2015-2016 Graduation Statistics

This dashboard indicates the graduation rates by school district for the 2015-2016 school year. Click to access, then hover your mouse over a school district to view additional information and special considerations. Please see the Frequently Asked Question page here page for more information.

State of Colorado - Grand Totals

Class of 2016
4-year graduation rate: 78.9%

How are these rates calculated?
Special Considerations

Class of 2015
4-year graduation rate: 77.3%
5-year graduation rate: 83.3%

Class of 2014
On time graduation rate: 77.3%
5-year graduation rate: 81.7%
6-year graduation rate: 84.3%

The four-year four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2016 was 78.9 percent. The four-year formula, adopted in 2009-10, includes those students who graduate from high school within four years of entereing ninth grade.

In the 2015-16 school year, CDE automated the process districts use to remove duplicate records, which improved the accuracy of graduation and completion rates. In prior years it was possible for students to remain in the graduation base of a school or district even though they had later enrolled elsewhere in Colorado. This enhancement prevented such duplications in the 2015-16 calculation.

The four-year calculation yields a rate that cannot be compared directly with data prior to 2009-10. With the old system, students who took longer than four years to graduate were factored into the formula calculating a graduation rate. Under the “Anticipated Year of Graduation” (AYG) cohort formula that was implimented in 2010, students are assigned an unchanging anticipated year of graduation (AYG) when they enter into 9th grade.

The anticipated year of graduation is assigned by adding four years to the year that a student transitions from eighth grade. The formula anticipates that a student transitioning from eighth grade at the end of the 2011-2012 school year who enters ninth grade in fall 2012 will graduate with the Class of 2016. For more information on the change in calculation rate to the AYG calculation, please see the link below.

CDE Press Release - New Federal Formula Figures Four-Year "On-time" Graduation Rate For Colorado

Graduation and Completion Data

Full 2017 Release: 5-year Graduation Rates

District and School Graduates and Completers by Subgroups

4-year District Level Data

4-year School Level Data

2016-17 3-year Early Graduates and Completers

AYG 2016-2017 3 year Cohort (xls)

Still Enrolled Rates

Extended 5-Year Graduation Rates for 2014-15
(Prior Year 2014-15)

Extended 6-Year Graduation Rates for 2013-14
(Prior Year 2013-14)

Extended 7-Year Graduation Rates for 2012-13
(Prior Year 2012-13)

Please see the Dropout Prevention website for more information.

Class of 2016 Graduation Rate Calculation

Four-Year “On-time” Graduation Rate =

Number of students receiving a regular diploma within four years of entering from 9th grade during the 2015-16 school year

DIVIDED BY

(Number of students entering from 9th grade plus number of transfers in minus number of verified transfers out)

NOTE: In the interest of tracking student success, students are assigned an Anticipated Year of Graduation from the time that they enter ninth grade. Therefore, while most students return to school after eighth grade, Colorado districts are also held accountable for students who never attend ninth grade.

NOTE: Beginning in 2006-07, Colorado school districts could not report students as transfers unless an official request for the student’s educational records is received from the school in question. If this request is not received, the Colorado district is required to report the student as a dropout.

Class of 2016 Completion Rate Calculation

Four-Year “On-time” Completion Rate =

Number of students receiving a regular diploma plus those completing with a non-diploma certificate or GED within four years of entering from 9th grade during the 2015-16 school year

DIVIDED BY

(Number of students entering from 9th grade plus number of transfers in minus number of verified transfers out)

The completion counts and rates include all students who graduate 4-year with a regular diploma plus students who complete 4-year with a GED or non-diploma certificate. It is important to note that graduates are included in the completer count and rate, therefore the completion counts and rates for any school or district will be greater than or equal to the graduation rate.

The calculation still utilizes the “On-time” formula. Under this four-year “On-time” formula, a student is assigned an unchanging anticipated year of graduation (AYG) when they enter into 9th grade. The anticipated year of graduation is assigned by adding four years to the year that a student transitions from eighth grade. The four-year formula defines “on time” as only those students who graduate from high school with a diploma or complete with a non-diploma certificate or GED four years after transitioning from eighth grade.

Special Considerations

Small districts: 45 of Colorado's 185 school districts had a 2016 graduation cohort base (students who could have potentially graduated as part of the class of 2015) of 15 or fewer students.
ASCENT (Concurrent Enrollment): Forty-four (44) Colorado school districts were approved to offer the Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment (ASCENT) program in 2015-16. Forty-one (42) of those school districts reported serving at least one student under the program. ASCENT students are not counted as 4-year graduates because they complete a fifth year of public high school while taking higher education coursework.

Other non-graduating completers: The 2016 4-year completion rate for the state is 1.5 percentage points higher than the 4-year graduation rate. The completion rate includes all graduates plus students who receive a GED or certificate of completion.
Alternative Education Campuses (AECs): In 2016 there were 86 Alternative Education Campuses located in 46 local education agencies (districts, BOCES and CSI). Over 95% of the students served at AEC schools are considered at high risk of dropping out.

Free and reduced lunch eligibility

In 2016, 42.2% of the students received free and reduced lunch meals. The free and reduced lunch eligibility percentage is based on the K-12 free and reduced lunch information reported in October of each year.

K-12 Free and Reduced Lunch Eligibility by County and District (xls)

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