1. Using Accountability to Drive Equity Risks and Opportunities in ESSA
March 8, 2016
Using Accountability to Drive Equity Risks and Opportunities in ESSA
Daria Hall
Copyright 2016 The Education Trust

2. Goals for our time together
Build a shared understanding of what accountability means and why it’s important
Share principles for strong, equity-focused accountability
Identify the opportunities and risks that ESSA poses for state accountability

3. What do we mean by “accountability”?
Policies for measuring and holding schools responsible for important outcomes, rewarding schools that are serving all students well, and prompting improvement in those that aren’t.

4. To be clear: policies themselves don’t close gaps and raise achievement. Only the hard work of educators, students, and parents can do that.

5. But well-designed accountability systems:
Set a clear expectation that schools must raise the achievement of all of their students, not just some
Focus attention and resources on the full range of student groups, including those who are sometimes ignored
Prompt action when schools don’t meet expectations for any group of students.

6. Accountability is not about sorting and punishing.
It’s about making sure that schools and systems are responsible for the performance of all students, and taking action when any group falls behind.
Strong local leaders need cover to do this. Others need pressure.

7. And why does this matter?

8. The face of our population is changing --- fast
Percentage Increase, Ages 0–24
Note: Projected Population Growth, Ages 0–24,
Source: National Population Projections, U.S. Census Bureau. Released 2008; NCHEMS, Adding It Up, 2007.

9. But on just about every measure, the student populations that are growing the fastest are less prepared for success in college and the workforce than their peers

10. Latino, African American, and Native test takers are less likely to meet ACT college readiness benchmarks in any subject
Note: College readiness benchmarks are ACT-established thresholds that represent the score that a student needs to attain in order to have at least a 50% chance of receiving a B and a 75% chance of receiving a C in corresponding first-year college courses.
Source: The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2015, ACThttps://

11. Students of color far more likely to enroll in remedial courses at four-year colleges
Note: National estimates based on the calculated medians of data self-reported by 33 states.
Source: Complete College America, Remediation: Higher education’s bridge to nowhere, 2012,

12. Most students of color at two-year colleges need to take remedial courses in at least some subjects
Note: National estimates based on the calculated medians of data self-reported by 33 states.
Source: Complete College America, Remediation: Higher education’s bridge to nowhere, 2012,

13. Young adults from high-income families are 7 times more likely to earn bachelor’s degrees by age 24
Source: Tom Mortenson, Bachelor’s Degree Attainment by age 24 by Family income Quartiles, 1970 to 2010, Postsecondary Education Opportunity, 2012.

14. Students of color far more likely to fail to meet minimum academic requirements for Army enlistment
Note: Sample is composed of young high school graduates, ages 17-20, who applied for entry into the Army between 2004 and 2009 and who took the ASVAB at a Military Entrance Processing Station, and are not a representative sample of all high school graduates.
Source: Christina Theokas, Shut Out of the Military: Today’s high school education doesn’t mean you’re ready for today’s Army,” The Education Trust, 2010,

15. Over 80% of employers report that recent public high school graduates have gaps in preparation for typical jobs in their company
Source: Rising to the Challenge: College Instructors’ Views on High School Graduates’ Preparedness for College, Achieve, 2015

16. Accountability’s not a cure-all, but done well, it helps create urgency to improve K-12 preparation for all students. And while it’s become convenient to characterize accountability as “test and punish” and the last 15 years as a wasteland for kids, the data suggest something else…

17. Since we’ve had federal requirements for annual testing, full public reporting, and serious accountability for the results of every group of children, achievement among black, Latino, and low-income students has improved.

