Toledo's graduation rate dropped significantly on state school report cards released Wednesday because of a new way to calculate the figure.

The Toledo Public Schools rate dropped to 63.1 percent for the 2009-2010 school year under the new formula. An old way of calculating graduation rates showed Toledo with an 80.5 percent graduation rate. Of Ohio's major urban school districts, only Akron's graduation rate actually increased under the new formula.

Dayton's graduation rate sank to roughly 59 percent under the new formula, compared with just above 84 percent under the previous calculation. Cincinnati public schools saw a rate of 60.2 percent graduate using the new formula, down from about 82 percent under the previous method.

Larger, urban districts weren't the only ones affected by the new graduation rate. In northwest Ohio, Oregon's dropped from 98.6 under the old rating to 88.4. Anthony Wayne's went from 97.9 to 89.7, and Washington Local's dropped from 90 to 83.9. Some other area districts' rates remained relatively unchanged. For instance, Perrysburg's rate decreased from 97.4 to 96.2.

In the past, Ohio used an estimated cohort rate calculation, taking a current year graduation class, minus calculations for recorded withdrawals in the four prior years. There were flaws in the calculation; if a student said he was transferring to a new school but never did, he wouldn't be counted against the graduation rate.

Ohio's new model tracks individual students using unique identification numbers from their freshman year to determine if they graduated on time, moved to a different school, or dropped out. It was developed after 2008 changes by the federal government in reporting requirements. The new measurements don't immediately affect district ratings on the report cards or affect the schools under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, but will in future years.

Janet Walsh, a spokesman for Cincinnati's district, said flawed data contributed to its disparity in rates. She said the district found instances where foreign exchange students were counted as dropouts, as were parochial students who took career education classes.

Transient students are harder to track, she said. About 800 students leave the Cincinnati district to go to nearby Kentucky or other states.

Toledo's high rates under the old formula were a point of pride for the district, but officials did not contest the new results. Instead, Chief Academic Officer Jim Gault said TPS leaders already knew not enough students were graduating.

"Whether I think it's accurate or not, I will tell you we have work to do," Mr. Gault said. "We realized that back in January."

The district is adding online academies this year for students to take online courses after school. Course offerings will be expanded for high school students through distance learning labs. And several schools will have college coaches who help students plan their futures.

"We will not be satisfied until [the graduation rate] is at 100 percent," Mr. Gault said.

Information from staff writer Nolan Rosenkrans and The Blade's news services was used in this report.

First Published August 25, 2011, 5:22 a.m.