Search for Texas public school completion, graduation, and dropout data by campus, district, and region.
Reports
View reports on secondary school completion, graduation, and dropouts in Texas public schools. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF versions of the reports.
Additional Resources
View presentations and technical documentation related to secondary school completion, graduation, and dropouts in Texas public schools.
FAQ
View frequently asked questions about completion, dropouts, and leavers in Texas public schools.
The Accountability Research Unit in the Division of Research and Analysis publishes an annual report on graduates and dropouts in Texas public secondary schools, as well as special reports on related topics. The annual report includes state summaries of the annual dropout rate, longitudinal graduation, completion, and dropout rates, and state attrition rates. Supplements to the report present secondary school completion, graduation, and dropout data at the county, district, and campus levels.
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2010-11 (July 2012), PDF (1.5 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2009-10 (July 2011), PDF (1.5 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2008-09 (July 2010), PDF (1.2 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2007-08 (July 2009), PDF (1.1 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2006-07 (August 2008), PDF (1.2 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2005-06 (August 2007), PDF (1.1 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2004-05 (July 2006), PDF (608 KB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2003-04 (August 2005), PDF (592 KB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2002-03 (August 2004), PDF (544 KB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2001-02 (August 2003), PDF (735 KB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2000-01 (August 2002), PDF (695 KB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 1999-00 (August 2001), PDF (1.4 MB)
Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 1998-99 (January 2001), PDF (507 KB)
Dropout Study: A Report to the 77th Texas Legislature (December 2000), PDF (340 KB)
- Dropout rates published by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), a key component of the state's Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS), have been criticized in recent years for not presenting an accurate picture of the dropout phenomenon in Texas public schools. TEA Rider 71 of the General Appropriations Act (House Bill 1, 76th Texas Legislature, Regular Session) directed the Legislative Budget Board, State Auditor's Office, and TEA to conduct a study of the current system used to identify and report students who do not graduate from high school or those who drop out of school before enrolling in high school. Also, the study must determine the actual number and percentage of students who do not complete high school within four years of enrolling in 9th grade. This report presents the findings and recommendations from that study. The recommendations address three areas in which the current annual dropout rate has been criticized: dropout definition; dropout rate calculation; and data quality.
1997-98 Report on Public School Dropouts (September 1999), PDF (772 KB)
1996-97 Report on High School Completion Rates (August 1999), PDF (290 KB)
1996-97 Report on Public School Dropouts (August 1998), PDF (85 KB) (Note: Appendices A and B are not available in this PDF.)
Policy Research Report No. 8. High School Completion Rates: Investigating a Longitudinal Performance Measure for Texas Schools (October 1996), PDF (80 KB)
- This report investigates issues surrounding the use of a longitudinal performance measure in the Texas integrated accountability system. A detailed discussion of a high school completion rate is presented, along with an overview of other school performance measures.
The following reports are not available in PDF. For additional information please e-mail the Texas Education Agency Office of Publications or contact the office by phone at 512-463-9744.
1995-96 Report on Public School Dropouts (August 1997)
1994-95 Report on Public School Dropouts (August 1996)
1993-94 Report on Public School Dropouts (September 1995)
1992-93 Report on Public School Dropouts (January 1995)
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Update to Annual Dropout, Completion, and Graduation Rate Reporting; Texas Assessment Conference, December 2011, PDF (281 KB)
Update to Annual Dropout, Completion, and Graduation Rate Reporting; Texas Assessment Conference, December 2010, PDF (250 KB)
Update to Annual Dropout, Completion, and Graduation Rate Reporting; Texas Assessment Conference, December 2009, PDF (248 KB)
Annual Dropout, Graduation, and Completion Rates; Texas Association of School Administrators Midwinter Conference, January 2009, PDF (168 KB)
Annual Dropout, Completion, and Attrition Rates: Definitions and Results; Texas Assessment Conference, December 2008, PDF (147 KB)
Building the Longitudinal Cohort Used for Calculating Completion Rates; Texas Assessment Conference, December 2008, PDF (118 KB)
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Processing of District Graduation, Completion, and Dropout Rates, Class of 2011
The National Governors Association Compact Rate: A Comprehensive Approach to Improved Accuracy and Consistency in High School Graduation Rates, Class of 2010 Update (February 2012), PDF (172 KB)
Processing of District Graduation, Completion, and Dropout Rates, Class of 2010
The National Governors Association Compact Rate: A Comprehensive Approach to Improved Accuracy and Consistency in High School Graduation Rates, Class of 2009 Update (January 2011), PDF (248 KB)
