Accountability Questions from READY Meetings
1. Define status, growth, and performance. How are these indicators going to be in effect for 201213? What about for re-norming years and holding schools accountable?
Status:
How well are students doing this year? In elementary schools, we will measure and report on
grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Mathematics performance and grades 5 and 8 Science
performance. In high school, we will measure and report: ACT scores; English II, Algebra
I/Integrated I, and Biology assessments scores; Graduation Rates; Future-Ready Core
participation; WorkKeys scores; and Graduation Project participation. In 2012-13 new
assessments will be implemented and new achievement standards will be determined. Aligned
to college and career readiness expectations as specified in the Common Core State Standards
and the Essential Standards, it is expected that the new achievement standards will be more
rigorous, which may impact the percent of students meeting the proficiency standard.
Growth:
Given where students start, how much was the school able to help them grow? We measure
school growth with the EVAAS School Value-Added system using the new end-of-course (EOC)
and end-of-grade (EOG) assessments. Schools will be compared to the average performance of
all schools in the current year. The growth comparison will not be the current year to the
previous year, thus the increased rigor will not impact the growth results in the first year of
implementation.
Progress:
How much progress are cohorts making from one year to the next on the status indicators? The
progress indicators will parallel the status indicators and will report how those indicators are
progressing over time (excluding the graduation project). The progress indicators will include
targets for improvement of performance over time (including the Annual Measurable Objectives
[AMOs] from North Carolina’s ESEA Flexibility proposal).
2. As data is reported in the accountability model, will subgroup information in each of the 3
indicators be reported?
Yes. Whenever available, sub-group data will be reported, and schools will be held accountable
for the performance of all students.
3. Do graduation rates account for students who may leave the traditional setting and
subsequently graduate from another venue? Why are not all students who graduate counted
towards the state totals?
By definition, the graduation rate is a measure of students who graduate from high school
within four years or five years. It is not a measure of students who meet graduation
requirements via other routes, such as community college or General Education Development
(GED).
4. How can you ensure math rigor if you are using a pass/fail measurement that is left up to the
individual school without universal and common assessment? For the math rigor component (%
that pass Algebra II), aren’t nearly 100% of students required to take Algebra II to graduate?
This is one indicator, and its validity will be confirmed by students’ performance on other
indicators, particularly the ACT. The domain of the ACT includes much of what is included in the
Algebra II or Integrated III Common Core Math Standards and therefore provides a universal and
common assessment of those skills.
5. Under NCLB, AYP was calculated using targeted assistance school (TAS) students if the school did
not meet AYP using the “all students” subgroup. Will a second calculation for TAS-only be
available under the new Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs)?
Yes, the same set of rules will apply to AMOs as applied to previous AYP targets.
6. Is the state accountability model still in place to determine promotion or retention of students?
No. The state accountability model no longer uses student accountability measures to
determine promotion and retention however House Bill 950, passed in the 2012 legislative
session, does include provisions around 3rd grade promotion.
7. Since the graduation project is a performance indicator, will colleges consider this when
evaluating students for admission? Will the graduation project in the accountability model be a
state design? Not all LEAs participate.
The graduation project is not required, and it is a college’s decision of whether or not to
consider graduation projects in the admission process. The State Board of Education (SBE)
adopted Standards of Quality that must be adhered to for a school or district to be cited as
having a graduation project in the READY accountability reports.
8. What do you mean by “reward” and the ABC Bonus equivalent?
Under ESEA Flexibility, 120 Title I schools were identified as “reward” schools. No additional
funds are available for all 120 schools, but public recognition will be provided.The top 10% of
these schools (i.e., 12 schools), may apply for additional funds(Reward School Mini-Grants) at a
minimum of $20,000. Two of the 12 schools (i.e., top 10%) will be selected to represent North
Carolina in the National Title I Distinguished Schools program and will receive an additional
$10,000 award. More information about the Reward Schools is available at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/esea/reward/.
9. What EOC tests will be included in the new high school accountability model?
English II, Algebra I/Integrated I, and Biology
10. When will the ABC labels be replaced with the new accountability model?
2012-13
11. Where does social studies fit into accountability?
Currently, social studies is not included in school accountability.
12. Does this accountability model mean that teachers will have formative assessments given to
them by the state so that all teachers have the same tools?
No. There will be an interim item bank delivered through the Instructional Improvement System
(IIS), and districts, schools, and teachers will be able to use the interim assessment tools based
on their own needs.