What is the “Diploma Rate” for Georgia High Schools?

The graduation rate (sometimes called the completion rate) of high school students is often used to evaluate the effectiveness of a high school, a school system, or a state.  Determining a graduation rate, however, is not as simple as it sounds.  There are several generally accepted methods of computing graduation rates.  One of those methods, and the one used here, is to compare the number of diplomas awarded in one year to the ninth grade enrollment four years earlier.  This is often referred to as the “cohort” method. 

Without a student information system in Georgia to track individual students, it is not possible to calculate anything with one hundred percent accuracy.  Our method uses the most recent and readily available information from the Georgia Department of Education and is simple to understand.  To minimize confusion with other published graduation, completion, or drop-out rates, our computation is referred to as the “diploma rate.”  This is because we only count actual diplomas awarded.

Before 2004, students were counted by the Department of Education as having completed high school if they earned any one of the following four exit credentials: the College Preparatory diploma, the Technology Career diploma, the Special Education diploma, and the Certificate of Attendance.  The “diploma rate” only counts the College Preparatory diplomas and the Technology Career diplomas and not the Special Education diplomas or Certificates of Attendance.  This reflects the new requirements of No Child Left Behind and explains why the “diploma rate” will not match the completion rate or graduation rate published by the Department of Education.

There are a few caveats to keep in mind when reviewing this information.  Without a statewide student information system it is impossible to track individual students.  Thus, it is impossible to determine whether the difference in the number of students between the ninth grade and the twelfth grade at a particular school or within a particular school system is due to drop-outs or due to transfers to other schools, systems or states.  However, the statewide diploma rate may in fact overestimate the rate because overall population in the state has steadily increased over the last ten years. Therefore, the number of school-aged students moving into the state far exceeds the number of students who may be moving to other states.

Chart I lists the diploma rates for 2002, 2004 and 2007.  This enables the user to compare whether or not a school system is showing improvement over time.

Chart II lists the diploma rate for 2007 and compares it to the graduation rate reported by the Department of Education for the school system.  This enables the user to ponder the accuracy of the reported graduation rate.  Disparities may be due to inaccurate reporting or to population shifts into or out of a particular school system.   When the diploma rate exceeds the reported graduation rate, it is indicative of a population influx and identifies a fast growing school system.