Cohort Glossary

Adult Age Students with Disabilities in Transition Status

An indication of whether or not a student with disabilities who is at least 17 years old is participating in a program to assist in the student’s transition from school to adult life, including education and training, employment and independent living.

Armed Forces Family Member Program Indicator

A student is considered to be an Armed Forces Family Member if at least one parent is an Armed Forces member, on active duty or serves on full-time National Guard duty.

California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) Completers

Those cohort students who withdrew from a regular high school without receiving a regular high school diploma after passing the California High School Proficiency Exam (Education Code Section 48412(2)).

Cohort Graduation Rate

The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) is the number of students who graduate from high school in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class.

Cohort Outcome Period

For the calculation of the four-year ACGR, the period for determining cohort inclusion is 07/01/Year1 – 06/30/Year4; however, the period for determining cohort outcomes is 07/01/Year1 – 08/15/Year4. This provides LEAs with additional time to report summer graduates. All cohort graduation requirements, including the awarding of the diploma, must be completed by the end of the cohort outcome period (August 15).

Cohort Students

The four-year cohort is based on the number of students who enter grade 9 for the first time adjusted by adding into the cohort any student who transfers in later during grade 9 or during the next three years and subtracting any student from the cohort who transfers out, emigrates to another country, transfers to a prison or juvenile facility, or dies during that same period.

Cohort Removals

Only a student who transfers out and enrolls in another U.S. high school or in an educational program (including a program in a prison or juvenile facility) from which the student is expected to receive a regular high school diploma, emigrates to another country, or dies may be removed from a high school’s or LEA’s cohort. A student may not be removed from the cohort for any other reason. Before removing a student from a cohort, a school or LEA must obtain official written confirmation that the student transferred out, emigrated, transferred to a prison or juvenile facility, or died.

CTE Completer

A CTE pathway completion consists of:

    1. Finishing a sequence of courses totaling at least 300 hours, and
    1. Completing a capstone course, with a grade of C minus or better

Dropouts

Those cohort students who (1) do not graduate with a regular high school diploma, (2) do not otherwise complete high school, or (3) are not still enrolled as a “fifth year senior” are considered dropouts.

GED Completers

Those cohort students who withdrew from a regular high school without receiving a regular high school diploma and the district has acceptable documentation that the student received a High School Equivalency Certificate by passing one or more of the following exams: the General Educational Development (GED) exam, the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) exam, or the High School Equivalency Test (HiSet).

Golden State Seal Merit Diploma Indicator

Those cohort graduates who, in accordance with Education Code Section 51454, earned the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma by having

  • (a) completed of all requirements for a high school diploma, and
  • (b) demonstrated mastery of the curriculum in at least six subject matter areas, four of which shall be mathematics, English language arts, science, and United States history, with the remaining two subject matter areas selected by the student.

Graduates Meeting UC/CSU Requirements

Those cohort graduates who a local educational agency determined met all the (a-g) requirements for admission to a University of California or California State University school.

High School

A secondary school that grants a regular high school diploma and includes, at least, grade twelve (Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) section 8101(28)).

High School Diploma Graduates

Those cohort students who receive the standard high school diploma awarded to the preponderance of students in a State that is fully aligned with the State’s standards and does not include a general equivalency diploma, certificate of completion, certificate of attendance, or any other similar or lesser credential, such as a diploma based on meeting Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. The term “regular high school diploma” also includes any “higher diploma” that is awarded to students who complete requirements above and beyond what is required for a regular high school diploma (ESEA section 8101[43]; 34 Code of Federal Regulations [C.F.R.] § 200.34[c][2]) OR as specified in California Education Code (EC) section 51225.1, a student in foster care, a student who is homeless, or a former juvenile court school student who transfers between schools any time after the completion of the pupil’s second year of high school, completes all requirements specified in EC Section 51225.3.

Other Transfers

Those cohort students who withdrew from a regular high school without receiving a regular high school diploma or otherwise completing high school and transfer to an adult education program or to community college during the cohort period.

Pre-Apprenticeship Certification Program Completion Indicator

The student (1) successfully completed, during the academic year, a registered pre-apprenticeship program that is recognized by business and/or industry and registered at the state or national level, and (2) is awarded a certificate of completion upon successful completion of the pre-apprenticeship program. Pre-Apprenticeship Program (non-certified) Completion Indicator: The student successfully completed, during the academic year, a non-registered pre-apprenticeship program that is recognized by business and/or industry but not registered at the local, state, or national level.

State or Federal Job Program Completion Indicator

The student successfully completed, during the academic year, a Job Corps program, a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program, a YouthBuild program, a California Conservation Corps program and\or a Regional Occupational Center/Program (ROC/P) program.

State Seal of Biliteracy

Those cohort graduates who, in accordance with Education Code Section 51460(a), attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages (including American Sign Language), in addition to English and earned the State Seal of Biliteracy.

Special Education Certificate of Completion

Those cohort students with exceptional needs (having an individualized education program [IEP]) who received a certificate or document of educational achievement or completion for meeting the requirements of Education Code Section 56390.

Still Enrolled

Those cohort students who did not graduate or complete high school by the end of the cohort outcome period who meet one of the following criteria:

  • Are re-enrolled as a “fifth year senior” after the end of the cohort period with new academic year enrollment records posted preferably a week before the cohort collection cut-off date
  • Graduated from or otherwise completed high school after the end of the cohort outcome period as reflected by new academic year enrollment record preferably posted a week before the cohort collection cut-off date.

Transfer

A transfer into a cohort occurs when a student enrolls in a high school after the beginning of the entering cohort’s first year in high school, beginning at grade nine and up to and including in grade twelve. A transfer out of a cohort occurs when a student leaves a high school and enrolls in another high school or in an educational program from which the student is expected to receive a regular high school diploma.

Transition Work-based Learning:

The student successfully completed a minimum of 100 hours of work-based learning since entering 9th grade of a program for students with disabilities on an individualized education program (IEP) that offers students work-based learning experiences that develop knowledge and job skills, in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requirements. Or the student successfully completed the equivalent of four semesters of college and career exploration/preparation courses designed to prepare a student with an IEP for employment and independent living since entering 9th grade.

Work-based Learning Internship

An internship is a county, district, or school-sponsored experience that exposes students to the world of work. It is performed in partnership with local business, industries, or other organizations in the community. Internships provide students opportunities for supervised and specific practice for a future career. Work-based Learning through Enterprise: A student-led enterprise involves the development and operation of a revenue-generating business (regardless of profit or loss), that operates outside the classroom and is associated with a course at the school in which the student is enrolled and evaluated by the certificated course instructor.

Work-based Learning through Virtual/Simulated

A Virtual/Simulated Work-Based Learning is a program where students can gain business experience through a virtual environment that is aligned to the classroom curriculum.