Cd'A graduation rate increases 3.5 percent

COEUR d'Alene — Coeur d’Alene Public Schools experienced a strong increase in its graduation rate last year. For the class of 2019, the graduation rate was 91 percent — up from a rate of 87.5 percent in 2018.

The cohort graduation rate, which tracked the class of 2019 over four years, was higher this year at both Coeur d’Alene High School and Lake City High School. CHS posted a rate of 94.9 percent (up from 90.2 percent in 2018). LCHS posted a rate of 93.8 percent (up from 89.1 percent in 2018). Venture High School, an alternative program for at-risk students, had a graduation rate of 54.2 percent (down from 61.8 percent in 2018).

“We are encouraged to see the overall improvement in our graduation rate, and we are committed to doing more to help students earn their diplomas on time,” said Trina Caudle, assistant superintendent of secondary education and curriculum. "It’s important that we do all we can to meet student needs and provide multiple pathways for completing and continuing their education.”

The district also is doing more to track where students go when they leave before graduating to understand why they leave.

“This will help us identify the reasons some students do not finish on time and enable us to better serve them so they are successful graduates,” Caudle said.

The district had 645 students who graduated on time in 2019. The cohort graduation rate represents the number of enrolled students who meet all graduation requirements within four years of starting high school, including students who transfer in or out of the district. It does not include students who receive their diploma after the four-year window, which ends at the graduation ceremony.

For the class of 2018, the graduation rate increased to almost 90 percent when accounting for students who earned their diploma within one year after the four-year window. That five-year completion rate is higher than the year before, due to an increased focus on dropout retrieval and use of online coursework to recover credits.

The graduation rate is lower for students who were economically disadvantaged (82 percent), had limited English proficiency (75 percent) or who received special education (41 percent). The rate for most ethnic groups is similar to the over district rate, with the exception of American Indian/Alaska Native students (83 percent).

“We want to reduce the gaps we see between our overall graduation rate and the lower rates for certain groups of students,” Caudle said. “All students should have an equitable path to graduation so they can be well prepared for the next step in life.”

Although the 2019 graduation rate at Venture High dropped from the previous year, it remains above the rates for 2015, 2016 and 2017. Venture’s current graduation rate is 21 percent higher than five years ago.

Most Venture students struggle academically or manage other issues that make school success particularly challenging. Some have dropped out or are in a credit deficit for other reasons, and they find options to recover their credits at Venture.

“One of our goals is to prepare students for the modern economy and challenges of the 21st century,” Venture Principal Teresa Kaiser said. “Rather than just acquiring information and filling out a test or quiz, students demonstrate their skills and knowledge by applying that information to projects or problem-solving challenges. This makes the learning more relevant as they actually apply knowledge to do things that matter to them and their community.”

Another option for Venture students is to participate in online classes or in a hybrid online/traditional classroom. The opportunity to work online enables students to continue learning and earning credit even when life circumstances make school attendance a significant challenge.

“The schedule at Venture also provides an opportunity for students to earn more credits,” Kaiser noted. “Rather than two semesters, we have three trimesters. This allows students to earn 15 credits per year rather than 12.”