DPI Focus School Identification – Arrowhead High
School
The Department of Public
Instruction (DPI) has identified “Priority” and “Focus” schools in the State of Wisconsin. Arrowhead Union High School District (AUHSD) has been
identified by the DPI as a “Focus School.”
The DPI has defined Title I Focus
Schools as “those Title I schools with very low subgroup performance or
those with the most significant achievement gaps between subgroups.” In
our research we found that the DPI identified 87 high schools as Title I
schools (465 high schools in the State). In complying with the federal No Child Left Behind waiver the DPI was required
to identify 10% of the lowest performing schools, or 8.7 high schools in
Wisconsin. The following is the data provided from the DPI to the AUHSD:
School Graduation Rates
|
State Graduation Rates
|
|||||
Subgroups that met cell size of
20 or more students enrolled:
|
4-Year
Rate
|
5-Year
Rate
|
Avg
4 & 5
Year
Rate
|
4-Year
Rate
|
5-Year
Rate
|
Avg
4 & 5
Year
Rate
|
Economically Disadvantaged
|
67.7%
|
81.0%
|
74.3%
|
74.7%
|
80.4%
|
77.6%
|
Not Economically Disadvantaged
|
96.5%
|
96.1%
|
96.3%
|
92.0%
|
93.1%
|
92.6%
|
Students with Disabilities
|
76.3%
|
73.9%
|
75.1%
|
67.4%
|
74.9%
|
71.2%
|
Students without Disabilities
|
96.2%
|
97.5%
|
96.9%
|
90.0%
|
92.0%
|
91.0%
|
On first blush, the data provided by the DPI would be enough
for our school to say we need to look at this situation. The information provided
would seem to indicate we are not meeting the standards or expectations of
Arrowhead High School.
Once we were able to identify the individual students found
in the DPI data/numbers, some interesting information surfaced. The
following chart provides the specific details on the students used to represent
Arrowhead High School as a Focus School:
DPI
Measures
AHS
Graduation Rates
|
||||
Economically
Disadvantaged
|
Students
with Disabilities
|
|||
5
year cohort
|
4
year cohort
|
5
year cohort
|
4
year cohort
|
|
Total Number of Students
DPI identified
|
21
|
21
|
34
|
38
|
Graduated
|
17
|
11
|
22
|
29
|
Did not Graduate
|
4
|
10
|
12
|
9
|
Non-Graduate
Detailed Information
|
2 AHS equivalency diploma;
1 returned to complete diploma;
1 dropped out
|
1 AHS equivalency;
3 returned & graduated 2012;
1 transferred & graduated
MATC;
5 dropped out
(2 of which transferred out)
|
3 AHS equivalency;
2 still working;
4 returned & graduated;
1 transferred & graduated
externally;
2 dropped out
|
3 graduated in 2012;
3 continuing;
1 transferred & graduated
MATC;
2 dropped out
|
In reviewing
this matter the following determinations were able to be made:
DPI only recognizes “regular”
diplomas. AHS can consider modifying
local policy/practice to no longer distinguish between an equivalency and
regular diploma. This would require modifying the philosophy/beliefs of
Arrowhead High School on what it means to be an Arrowhead graduate. The
current AHS belief/practice is to provide options and alternatives for students
who may struggle in the traditional class setting towards earning a high school
diploma. A diploma is a physical representation that you have graduated
from high school – no more, no less. Arrowhead can simply do away with
the equivalency diploma, award the regular diploma, resulting in 6 students off
the “did not graduate” list. What really matters is what is on the student’s
transcript. The transcript will accurately represent the student’s
educational experiences and accomplishments. This appears to be a coding
issue with the DPI. In our research we have found in most instances school districts do not issue Equivalency diplomas, instead choosing to use a single diploma. The District has made a request to the DPI for the identified
students to be coded correctly.
Federal IDEA Law: Students with disabilities, under IDEA and through an
IEP, may continue their education through the age of 21. The criteria
used for identification as a Focus School does not take this into
account. This is not an area the AUHSD is willing to compromise, at this
time, by rushing students through in 4 years when the student(s) may need
additional time, simply to gain compliance in meeting the established
expectations.
AHS identifies 5 students as having
dropped out: Taking into account students who
receive equivalency diplomas, those who graduated after their cohort groups,
those who leave but graduate elsewhere, and understanding that individual students
can be identified as both economically disadvantaged and as a student with a
disability (1 student counts twice) Arrowhead High School is left with
5 students who are truly drop outs at AUHSD.
Arrowhead High School has 5 students out of a cohort
of over 550 students and a student body of approximately 2,300 students, which
results in the Focus School identification. Less than 1% of a
graduating class – less than 0.25% of the Arrowhead student body.
The next blog will detail more specific information and explain what AUHSD has done relative to the Focus School identification.
Sincerely,
Craig Jefson
Arrowhead Superintendent
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