FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
S
TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
LINDA J. EADS, ED.D.
CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA
JULIA L. JOHNSON
WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, PH.D.
LINDA K. TAYLOR
JIM HORNE
Commissioner of Education
March 17, 2004
March 17, 2004
MEMORANDUM
MEMORANDUM
TO:
District MIS Directors and School Report Contacts
TO:
District MIS Directors and School Report Contacts
FROM:
Lavan Dukes
FROM:
Lavan Dukes
SUBJECT:
Student Database Accommodations to Ensure an Accurate 2003-04 Cohort
Graduation Rate Calculation
The 2003-04 four-year cohort graduation rate will be calculated for Florida high schools in the
same manner as for previous years. Prior to final calculation and reporting of the 2003-04 rates
in late October of this year, school districts will have the opportunity to address any ongoing
data-quality concerns involving data for the graduation rate calculation which they have
submitted to the Department. The following are some of the more common data concerns:
•
Improper reporting of the
Student Number Identifier—Alias, Florida
•
Inappropriate codes reported on certain record formats
•
Discrepancy between local records and records submitted to the state
•
Missing record formats
•
Improper reporting of Grade Level on the Student End-of-Year Status record format
•
Unreported W43s and W45s
•
Improper reporting of nonpublic and home education students on the Student End-of Year
Status record format
GARNET L. DUKES. JR.
Bureau Chief
Accountability, Research, and Measurement
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 852 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0400 • www.fldoe.org
In order to allow districts to address these concerns for the 2003-04 graduation rate, the
Department will once again provide an opportunity for school districts to update duplicated sets
of certain archived surveys and record formats for the reporting years 1999-00 through 2002-03.
These updated record formats will only be used for graduation rate calculations. Specific
instructions and information concerning this process are attached. Questions should be directed
to Cyndi Holleman at cyndi.holleman@fldoe.org or Ed Croft at ed.croft@fldoe.org. They may
also be reached at (850) 245-0400 or SunCom 205-0400.
EC/ch
Attachments
cc: Superintendents
Students Database Contacts
Data Processing Directors
Student Service Directors
Assistant
Superintendents for Instruction
Page 2
Attachment 1
Timeline for 2003-2004 Graduation Rate Updates and Calculations
March 1
7
, 2004 Memo
April 19, 2004 Cohort graduation rate preliminary file/report*
April 19, 2004
Archived records for use in update available**
June 28-July 23, 2004 Window for update to archived files
(Batches submitted by 4 PM will be processed that day)
July 13 & 20, 2004
Updated reports/file available. NOTE: school level may be a day
late.
August 3, 2004
Final reports/file available reflecting updates to archived files
August 6, 2004
Due date for 2003-2004 Survey 5
September 10, 2004
Close of 2003-2004 Survey 5 state processing window
September 20, 2004
Initial reports available***
October 1, 2004
Preliminary graduation rate available
October 8-20, 2004
Update window for 2003-2004 Survey 5 and archived files
October 27, 2004
2003-2004 final graduation rate and final reports***
*Preliminary Report Files
This file/report contains preliminary data for only three years because we will not have your 2003-2004
Survey 5 data until after the close of the survey in September 2004. Please keep in mind that when you
eventually receive your report containing all students in the cohort, the students in the preliminary file
might have a different status. District-level and school-level files are shown on the next page.
District Files:
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045 unadjusted cohort sorted by student ID
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.ALPHA unadjusted cohort sorted by last name
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.DATA raw data file
School Files:
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.ALPHA
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.DATA
Layout of .Data file in DPS.DISTRICT.FORMAT.Y0304(F63494, F70307)
**Archived Records for Use in Updating
DPSxx.GQ.F60775O Student demographics
DPSxx.GQ.F60953O End-of-Year Status
DPSxx.GQ.F62411O Student Attendance (0001, 0102)
DPSxx.GQ.F70214O Prior School/Student Attendance (0203)
Data sets in original format available for download.
Note: The format “Student Attendance” was replaced with “Prior School Status/Student Attendance” in
2002-03.
_____________________________________________________________________
***2003-2004 Graduation Rate Reports
District Files:
a
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045 (all students in cohort sorted by school)
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.ADULT (W26s)
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.DROPOUT
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.GRAD
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.NOTGRAD (not graduating)
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.DATA
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.ALPHA (all students in cohort sorted by name)
School Files:
b
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.ADULT
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.DROPOUT
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.GRAD
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.NOTGRAD
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.DATA
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.ALPHA
Layout of .Data file in DPS.DISTRICT.FORMAT.Y0304 (F63494, F70307)
In addition, when initial complete reports become available on September 20, 2004, we will make available
the following reports, which show a breakdown of the count of students in the initial cohort build,
adjustment categories (e.g., outgoing transfers), the adjusted cohort (denominator), the number of
graduates (numerator), dropouts, and other non-graduates, and the rate figure:
DPSxx.GQ.F63494.Y03045.GRATE (district rates)
DPSxx.GQ.F70307.Y03045.GRATE (school rates)
a,b
For 2003-04, we will add an additional column to the unadjusted cohort reports which indicates the final
classification status of each record in the report (such as the last reported Withdrawal Reason/Code for the
student). This should aid staff in reviewing the data.
Attachment 2: Summary of Common Data-Reporting Concerns
Data Concern
Discussion
Solution
Improper reporting of
Student Number
Identifier - Alias,
Florida
In order to accurately track students across
surveys and reporting years when the
Student
Number Identifier,
Florida
changes, the
Student
Number Identifier - Alias,
Florida
must be the
link.
