Shoreline report: 92% graduation but 41% of graduates lack postsecondary credential; special-education outcomes lag

The Shoreline School Board on March 18 received a study-style presentation showing the district’s high school graduation rate remains strong — “about 92 percent,” according to Director of Secondary Academic Programs Dan Gallagher — but that many graduates still leave without a postsecondary credential. The presentation, and a deeper report led by Executive Director of Student Services Trish Rogers, focused on postsecondary outcomes overall and on students served through special education.

Gallagher told the board the district’s 4‑year graduation rate was “about 92 percent,” and that a seven‑year view raises the figure to roughly 94 percent. But he said credential attainment after high school is a separate and pressing challenge: “of our high school graduates… 41% of those students in the upper right, only have a high school diploma,” he said, using the district’s 8‑year follow‑up metric.

The numbers matter because, the presenters said, a high school diploma alone is frequently not enough to access a living‑wage career. Rogers described the district’s state reporting process for former students and the limits of the data collection: Shoreline contracts with the Center for Change and Transition Services at Seattle University to survey students who left the district and gather the indicator‑13 information OSPI requires. Rogers said the survey window runs June through November and that districts must reach about an 80% response rate for the indicator’s highest rating; she noted collecting responses has grown harder as families receive more outreach from other organizations.

Key findings reported to the board:

- Graduation: recent 4‑year rate ~92%; 7‑year rate roughly 94%. - Credential attainment: among district graduates tracked to age 26, about 41% have no credential beyond a high school diploma (a “credential” here ranges from a short certificate through a four‑year degree). - Special education: students served by special education have substantially lower postsecondary credential rates; Rogers said roughly 73% of special‑education leavers who responded did not report a credential. - GPA correlation: Gallagher flagged students who graduate with a GPA under 3.0 as a priority subgroup — “68 percent of high school graduates with a GPA of less than 3 don’t complete a credential,” he said.

How the district is responding

Gallagher and Rogers described a district strategy that pairs course redesign, dual‑credit options and targeted advising to improve postsecondary momentum. A central element is new math pathways and a co‑requisite model with Shoreline Community College (SCC). Gallagher explained the district aligned high‑school coursework to specific college “gateway” math courses (for STEM, non‑STEM and professional‑technical tracks) so students can complete the appropriate college requirement while in high school.

On the pilot with SCC, Gallagher said Shoreline offered a co‑requisite section of SCC’s Math 107 inside a high‑school classroom: students take the college course (often five credits) while receiving in‑class support from their high‑school teacher. He reported strong early results: students with A or B grades in the high‑school section who then enrolled in the SCC running‑start section all earned at least a 2.0 (the district uses a 2.0 college grade as an important cutoff for transferability). Gallagher said the new pathway materially increased college‑credit attainment in gateway math and substantially reduced racial disparities in who earns that credit.

Rogers emphasized the postsecondary picture for students with disabilities and described the state’s indicator‑13 work: Shoreline calls former students and asks a standard set of questions to determine engagement (higher education, competitive employment, agency connections such as DVR/DDA, or lack of engagement). Rogers said about 41% of survey respondents reported being in higher education — “41% of our students that took this survey are engaged in higher ed,” she told the board — a number she framed as well above the state average.

The presentation also reviewed agency transitions: Rogers said many students with significant disabilities need a formal handoff to adult service agencies (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Developmental Disabilities Administration) and that OSPI now asks that teams discuss agency connections at IEP meetings for students 14 and older to improve post‑graduation continuity.

Costs, supports and next steps

Gallagher and Rogers said the district’s work is supported in part by a competitive OSPI grant that pays for teacher collaboration and program development. District staff described plans to expand the co‑requisite math model in the next cycle (spring quarter enrollment begins April 1) and to pilot a similar approach in English at Shorecrest High School, where passing regular English 11 with a B will carry dual‑credit recognition for a college business‑writing course.

The presenters also stressed counseling, targeted advising and early momentum metrics (gateway course completion and sustained credit accumulation) as the focus for students who graduate with a GPA below 3.0.

Board response and context

Board members and student representatives asked clarifying questions about the survey methodology, the definition of “competitive employment,” connections to DVR/DDA, and the cost of running‑start fees. Gallagher and Rogers said running‑start student fees were covered for the pilot by the OSPI grant and by district support; Rogers said students who qualify for free or reduced‑price meals do not pay the running‑start fee under existing rules.