Processing of District Graduation, Completion, and Dropout Rates, Class of 2009
The National Governors Association Compact Rate: A Comprehensive Approach to Improved Accuracy and Consistency in High School Graduation Rates (January 2010), PDF (185 KB)
Processing of District Graduation, Completion, and Dropout Rates, Class of 2008
Using the National Center for Education Statistics Dropout Definition for Texas Leaver Reporting (Updated May 2006), PDF (39 KB)
Working Paper No. 7. Profiles of Starting Cohort Members and Transfer Students in a Texas Public High School Cohort (January 2002), PDF (240 KB)
- The quantitative measure for each indicator in the Texas accountability system is a product of extensive development by Texas Education Agency staff, guided by educators, legislators, and business leaders, and grounded in the accountability system principles. One principle is accountability for all students, but because the indicators differ, the counts and groups of students included in the measures differ somewhat. For example, the indicators related to passing the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) include all students enrolled on the last Friday in October, whereas the annual dropout rates are based on all students in attendance during the year. In the course of developing the longitudinal student status rates as measures of the high school completion rate indicator, agency staff analyzed the counts and characteristics of students included in the measures. In this paper, comparisons of starting cohort members and transfer students are reported.
Working Paper No. 6. Three-Year Follow-up of a Texas Public High School Cohort (January 2002), PDF (290 KB)
- Since 2000, the Texas Education Agency has reported three groups of students-graduates, General Educational Development (GED) certificate recipients, and continuing students-in the longitudinal completion/student status rate for the district and state Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports. Beginning in 2004, a longitudinal completion rate will be an indicator used to rate Texas public school and district performance. This report is intended to provide information about students who are still continuing high school after their expected graduation year and to inform the decision whether to include this student group in the definition of "high school completion" for Texas public school accountability purposes.
Working Paper No. 2. 1997-98 and 1998-99 Returning and Non-Returning Students in Grades 7-12 (June 2000)
- Prior to the 1997-98 school year, districts were required to report which students in Grades 7-12 had graduated, dropped out, or returned to school. Beginning with the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) Submission 1 in fall 1998, districts were required to report on all students enrolled in the district at any time during the previous school year in Grades 7-12. This report details the returning statuses of students for school years 1997-98 to 1998-99.
- This report is not available in PDF. For additional information please e-mail the Texas Education Agency Office of Publications or contact the office by phone at 512-463-9744.
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Completion Rates
1. Where can I find information about completion rates and how they are calculated?
2. Where can I find the latest completion/student status rates for my district/campus?
3. How does a repeat dropout affect my completion rate?
4. How does enrolling an older student affect my completion rate if the student drops out?
5. How does the National Center for Education Statistics dropout definition affect the completion rate?
Dropout Rates
1. Where can I find information about dropout rates and how they are calculated?
2. Why is the annual dropout rate reported by the Texas Education Agency so low, when the attrition rate is so high?
3. Where can I find the most current report on dropouts?
4. Where can I find the latest dropout rates for my district/campus?
5. When do the annual dropout rate reports become available?
6. How does my district submit an appeal of dropout data for accountability ratings?
7. Where can I find information on dropout prevention and effective strategies?
8. How does a repeat dropout affect my dropout rate?
9. How does enrolling an older student affect my dropout rate if the student drops out?
10. My campus is not rated on the Grade 9-12 annual dropout rate. Does this mean I don't need to worry about dropouts from those grades?
Leavers
1. What is the leaver record? How is the information used?
2. Who can I contact to find out about correctly coding my district's leaver records?
3. Who can I contact to find out what constitutes "acceptable documentation" of the reasons students left my district?
1. Where can I find information about completion rates and how they are calculated?
A completion rate is the percentage of students from a class of ninth graders or seventh graders who complete their high school programs by their anticipated graduation dates. Rates reported by different organizations may differ because they use: (1) different starting grades in the calculation; (2) different definitions of a school completer or dropout; (3) different definitions of a class (or cohort) of students; or (4) different underlying methods to calculate the rates. Detailed information about completion rates, including how they are defined and calculated by the Texas Education Agency, can be found in the latest report on secondary school completion and dropouts; the Accountability Research completion, graduation, and dropout data search; and the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) glossary.
