Coordinators’
Resource Manual
2014-15
Resource Manual Table of Contents
Resource Manual Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
NC School Report Card Project Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What’s New in the 2014-15 Report Cards? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2014-15 Report Card Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Where to Find Sample Report Card Snapshots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Data Sources and Information Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Glossary of Terms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Data Preview Process and Procedures for Handling Data Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Tips for Improving the Accuracy of Your Report Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Local Contacts for Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Local Data Contacts Template. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Data Collections and Reporting Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Process for Submitting Welcome Letter URL and Superintendent’s Alternate Email. . . . 41
Communications Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
1
Resource Manual Objectives
This manual is a resource for NC School Report Card Coordinators in districts and charter schools.
Its purpose is to help coordinators to:
•
xplain the purpose of the Report Cards to school and district personnel, parents, and
e
the media;
•
define and identify the data sources for each Report Card indicators;
•
xplain the reporting requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and
e
which indicators satisfy the requirements of the act;
•
nderstand the print and web-based versions of the Report Cards at the school, district,
u
and state levels;
•
follow the data preview process on behalf of schools in their district and contact the
appropriate source when data questions arise;
•
ducate principals and other district personnel about the ways in which they can help
e
ensure the accuracy of their Report Card data; and
•
r eport back to their district public information officers and principals about communication
tools that will be available prior to their Report Card release.
For additional information, please contact:
Diane Dulaney, NC School Report Cards State Coordinator
Division of Data, Research and Federal Policy
NC Department of Public Instruction
919.807.3690 | diane.dulaney@dpi.nc.gov
2
Timeline for 2014-15 Report Cards Release
August 11Report Card Coordinators’ Training will be held, via Webinar, for coordinators
from every Local Education Agency (LEA) and charter school.
August 11Report Card Coordinators’ Resource Manual is available online at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/resources/. Local coordinators
should hold information meetings or use other means of communication to
explain to superintendents, principals, and other staff the contents and format
of the Report Cards, timeline for the Report Cards release, and strategies for
communicating the Report Cards to the school community.
September 1-11Submission period for optional Welcome Letter URLs via the School Report Cards
Communications website at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/
welcomeletter. Note: Welcome Letter URLs will not be visible during the
October 28 - November 10 Data Preview.
October 28
Coordinators will receive an email from NC Department of Public Instruction with
final instructions about the LEA preview of the Report Cards.
Oct 28 – Nov 10The Report Cards website is open for preview. During this period, principals and
other local administrators have the opportunity to ensure that data reported in the
Report Cards match data verified in the original collection system. Coordinators,
superintendents, principals, and district public information officers will receive an
email on October 28 from the NC Department of Public Instruction with the URL
for accessing the Report Cards preview site.
December 1
Report Cards are released.
DecemberSee the communications section of this manual and the School Report Card
Coordinators’ website http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/
for helpful communication tools.
3
Project Team
NC Department of Public Instruction
Louis M. (Lou) Fabrizio, Ph.D., Director, Data, Research and Federal Policy, 919.807.3770, lou.fabrizio@dpi.nc.gov
Karl Pond, Enterprise Data Manager, 919.807.3241, karl.pond@dpi.nc.gov
Diane Dulaney, State Coordinator, NC School Report Card, 919.807.3690, diane.dulaney@dpi.nc.gov
Rosalyn Covington, Quality Assurance Analyst, 919.807.4030, rosalyn.covington@dpi.nc.gov
Kevin Skelton, Business Technology Specialist, 919.807.3417, kevin.skelton@dpi.nc.gov
Ken Barbour, IT Manager Business Technology, 919.807.3790, kenneth.barbour@dpi.nc.gov
Swetha Pamulaparthy, Developer/Programmer, 919.807.3425, swetha.pamulaparthy@dpi.nc.gov
Karen Hoeve, Section Chief, Analysis and Reporting, 919.807.3694, karen.hoeve@dpi.nc.gov
Allison Eargle, Graphic Designer, 919.807.3473, allison.eargle@dpi.nc.gov
SAS | Education Practice
Emily Baranello, Senior Director, 919.531.1331, emily.baranello@sas.com
Jeff Garland, Senior Implementation Project Manager, 919.531.3236, jeff.garland@sas.com
Madi Rivers, Systems Engineer, 919.531.5619, madi.rivers@sas.com
Thelma Osborne, Technical Consultant, 919.531.1522, thelma.osborne@sas.com
4
What’s New in the 2014-15 Report Cards?
The 2014-15 NC School Report Cards are tentatively set to release on Tuesday, December 1, 2015. For
the most part, this release will be a data refresh. However, there are some additions to the Report Cards.
• An indicator for the STEM designation has been added to the School Information tab.
• Schools that are designated as Focus schools due to failure to meet participation targets for three years
will be identified in the Report Cards.
• A new Library Media report with information regarding the number of books per student, the average age
of the media collection, and the percentage of the media collection in digital format has been added.
