The effective rate. It is a point of measurement the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is implementing more to make sure students that graduate high school in Kansas are becoming productive citizens once they leave the school system. Instead of schools zeroing in on how a 10th grader does on a math assessment, the focus goes to how districts are preparing students for post-secondary success.
Through a five-year average from 2011 – 2015, over 44 percent of Great Bend High School graduates were still enrolled in some form of post-secondary institution their second year out of high school.
USD 428 Assistant Superintendent John Popp says based on many factors, the district has a higher effective average than the state calculated for Great Bend.
John Popp Audio
The KSDE eventually wants every school district’s effective rate between 70 – 75 percent, but for now USD 428 is right on the state’s average of 44 percent. Great Bend’s graduation rate over the same five-year average was 81 percent, below the state average of 85 percent and goal of 95 percent.
Popp says Great Bend’s graduation rate is lower than fellow schools in the Western Athletic Conference (Hays, Liberal, Dodge City, Garden City), but those that graduate have a much higher effective rate with continued education. The WAC average effective rate is 32 percent, compared to USD 428’s 44 percent.
John Popp Audio
The concept behind KSDE’s goal is that if districts across the state are successful, once their students graduate they will be ready for post-secondary education whether that is a four-year university, junior college, technical school, or the military. The state wants 70 – 75 percent of graduates to reach at least the second year of post-secondary education or training (effective rate), because that is what the workforce needs.