At the end of the year, the total number of dropouts will be used to compute dropout rates. The participating school districts are using a dropout reporting model developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Dropout statistics can be used to monitor the success of local schools and to identify students needing special attention. State-level statistics can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of statewide reform and the State's school performance, while national statistics can be used to provide an overall indication of the success of American schools. In the past, dropout rates have been computed several ways: through event rates, status rates, and cohort rates. The pilot project now underway attempts to improve comparability among statistics, define who is a student, track transfer students, and standardize counting procedures.