204 - Disparity Adjustment of 2022-23 US Department of Education 4 year High School Graduation Rates: Widespread Disparities, State-to-State Variations, and Hidden Failures

Publication Number: 1193.204

Lawrence C. Kleinman, Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Metuchen, NJ, United States; Sumedha Kulkarni, Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Bridgewater, NJ, United States; Susan Connor, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Parma, OH, United States; Sarah D. Ronis, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital, Cleveland Hts, OH, United States

Background: Educational outcomes are crucial to healthy childhood and adolescence. The National Academies of Medicine consider Equity as one of six fundamental attributes of quality. For the first time we apply our previously validated method of Disparity Adjusted Performance Measurement (DAPM) to educational data, elevating disparity into the top-line reporting of educational outcomes.

Objective: We use US Department of Education (DOED) data (2022-2023) to report Black-White Disparity-Adjusted rates of High School Graduation (HSGR). We report the impact of disparity adjustment nationally and for each state that reports this data.

Design/Methods: HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Measurement Research Network (MCH-MRN) was a national multi-stakeholder collaboration dedicated to measurement in the MCH context. MCH MRN built on foundations developed by the Collaboration for Advancing Pediatric Quality Measures (CAPQuaM), a distinct multi-stakeholder collaboration and Center of Excellence in the federal Pediatric Quality Measures Program to develop an approach to adjust performance reporting for the level of disparity observed. Partners included clinicians, scientists, business groups, families, and public health professionals who worked to achieve a prespecified set of characteristics, including being statistically grounded, never over-adjusting, reducing adjustment when sample sizes are small and achieving face validity for the development team and our partners.

Figure 1 shows the DAPM equation developed sequentially by the MCH MRN and CAPQuaM. We applied this equation to 2022-23 DOED data that provides the percent of eligible adolescents who graduate high school within 4 years, using standard DOED definitions for the US and for each state, considering Black-White disparities.

Results: The USA HSGR is reported as 86.6%. After adjusting for Black-White disparities, the rate moves to 77.8%. Equity adjustment within states ranges from 1.4% to 23.3% in the 48 states and DC that report Black and White HSGR. States' performance compared with one another changes meaningfully after disparity-adjustment. Individual state rankings improved by as many as 18 spots and fell by as many as 39 spots. Figures 2 and 3 are heat maps that illustrate these findings across the states. Before adjustment WI appeared 3rd best. After adjustment WI is 5th worst.

Conclusion(s): Incorporating equity into the reporting of HSGR yields sobering insight regarding the variable extent of disparities across the USA. Black-White disparities are omnipresent and vary greatly from state to state. DAPM can be applied to educational as well as clinical outcomes.

Figure 1.
Equation for Disparity-Adjusted Performance Measurement (DAPM)

Figure 2. Reported High School Graduation Rates (HSGR) by State (DOED, 2022-2023)
Heat Map indicating Magnitude of Disparity Adjuster. Numbers are reported HSGR Color scale represents relative size of equity adjuster, based on Race [White vs. Black]. States in green require smaller adjustments, blue median adjustments, and red larger adjustments. The two states in gray did not report 4 year graduation data. The 5 states reporting the highest 4 year HSGR were WV>TN>WI>KY=MA and those reporting the lowest were DC

Figure 3. Disparity-Adjusted High School Graduation Rates (HSGR) by State (DOED, 2022-2023)
Heat Map indicating Change in relative performance of States after disparity adjustment. Numbers are disparity-adjusted HSGR. Color scale represents difference in US State Ranks (best to worst) between Unadjusted vs. Adjusted HSGR, after adjustment for Black-White disparities. States in green improve in rank, blue have small or no change, and red have worse ranks after adjustment. The two states in gray did not report 4 year graduation data. The 5 states reporting the highest 4 year HSGR were WV>MS>HI>KY>MT and those reporting the lowest were DC