Course Failures in Semester 1

February 15, 2021

Text here…

Data
This analysis is based on course grades from English language arts (ELA), Math, and Science courses from
Semester 1 of the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 academic years. We used the final course grade for Semester 1
courses and the Semester 1 grade for year-long courses. Where final or semester grades were not available, we
used an average of the available grades from Quarters 1 and 2. Note that students who have a failing grade in a
year-long course at the end of Semester 1 can still go on to pass the course overall if they improve their grade
during Semester 2. To protect student privacy, course failure percentages are not shown for groups with fewer than
10 students (marked with an asterisk in the figures) and values below 5 percent (labeled as “< 5” in the figures).

Findings
District summary
Across CMS, 17.5 percent of students enrolled in ELA courses had a failing grade at the end of Semester 1 of
2020-21. In Math and Science courses, the Semester 1 course failure rates were 16.2 percent and 15.6 percent,
respectively. The Semester 1 course failure rates across all students in 2020-21 were approximately two to three
times as high as they were in 2018-19 and 2019-20 (see next page).

Percent of students with course failure in Semester 1 of 2020-21

27.1 26.7 26.5

20.7 20.0 20.7

19.8
18.0 17.5 18.8 18.4 18.2
17.5
16.2 15.6
15.0 14.3
13.7

All students Female Male Students with Current English Exited English
disabilities Learners Learners

46.5
44.4

36.9

20.2 19.7 21.1 19.8

19.5
17.7 17.5 17.6
13.0
11.1 11.8 9.9
5.7 5.3 6.1

Elementary K-8 Middle High Alternative Exceptional

ELA Math Science Children
1
 Course Failures in Semester 1
February 15, 2021

Percent of students with course failure in Semester 1 by grade level

Course failure rates are typically lowest in the elementary grades and peak in grade 9. Compared to previous
years, course failure rates in Semester 1 of 2020-21 were elevated across nearly all grade levels and subject
areas, with the largest increases seen in grades 6-8. (Note: “XG” is a new grade designation in 2020-21 for
students with disabilities who remain enrolled in the district until they turn 22.)

English language arts

31

23
21
20
18 17 18
16
13 14
13 12
11
9
7 7 8
5 6 < 5< 5 < 5< 5 < 5< 5 < 5< 5 5 5 6 7 < 56 <5

*
All 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 XG
2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

Math
26
23
19
18
17 17 17
16 16
13 14
12 12 13 12
11 11
10 10 9
8 8 8
7 7 7
< 5< 5 < 5< 5 < 5< 5 < 56 <5

*
All 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 XG
2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

Science

22
21 21
18 17
16 15 15
13 14 14
12 11 11
9 9 10
8 8 8
7 7 7
6 6 6
<5 < 5< 5 < 5< 5 < 5< 5 < 55 5 <5

All 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 XG
2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2
 Course Failures in Semester 1
February 15, 2021

Percent of students with course failure in Semester 1 by student group

Course failure rates for white and Asian students in 2020-21 were similar to previous years in all three subject
areas. All other student racial/ethnic groups had increased rates of course failures in Semester 1 of 2020-21
compared to the previous two years. Increases in course failure rates were largest among American Indian
students (one of the district’s smallest demographic groups) and among Black and Hispanic students (who together
account for nearly two-thirds of district enrollment).

English language arts 25

22 22

13 12

7 8 7 8 7 8
<5 <5 6 <5 <5 <5 6 <5 <5

*
White Asian Two or More Pacific Islander American Indian Black Hispanic

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

Math
25 24
20

15
13 12
10 11
9
8 8 7 7
<5 <5 5 <5 <5 6

*
White Asian Two or More Pacific Islander American Indian Black Hispanic

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

Science
24

19 20
16
13

8 8
6 7 6
<5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 6

White Asian Two or More Pacific Islander American Indian Black Hispanic

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 3