that it's led by states, not by the federal government. It's a much more collaborative effort, and one that allows states to participate voluntarily to help guide the education of their students. Rather than feeling like they're being penalized for failure to meet federal standards, the CCSS will drive states toward excellence in their public education systems.

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5 Ways Common Core State Standards Prepare Students for College

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Students in the United States are lagging behind those in many other countries and many students today enter college unprepared for the work required. A large number of colleges now put incoming students through a series of courses that teach them how to analyze literature, compose coherent papers, and other basic skills they should have learned in high school.

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PRO - Common Core marks end of Literature

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PRO - Common Core marks end of Literature

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Huffington Post, 2012

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Concern is growing among teachers and parents that literary classics will go the way of the dinosaurs under a set of new national curricular standards.

The Common Core State Standards, academic benchmarks that have been adopted by 46 states, call for 12th grade reading to be 70 percent nonfiction, or "informational texts" -- gradually stepping up from the 50 percent nonfiction reading required of elementary school students.

The Common Core standards focus on teaching fewer subjects in greater depth, replacing a melange of educational expectations that vary wildly across districts and states. Proponents of the standards, like the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, say too many students are not college or career-ready because they have suffered from years of easy reading and poor training in synthesizing more complex reading materials.

But the new guidelines are increasingly worrying English-lovers and English teachers, who feel they must replace literary greats like The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye with Common Core-suggested "exemplars," like the Environmental Protection Agency's Recommended Levels of Insulation and the California Invasive Plant Council's Invasive Plant Inventory.

Jamie Highfill, an eighth-grade English teacher at Woodland Junior High School in Fayetteville, Ark., and 2011 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, told the Washington Post she's already had to drop short stories and a favorite literary unit to make time for essays by Malcolm Gladwell from his social behavior book The Tipping Point.

"I'm struggling with this, and my students are struggling," Highfill told the Post. "With informational text, there isn't that human connection that you get with literature. And the kids are shutting down. They're getting bored. I'm seeing more behavior problems in my classroom than I've ever seen."

David Coleman, who headed the process of writing the standards, told the Post that principals and teachers are misreading the guidelines. The boost in informational texts, he says, is intended across disciplines: When social studies, science and math teachers increase nonfiction and informational reading assignments, English teachers won't have to alter their literature lessons.

But that intent is often unrealized in practice. In a paper by the Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based public policy think tank that is critical of the Common Core, language arts experts Sandra Stotsky and Mark Bauerlein claim that literature will inevitably have a lesser presence in curricula, as English teachers remain the ones held accountable for meeting reading standards in fiction and nonfiction alike.

"It's hard to imagine that low reading scores in a school district will force grade 11 government/history and science teachers to devote more time to reading instruction," Stotsky and Bauerlein wrote.

They also argue that the rush to switch from literature to informational texts is short-sighted, as the skills students develop in understanding complex literature are crucial to college learning and careers. Bauerlein told Education Week the problem worsens when teachers make "weak" nonfiction text choices.

"If we could ensure that the kinds of stuff they're choosing are essays by [Ralph Waldo] Emerson or Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery, then that would be wonderful," he said. "Those are complex texts, with the literary features that make students better readers in college."

Results from the National Center for Education Statistics' analysis of fourth- and eighth-grade vocabulary scores from 2009 and 2011 reading comprehension exams found that even the highest-scoring students on average couldn't perform above 67 percent. National Assessment Governing Board Executive Director Cornelia Orr called the vocabulary results a "crisis" in education.

Compounding that data is a March report by Renaissance Learning, Inc. revealing that American high school students are reading books intended for children at levels far below those appropriate for teens. A compilation of the top 40 books read by students in grades 9 through 12 showed that the average text's reading level was 5.3 -- barely above the fifth grade.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST:

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Concern is growing among teachers and parents that literary classics will go the way of the dinosaurs under a set of new national curricular standards. The Common Core State Standards, academic benchmarks that have been adopted by 46 states, call for 12th grade reading to be 70 percent nonfiction, or "informational texts" -- gradually stepping up from the 50 percent nonfiction reading required of elementary school students.

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California Department of Education

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2017 CAASPP Scores Released - Year 2017 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Results of California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Online Tests

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California Department of Education

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Attachment to REL#13-73 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

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2013 STAR Results, Table 1 through Table 21.