The
Student Number Identifier - Alias,
Florida
assigned when the student first
enters the district will always be the
"alias" for that student. In order for the
linking across surveys and years to
work, the "alias" must remain constant.
Nonmatching codes
reported across record
formats
For the same reporting year, problems can occur
when codes in certain elements on the
Student
End- of- Year Status
records do not match
Withdrawal Codes
on the
Student Attendance
records. For example, a WO6 (standard diploma)
may mistakenly be reported in the
Withdrawal
Code
field on the
Student Attendance
record for a
student while the
D
iploma Type
on the
Student
End- of- Year
Status
record for the same student is
z-filled.
As appropriate,
Withdrawal Codes
reported on the
Student Attendance
record must match withdrawal codes
reported on the
Student End- of- Year
Status
record for the elements
Diploma
Type
,
Certificate of Completion Type
,
and
Withdrawal Reason
.
Discrepancy between
local records and
records submitted to
the state
Students may complete a particular school year
and be expected to return the following school
year, but may never enroll. For example, a
student may withdraw in August prior to the
beginning of the school year. The district will
record this withdrawal in their system, but the
withdrawal is currently not submitted to the state.
In addition, there are students considered DNEs at
the beginning of the school year, but the district
may subsequently determine another appropriate
code. Only the remaining DNEs are currently
submitted to the state.
Update the
Prior School Status
/
Student
Attendance
record with Term = Y for
the year prior to the year the student
was not enrolled. (See Attachment 3.)
Missing record
formats
The data for a student for a particular year is not
complete unless all the appropriate record formats
were submitted for that student. For example, a
student has a
Student End- of- Year Status
record
and no matching
Student Attendance
record.
Submit the missing record(s).
Improper reporting of
Grade Level
on
Student End- of- Year
Status
record format
The
Grade Level
code on the
Student End- of -
Year Status
is used in determining the cohort for
the graduation rate calculation.
The
Grade Level
on the
Student End -
of- Year Status
must reflect the
Grade
Level
for the 180-day school year just
passed.
Unreported W43s,
W45s
Some students in the cohort who have received
adult high school diplomas or adult GEDs are not
being counted as graduates.
Send a
Student-End-of-Year
Status
record with diploma type coded
correctly.
Nonpublic/Home
Education students
served in districts
The appropriate
School Number, Current
Enrollment
for home education or nonpublic
students served in a district is N998 and N999
respectively. These students are not to be reported
on the
Student
End-of-Year Status
record. If
districts used a valid school number other than
N999 and reported these students on the
Student-
End-of
Year
Status record, they will be included in
the cohort.
Review records to determine if any
nonpublic or home education students
served in the district have been reported
to the state on the
Student
End-of-Year
S
tatus record. If so, delete record(s).
Attachment 3: Special Notes on Updates*
Updates to Student Number Identifier - Alias, Florida (Student Demographic Information)
:
For the surveys being updated, the
Student Number Identifier - Alias, Florida
must be the same
across all Student Demographic Information records for a given student. Please see the data
element for the definition of
Student Number Identifier - Alias, Florida
.
Updates to Withdrawal Reason (Student End of Year Status)
: In order to provide
information to the DOE Student Information Database on a student who left the district between
school years, update the Prior School Status/Student Attendance record with Term = Y for the
year prior to the year the student was not enrolled in the district. In addition to the valid codes
for the year being updated, use W26 where appropriate.
Updates to Grade Level:
As mentioned in Attachment 2, the
Grade Level
reported on the
Student End-of-Year Status record must reflect the previous 180-day school year
Grade Level
of
a student.
Archived records:
Archived records for which updates are to be allowed will be made available
in original format for districts to download and use for the updating process. These records
reflect updates you have made in the past for the purposes of prior cohort graduation rates.
*Note: Updates will be batch only. An online update process will not be made available.
Attachment 4: Reporting Years, Surveys, and Record Formats*
Table of Archived Data
During the process of updating duplicated archived data for the graduation rate calculation, updates will be allowed for the following
reporting years, surveys and record formats:
Note:
Data elements that potentially need to be updated for each record format are also listed. In addition, missing records may be added.
Reporting Year
Survey
Record Format(s)
Element(s)
1999-00
5
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student End-of-Year Status (grade 9 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
Grade Promotion Status
2000-01
2
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
5
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student End-of-Year Status (grades 9-12 only)
Student Attendance (grades 9-12 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
Diploma Type
Certificate of Completion Type
Withdrawal Reason
Withdrawal Code
2001-02
2
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
5
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student End-of-Year Status (grades 9-12 only)
Student Attendance (grades 9-12 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
Diploma Type
Certificate of Completion Type
Withdrawal Reason
Withdrawal Code
2002-03
2
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
5
Student Demographic Information (grades 9-12 only)
Student End-of-Year Status (grades 9-12 only)
Prior School Status/Student Attendance (grades 9-12 only)
Student Number Identifier-Alias, Florida
Diploma Type
Certificate of Completion Type
Withdrawal Reason
Withdrawal Code
* Survey 5, 2002-03, and Survey 2, 2003-04, have not been archived and are still updateable. Updates to Survey 5, 2002-03, are due no later than
May 7, 2004, and updates to Survey 2, 2003-04, are due no later than July 30, 2004.