• A new Digital Access report with information about 1:1 access in a school, the grades participating in
1:1 access, the school’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) status, and the grades participating in the
BYOD program has been added.
• Educator Effectiveness data is now integrated into the school (teachers) and district (teachers and
principals) -level reports. These data were previously reported via a link to an external site.
• The Advanced Placement (AP) school-level report now includes a list of face-to-face AP courses offered
at a school.
• Data from the 2015 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are
included in the state-level report, as well as data from previous years.
• A report on historical trends in student and teacher populations is included at the state level.
5
2014-15 Report Card Indicators
Below is a summary of the data indicators that appear on the 2014-15 Report Cards for traditional schools,
school districts, and charter schools. The “Web” column denotes those indicators that appear on the
Web version of the Report Card. The “PDF” column denotes those indicators that appear on the printable
Snapshot version of the Report Cards.
Traditional
School
Indicator
Charter
School
District
WEB
PDF
WEB
PDF
WEB
PDF
School/district name
P
P
P
P
P
P
Address
P
P
P
P
P
P
Telephone number
P
P
P
P
P
P
Superintendent name
P
P
Link to superintendent email
P
SCHOOL/DISTRICT PROFILE
School Identification Information
Grade range
P
P
P
P
School calendar/type
P
P
P
P
Link to school/district website
P
Link to optional Superintendent’s Welcome Letter
P
Title I Status
P
ESEA Status
P
P
Graduation Project Status
P
P
STEM Status
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
School Size
Total number of students in the school and average
number of students in schools with similar grade spans
in the district and state
P
P
P
P
P
P
Average number of students enrolled in “typical”
K-8 classrooms
P
P
P
P
P
P
Average number of students enrolled in courses subject to
North Carolina end-of-course testing requirements
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Average Class & Course Sizes
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE
End-of-Grade Tests
Percentage of students at each of the 5 proficiency
levels for the Reading, Math, and Science EOG
6
2014-15 Report Card Indicators
Traditional
School
Indicator
Charter
School
District
WEB
PDF
WEB
PDF
WEB
PDF
P
P
P
P
P
P
Achievement Indicators
P
P
P
P
Total Achievement Score
P
P
P
P
Growth Status
P
P
P
P
Growth Score
P
P
P
P
EOG Reading Grade
P
P
P
P
EOG Math Grade
P
P
P
P
Overall School Score
P
P
P
P
Overall School Grade
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
End-of-Course Tests
Percentage of students at each of the 5 proficiency
levels for the English II, Math I, and Biology EOC
School Performance Grade
The ACT
Percentage of 11th graders who met the UNC minimum
composite score of 17
ACT WorkKeys
Percentage of CTE concentrators who met the standard
of a Silver or higher (Gold or Platinum) certificate
Passing Math III
Percentage of graduates who successfully completed
Algebra II, Integrated Math III or Math III
Cohort Graduation Rate
Percentage of students who graduated with a regular
diploma in four years or less or for schools with a five-year
program, it reflects the five-year graduation rate
Read to Achieve
Third grade literacy initiative
SCHOOL INDICATORS
SAT
School, district, state and national SAT average scores
and participation rates
P
P
P
P
P
P
Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO)
Performance targets met
7
2014-15 Report Card Indicators
Traditional
School
Indicator
WEB
PDF
District
WEB
PDF
Charter
School
WEB
Reading Grades 3 through 8
P
P
P
Mathematics Grades 3 through 8
P
P
P
Science Grades 5 and 8
P
P
P
Reading Grade 10
P
P
P
Mathematics Grade 10
P
P
P
Science Grade 11
P
P
P
Current Year EOC
P
P
P
Attendance Rate
P
P
P
Cohort Graduation Rate
P
P
P
The ACT
P
P
P
ACT WorkKeys
P
P
P
Passing Math III
P
P
P
Percentage of total course enrollments in specialized
courses including AP, IB, university, community college,
and CTE course enrollments
P
P
P
Percentage of total course enrollments in AP and
IB courses
P
P
P
Percentage of total course enrollments in university and
community college courses
P
P
P
Percentage of total course enrollments in CTE courses
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Specialized Course Enrollments
College Enrollment
NC public high school graduates who enrolled in an
Institute of Higher Education (IHE) within 16 months of
graduation
College Course Completion
NC public high school graduates who enrolled in an
IHE within 16 months of graduation and completed at
least one year’s worth of credit within 24 months of
enrollment in the IHE
Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Participation and Performance
The percentage of students taking an AP Exam
and the percentage of students who scored a
3 or better on an AP exam.
P
Face-to-face AP courses offered in the school
P
8
P
PDF
2014-15 Report Card Indicators
Traditional
School
Indicator
WEB
PDF
District
WEB
PDF
Charter
School
WEB
PDF
International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam Participation and Performance
The percentage of students taking an IB Exam and the
percentage of students who scored a 4 or better on an
AP exam.
