(a) Except as provided in section 11 of this chapter and subject to IC 20-31-8-4.6 and IC 20-32-4-14, the four (4) year graduation rate for a cohort in a high school is the percentage determined under STEP FIVE of the following formula: STEP ONE: Determine the grade 9 enrollment at the beginning of the reporting year three (3) years before the reporting year for which the graduation rate is being determined.
STEP TWO: Add:
(A) the number determined under STEP ONE; and(B) the number of students who: (i) have enrolled in the high school after the date on which the number determined under STEP ONE was determined; and(ii) have the same expected graduation year as the cohort.STEP THREE: Subtract from the sum determined under STEP TWO the number of students who have left the cohort for any of the following reasons:
(A) Transfer to another public or nonpublic school.(B) Except as provided in IC 20-33-2-28.6 and subsection (b), removal by the student's parents under IC 20-33-2-28 to provide instruction equivalent to that given in the public schools.(C) Withdrawal because of a long term medical condition or death.(D) Detention by a law enforcement agency or the department of correction.(E) Placement by a court order or the department of child services.(F) Enrollment in a virtual school.(G) Leaving school, if the student attended school in Indiana for less than one (1) school year and the location of the student cannot be determined.(H) Leaving school, if the location of the student cannot be determined and the student has been reported to the Indiana clearinghouse for information on missing children, missing veterans at risk, and missing endangered adults.(I) Withdrawing from school before graduation, if the student is a high ability student (as defined in IC 20-36-1-3) who is a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher education during the semester in which the cohort graduates.(J) Withdrawing from school before graduation pursuant to providing notice of withdrawal under section 17 of this chapter.(K) Participating in the high school equivalency pilot program under IC 20-30-8.5, unless the student fails to successfully complete the high school equivalency pilot program in the two (2) year period. This clause expires June 30, 2024.STEP FOUR: Determine the result of:
(A) the total number of students determined under STEP TWO who have graduated during the current reporting year or a previous reporting year; minus(B) the amount by which the number of students who graduated through a waiver process required under IC 20-32-3 through IC 20-32-5.1 exceeds: (i) nine percent (9%) of the total number of students determined under clause (A) for the 2023-2024 school year;(ii) six percent (6%) of the total number of students determined under clause (A) for the 2024-2025 school year; or(iii) three percent (3%) of the total number of students determined under clause (A) for each school year after June 30, 2025. STEP FIVE: Divide:
(A) the number determined under STEP FOUR; by(B) the remainder determined under STEP THREE.