Average Class Size is the average number of students in a particular class.
“Common Branch” refers to self-contained classes in Grades 1-6 that are taught by teachers certified to teach all subjects typically included in elementary school. Additional student and educator data is available in the Student and Educator Report.
A positive school climate promotes school safety, student self-esteem, emotional well-being, mental health, and lower incidences of substance abuse, student absenteeism, and suspensions. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) continues to promote initiatives to foster student engagement and thereby increase student achievement, safety, and wellness.
Our Social Emotional Learning materials support the state's ESSA plan priorities and promote a positive school climate. The resources outline benchmarks and frameworks for educators to implement Social Emotional Learning practices in their schools and classrooms.
Mental health education can assist young people and their families and result in positive decision-making and life-long success.
School Safety indicates the safety of the school’s environment based on reported incidents.
What percentage of students attended school on the days the school was open?
What percentage of students were suspended from school at least one full day during the school year?
What percentage of students were absent 10 percent or more of the days they were enrolled in school?
The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, the main federal law for K-12 public education, requires that states hold public schools accountable for how students achieve. New York State established a set of indicators to measure school and district performance.
The accountability system classifies schools into one of three categories: In Good Standing, a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) school, or a Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school.
| School Designations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing District | Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) School | Target District |
| A district in Good Standing demonstrates success in all performance goals. | Schools that struggled to prepare all of their students with some or all indicators of success. | Districts that struggled to prepare some of their student subgroups on some or all indicators are identified as Target Districts. |
This classification system is all about achieving equity. By identifying schools that need the most attention, NYSED and school districts can focus resources on these schools. Visit our website to learn more about what happens if your child’s school is identified as a CSI or TSI school.
Read the Accountability Fact Sheet for Parents for more information. Find more information about ESSA Accountability Designations on our website.
This district's or school's Financial Transparency Report outlines how much is spent per student and the source of the funds. These financial transparency reports were issued for the first time in 2020 for the 2018-19 school year, and annual releases will be available after April 1st in each subsequent year. School district financial transparency reports, which display per pupil expenditures for individual schools, as well as district averages, inform conversations within districts about whether equitable resources are being provided at the school level. At the state level, these reports help inform future Board of Regents State Aid requests and other policymaking decisions.
GOWANDA HIGH SCHOOL 2020-21 School Year Financial Transparency
The graduation rate is the percentage of students who entered grade 9 in the same school year who earned a local or Regents diploma four years later.
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) reports the percentage of students who earned a local or Regents diploma by June, four year after they entered grade 9. NYSED also reports the percentage of students who earned a local or Regents diploma by August of the same year (the August percentage includes all students who earned a diploma by June and August combined).
The New York State Education Department also reports the percentage of students who earned a local or Regents diploma five and six years later.
| 4, 5, and 6-Year Graduation Rates (June and August) | |
|---|---|
| Cohort | Graduation Rate |
| 2017 4-year August Cohort | 85% |
| 2017 4-year June Cohort | 81% |
| 2016 5-year August Cohort | 86% |
| 2016 5-year June Cohort | 86% |
| 2015 6-year August Cohort | 89% |
| 2015 6-year June Cohort | 89% |
For more information about the graduation rate by student subgroup, or to compare graduation rates for your school or district to the state graduation rate, please refer to your school or district’s full report on graduation rate data