2. Where can I find the latest completion rates for my district/campus?
Visit the Accountability Research completion, graduation, and dropout data search, or search Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports.
3. How does a repeat dropout affect my completion rate?
Students are counted in the completion rate according to their final statuses. A student who drops out of high school in more than one school year is counted as one dropout in one cohort if, by the time the cohort is expected to graduate, the student has not graduated, has not received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or is not continuing high school. If the student returns to school and graduates by the time the cohort is expected to graduate, the student is counted as a graduate in the completion rate for that cohort. If the student returns and is continuing high school when the cohort is expected to graduate, he or she is counted as a continuer in the completion rate for that cohort. Continuers are counted as completers in the completion rate. Learn how a repeat dropout also may affect the dropout rate.
Campuses are rated on one of two completion rates for state accountability. Campuses under standard accountability procedures are rated on the Completion I rate. Students who graduate or continue high school are counted as completers in the Completion I rate. A student who drops out of high school in more than one school year, returns and, by the time the cohort is expected to graduate, has graduated or is continuing high school is counted as a completer in the Completion I rate. Campuses registered to be rated under alternative education accountability procedures are rated on the Completion II rate. Students who graduate, receive GEDs, or continue high school are counted as completers in the Completion II rate. A student who drops out of high school in more than one school year, returns and, by the time the cohort is expected to graduate, has graduated, has received a GED, or is continuing high school is counted as a completer in the Completion II rate. See the Accountability Manual for the most current information on the public school accountability system.
4. How does enrolling an older student affect my completion rate if the student drops out?
A student who drops out of high school is counted as one dropout in one cohort if, by the time the cohort is expected to graduate, the student has not graduated, has not received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or is not continuing high school. Often, an older student belongs to a cohort that has already graduated. In such a case, the student is not counted in any of the cohorts currently progressing through high school unless he or she is new to Texas public schools. If a student's cohort has already graduated, the student will not affect the completion rate used for accountability purposes. Learn how enrolling an older student also may affect the dropout rate if the student drops out.
5. How does the National Center for Education Statistics dropout definition affect the completion rate?
A dropout in the longitudinal rate is counted according to the dropout definition in place the year the student leaves high school. The National Center for Education Statistics dropout definition, implemented beginning with the 2005-06 school year, affected all leavers in the completion rate, beginning with the class of 2009.
| Class | Cohort years | Dropout definition | Accountability year affected |
| Class of 2007 | 2003-04 | Old | 2008 |
| | 2004-05 | Old | |
| | 2005-06 | NCES | |
| | 2006-07 | NCES | |
| Class of 2008 | 2004-05 | Old | 2009 |
| | 2005-06 | NCES | |
| | 2006-07 | NCES | |
| | 2007-08 | NCES | |
| Class of 2009 | 2005-06 | NCES | 2010 |
| | 2006-07 | NCES | |
| | 2007-08 | NCES | |
| | 2008-09 | NCES | |
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1. Where can I find information about dropout rates and how they are calculated?
Information about dropout rates, including how they are defined and calculated by the Texas Education Agency, can be found in the latest report on secondary school completion and dropouts; the Accountability Research completion, graduation, and dropout data search; and the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) glossary.
2. Why is the annual dropout rate reported by the Texas Education Agency so low, when the attrition rate is so high?
An attrition rate compares campus, district, or state enrollment in 9th grade with enrollment in 12th grade three years later. An attrition rate does not take into account students who move in or out of the campus, district, or state over the four-year period, nor does it take into account students who are still enrolled but were retained and have not reached Grade 12. An attrition rate is based on the assumption that students who are not enrolled in the 12th grade three years later have dropped out, when, in fact, some of those students may have transferred out of state, to a private school, or to home schooling, or may have obtained a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
The annual dropout rate produced by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for Grades 7-12 is based on district reporting of dropouts, exclusive of students who transferred out of state or to private school, or obtained a GED certificate. Tracking individual students enables TEA to report dropout rates that are more accurate than rates based on enrollment totals.
3. Where can I find the most current report on dropouts?
Read the latest report on secondary school completion and dropouts.