18. Large gains for all groups of students, especially students of color
*Denotes previous assessment format
National Center for Education Statistics, “The Nation's Report Card: Trends in Academic Progress 2012”

19. Performance for all groups has risen dramatically
*Denotes previous assessment format
National Center for Education Statistics, “The Nation's Report Card: Trends in Academic Progress 2012”

20. Rising scores translate into big improvements in knowledge and skills for students

21. Increased proficiency rates in math
Note: income measure was revised in 2003.
National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,

22. For all groups, declines in the percentage of students below the basic level
2000 data not available for Asian/Pacific Islander
National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,

23. High school graduation rates are up for most groups

24. Rising graduation rates, especially for black and Latino students
2003 – in g11 when NCLB signed; 2004 – g10; 2005 – g9; 2006 – g8; 2007 – g7; 2008 – g6; 2009 – g5; 2010 – g4; 2011 – g3; 2012 – g2
Note: Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate is the estimated percentage of entering freshmen who graduate from high school four years later.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data,

25. We can’t take our foot off the accelerator now

26. The business community has been working hard to defend standards and assessment. Accountability is a continuation of that agenda. If tests show that students aren’t meeting standards, something needs to be done about that.

27. So what makes for strong accountability?

28. One way of thinking about accountability…
What do we value most about school performance?
What are our expectations for performance on the things we value?
How do we clearly signal to parents and the public whether schools are or are not meeting those expectations?
What do we do if they’re not meeting the expectations?

29. The business, civil rights, and disability community works to answer some of those questions in ESEA reauthorization

30. Coalition principles for statewide accountability systems that expect and support all students to graduate from high school ready for college and career.

31. What do we value most about school performance?
Indicators:
Measures of student learning outcomes, including assessments (growth and reading, math, and science proficiency), accurate high school graduation rates, and other academic measures of college/career readiness must be predominant.
Other indicators (attendance, student surveys, school safety, etc.) may be included, but must play a secondary role.
Evidence of English proficiency and time in program should be taken into account for English learners.
Accurate assessment participation rates must be included

32. What are our expectations for performance on the things we value?
Goals
States must set public statewide improvement goals on indicators of student learning outcomes and translate these goals into improvement targets for districts and schools for students overall and for all subgroups, with greater progress expected for groups that have been behind.

33. How do we clearly signal whether schools are or are not meeting those expectations?
Ratings
Performance against those targets must be the predominant factor in statewide ratings systems, with other indicators making up the rest.

34. What do we do if they’re not meeting the expectations?
Supports/Consequences
State accountability systems must ensure that steps — including targeted interventions, supports, and ratings changes — are taken for all schools that consistently miss targets for any group of students. If these systems designate districts as the first responder for interventions and supports, states must assure effective action if those district supports and interventions don’t work.

35. ESSA: The Final Product
Not the bill we would have written, but it was the result of compromise
BUT it is NOT a full abdication of the federal role, as some are saying, and there ARE some key equity levers for states to take advantage of to support all groups of students

36. So what’s required. How is that different than what’s going on now
So what’s required? How is that different than what’s going on now? What should advocates watch out for?

37. For those of you who like detail…

38. (i.e. What do we value most about school performance?)
Indicators
(i.e. What do we value most about school performance?)

39. Indicators For all groups of kids Test performance
NCLB
Waivers
ESSA
For all groups of kids
Test performance
Test participation rates
- Grad rates
Another academic indicator for elementary and middle schools
Test performance and grad rates required for all groups
Flexibility on others. The most common ones states added were measures of college and career readiness (i.e. high school course taking, SAT/ACT), and attendance – BUT MOST NOT MEASURED FOR GROUPS
1. Academic Achievement a. Proficiency on annual assessments, as measured against goals b. May include growth for high schools 2. Other Academic Indicator a. For high schools – graduation rate, as measured against goals b. For non-high schools – growth or another valid, reliable, statewide academic indicator 3. Progress toward English language proficiency for English learners 4. Other valid, reliable, comparable and statewide measure of school quality

40. Beyond tests and grad rates, what indicators should our state use
Beyond tests and grad rates, what indicators should our state use? What will add to the picture of school performance—not mask underperformance?

41. Watch out for
Things that can’t be measured for all groups of students (i.e. low income, black, Latino, etc.)…or for students at all
Things that all schools do well on
Things that aren’t related to the goal of college and career readiness
Things that sound interesting but we can’t actually measure well
Things schools don’t have control over
Things that are helpful for some purposes, but not accountability

42. A note about opt out
Whether or no 95 percent of students overall and in each group took the test has to be part of the state accountability system
Most students who are not tested will automatically count as not proficient.

