Olean board hears projection that current senior class could graduate at about 90.8%

A presenter identified as Jeff told the Olean City School District Board of Education on March 10 that the district is projecting a 90.78% graduation rate for the current senior cohort, an improvement over recent years. Jeff said the cohort began with 141 ninth‑grade entrants and that the projection accounts for students who will earn local diplomas, Regents and advanced Regents, plus CDOS credentials for some CTE students.

The projection and supporting data, Jeff said, reflect work on interventions and guidance supports across the district. "We're projecting a 90.78%," he said, and added that staff credit teachers and guidance counselors for the recent improvement. He told the board that about 77 seniors are earning college credits, 46 students attended BOCES programming, 66 participate in athletics and 39 are members of the National Honor Society.

Board members asked about students who take five or six years to graduate and whether special education students account for a large share of longer trajectories. Jeff said a portion of 5‑ and 6‑year graduates are students with special needs and that the district can provide subgroup breakdowns on request. On causes of noncompletion, Jeff said attendance is the single most common factor: "They almost all of them that don't graduate have had poor attendance," he said.

Members pressed on follow‑ups and supports. One board member asked whether the district conducts exit interviews; Jeff described an extended process that can include conversations with guidance and families and said staff could provide case‑level information on request. The board also asked how many students are expected to participate in commencement; Jeff said the district has ordered risers and is planning for roughly 125 participants, though the final number will depend on who elects to walk.

The presentation covered CDOS (Career Development and Occupational Studies) credentials, which Jeff described as a credential available alongside diplomas, especially for students in CTE programs. Jeff said the district has worked with BOCES to improve data sharing and expects the number of students earning CDOS credentials to increase now that communication gaps have been addressed.

The meeting closed the presentation portion with board members congratulating staff and asking for additional breakdowns on subgroup graduation rates, exact counts for diploma types, and clarification on scholarship types; Jeff agreed to provide the requested details.

The board did not take a formal vote on any policy during this presentation. The next steps included staff providing the requested data to the board for follow‑up review.