Accountability in a Post-NCLB World: What the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Means for Minnesota Stephanie Graff, Chief Accountability Officer Michael Diedrich, ESEA Policy Specialist 651-582-8332 michael.diedrich@state.mn.us

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) ESSA replaced No Child Left Behind in December of 2015. The U.S. Department of Education released draft regulations about accountability under ESSA at the end of May. The 2016-17 school year will be a year of transition, with ESSA fully implemented in the 2017-18 school year. --- Alone, then with a partner: 3 things I know about ESSA, 2 questions I have, 1 concern or hope I have

Minnesota’s Tentative Timeline When? What? Spring 2016 Informational topic meetings to share the law and begin to collect feedback. Summer 2016 Additional feedback is gathered from stakeholder groups to inform focus areas. Summer-Fall 2016 Stakeholders convene in certain topic areas to make recommendations. Fall-Winter 2016 Regional listening sessions. January 2017 Draft plan made available for public comment. March 2017 Final plan submitted to U.S. Department of Education.

Accountability Workgroup: Two Committees Advisory Committee Charged with ensuring the technical committee’s work remains true to the needs of all Minnesota students and schools and to offer direction and advice on concepts and values the accountability system reflects. Technical Committee Charged with doing the deep technical analysis necessary to identify and define the indicators that will be used in Minnesota’s accountability system, the weights that will be attached to the indicators, and the calculations required to determine the criteria for identification.

Committee Meetings Committee meetings are open to the public Advisory Committee and Technical Committee schedules are on the MDE ESSA webpage

Each of these changes somewhat ESSA: The Latest Draft Retained concepts Assessment  Accountability  Improvement State and local report cards Each of these changes somewhat

Accountability and Improvement Changes in effect in 2017-18 Draft regulations require identification of schools for 2017-18 based on 2016-17 data Assessment  Accountability  Improvement MCAs/MTAS and graduation rates still used to identify schools for improvement English Learner accountability will be included in Title I (moving from Title III) At least one other indicator of student success or school quality will be added School identification categories will change

Groups ESSA requires that the following groups be included in accountability calculations Students from low-income backgrounds (e.g. students receiving free or reduced price meals) Major racial and ethnic groups English learners Students with disabilities

NCLB Waiver vs. ESSA - Indicators Proficiency Academic Achievement Growth Academic Progress (OPTIONAL FOR HIGH SCHOOLS) High School Grad Rate High School Grad Rate AMAOs Gap Reduction Calculation Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency School Quality or Student Success Focus Rating

NCLB Waiver vs. ESSA - Categories Reward Schools Celebration (Eligible) & Continuous Improvement Targeted Support and Improvement Schools where groups are consistently underperforming, including a subset of schools with particularly low-performing student groups School and LEA create plan. AMAO Designations Focus Schools Comprehensive Support and Improvement Lowest 5% of accountability system High schools with <67% Grad Rate Schools with particularly low-performing student groups, if the school doesn’t improve quickly School, LEA, and SEA create plan. Grad Focus Schools Priority Schools

Goals Goals and interim measurements of progress must be set for all students and for each student group for academic achievement (proficiency) and for graduation rates These goals must make significant progress in closing performance gaps between groups Goals and interim measurements must also be set for the number of English learners making progress toward English language proficiency

Weights Significantly more weight must be given to the academic indicators (achievement, progress, graduation rates, and progress toward English language proficiency) than to the indicator(s) of school quality or student success Per draft regulations, these weights should be set such that no school is identified for improvement, or avoids such identification, based on its performance on the indicator(s) of school quality or student success

Participation ESSA requires that the state as a whole achieve a 95% participation rate for all students and for each student group The state’s accountability system must reflect this requirement Additionally, the calculation of the percentage of students who are proficient must be based on either the number of students who took the test or 95% of eligible students, whichever is higher Statewide MTAS participation cannot exceed 1%

State and Local Report Cards Changes in effect in 2017-18 Most existing information still required New data on school climate, preschool participation, and participation in advanced coursework New disaggregation of some academic achievement and graduation rate data Homeless (already under way in Minnesota) Foster care Children of active duty military service members (achievement only; NOT graduation rates)

World’s Best Workforce World’s Best Workforce means striving to: Have all students ready for kindergarten Have all third-grade students achieve grade-level literacy Close the achievement gap among all groups Have all students graduate from high school Have all students attain college and career preparedness Federal accountability system primarily focuses on Title I schools; WBWF includes all districts Minnesota has an opportunity to build a cohesive accountability and support system around common goals

For More Information… Us Stephanie.Graff@state.mn.us Michael.Diedrich@state.mn.us ESSA web page on MDE website education.state.mn.us/MDE/SchSup/ESSA MDE ESSA inbox mde.essa@state.mn.us (For questions, suggestions, interest, etc.) Federal information, including FAQs ed.gov/essa