The district framed the pilot as an evidence‑informed approach: Gallagher said the model appears to boost college gateway completion, reduce racial disparities in gatekeeper math credit attainment and support postsecondary momentum for students who otherwise are less likely to complete credentials.

Where to watch next

District staff said they will report back on outcomes for the next cohorts and on the Shorecrest English pilot. The board did not take action on the presentation; the session was informational and intended to inform strategic planning and counseling priorities.

Sources and provenance

This article is based on the March 18 Shoreline School Board meeting presentation by Dan Gallagher, Director of Secondary Academic Programs and CTE, and Trish Rogers, Executive Director of Student Services. Topic introduction excerpt: “Thank you. President Bittnell, members of the Board, this evening's first presentation will be provided by Doctor. Dan Gallagher and, Director of Secondary Academic Programs and CTE…” (recorded at start of the presentation). Topic finish excerpt: final Q&A and wrap‑up before moving to the next item.

Clarifying details

- Reported 4‑year graduation rate: about 92% (district presentation). - 7‑year completion rate cited: about 94% (district presentation). - Postsecondary credential (no credential at age 26): ~41% of tracked graduates (district presentation). - Special education postsecondary: ~73% of responding special‑education leavers reported no credential (district presentation). - Pilot running‑start course: SCC Math 107, typically 5 college credits; spring cohort enrollment begins April 1 (district presentation).

Speakers

- Dan Gallagher — Director of Secondary Academic Programs and CTE (government: Shoreline School District) - Trish Rogers — Executive Director of Student Services (government: Shoreline School District) - Superintendent Pablo Reyes — Superintendent (government: Shoreline School District) - Bill Dunbar — Shorewood High School principal (mentioned by Gallagher)

Topics

- postsecondary_outcomes — justification: Presentation centered on credential attainment, enrollment in higher ed and workforce connections; scoring: {"topic_relevance":0.99,"depth_score":0.90,"opinionatedness":0.05,"controversy":0.15,"civic_salience":0.72,"impactfulness":0.68,"geo_relevance":1.00} - special_education — justification: Deep dive into Indicator‑13, agency handoffs, and postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities; scoring: {"topic_relevance":0.98,"depth_score":0.88,"opinionatedness":0.05,"controversy":0.20,"civic_salience":0.78,"impactfulness":0.75,"geo_relevance":1.00} - dual_credit_and_cte — justification: District pilots co‑requisite running‑start math and CTE dual‑credit English; scoring: {"topic_relevance":0.92,"depth_score":0.80,"opinionatedness":0.04,"controversy":0.10,"civic_salience":0.65,"impactfulness":0.63,"geo_relevance":1.00}

Proper_names

[{"name":"Shoreline School District","type":"agency"},{"name":"Shoreline Community College","type":"organization"},{"name":"Center for Change and Transition Services","type":"organization"},{"name":"OSPI","type":"agency"},{"name":"Shorewood High School","type":"school"},{"name":"Bill Dunbar","type":"person"}]

Authorities

[{"type":"policy","name":"OSPI Indicator 13 (post‑school outcomes) data collection guidance","referenced_by":["postsecondary_outcomes"]},{"type":"other","name":"Center for Change and Transition Services (Seattle University grant) data collection","referenced_by":["postsecondary_outcomes"]}]

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"350.18","local_start":0,"local_end":200,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you. President Bittnell, members of the Board, this evening's first presentation will be provided by Doctor. Dan Gallagher and, Director of Secondary Academic Programs and CTE, as well as, in partnership with Executive Director of Student Services, Trish Rogers. And their report is titled High School Graduation and Post Secondary Report."},{"block_id":"2887.54","local_start":0,"local_end":240,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you both so much. So many excellent things to celebrate there... Questions or feedback?"}]}

Searchable_tags

["graduation","postsecondary","special education","dual credit","math pathways","Shoreline Community College","OSPI"]

Community_relevance

{"geographies":["Shoreline"],"funding_sources":["OSPI grants"],"impact_groups":["high school graduates","students with disabilities","low‑income students"]}

meeting_context

{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":6,"duration_minutes":110,"items_count":1},"implementation_risk":"medium","history":[{"date":"2024-03","note":"Earlier presentations on postsecondary outcomes"}]}