Springfield superintendent: Graduation rates increase third year in a row on state report card

Delvin Bishop celebrates outside Springfield High School in July after receiving his diploma in an individual ceremony in the school’s gymnasium. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Delvin Bishop celebrates outside Springfield High School in July after receiving his diploma in an individual ceremony in the school’s gymnasium. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

State school report cards were released on Tuesday and although districts did not receive a letter grade, Springfield did improve on their graduation and prepared for success rates, according to the district superintendent.

The report cards only contain a handful of normal data points as the spring 2020 state tests in English, math, science and social studies were canceled after mid-March coronavirus-related school closures.

Springfield had a four-year graduation rate of 77.6% and a five-year graduation rate of 83.6%, according to state report card data.

The state report card’s four-year graduation rate data applies to students in the class of 2019 who entered ninth grade in the fall of 2015 and graduated by the summer of 2019. The five-year graduation rate data applies to students in the class of 2018 who entered the ninth grade in the fall of 2014 and graduated by the summer of 2019.

Superintend Bob Hill said in a statement that based on how the district calculates its rates, Springfield High School has an 86.8% rate for students who graduated in four years and a 92% rate for students who graduated in five years.

“The district graduation rate, which is calculated based on the number of students who entered ninth grade in the fall of 2015 and graduated by the summer of 2019, rose for the third year in a row,” he said. “The year after year growth in graduation rate can be attributed to our efforts to implement a system of best practices based on scientific and brain-based research and our outstanding educators.”

Although the district’s prepared for success rate was 17.5%, Hill said the number of students participating in the ACT and the number of students testing remediation free on the ACT increased, dual enrollment credit increased for the third year in a row and the number of honors diplomas earned increased.

“The sheer numbers of students challenging themselves with college level coursework is impressive. We are proud that we offer multiple ways for students to pursue college credit while still in high school - and gratified to see so many students gaining college credits while still in high school,” Hill said.

According to state report card data, 148 students earned a remediation free score on all parts of the ACT or SAT, earned an honors diploma, and/or earned an industry-recognized credential

This includes that 68% of students took the ACT, 8.6% of students earned a remediation free score, 1.7% took the SAT, 1% earned a remediation free score, 7.5% received an honors diploma, 3.4% received an industry-recognized credential and 13.2% participated in earning three or more dual enrollment college credits.

“What does the “Prepared for Success” data mean? It means that our high quality professional educators are providing more than 350 students with college level work each day at Springfield High School... Having that many hard working students is a great reflection of the work ethic that we attempt to promote in our students,” Hill said.

According to state report card data, 34.2% of the 2017 graduating class entered college within two years and 11.8% of the 2013 graduating class graduated from college within six years of leaving high school, according to state report card data.

“The success of our work is dependent on the effective interaction of: data used for decision making; evidence-based practices that support student needs; and systems that facilitate adult implementation of practices,” Hill said. “We have a plan in place that focuses on a consistent system of standards based, high quality, best teaching practices, coupled with a focus on the soft skills, and real world application of skills through project based learning that will allow us to improve each year.”

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