In our work at United Way of Dane County, we have learned the immense value of using statistical measures to guide our community 's efforts on the Agenda for Change.

Consistent, accurate, and understandable measures are essential for all the work we do at United Way. That is why we are in complete agreement with the Wisconsin State Journal 's May 19 editorial on the differing formula for measuring high school graduation rates across the country.

Back in 1995, when the Wisconsin State Journal and WISC-TV began a civic journalism project to study the racial achievement gaps in our schools, the statistical measures of student achievement and reading in third grade put the issue in sharp focus.

United Way and our community partners ' efforts, through a variety of strategies including the Schools of Hope tutoring program, relied on those strong, focused statistics to measure the success of our 1-on-1 and 1-on-2 tutoring.

By 2004, Superintendent Art Rainwater was able to announce the elimination of the racial achievement gap in third grade reading scores, because our community had focused on stable statistical measure for over 10 years.

A standard graduation rate formula would create the same public focus for our nation 's efforts to increase high school graduation rates.

This is where we differ from the position of Wisconsin State Journal. Holding schools accountable, as the editorial states, should not be the sole goal of a standard graduation formula.

Strong data and measurable goals should rally the community and create powerful community response to address the underlying causes of low graduation rates.

We have seen the impact of common measures in creating a community response at United Way of Dane County. Schools of Hope focused on third grade reading and now 10th grade algebra in Madison, Sun Prairie and Verona. Thousands of volunteers have tutored children understanding their role in this strategic community response.

We have now deployed volunteers in every area of our Agenda for Change. A key motivator is showing volunteers the results of their efforts.

As part of our Achievement Connections, we are working with community partners to improve graduation rates for local schools -- setting a goal based on measures to improve graduation rate to 95 percent by 2012.

This innovative plan relies on contributions from local schools, parents, youth mentors and business leaders to achieve measurable results on high school graduation rates with a public focus.

Volunteers have offered to create housing, navigate health care, provide meals to seniors, mentor and lead community-based organizations, because they understand the issue, the scope and dimension of the problem, and their role in improving the community. Consistent and understandable measures help articulate the problem and motivate the community to action.

Howard is president of United Way of Dane County.