43. Why do test participation rates matter
Why do test participation rates matter? Because before we paid attention to them, schools would “opt” their lowest performers to stay home, or go on a field trip, on test day.

44. Goals
(i.e. What are our expectations for performance on the things we value?)

45. Goals
NCLB
Waivers
ESSA
100% proficiency for all students and each student group by
3 Choices:
Cut in half the difference between current proficiency rates and 100% in six years, overall and for each group
100% proficiency by 2020
Another, equally ambitious measure proposed by the state
State-set long-term goals on at least tests and grad rates that expect more progress from groups of students who are farther behind

46. How do we set aggressive but achievable goals, especially on brand new tests?

47. Watch out for Goals that don’t expect much from anyone
i.e. “any progress” or “0.01%” is enough
Goals that don’t expect more improvement from groups starting further behind
If all groups make the same progress, those who start behind, stay behind

48. Ratings
(i.e. How do we clearly signal whether schools are or are not meeting those expectations?)

49. Ratings
NCLB
Waivers
ESSA
Schools either made AYP or didn’t, based on performance against goals for all groups of students on state tests and graduation rates
State-developed rating systems
Typically included tests and grad rates
Did not have to be aligned to goals
Did not have to reflect the performance of individual student groups
State-developed rating systems that
Must be based on how schools are performing for all groups of students on all the indicators
If any group is consistently underperforming, that has to be reflected

50. How do we put everything together in a way that makes sense
How do we put everything together in a way that makes sense? How do we clearly signal when any group is not meeting expectations?

51. Watch out for
So much data no one can make sense of it…or no clear signal of what’s good enough
Only identifying the lowest of the low performers
Saying schools are doing well even if some kids are low performing year after year

52. Massachusetts: Percent of students in Level 4 or 5 Schools
Includes only schools that received accountability ratings

53. Minnesota: Percent of students attending Priority schools
Includes only schools that received accountability ratings

54. Two “A” Schools: Reading
Proficiency Rates
All students: 71%
White: 77%
Hispanic: 74%
African American: 60%
Low Income: 65%
Students w/IEPs: 40%
School 1
Note: This elementary school is approximately 30% African American, 40% Hispanic, and over 50% Low-Income
School 2
Reading Proficiency Rates
All students: 73%
White: 89%
Hispanic: 48%
African American: 19%
Low Income: 41%
Students w/IEPs: 7%
Note: This elementary school is approximately 20% African American, 10% Hispanic, and 40% Low-Income

55. Support/Consequences
(i.e. What do we do if they’re not meeting the expectations?)

56. Support/Consequences
NCLB
Waivers
ESSA
Prescribed set of cascading interventions
Identification of, and action in, three specific types of schools:
Priority – lowest performing overall
Focus – lowest group performance/biggest gaps
Reward – top performing/improving
Identification of, and locally-determined action in:
Schools in the bottom 5% of the state, schools with graduation rates lower than 67%
Schools where one or more groups of students is consistently underperforming
Note: Didn’t have room to get into the timeline, increased action, etc. Happy to add in another slide if you think it is needed

57. How do we make sure kids don’t languish year after year
How do we make sure kids don’t languish year after year? How do we develop capacity in districts and schools?

58. Watch out for No clear timeframes
Action only in the lowest of the low performers
Plan on paper but no real action
An assumption that schools can fix themselves

59. What’s next?

60. Implementation Timelines
Regulations: The U.S. Department of Ed will publish regulations over the coming months
All ESSA requirements, except those pertaining to accountability, go into effect in the school year.
New accountability systems must be in place by

61. Advice for State Advocates
Wait until regulations are done for legislative/administrative changes in most circumstances
Begin conversations and building coalitions NOW

62. Questions?

63. For more information dhall@edtrust.org
Washington, D.C Metro Detroit, MI Oakland, CA
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