Graduation Rate and Dropout Rate: Indicators 1 and 2 Measurement Changes From FFY 2019 to FFY 2020-2025

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian

Summary of changes to how states calculate special education graduation rate and dropout rate under the IDEA Part B State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR). Beginning in February 2022, the Office of Special Education Programs updates the data sources and measurements for Indicator 1 and Indicator 2 across FFY 2019 to FFY 2020–2025. The brief contrasts SPP/APR reporting tables, highlights new baseline and target-setting needs, and explains updated definitions including an Indicator 1 “exiting rate.”

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Graduation Rate and Dropout Rate: Overview of SPP/APR Changes

Transition of data sources and measurements (FFY 2019 to FFY 2020–2025)

Baselines and target setting implications

Indicator 1: Graduation Rate Changes

Definition change (regular diploma, IEP exiting rate)

Table 1 comparison of data sources and measurements

Table 2 comparison instructions for Indicator 1

Graduation Rate and Dropout Rate: Indicators 1 and 2 Measurement Changes From FFY 2019 to FFY 2020–2025 Author: Erin Lomax May 2021 The IDEA Data Center (IDC) created this publication under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs grant number H373Y190001 . Richelle Davis and Rebecca Smith serve as the project officers. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service, or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred. This product is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. Westat is the lead organization for IDC. For more information about the center’s work and its partners, [see](see www.ideadata.org)[ ](see www.ideadata.org)[www.ideadata.org](see www.ideadata.org). May 2021 Suggested Citation: Lomax, E. (2021, May) . Graduation Rate and Dropout Rate: Indicators . IDEA Data Center. Rockville, MD: Westat. Graduation Rate and Dropout Rate: Indicators 1 and 2 Measurement Changes From FFY 2019 to FFY 2020–2025 Beginning in February 2022, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is changing how states calculate graduation rate and dropout rate for the Part B State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) . This brief provides a summary of the changes in the data sources and measurements of these rates in the SPP/APR. It also provides a side-by-side comparison of the SPP/APR Part B Indicator Measurement Tables 1 from FFY 2019 to FFY 2020–20252 to highlight relevant differences in SPP/APR reporting of graduation rate and dropout rate.3 It is important to note that to meet the new FFY 2020–2025 requirements, states will need to consider new baselines and set new targets based on broad stakeholder input. Throughout this brief, the terms “children, students, and youth(s)” are used interchangeably for consistency when referring to original language in the measurement tables or elsewhere to capture the specific range of students (i.e., the student body) to whom the relevant Indicator 1 and Indicator 2 Exiting data apply. Indicator 1: Graduation Rate Changes The language of Indicator 1 changes from FFY 2019 to FFY 2020–2025. For FFY 2019, Indicator 1 measures graduation rate as the “percent of youth with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) graduating from highschool with a regular high school diploma.” For FFY 2020–2025, Indicator 1 measures graduation rate as an“exiting rate.” It measures the “percent of youth with IEPs exiting from high school with a regular high school diploma.” Table 1 compares the data sources and measurements for Indicator 1 for FFY 2019 and FFY 2020–2025. The data source for FFY 2019 is the same data states reported to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) . Beginning with the FFY 2020–2025 SPP/APR, the data source for Indicator 1 is the same data states used for reporting to the Department under Section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) .4 1 The text in the tables in this brief uses the original language as it appears in the measurement tables. 2 This brief compares the FFY 2019 APR submission to the new SPP/APR for FFY 2020–2025. 3 The FFY 2019 APR submission was due in February 2021. The FFY 2020 APR submission is due in February 2022. The FFY 2020– 2025 SPP/APR Part B Indicator Measurement Table also signals a change in data source for Indicator 2 in FFY 2021, which is indicated in bold within the table. 4 The Section 618 IDEA data use the definitions in the EDFacts file specification FS009 . Table 1. Comparison of data sources and measurements for Indicator 1 for FFY 2019 and FFY 2020–2025 | Indicator 1: Data sources and measurements | | | --- | --- | | FFY 2019 | FFY 2020–20

FAQs

What changes take effect in February 2022 for Indicator 1 and Indicator 2 in the SPP/APR?

The Office of Special Education Programs changes the data sources and measurements used to calculate graduation rate and dropout rate in the Part B SPP/APR. The brief summarizes those changes and compares the relevant measurement tables across FFY 2019 and FFY 2020–2025.

How does Indicator 1 measurement differ between FFY 2019 and FFY 2020–2025?

For FFY 2019, Indicator 1 measures graduation rate as the percent of youth with IEPs graduating from high school with a regular high school diploma. For FFY 2020–2025, Indicator 1 uses an “exiting rate,” measuring the percent of youth with IEPs exiting high school with a regular diploma.

Why do states need new baselines and targets for FFY 2020–2025?

Because the new FFY 2020–2025 requirements change the data sources and measurements, states must consider new baselines and set new targets based on broad stakeholder input.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian