Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals VASSP Summer Conference Portsmouth Renaissance June 26, 2017

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” -Warren G. Bennis

The Changing Face of Student Enrollment in Virginia Education Briefing: Diversity in Ed Pipeline 2016 The Changing Face of Student Enrollment in Virginia Source: VDOE Fall Membership Data Virginia Department of Education

Student Demographics English Language Learner (ELL) students represent twelve percent (12%) of the statewide student enrollment or 154,020 students. Economically Disadvantaged students represent thirty-eight percent (38%) of the statewide student enrollment or 487,834 students. More than half of Virginia students (50.22%) identify as non-white.

Two Priority Reforms Underway High School Redesign: Profile of a Virginia Graduate Accreditation Matrix/ESSA State Plan

High School Redesign includes several initiatives… The Profile of a Virginia Graduate

Stronger Connections to Work Increase Career Exposure, Exploration, and Planning Elementary Grades Identification of personal interests and abilities Provision of information about career cluster areas Middle Grades Career Investigation Course or equivalent for students in middle school to aid academic and Career planning in accordance with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate Course information and planning for education/training after high school High School Grades Emphasis on workplace skills for ALL students Opportunities for internships and work-based learning Increase Opportunities for Internships and Work-based Learning Experiences Scheduling alternatives that offer opportunities for internships, externships, work-based experiences, and credentialing Adding work-based learning experiences and earned credentials into measures of college and career readiness

Less Testing: Reduced Verified Credit Requirements Standard Diploma: reduced from 6 to 4 verified credits Advanced Diploma: reduced from 9 to 4 verified credits One Verified Credit Each in: Mathematics SOL Test Science English Social Studies Authentic Performance Assessment* *Hewlett Grant funding of $1.2 million in partnership with Jobs for the Future: Provides professional development for teachers State developed rubric/template insures continuity Begins transition to verify credits in different ways, not just through an SOL Test.

Accreditation and Accountability Reform ESSA State Plan

Unintended Outcomes of Current Accountability System List of “failing” schools paralleled poverty % Sanctions “demoralized” community & staff Test Prep dominated school day & year Teachers reverted to “drill & kill” methodology – not best practice approaches High quality staff refused to work in “failing” schools Non-tested subjects pushed out of school day Parent/community backlash – “anti-testing” Key Point here is “new” system is working to fix some of these – the intent of Accountability Reform is to “do this better” and “fairer”

State Board Reform Philosophy of Accountability Four Main Principles: Provide comprehensive picture of school quality Drive continuous improvement for all schools Build on strengths and address gaps and unintended outcomes in current system Inform areas of VDOE technical assistance and use of school improvement resources Although not a Core Principle, the State Board also sought tighter alignment of the state/federal accountability systems (Accreditation and ESSA) In previous discussions, we’ve heard consensus from you about some key principles for state accountability and I’ve listed them here on the slide. For Virginia, our accountability system should provide: a comprehensive picture of school quality (includes multiple measures), drives continuous improvement (focus on achievement for ALL students), builds on strengths and addresses gaps in current system (recognizes that we’ve learned some things from our experience with current and previous accountability systems) and importantly, provides a system that informs technical assistance and drives school improvement resources (targeted interventions vice a one size fits all approach).

Potential Areas of Accountability for Schools School Quality Profiles Accreditation (State) Every Student Succeeds Act (Federal) Standards of Quality Accountability (Reporting to Public & Driving Continuous Improvement) Public reporting function Features important indicators of school quality Educational effectiveness function Measures reflect highest priorities Directs levels of support/intervention (school improvement) Essential elements of schools function Ensures necessary resources are in place So, finally, we move into the mechanisms of accountability which reflect the ways in which our expectations for accountability are communicated. You ‘ve discussed at length the redesign of the school quality profiles, which is the primary way in which our stakeholders typically access information about schools. We’ve also begun the discussion about state accreditation (which will continue in the next few slides) and in the next several months conversations about the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, will also occur. These two systems, ideally aligned, represent the educational effectiveness function and reflect your highest priorities for schools. Finally, the standards of quality, which you discussed this morning, reflect the essential elements of schools and are designed to ensure the necessary resources are in place. For the remainder of the brief, we’ll focus on the orange bubble – state accreditation – but I’ll also reference how state accreditation aligns with the other mechanisms, particularly ESSA.

Matrix Accreditation Approach Level 1 (At Standard) Level 2 (Near Standard) Level 3 (Below Standard) DRAFT Criteria Number of schools DRAFT/PROPOSED

Criteria for Selecting Quality Accreditation Metrics Research indicates metric is related to academic performance Standardized data collection procedures exist across schools and divisions Data for metric are reliable and valid Metric is modifiable through school-level policies and practices Metric meaningfully differentiates among schools based on progress of all students and student subgroups Metric does not unfairly impact one type/group of schools or students School-level metric is moderately to strongly correlated with school-level pass rates on state assessments Priority Point The Board’s review of possible indicators is framed by these considerations – so not ALL indicators fit this list

Proposed Accreditation Indicators Performance Levels Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Combined Rate for English Reading and Writing* 75% or higher (state benchmark) Between 66% and 74% 65% or lower Combined Rate for Math* 70% or higher Between 66% and 69% Pass Rate for Science* Achievement Gaps: English Reading and Writing* Less than 10 points below state benchmark 10 or more points below state benchmark Achievement Gaps: Math* Less than 5 points below state benchmark 5 or more points below state benchmark *Schools can improve the performance level on the indicator by decreasing the assessment failure rate by 10% or more

Proposed Accreditation Indicators Performance Levels Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Graduation Completion Index† 88 or higher Between 81 and 87 80 or lower Dropout Rate‡ 6% or lower Between 7% and 8% 9% or higher Chronic Absenteeism‡ 15% or lower Between 16% and 24% 25% or higher College and Career Readiness Index 85% or higher Between 71% and 84% 70% or lower †Schools can improve the performance level on the indicator by increasing the index value by 10% or more ‡Schools can improve the performance level on the indicator by decreasing the rate by 10% or more

Role of ESSA Under ESSA, State Accountability Systems must address: Academic achievement; Academic progress; Graduation rates; Progress in English Learners gaining proficiency; and One or more other indicators of school quality.