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CON - 6 Ways Common Core is good for students

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CON - 6 Ways Common Core is good for students

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National Education Association Article written May 2013

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NY Daily News article published in July 2013

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One year ago, the public debate over the new Common Core standards in education centered on the fate of literature in English classes.

Critics charged that the standards risked crowding out high-quality fiction, poetry, theater and other imaginative texts. They overemphasized nonfictional, information-rich prose, they argued, and required no British literature except one play by Shakespeare.

Defenders of Common Core responded that nothing in the standards would prevent teachers from exposing students to as many novels and poems as before, and they pointed to Common Core's list of "text examplars," which include dozens of literary classics.

The defenders of the new standards won that round. But materials recently produced by the New York City Department of Education give fresh reason to revive the argument. In short, there is now very good reason to worry that the coming of the Common Core may produce a widespread deemphasis and devaluation of some of the greatest books ever written in the English language.

The city's "Tasks, Units & Student Work" Web page, a resource for principals, teachers and parents, promises to offer "a growing assortment of Common Core-aligned tasks, units and student work."

If you check the boxes for ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th grades, then select "English Language Arts/Literacy" and click "Search," 13 recommended units of study come up. These are multiweek lessons on a particular theme, event, idea, text or topic.

Each unit also lines up with specific English Language Arts standards in Common Core. (A few of them also appear under "History/Social Studies" and "Science," but their presence under ELA means that they have been deemed appropriate for English.)

It takes only a few seconds to see the problem. In all these materials, only three literary works appear - "Romeo and Juliet," T.S. Eliot's haunting poem "The Hollow Men" and a short poem about Gandhi by Langston Hughes.

Meanwhile, the site offers units on DNA and crime detection, "vertical farming," digital media, European imperialism, great speeches and two on the civil rights movement.

The assigned texts include a speech by Bill Clinton, a Los Angeles Times story on teens and social media, the "Complete Personal Finance Guidebook," photographs by Walker Evans and an entry on imperialism in the New Book of Knowledge.

Even when a topic is disposed to abundant and superb literary works, the Education Department has failed to include them. The unit on "Rites of Passage" - supposedly to be used in English classes - doesn't opt for great tales of youth and adulthood such as "Jane Eyre," "The Red Badge of Courage" or Richard Wright's "Almos' a Man."

Instead, it chooses 10 pieces on teen rituals from The New York Times, USA Today, Fox Business, NPR and other news outlets.

This is not what the architects and contributors had in mind when they crafted the ELA standards. (Disclosure: I served on the English Language Arts "Feedback Committee" for the Council of Chief State School Officers.) The push for informational texts was not supposed to displace outstanding literary texts.

Rather, it answered the call for more general background knowledge, more broad familiarity with history, science, art and ideas - all of which would, among other things, enhance literary study.

In fact, the Common Core standards explicitly set a high bar of literary history, stating that students will "demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth-, and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature."

According to the units rolled out so far by the city's Education Department, that standard doesn't even exist.

Curriculum designers at the agency are interpreting the new English standards in exactly the direction critics warned of last year. With the exception of the "Romeo and Juliet" unit, they apparently envision English as a social studies class, not a language and literature class. And the Common Core itself does not contain enough machinery to restrain them.

If the city wants to be fully consistent with the spirit of Common Core, and if it wants to serve the thousands of English teachers who entered the field because they love Charles Dickens and Joseph Conrad and Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath, not news reports and science tracts, the department will produce five more units on "The American Short Story From Poe to the Present," "The Romantic Poets" and other literary subjects.

Literature is not a second-class subject. It ought to be at the very center of a high-quality public education.

Bauerlein is an English professor at Emory University and author of "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future."
Send a Letter to the Editor

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One year ago, the public debate over the new Common Core standards in education centered on the fate of literature in English classes. Critics charged that the standards risked crowding out high-quality fiction, poetry, theater and other imaginative texts. They overemphasized nonfictional, information-rich prose, they argued, and required no British literature except one play by Shakespeare.

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2013-2014 CA state budget for implementing Common Core

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How Did California Schools Spend Common Core Implementation Funding?

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The 2013-14 state budget package included $1.25 billion in Proposition 98 funding for schools to implement the new Common Core State Standards in English and math. State law allowed schools to use the funds in three areas associated with Common Core implementation: (1) information technology, (2) staff development, and (3) instructional materials.

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PRO - Educator's perspectives on Common Core Implementation

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PRO - Educator's perspectives on Common Core Implementation

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Harvard Study conducted over one year published in February 2014.

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