Graduation Rates

Cohort graduation rates are calculated as prescribed by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), which provides data to the federal reporting system.  In accordance with NCES requirements, Delaware uses the 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.  This rate measures the number and percentage of cohort members who earned a regular high school diploma within 4 years or less.  The graduation cohort is defined as the number of first-time 9th graders followed for 4 years plus students who transfer into a school minus students who transfer out, emigrate, or are deceased during that time period.  The graduation report also provides 5-year and 6-year graduation rates.

The graduation report does not contain data reflecting private school, parochial school, or homeschool students in Delaware.  The state does gather information from families that homeschool their children as well as from private schools, the purpose of which is to verify the transfer of a student from a public school to a private school or a homeschool situation.