Overview of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Considerations for Selecting School Accountability Indicators December 6, 2016

Defining “State Accountability System” What is the purpose of state accountability systems? Hold schools responsible for helping all students achieve their full potential; Set clear goals to rally around — goals that are meaningful, ambitious, and achievable; Provide information to parents, educators, and community members about school performance; Prompt and support improvement where it’s needed; and Protect taxpayer investment in education. Components of a state accountability system Standards Assessments School Accountability (A-F) Reporting / Dashboards Supports and Interventions College and career aligned standards Valid and reliable measures of student performance. Establish ambitious but achievable goals; annually differentiate among schools and identify the lowest performing schools using the most important student outcome measures. Multiple measures helping to inform the public, guide practice, and identify the right interventions. Menu of student supports and interventions to improve low performing schools.

Shifts in Accountability Policy: Who is Responsible? NCLB ESSA Standards State but, under waivers, Feds required Common Core or sign off by higher ed. must demonstrate alignment to college coursework Assessments with Federal review and approval Goals Federal School Accountability must incorporate certain indicators for each subgroup Supports and Interventions Cascading set of Federal consequences, states choose amongst SIG options States and Districts

Timeline 2015-16 School Year: Bill Passage and Initial Rulemaking August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March April May June July USED Rulemaking ESSA passes. USED develops drafts regulations. Negotiated rulemaking panel (NPRM) meets. NPRM sent to Congress for review. NPRM is open for public comment. (Dates are estimates.) 2016-17 School Year: Transition August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March April May June July USED Rulemaking States Develop and Submit Plans by April or September 2017 States must continue interventions in identified schools (i.e., focus and priority schools). ESEA Waivers null and void. Final regulations released (ongoing) Competitive grant programs take effect in new fiscal year based on new program structure. President Trump & Secretary DeVos Formula grant programs take effect for upcoming school year. 2017-18 School Year: New Systems in Place August Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March April May June July New Accountability Systems Take Effect States identify schools for comprehensive/targeted support for the 2018-19 school year

Requirements for Goals and School Accountability/Identification States must establish “ambitious, state-designed long-term goals” and interim progress targets for all students and for each subgroup for: Academic achievement High school graduation English language proficiency (all students only) Identification of Schools The accountability system must identify at least three categories of schools: Comprehensive support and improvement schools Targeted support and intervention schools Additional schools School Accountability States must establish a system of meaningfully differentiating schools on an annual basis, based on the following indicators for all students and separately for each subgroup. The system must give substantial weight to each indicator. Each indicator must meaningfully differentiate among schools and be valid and reliable; and final regulations require that each indicator have at least 3 performance levels. Academic achievement indicator Another academic indicator (growth, grad rate) English proficiency Additional indicator of school quality or student success In the aggregate, the system must give much greater weight to these indicators

School Grades: Fundamental Principles A-F school grades provide transparent, objective, and easily understood data to parents, educators and the public to spur improvement among all schools. 5 Focus on the progress of the lowest performing students in each school 6 Report results as close to the end of the school year as possible 1 Use clear and transparent descriptors of A, B, C, D, and F 7 2 Include objective, concise student learning outcome measures Communicate clearly to parents 8 Establish rigorous criteria, with automatic increases, in order to earn A, B, C, D or F grades 3 Balance measures of student performance and progress 4 Calculate student progress toward grade level and advanced achievement 9 Use grades to identify schools for recognition, intervention, and support

Selecting School Accountability Indicators: Key Questions Is the indicator valid, reliable and accurate? Does it relate to improved student achievement? Does the indicator differentiate among schools? Can the indicator be disaggregated by student subgroups? What perverse incentives might result from including the indicator? Will adding the indicator dilute the emphasis on student outcome measures? Does the indicator measure something that is actually under the school’s control? Does the value of the indicator outweigh the administrative burden of collecting and verifying the accuracy of data for that indicator? Is the indicator aligned to the overall policy goals of the state’s education system?

Example: Applying the Key Questions School Climate Survey Validity and reliability Selection bias in respondents Pressure to make a school look good If not valid and reliable, cannot accurately differentiate among schools Perverse incentives Schools may focus on prepping students for survey over academics Dilutes emphasis on student learning outcomes Cannot be disaggregated by student Administrative resources Very expensive to procure Time intensive for schools, districts, and state education agencies to collect, validate and aggregate new survey data

School Accountability vs School Accountability vs. Public Reporting: Finding the Appropriate Role for Every Indicator Standards Assessments School Accountability (A-F) Report Cards / Dashboards Supports and Interventions Report Cards / Dashboards Required Under ESSA Accountability system details Disaggregated results Disaggregated assessment participation rates The state’s minimum N Civil Rights Data Collection Educator qualifications State, local and federal per-pupil expenditures NAEP results Disaggregated grad rates/college enrollment Optional Attendance Expulsion/Suspension School Climate Parent/Teacher Survey Social & Emotional Supports School Accountability State determined goals Proficiency Growth Graduation rates English language proficiency College and career ready Lowest performing 25% students

School Accountability Rating

Claire@ExcelinEd.org – 202.805.8511 Claire Voorhees Director of K-12 Reform Claire@ExcelinEd.org – 202.805.8511