A national initiative to increase accountability through graduation rates has gone a step too far according to USD 489 Superintendent Will Roth. Under the new formula, a freshman class is considered a cohort group, and every student in that group must graduate in four years. Roth says that requirement hurts students who need a little more time.

The new formula also penalizes the work of the Learning Center and its mission to encourage drop outs to finish their education. Under the old formula, Hays High’s graduation rate was 92 to 94%. With the new requirements, this year that number was 83%.