Thursday, November 25, 2010

Dallas ISD progress fighting the 9th grade bulge is surpassing rest of Texas

Dallas ISD progress lowering the 9th grade bulge is about to go below that rate for the rest of Texas.  If you measure the 9th grade bulge as the percentage increase in enrollment from 8th to 9th grade, then Dallas ISD has gone from a bulge of 41% to one that is 11.9% this year.  During this same time period the same measurement for the entire state has gone from 19.9% to 14.1% as of last year.  This years Texas measurement is not yet available.  Here is the chart reflecting that progress:
The above chart was made from this data:
The progress has been most significant the past 6 years when it went from 34.3% in 2005/06 to 11.9% as of 2010/11. This issue was described in detail at http://schoolarchiveproject.blogspot.com/2010/10/9th-grade-bulge-is-disappearing-from.html which was posted October 14th.

The above chart shows that DISD may be about to surpass the rest of the state if you look at the enrollment by grade records for the entire state of Texas.

Questions, and especially challenges about these conclusions are welcome. If anyone wants to see the spreadsheets used to generate this chart please email bbetzen@aol.com. The spreadsheets used to generate the numbers used in the above chart will gladly be shared.  A critical reading of this information is needed.  All the original data comes either from the TEA web site or from the Dallas ISD web site.  It was placed into spreadsheets and the above numbers calculated.  Such charts should be created for all schools and school districts in Texas.  It would significantly increase public confidence in what our schools are doing, or else point out the problems we must face eventually, with or without such a warning.