West Deptford High School Above State Mean in New Graduation Rate

New federally mandated graduation rate methods show is above the New Jersey average by more than 6 percent, and right in the middle of Gloucester County districts, according to new information released by the state.

Statewide data on the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, which was released Tuesday, shows West Deptford’s adjusted graduation rate was 89.29 percent for 2011, above the state average of 83 percent and seventh overall among Gloucester County high schools.

The adjusted rate represents a dip from West Deptford’s old self-reported rate, which averaged 92.5 percent between 2008 and 2010. That dip is much smaller than the statewide drop, though—the state claimed an average of 93.6 percent in the same time frame, meaning the new methodology drops that by double digits.

“This new graduation methodology gives us an honest picture of our current level of achievement and a new baseline upon which we can measure our progress,” said Acting Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf in a statement. “Through the transition from HSPA to new end-of-course assessments, we are taking a crucial step not only to increase the number of high school graduates, but to make a New Jersey diploma the gold standard for the country.”

The new standard takes into account students who transfer in or out of the district before the final calculation, which looks the size of the entering ninth grade class against the size of that same class at graduation.

It doesn’t take into account students who may, because of special education or other needs, be on a five- or six-year plan for graduating through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), though. Nearly 14 percent of West Deptford High School students had an IEP in 2010.

West Deptford’s adjusted graduation rate puts the district behind six other schools in the county, including Kingsway, which topped Gloucester County at 96.52 percent.

Along with Kingsway, three other regional districts—Clearview, Gateway and Delsea—were among the top, as well as Gloucester County Institute of Technology, which draws students from throughout the county.

Compared to the Black Horse Pike Regional district in Camden County, which has a similar district factor group and district makeup, West Deptford is just slightly behind. The three Black Horse Pike Regional high schools—Triton, Highland and Timber Creek—average a 90.77 graduation rate under the new methodology.

The new graduation rates come on top of the news that to try to better prepare students for college and the workplace.

“As we look at these new graduation rates across the state, the question we must continue to ask ourselves is not only whether students are graduating from high school, but whether we are truly preparing them to be ready for the demands of the 21st century,” Cerf said in a statement.

Outside of vocational and charter schools, only one district in the state—South Hunterdon—had a 100-percent graduation rate.