Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Graduation Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
FCPS reports modest gains in on‑time graduation but flags gaps for multilingual learners and students with disabilities
Summary
Superintendent staff reported a slight increase in on‑time graduation to about 95%, improvement in dropout rates in several groups, and noted large gains for English Learners (ELP 1–2); the presentation outlined strategies—credit recovery, targeted resource teachers, attendance work and transition services—to close remaining gaps.
Fairfax County Public Schools presented its Goal 5 (Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation) report, focusing on graduation equity: how many students graduate on time with a plan and are prepared for post‑secondary success. Staff reported modest systemwide gains while highlighting persistent gaps for multilingual learners and some students with disabilities.
Big picture: “Overall about 95 percent of our students graduated on time last year,” Ms. Hunstead summarized, and staff said FCPS remains slightly above the state average and comparable to other Northern Virginia divisions. For the Class of 2024, staff reported roughly 62 percent earned an Advanced Studies diploma and 31 percent a Standard diploma; fewer than 2 percent earned an Applied Studies diploma.
Early warning indicators and subgroup gaps: Staff identified 5 or more credits by the end of ninth grade as an early predictor for on‑time graduation but noted the metric is less reliable for some multilingual learner groups. The presentation highlighted large increases for students classified as ELP 1 and 2, including a reported increase of about 10 percentage points in on‑time graduation for ELP levels 1–2 compared with baseline. Staff also reported 567 students in the Class of 2024 who dropped out; roughly three‑quarters were current multilingual learners and about two‑thirds were age 18 or older when they withdrew.
Diploma types and reporting changes: Staff described how state reporting changes (the Federal Graduation Indicator, or FGI) differ from locally used on‑time graduation metrics. The VDOE’s 4‑year FGI counts only standard and advanced studies diplomas within 4 years and will be used in school accountability scores (15% for high schools). Staff showed the 4‑year FGI is 3–4 percentage points lower than FCPS’s on‑time graduation rate; the 6‑year FGI is closer to the division measure. Board members expressed concern that the new state reporting could obscure work done on behalf of multilingual learners and students who lawfully need more time to graduate.
Post‑secondary plans and early results: Among students who completed the senior survey, staff said 99 percent reported a post‑secondary plan; National Student Clearinghouse data showed about 79 percent of the Class of 2023 enrolled in college within 16 months of graduation. Staff noted lower college-going rates among Hispanic students and multilingual learners and suggested more targeted supports for those groups.
Strategies underway: Staff outlined five strategy areas to improve graduation equity, including: (1) dashboards and school-level identification of at‑risk students; (2) placement of on‑time graduation resource teachers at nine high schools to support reengagement and credit recovery; (3) initiatives to sustain improvements in attendance (chronic absenteeism work); (4) better use of credit accommodations for students with IEPs/504 plans; and (5) improved scheduling and academic advisement practices (including advisory and academic/career planning tools). Staff said they are refining predictive models and exploring ways to expand dual-enrollment and credit acceleration options.
Board reaction and follow‑ups: Board members pressed for clearer measures of post‑secondary success beyond enrollment (persistence, credentials, associate degrees earned), better family communications, and more consistent implementation of career and college planning in middle school. Staff said they will continue to refine indicators, expand communications and examine options to measure outcomes such as earned college credit and credential attainment.
Ending note: Staff characterized the gains as promising but incomplete and said continued cross‑department work, data monitoring and targeted school supports will be required to meet the district’s 2030 goals for equitable graduation outcomes.
