Getting on Track to Graduation: Ninth Graders' Credit Accumulation in Philadelphia

• In Event: 79.025 - On Track to Graduation in Philadelphia: Extending Research by Partnerships in Other Cities

Abstract

Purpose. Ninth grade is a critical juncture for students. Knowing that, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) introduced a new 9th Grade On-Track definition in 2018, defining what students in SDP need to have accomplished by the end of their first year of high school to be considered “on track to graduation.” This study applied the new 9th Grade On-Track definition to recent cohorts of ninth graders to determine the district-wide on-track rate, which requirements off-track students are missing, how students who are almost on track differ from those who are far off track, and how school-level on-track rates vary across the district.

Framework. This paper is informed by research and theory that identifies life course transitions, including the transition to high school, as key moments of peril and opportunity. Outcomes of the transitions are shaped by individual attributes and characteristics of the larger ecosystem.


Methods. Descriptive analyses were conducted to understand the patterns of on-track rates among students and schools in the district. Significance testing was also conducted on applicable findings.

Data. All analyses used de-identified, student-level credit accumulation data from two cohorts of SDP first-time 9th graders. These data were linked with student-level, administrative data including school enrollments and demographics. Data from 16,902 students are included, though not all students appear in all analyses, depending on missing data.

Results.
Approximately two-thirds of SDP high school students were on track to graduate at the end of their first year. Most off-track students were enrolled in—but did not earn a passing grade in—at least one core course.
More than 40 percent of the off-track students were missing just one of the five required credits, while 22 percent were missing four or five of these credits. Among the students missing one requirement, science was the most common unmet requirement.
Female students were more often on track (72 percent) than male students (62 percent). Among off-track students, a higher percentage of males than females missed four or five requirements.
On-track rates differed by race, ethnicity, and gender. Within each racial or ethnic group, a higher percentage of females were on track compared to males of the same race or ethnicity.
Students receiving special education services and low-income students were more often off track—and farther off track—than their peers. English learners were also more often off track than their peers but were missing fewer requirements than other off-track students.
On-track rates varied widely by school, from less than 50 percent to 100 percent.. Schools with lower on-track rates had a higher percentage of students that were far off track and were serving more special education students, English learners, and students from low-income families.

Significance. With a concerted focus in the district on 9th grade and its impact on the high school graduation rate, these findings will be used as a benchmark to assess the impact of coming interventions. Beyond Philadelphia, these studies will continue to build the knowledge base of how to best support students in their transition to high school.

Authors

• Molly Pileggi, Research for Action

• Ruth Curran Neild, Independent Consultant