March Board of Ed: 2016 dropout and cohort graduation rates

Chester "continues to be positive news overall"
progress has been "very substantial" and in the districts with the longest way to go
Rob Curtin: three sets of data
four year graduation rate has increased to 87.5% from 87.3%
2015 rate (within five years) 89.5% from 88.5%

and there are charts here that I will attempt to drop in later

Chart! Rate increasing #MaEdu pic.twitter.com/UvTCYqzRbU

— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2017

tenth consecutive year the four year rate has increased
all racial and ethic groups have increased rate, and gaps are narrowing

And gaps narrowing
"Distance between lines is narrowing" #MaEdu pic.twitter.com/ZG6zhORDfh

— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2017

note that individual district rates are on the website

Annual dropout rate #MAEdu pic.twitter.com/qu8zxtJLqK

— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2017

And gaps are narrowing#MAEdu pic.twitter.com/bHfFGi7rWA

— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2017

Peyser asks what happens to dropouts
Curtin: don't collect now, but entering agreement to do some data matching both for college and for students who leave
Peyser wonders about difference among states and historically
Curtin: state methodology varies "very difficult to compare across states"

Receivership districts #MAEdu pic.twitter.com/jcPPjFpd5X

— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2017

Note on receivership that Southbridge has now started an alternative school
McKenna: English only law
would like to hear about impediment this puts in place
bill every year in the Legislature
wonder how much this contributes to it