Graduation rate is one of the most important indicators used to measure high school success. This study examines the differences between current and proposed formulas for determining graduation rates.

Iowa is one of the five states in the Nation that has a low dropout rate. Iowa’s dropout rates have been less than 2 percent for grades 7-12 and less than 3 percent for grades 9-12 (see Figure 1) since 1998. However, each year the total number of dropouts was over four thousand from grades 7 through 12 in Iowa. The current study seeks answers for the following questions: Are students more likely to drop out from some schools than others? Is a zero dropout rate possible for a school district? Are same dropout rates for students in different demographic groups? The main focus of this paper is the characteristics of the districts with no dropouts. Iowa data support two facts: 1) a zero dropout rate is possible and, 2) Iowa has 20 to 30 percent of the districts with a zero dropout rate in each of the last eight years.

A teacher shortage exists in Iowa. This study looks at the trends in teacher retention.

Iowa’s growth model acknowledges the hard work teachers invest in meeting the learning needs of non-proficient students. This study looks at Iowa’s use of an approved growth model for determining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

In 1997, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) revised the standard of classifying race and ethnicity for federal data. These new standards separated race and ethnicity and also allow respondents to choose more than one race. States must report using the new guidelines by the 2010-2011 school year. Iowa implemented the changes for the 2009-2010 school year, re-identifying all students in the fall of 2009.