Highlights
Record Level: Student by cohort year by school year
Record Count: 120,000-150,000 student per cohort
Years Covered: 2007-Present
Population Coverage: Students who enrolled in the 9th grade under an educational entity in Michigan or transferred
The K12 graduation records contain audited tracking of individual students’ progress through high school as they work to graduate. Students are assigned to a cohort (indicated by the COHORT_YEAR variable) based on their expected graduation year when they enter high school from middle school or other non-traditional entries into the school system. Nonpublic, home-schooled, and adult education participant students are not placed into a cohort, but special education transition students are.
Cohorts are used by the State of Michigan to define whether students are on-track for high school graduation in conjunction with several other variables. Exit statuses (EXIT_STATUS_CODE) are reported for each student by their school. The last school to report exit code continuing (‘19’) or a terminating one (‘01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 20, 21, 40 or 41’) becomes the Primary Education Providing Entity (PEPE) for that student.
Cohort and Exist Status Mapping
The table below identifies the exit status codes provided by each PEPE, along with their corresponding exit status definitions, cohort codes, and cohort status categories. The cohort status (COHORT_STATUS_CODE) represents an aggregation of exit statuses to establish the expected graduation trajectory of a student by combining the most recent exit status (EXIT_STATUS_CODE) and grades. These represent the reporting groups used by the State of Michigan with regard to graduation numbers. There are ten possible cohort status categories, and in-depth definitions of Cohort Status categories can be found here.
Note that over the years, some exit codes were discontinued and new ones were added. In SY 2005-06, exit status codes 25 (enrolled in another district, known to continue in special education) and 26 (enrolled in another district, known not to continue in special education) were removed. SY 2004-05 is the last year these codes were used. In school year 2005-06, exit code 30 (exited early childhood or early on program) was introduced and remains in use till date.
Exit status codes 40 (gradated from a Middle College with high school diploma and associates degree) and 42 (graduated from another district) were introduced in school year 2007-08. In SY 2009-10 exit status code 41 (graduated from a middle college with only a high school diploma) was introduced. In SY 2010-11 exit status code 0 (not enrolled) was introduced. These codes are in use till date.
Exit code 18 (left adult education) was discontinued in SY 2012-13.
| Exit Status Code | Exit Status Definition | Cohort Code | Cohort Status Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Not enrolled | Not Assigned | Not Assigned |
| 01 | Graduated from general education with a regular high school diploma | 01 | On-Track Graduated |
| 02 | Graduated from general education with a regular high school diploma and applied to a degree-granting college or university | 01 | On-Track Graduated |
| 03 | Graduated from an alternative program with a regular high school diploma | 01 | On-Track Graduated |
| 04 | Graduated from general education with a regular high school diploma and applied to a non-degree granting institution | 01 | On-Track Graduated |
| 05 | Completed general education with an equivalency certificate (GED) | 10 | GED Completer |
| 06 | Completed general education with other certificate | 05 | Other Completer |
| 07 | Dropped out of school | 07 | Dropout |
| 08 | Enrolled in another public school district in Michigan | 07, 02, 04? | If not located, Dropout; if located, Continuing in new district |
| 09 | Moved out of state | 06 | Exempt |
| 10 | Expelled from the school district (no further services) | 07 | Dropout |
| 11 | Enlisted in military or Job Corps prior to graduation | 07 | Dropout |
| 12 | Deceased | 06 | Exempt |
| 13 | Incarcerated | 07 | Dropout |
| 14 | Enrolled in home school | 06 | Exempt |
| 15 | Enrolled in nonpublic school | 06 | Exempt |
| 16 | Unknown | 07 | Dropout |
| 17 | Placed in a recovery or rehabilitation program | 07 | Dropout |
| 18 | Left Adult Education | 07 | Dropout |
| 19 | Expected to continue in the same school district | 02, 04? | On-track Continuing or Off-track Continuing, depending on Expected Graduation Year |
| 20 | Received Special Education certificate of completion and exited the K-12 system | 05 | Other Completer |
| 21 | Special Education - Reached maximum age and exited the K-12 system | 05 | Other Completer |
| 25 | Enrolled in another district, known to continue in special education | Not Assigned | Not Assigned |
| 26 | Enrolled in another district, known not to continue in special education | Not Assigned | Not Assigned |
| 30 | Exited early childhood or Early Onr program/service | Not Assigned | Not Assigned |
| 40 | Graduated from a middle college with both a high school diploma and an associate degree or other advanced certificate | 01 | On-Track Graduated |
| 41 | Graduated from a middle college with only a high school diploma | 01 | Graduated: On-track graduated if within 5 years, Off-track graduated if after 5 years HS grad |
| 42 | Graduated from another district | 07, 01? | If not located, Dropout; if located, Graduate in new district |