Kids Count Data Center

Other Education

Graduation Rate (2011)

The number of students who graduated from public high schools in Alabama in 2011 with regular, advanced, and credit-based diplomas expressed as a percentage of the total number of students who enrolled as first year freshmen four years earlier (or in 2007-2008). While the denominator used in computing the rate includes graduates, completers, students still enrolled, students withdrawn but still enrolled, students who enrolled but failed to attend, dropouts, and “others,” it does not include students in the class of 2007-2008 who were retained from later classes. Data are adjusted for students who transferred into, and out of, the cohort over the four-year period. This method of measuring the graduation rate is referred to as the “four-year cohort graduation rate” and reflects efforts to conform to the National Governor’s Association recommendation in 2005 that states implement a common measure of graduation beginning with 2010-2011 academic year.  However, the methodology used in computing the cohort graduation rate remains subject to variation from one state to another.  Note:  Since graduation rates reported in this year’s Data Book are computed differently from those used in prior years, this year’s rates should not be compared to those from previous years.