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High school outlines 'chaser' program as graduation rate drops to 83.9 percent
Summary
Campbell County high‑school leaders described a teacher-led 'chaser' program and weekly eligibility checks aimed at raising graduation rates after reporting a 4‑year graduation rate of 83.9 percent; trustees questioned whether the 4‑year metric understates true graduation outcomes.
Campbell County high‑school administrators told the board the district’s 4‑year graduation rate is 83.9 percent, down about two points from the prior year, and outlined interventions intended to reverse the decline.
School leaders said the district has investigated reasons for the drop — including student moves out of district or out of state that sometimes do not generate transcript requests — and emphasized state reporting rules that track students by WISER ID and permit 5‑ and 6‑year graduation tallies for some cohorts.
"When a student hears the first day of their freshman year, the clock starts to take up the ten... with the formula for graduation rate, they have 4 years to complete or earn a high school diploma," the high‑school administrator explained to a board member who asked whether the district tracks a separate 'real' dropout number.
To address time‑to‑diploma concerns, the high school reported a districtwide 'chaser' or advocacy program: every teacher is assigned a cohort of students they 'chase' for four consecutive years; staff run weekly eligibility/grade checks for grades 9–12 and provide targeted follow‑ups for students at risk of failing. The principal said that, at semester, multiple freshman cohorts had zero F's after staff interventions.
Administrators also reported academic supports: 115 students taking college classes off‑site this spring (282 total college courses enrolled), 13 seniors on track to earn associate degrees, and plans to expand ACT access (40 juniors given vouchers to test early). The high‑school ACT average for 2024–25 was reported as 18.6.
Trustees pressed for clearer dropout accounting; administrators said state reporting conventions and out‑of‑state moves limit locally produced 'real dropout' tallies but noted state 5‑ and 6‑year rates are available for additional context.
The board did not take action on these reports; administrators said they will continue monitoring and return with follow‑up data as available.
