HF47 Summary

• Requires the Commissioner of Education to report annual four- and six-year graduation rates for at-risk and off-track students beginning July 1, 2013, and measure school success in improving graduation outcomes for these populations.

• Defines at-risk students in grades 8-9 as those who are English language learners enrolled in those grades, absent 20+ percent of school days, two or more years older than peers, or failing multiple core academic courses.

• Defines off-track students as those who are English language learners older than peers, returning dropouts, 16-17 years old and two or more academic years behind, or 18+ years old and two or more academic years behind or graduating within one additional year.

• Establishes a stakeholder group of experts to convene by September 15, 2011, to recommend research-based measures for improving graduation outcomes and propose alternative routes to a standard high school diploma for at-risk and off-track students, with recommendations due February 15, 2013.

• Requires school performance report cards to include the four- and six-year graduation rates and success measures for at-risk and off-track students, effective for reports beginning July 1, 2014.