2023-24 State Policy Report: Dropout Prevention and Student Re-Engagement

Abstract

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) has identified four priority areas within its Strategic Plan that guide the work of the department in its role to support implementation of state education statute and be responsive to district, school, and student need: (1) Increase student engagement; (2) Accelerate student outcomes; (3) Strengthen the educator workforce; and (4) Provide operational excellence. This report provides an overview of key metrics and initiatives facilitated and supported by CDE's Dropout Prevention and Student Re-engagement office. The office's focus is on organizing support and information that can lead to improvements in student engagement and long-term graduation and completion outcomes. Outcome data from the 2023-2024 school year show improvement across metrics for engagement, graduation, and completion, including the highest graduation and completion rates in Colorado history. These improvements continue a trend seen in the 2022-23 school year after declines seen in many metrics during the pandemic. In addition, after many statewide measures of engagement declined in 2021-2022, there was improvement in nearly every major metric for a second year in a row. Specifically, in the 2023-2024 school year, Colorado schools saw lower dropout rates, higher attendance, and lower chronic absenteeism and truancy. Only the average district stability rate decreased in 2023-2024, losing 0.1 percentage point from the 2022-2023 rate. However, many of these rates remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. Although the 2023-2024 school year was notable in its improvements in graduation and engagement across all students, gaps still remain between student groups and in many cases have not changed even with the decline or improvement of rates over the past three years. CDE administers grant programs, trainings, and other activities focused on improving engagement and graduation outcomes. The Dropout Prevention and Student Re-engagement office manages projects directly and works across CDE and with other agencies to support efforts to improve student engagement and academic outcomes in school. In addition, the Dropout Prevention and Student Re-engagement office supported implementation of legislation and projects. This report was prepared in accordance with state statute, section 22-14-111, C.R.S, for the 2023-2024 school year. Data included in this report were pulled from the 2023-2024 Student End-of-Year Snapshot, Student October Snapshot, the School Discipline and Attendance collection, and End of Year surveys completed by grantees.