Are students who transfer to a GED program counted as dropouts?
No. For the purposes of the dropout rate, students who enter a GED program not run by a Colorado school district are counted as transfers and not as dropouts. However, these students will negatively affect the graduation rate for the district, school, and cohort they last attended, because they will be added to the graduation base (or graduation rate denominator) whether they receive a GED certificate or not. How valid are Colorado’s dropout rates? The Colorado Department of Education provides definitions, guidelines, and training regarding the proper procedures for identifying and reporting dropout statistics. The data are edited and screened upon receipt and a summary document with the calculated rates is returned to the district for verification. In submitting the data to the state, each superintendent signs an assurance that the district has followed the required procedures. How are dropout data reported? Dropout data are reported annually to the Department by Colorado school distr
