1. Director of ESEA Programs
Proposal to Include Multiple Races Student Group in State and Federal Accountability
Dr. Jen Piver-Renna
Director of Research
Dr. Lynn Sodat
Director of ESEA Programs

2. Defining Student Race and Ethnicity
Per federal regulation, students (or parents/guardians) are asked a two part question, for example:
Is this student Hispanic or Latino? (Yes or No)
What is this student’s race? (American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; White)
Hispanic students are counted in the Hispanic student group only
Students of one race are counted in a single race group
Students of multiple races are counted in an aggregate “two or more races” group

3. Race and Ethnicity in Accountability
All major racial and ethnic student groups should be included in state and federal accountability, but threshold is state-defined
VDOE-defined threshold is currently 5 percent or more of annual student enrollment

4. Reporting Groups in State Accreditation
Achievement gap indicators in English (reading and writing) and mathematics:
Asian students
Black students
Hispanic students
White students
Economically disadvantaged students
English learner students
Students with disabilities
Reporting group performance levels are assigned based on each group’s performance compared to the state benchmark
Decision rules are applied to determine the overall performance level for the indicator

5. Reporting Groups in Federal Accountability
Reading, mathematics, chronic absenteeism, and graduation indicators:
Asian students
Black students
Hispanic students
White students
Economically disadvantaged students
English learner students
Students with disabilities
Short-term annual targets and long-term goals are established for each reporting group on each indicator
Schools that do not meet reporting group targets are more likely to be identified for targeted support and intervention

6. Students of Multiple Races
Students who identify as more than one race are not included in any racial group in state or federal accountability but are included in the “all students” group
In , 5.7 percent of Virginia students identified as more than one race
Since , the number of Virginia students identifying as multiple races has increased by 16 percent (approximately 10,000 more students)
39 of 52 states/territories (75 percent) include a multiple races student group in their accountability systems

7. Annual Reading Pass Rates for Major Race and Ethnic Student Groups in Virginia

8. Annual Mathematics Pass Rates for Major Race and Ethnic Student Groups in Virginia

9. Proposal
Students identifying as more than one race will be added to state and federal accountability as the “Multiple Races” student group beginning in the school year
For state accreditation:
Rules to calculate and apply performance levels to the achievement gap indicators will remain the same
For federal accountability:
New targets for the Multiple Races student group will be developed using the same methodology as other student groups

10. Next Steps State accreditation:
First review to the Board of Education in March 2019
Solicit additional stakeholder feedback
Final review to Board of Education in April 2019
Federal accountability:
First review of amendment to the Board of Education in June 2019
Solicit public comment
Final review of amendment to the Board of Education in July 2019
Submit amendment to USED for approval