Proposed Accreditation Indicators Category Indicator Required by ESSA? Achievement English Academic Indicator (includes passing state assessments, student growth and English Learner progress) Math Academic Indicator (includes passing state assessments and student growth) Science Academic Indicator (includes passing state assessments) English Academic Achievement Gap (examines all reporting groups) Math Academic Achievement Gap (examines all reporting groups)

Proposed Accreditation Indicators Category Indicator Required by ESSA? Graduation/ School Progress Graduation and Completion Index Dropout Rate (high schools) Student Engagement Chronic Absenteeism (elementary and middle schools) College and Career Readiness College and Career Readiness Index (includes advanced coursework, CTE credentials, and work-based learning)

Application of Indicator Performance to Actions Actions and responses to be taken by school divisions and schools, according to performance level on a school quality indicator Action required of schools NOT tied to accreditation status Schools act to focus on improvement of indicator outcomes

Application of Indicator Performance to Actions Accredited When each school quality indicator is in the Level One (Green) range or Level Two (Yellow) range. Accredited with Conditions When a school has any school quality indicator in the Level III (Red) range. Accreditation Denied When a school or school division fails to implement school division or school corrective action plans according to planned timelines, or has taken no action on identified strategies and interventions, the school is reviewed for potential designation by the board as “Accreditation Denied.” The Board shall deny accreditation for any school that continues to demonstrate Level Three (Red) performance levels in any school quality indicator due to a failure to implement actions prescribed in a corrective action plan.

These schools display visual outcomes using the new system Fictional Examples These schools display visual outcomes using the new system

West Elementary School Achievement Combined Rate: English Reading and Writing Combined Rate: Math Pass Rate: Science Achievement Gaps: English Achievement Gaps: Math Student Participation/ Engagement Chronic Absenteeism OVERALL ACCREDITED LEVEL 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2

South Middle School Achievement Combined Rate: English Reading and Writing Combined Rate: Math Pass Rate: Science Achievement Gaps: English Achievement Gaps: Math Student Participation/ Engagement Chronic Absenteeism OVERALL ACCREDITED LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1

North High School Achievement Combined Rate: English Reading and Writing Combined Rate: Math Pass Rate: Science Achievement Gaps: English Achievement Gaps: Math Graduation/ School Progress Graduation Completion Index Dropout Rate College and Career Readiness College and Career Readiness Index OVERALL ACCREDITED WITH CONDITIONS LEVEL 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3

Accreditation Designation for Virginia’s Public Schools (if criteria applied to current data) Accredited with conditions – one or more indicators at Level 3 Based on data from 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16

Accreditation Designation by Division Legend All schools accredited 80%-99% of schools accredited 60%-79% of schools accredited 40%-59% of schools accredited 20%-39% of schools accredited 0%-19% of schools accredited Number of divisions by color Grey 24 Orange 34 Blue 34 Green 21 Pink 15 Purple 4 For 65 divisions, the number of schools that were not accredited increased. For 42 divisions, there was no change in the number of schools. For 25 schools, the number of schools accredited increased. Richmond, Petersburg and Norfolk benefit from new system.

Standards of Accreditation Implementation Timeline Jan 2018 VDOE runs accreditation outcomes for the 2017-2018 school year (based on 2017 testing data). *Informational Only Dec 2017 Legislative Deadline for approval of the “Profile”. FINAL Regulations submitted to Governor for signature. Summer 2017 60 Day Public Comment Period Begins BOE Conducts Public Hearings Fall 2018 New Graduation Requirements EFFECTIVE for the freshman class of 2018-2019 (Graduating Class of 2022). Transition year for New Accreditation Matrix. For this year only, a school may achieve full accreditation by meeting the criteria and rules of either the 2017-2018 year or those effective 2018-2019, whichever benefits it the most. June 2017 BOE Adopts PROPOSED Regulations APA Process Begins. June 2017 Board of Education adoption of proposed regulations on agenda for final approval With Board approval, initiation of Administrative Review Process Summer 2017 Scheduled BOE public hearings and roundtables Fairfax, Harrisonburg, Wytheville, Va. Beach, South Hill Fall 2017 Board of Education final approval of regulations December 2017 Legislatively mandated deadline for final stage of Profile of a Graduate Governor’s signature to implement Final Regulations Jan 2018 VDOE runs accreditation outcomes for the 2017-2018 school year (based on 2017 testing data) for each school division, for informational purposes only Fall 2018 Graduation requirements effective with the entering ninth-grade class of 2018-2019 (Graduating Class of 2022) Serves as a Transition year for new Accreditation Matrix For this year only, a school may achieve full accreditation by meeting the criteria and rules of either the 2017-2018 year or those effective 2018-2019, whichever benefits it the most. Fall 2019 All schools will be accredited on the reformed accountability system. Fall 2017 BOE FINAL APPROVAL of REGULATIONS Jan 2019 ALL schools will be accredited on the reformed accountability system.

Thank you for the opportunity! Q & A Thank you for the opportunity!