As high school graduation initiatives gain momentum in Montana, Flathead County schools are seeing improvements in the number of students getting diplomas.

Flathead, Glacier, Columbia Falls, Bigfork and Whitefish high schools surpassed the statewide adjusted cohort graduation rate of 83.9 percent, according to the Office of Public Instruction’s Graduation and Dropout Report.

Bigfork had both the highest graduation rate and the lowest dropout rate of any Flathead Valley public high school.

The cohort rate counts students in ninth grade through graduation over a four-year period. This number is adjusted by students who transfer into or out of a school.

Data collection for the graduating class of 2012 began in fall 2008. Graduation rates in local schools improved significantly from the 2011 cohort graduation rate.

Glacier’s 2012 cohort graduation rate was 84.2 percent, an improvement from 79 percent in 2011.

Flathead’s 2012 graduation number was 81.8 percent, up from 77 percent for 2011.

Other schools also showed positive gains in graduation rates:

— Bigfork: 90.8 percent for 2012; 87 percent for 2011.

— Columbia Falls: 86.3 percent for 2012; 82 percent for 2011.

— Whitefish: 85.5 percent for 2012; 78 percent for 2011.

The Office of Public Instruction also counts dropout rates, although unlike graduation rates, dropout rates are counted on a yearly basis.

Three of the local schools — Bigfork, Columbia Falls and Glacier — made slight improvements from 2010-11 to 2011-12 while Flathead and Whitefish dropout rates increased slightly.

Flathead, though, has made the biggest improvement since 2009’s dropout rate of 8.6 percent out of an enrollment of 1,414.

The following are dropout rates along with enrollment numbers for the 2011-12 school year.

— Bigfork: Dropout rate of 1.9 percent, enrollment of 259.

— Whitefish: Dropout rate of 3.6 percent, enrollment of 500.

— Glacier: Dropout rate of 3.7 percent, enrollment of 1,268.

— Columbia Falls: Dropout rate of 4.2 percent, enrollment of 719.

— Flathead: Dropout rate of 4.6 percent, enrollment of 1,485.

Kalispell Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Dan Zorn attributes his district’s improved rates to several dropout prevention strategies such as offering more credit retrieval opportunities and providing intervention.

“We’re trying to get kids hope and helping to get kids to where they can see, ‘Yep, I can get this done and if I failed that class I can get a second chance to get that credit and keep moving on,” Zorn said.

One of the credit retrieval opportunities is the district’s summer school program, which was overhauled around 2007 from a tutoring program to a system of teacher-instructed classes each worth half-credits, Zorn said.

“We became very purposeful with summer school. We started targeting kids who were credit-deficient or failed courses — kids not on track to graduate. We invited kids and their parents to be involved,” Zorn said.

The Montana Digital Academy also has been a beneficial tool for students to take online courses and make up credits.

Students who struggle during class receive extra support through what Zorn refers to as “double-dipping.” He used an example of a student struggling in math. Rather than pull that student out of math class for remedial instruction, the student stays in the class and receives another period of math support.

This year, Kalispell Public Schools also rolled out Graduation Matters Kalispell, an extension of the statewide Graduation Matters initiative.

Kalispell’s effort is focused on networking a community to foster student success inside and outside the school beginning in eighth grade, and providing mentors to at-risk students.

The goal, Zorn said, is to reach a 95 percent graduation rate by 2016.

“We feel like we’re already seeing good effects with efforts going on in our schools,” Zorn said.

Michael Nicosia, superintendent of Columbia Falls schools, said his district focuses on the cohort graduation rates rather than fluctuating dropout rates because the graduation rates provide a broad look over time.

A dropout rate “might give you a picture in a given year, and there are so many factors why kids drop out in any given year, I think what is important to us as educators is to have a more longitudinal look,” Nicosia said. “We can look over a four-year period and see how we’re impacting our kids.”

Dropout prevention is on the front burner for Columbia Falls. Some of the strategies in play are heightening awareness of the importance of graduation, keeping students connected to their school and adapting curriculum to meet students’ needs.

“The one single thing that is going to make the most difference in dropout prevention is getting kids connected to their school,” Nicosia said. “When a child feels like they’re a part of the school community, and that they’re involved in what’s happening within the school community, their risk of dropping out is greatly reduced.”  

To foster student involvement, Columbia Falls Principal Scott Gaiser organized an intramural sports program where teams compete during lunch. Students have also been invited to be part of a board that meets with school trustees and administrators.

“We try to get a representation of different groups within the schools. We just have an open dialogue about what’s going on in the school,” Nicosia said.

One of the ideas from the student board the district is considering involves revising class scheduling to increase the number of one-semester courses so students can take more electives.

“It’s so important to adjust your curriculum to better meet the needs of your kids,” Nicosia said.

And graduation requirements need to be practical, Nicosia said.

“I think we have a good plan and we’ll continue to evolve that plan. Improving our graduation cohort rate is showing positive progress and there’s a lot to be done. One child who drops out of high school is one too many.”

Statistics for all of Montana’s schools are available at www.opi.mt.gov.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.