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

How do California schools compare with the nation? How many English learners are in California schools? How does California’s capacity to support public education compare with its actual effort? How many staff per pupil do California classrooms have compared to the rest of the nation?

Comparing California answers these and other questions.

A new report from the Economic Policy Institute concludes that all students need access to quality instruction in critical thinking, social skills and a work ethic, citizenship and community responsibility, physical health, emotional health, appreciation of the arts and literature, and reparation for skilled work. The nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank says closing the achievement gap between different subgroups of students requires much more than narrowing the gap between their standardized test scores.

In its seventh annual report on high school graduation, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education estimates that between 2005-06 and 2014-15 the nation's public high schools will produce almost 207,000 more Latino graduates (an increase of 54 percent); about 12,000 more African American graduates (an increase of 3 percent); and nearly 197,000 fewer white non-Latino graduates (a decline of 11 percent). WICHE is a regional organization of 15 Western states, including California, that focuses on sharing resources to increase support for and access to higher education.

University of California, Merced
College Access Foundation of California

Meeting Bakersfield, CA
March 26, 2008

(click to download document)
San Joaquin Valley College Preparation-Going Educational Statistics

Jesus Garcia
Research Coordinator
Kern County Superintendent of Schools