In order to stay accredited, school districts throughout Kansas have to meet standards from the Kansas State Department of Education. The state measures districts’ state assessment scores, graduation rates, kindergarten readiness, and postsecondary progress.

The State wants to see how many graduated seniors finish a year in college the following year and enroll in college classes the second year. This is known as the effective rate.

USD 428 Assistant Superintendent John Popp says the data is collected by the National Clearing House.

John Popp Audio

Since the data takes two years to track, the latest information is from 2016. Great Bend High School had an 82.3% graduation rate in 2016, with 49.3% finishing their first year in college the next year, and 40.6% of those students enrolling for a second year.

While KSDE wants the graduation rates in Kansas to be 95% and second year enrollment in college percentage between 70%-75%, the expectations from the state for Great Bend’s effective rate is 35%-37% based on demographics.

John Popp Audio

The data collected gathers information on students completing certificates or enrolling in vocational schools, but does not track students that enter the workforce immediately after high school.