4. Where can I find the latest dropout rates for my district/campus?
Visit the Accountability Research completion, graduation, and dropout data search, or search Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports.
5. When do the annual dropout rate reports become available?
The report is available in early August. Read the latest report on secondary school completion and dropouts, or join the Accountability Research E-mail List to be notified of new publications.
6. How does my district submit an appeal of dropout data for accountability ratings?
Information about accountability ratings appeals can be found in the Accountability Manual.
7. Where can I find information on dropout prevention and effective strategies?
Contact the Texas Education Agency Office of State Initiatives at 512-936-6060 or the education service center for your region. You may also wish to visit the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network on the Web.
8. How does a repeat dropout affect my dropout rate?
A student who drops out in one school year, returns in a later school year, and drops out again is counted as a dropout in the annual dropout rate for both school years. For example, a student who drops out in 2004-05 and who returns in 2006-07 and drops out again in that school year is counted as a dropout in the annual dropout rates for 2004-05 and 2006-07. The annual dropout rate is a measure of how many students drop out in one school year. Texas uses the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) definition of a dropout. Under the NCES definition, a student is counted as a dropout in each year he or she drops out. Learn how a repeat dropout also may affect the completion rate.
Campuses are rated on the annual dropout rate for state accountability. Campuses under standard accountability procedures are rated on the Grade 7-8 annual dropout rate. A student who drops out of Grades 7 or 8 in more than one school year is counted as a dropout in the annual dropout rates for those years. Campuses registered to be rated under alternative education accountability procedures are rated on the Grade 7-12 annual dropout rate. A student who drops out of Grades 7 through 12 in more than one school year is counted as a dropout in the annual dropout rates for those years. See the Accountability Manual for the most current information on the public school accountability system.
9. How does enrolling an older student affect my dropout rate if the student drops out?
A student who drops out, regardless of age, is counted as a dropout in the annual dropout rate. Learn how enrolling an older student also may affect the completion rate if the student drops out.
10. My campus is not rated on the Grade 9-12 annual dropout rate. Does this mean I don't need to worry about dropouts from those grades?
No. A dropout from Grades 9-12 is counted as a dropout in the completion rate if, by the time the cohort is expected to graduate, the student has not graduated, has not received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or is not continuing high school. Every student belongs to a cohort. A dropout likely will affect the completion rate of a cohort currently progressing through high school—perhaps not the graduating cohort, but a cohort that is expected to graduate in two, three, or four years.
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1. What is the leaver record? How is the information used?
Each fall, Texas school districts report to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on students in attendance or enrollment in Grades 7-12 the previous school year. Districts submit an enrollment record for the new school year for each student who returned and a "leaver record" for each student who left the district. Each leaver record includes a "leaver reason." The leaver reasons fall into three main groups: graduated, continued high school elsewhere, or dropped out.
All counts of high school graduates from Texas public schools come from leaver records. In addition, the information is used by TEA to prepare a variety of reports and educational indicators on high school dropouts. The data are also used to calculate the percentages of students reported to have left for other reasons, such as moving to other states, enrolling in private schools, or participating in home schooling. A complete list of leaver reasons is available in the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) Data Standards. To find the standards for a particular year, select a year; select Section 4, Description of Codes, or 4 Code Tables; then search the Alphabetical List of Code Tables for "LEAVER-REASON-CODE" and the page number reference. To learn more about how leaver records are processed or to see the most recent leaver data, read the latest report on secondary school completion and dropouts.
2. Who can I contact to find out about correctly coding my district's leaver records?
The Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) Data Standards provide detailed information about coding each record required in PEIMS. For assistance, please contact the PEIMS coordinator at your school district's education service center.
3. Who can I contact to find out what constitutes "acceptable documentation" of the reasons students left my district?
See Appendix D of the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) Data Standards, available on the Texas Education Agency website. For assistance, please contact the PEIMS coordinator at your education service center. You can also e-mail the Investigations and Interventions Unit of the Texas Education Agency Division of Program Monitoring and Interventions or contact the unit by phone at 512-463-5226.
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Contact Information
For questions or comments, please e-mail the Division of Research and Analysis, Accountability Research Unit, or contact the unit by phone at 512-475-3523.
This page last updated November 15, 2012.
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