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Virtual Credit Recovery (VCR) programs are an ever-growing alternative for students to earn back failed credits needed to graduate high school on time. During the 2014-15 school year, Iowa achieved the highest national graduation rate (91%), while New Mexico and the District of Columbia were lowest (69%) (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2017). The gap in success rate between states exemplifies the concern for on-time graduation. Utilizing VCR programs, schools hope to assist struggling students with earning back failed credits necessary to graduate on time. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) (2017a) published an annual state-level report on graduation and dropout rates for four-, five-, and six-year student cohorts who entered ninth grade together (Table 1). This provided further insight into the number of students dropping out of school in Virginia alone.
Table 1. Virginia state cohort reports-graduation and dropout rates
Graduation Year | Graduation Rate (%) | Number of Dropouts | Dropout Rate (%) |
4-Year | 5-Year | 6-Year | 4-Year | 5-Year | 6-Year | 4-Year | 5-Year | 6-Year |
2017 | 91.16 | - | - | 5,491 | - | - | 5.76 | - | - |
2016 | 91.3 | 92.26 | - | 5,028 | 5,808 | - | 5.3 | 6.11 | - |
2015 | 90.5 | 91.7 | 91.86 | 4876 | 5,697 | 5,859 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 6.3 |
2014 | 89.9 | 90.9 | 91.12 | 5,126 | 5,810 | 5,983 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.32 |
2013 | 89.1 | 90.1 | 90.2 | 5,681 | 6,287 | 6,501 | 5.9 | 7 | 6.8 |
2012 | 88 | 89 | 89.2 | 6,288 | 7,024 | 7,149 | 6.5 | 7.2 | 7.4 |
2011 | 86.6 | 88 | 88 | 7,046 | 7,878 | 8,030 | 7 | 8 | 8.2 |
2010 | 85.5 | 87 | 87 | 8,018 | 8,333 | 8,491 | 8.2 | 9 | 9 |
Note: Adapted from Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Cohort Reports 2010-2017, Retrieved from: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/graduation_completion/cohort_reports/
Note: Updated and modified from original research, with permission from Vigilante (2016)