Pending Changes to School Accountability

Last Wednesday, the Kentucky Board of Education took another step forward on revisions to our statewide accountability system.  There are still a few steps left in the "gauntlet" of steps needed to amend regulations, but the changes are now quite likely to be implemented.  Here's a report on the main shifts, backed up by a few notes to clarify elements that are unchanged.

Gap Results
Set novice reduction goals in reading and mathematics for each subgroup that has enough students to allow separate reporting

Report on the percent of those subgroup goals that each school meets
     ... and continue reporting proficiency results for the combined gap group

Growth Results
Report success in moving individual students to higher performance levels (apprentice, proficient or distinguished) and in keeping students at the proficient and distinguished levels
      ... and continue to report student growth percentile results

Combined Learner Results
For elementary schools, count achievement, gap and growth results equally
     ... and keep middle school weights of 30% achievement, 30% gap, 30% growth and 10% readiness
          ... and equal high school weights for achievement, gap, growth, readiness and graduation 

Annual Measurable Objectives
Specify that annual measurable objectives (AMOs) will be at least 1 point for needs improvement schools and at least half a point for proficient and distinguished schools

Set AMOs based just on the learner results (achievement, gap, growth, readiness and graduation) 
     ... and keep calculating overall scores combining learner results and program review results
          ... and using overall scores for schools' percentile rankings
               ... and to identify proficient, distinguished and needs improvement schools
                    ... and to identify priority schools
     ... and planning to add Professional Growth and Effectiveness System results to overall scores

Focus Schools
Identify focus schools based on graduation rates below 80% for two years 
     ... and drop focus based on 60% graduation rates 

Identify focus schools based on subgroup scores in the bottom 5% for that subject and group
    ... and drop focus based on subgroup scores in the third standard deviation
     ... and keep focus based on gap group scores in the bottom 10% of all gap group scores

These changes are shown in two documents approved during the April KBE meeting: the Statement of Consideration on 703 KAR 5:200, dealing next generation learner scores, and the Statement of Consideration on 703 KAR 5:225, on school and district accountability, recognition, support, and consequences.

--Posted by Susan Perkins Weston