VAN NUYS — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released a report on dropout and graduation rates for the 2006-07 school year that for the first time was compiled using individual student-level data.

The Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) provides each student a unique identification number and allows for much more accurate information about how many students are or are not completing their education.

In 2006-07, 67.6 percent of public school students in California graduated, the adjusted four-year derived dropout rate is 24.2 percent, and 8.2 percent completed or withdrew from school and are considered neither dropouts nor graduates, such as students who transferred to a private school, left the state, or earned a General Education Degree (GED).

"For too long, we had to rely on complicated formulas to make educated guesses about how many students were graduating and how many were leaving school without a diploma," O'Connell said. "Arguments over differing approaches to this calculation often resulted in confusing and distracting conversations. Now, using student-level data, we can improve the accuracy of our count of how many students drop out, increase accountability, and focus on preventing dropouts.

Click here to link to Kern County district dropout results