Alberta High School Student Outcomes

Annual Dropout and Returning Rates

Updated September 2008

The annual dropout rate tracks Alberta students aged 14 to 18 for one year. Those who are not registered in the education system (K-12 school, post-secondary institution or apprenticeship program in Alberta) in the subsequent year or have not completed high school are included in the dropout rate.

The annual returning rate is the percentage of students who returned to the education system (K-12 school, post-secondary institution or apprenticeship program in Alberta) a year after dropping out.

The dropout rate is both on Accountability Pillar and Ministry business plan measure. dropout rate graph returning rate graph


Annual dropout and returning rates of Alberta students aged 14-18
  2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07
Dropout rate 5.5% 5.5% 4.9% 4.7% 5.0%
Returning rate 20.8% 23.0% 21.4% 21.2% 21.3%

Notes:

  • An attrition adjustment is applied to dropout rates using Statistics Canada estimates.
  • The returning rate for any year in the table above is based on the students who dropped out in the previous year. For example, the returning rate in 2003/04 is based on the students in the 2002/03 dropout rate.
  • Detailed information on these calculations is contained in the methodology document.

Annual Dropout and Returning Rates 1996/1997 to 2006/2007 - Alberta School Jurisdictions