P
P
P
P
P
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
School Safety
Reportable acts of crime or violence per 100 students
P
P
P
Suspension and Expulsions
Short-term out-of-school suspensions per 100 students
P
P
P
Long-term out-of-school suspensions per 100 students
P
P
P
Expulsion per 100 students
P
P
P
School Attendance
Percentage of students who attend school daily.
P
P
P
P
P
P
Source of funds (amount per student)
P
P
P
P
Use of funds
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Financial Support (SY 2012-13 and Previous)
Access to Books & Technology
Number of students per internet-connected digital
learning device
P
P
Library Media
The number of books per student
P
P
P
The average age of the media collection
P
P
P
The percentage of the media collection in digital format
P
P
P
1:1 access in a school and the grades participating in
1:1 access
P
P
P
The school’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) status
and the grades participating in the BYOD program
P
P
P
Digital Access
PERSONNEL
Teacher Counts
Total number of classroom teachers
P
9
P
P
P
P
P
2014-15 Report Card Indicators
Teacher Licensure
Percentage of classroom teachers with full licensure
P
Percentage of teachers entering with lateral entry status
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
Highly Qualified Teachers
Percentage of classes taught by Highly
Qualified teachers
P
P
Percentage of classes taught by Highly Qualified
teachers in high and low poverty schools
P
P
P
P
P
Teachers with Advanced Degrees
Percentage of teachers with advanced degrees
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
National Board Certified Teachers
Total number of staff members with National Board
Certification, regardless of their current assignment
Years of Teaching Experience
Years of teaching experience: 0-3, 4-10, and 10+ years
Teacher Turnover Rate
Percentage of teachers who left their school
district from March of the prior year to March of the current
year
Teacher and Administrator Effectiveness Results
The ratings of teachers and principals across the
State, measured using the North Carolina Educator
Evaluation System
P
P
P
P
P
P
Teacher Working Conditions Survey
Link to the biannual NC Teacher Working Conditions
survey that was administered in 2014
Qualifications of School Principals
Percentage/number in each racial/ethnic and
gender group
P
Years of administrative experience: 0-3, 4-10, and
10+ years
P
P
Percentage with advanced degrees
P
P
School-level turnover rate by district
P
P
10
Sample Snapshots
Samples of school-level Report Cards Snapshots for grades K-8, 9-12, K-12 as well as those for
district and a K-12 charter school will be available.
Visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/sample/ to view Snapshot samples.
* Please note, Snapshots should NOT be printed and disseminated until the second release of the
SRC when they will include all available data.
11
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
DATA SOURCES AND INFORMATION GUIDE
>> General Information
Report Cards are provided for all public, charter, and alternative schools operating during the 2014-15
school year. However, Report Cards for charter and alternative schools will vary slightly. Because charter
schools are not part of a school district, only state comparisons are provided on their Report Cards.
Additionally, quality teacher data are limited for charter schools due to the flexibility allowed in their
operations. Federal schools, state-operated schools, and other special schools do not receive Report
Cards due to differences in the way data are reported for these schools.
In most instances, data in the Report Cards are reported at the school, district, and state levels. School
data are based on information from all grades within the school. However, for several indicators, including
school size; school performance; school safety; attendance; and all information in the Quality Teachers’
section, data from all schools in the same grade-range category are averaged to produce district and
state comparison results. Based on their grade range, all schools have been assigned to one of six
categories - elementary; middle; high; combined elementary, middle and high; combined elementary and
middle; or combined middle and high.
>> School Profile
School Information
Directory Information
Each district (LEA) and charter school provides all school identification information through the
Educational Directory and Demographical Information Exchange (EDDIE) application found online at
http://apps.schools.nc.gov/eddie. EDDIE is kept up-to-date by subscribed users in each district or
charter school.
For school-level Report Cards, EDDIE provides the school’s name, address, telephone number, and
the prior year grade range, school and calendar type, district, and unit code.
For the district-level Report Cards, EDDIE provides the superintendent’s name, the
district’s name, address, telephone number, and unit code.
For additional EDDIE information, including a list of subscribed users, see the NC Department of
Public Instruction’s website www.ncpublicschools.org/fbs/accounting/eddie/.
Title I Status
Title I status indicates whether a school is part of the federal program that provides funding for high
poverty schools to help students who are behind academically or at risk of falling behind. If a school is
not considered a Title I school, then no designation will appear.
Each year, about half the schools and all school districts in North Carolina receive Title I funding.
Many of the major requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) are outlined
in Title I: teacher and paraprofessional requirements; accountability; standards and assessments;
annual state Report Cards; professional development; and parent involvement.
For additional Title I information, see the NC Department of Public Instruction’s Federal Program
Monitoring website at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/.
Source: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Division, Information Analysis &
Reporting Section, October 2014.
12
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
ESEA Status
North Carolina’s ESEA Flexibility Request provides the State with waivers to certain provisions of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). As part of its differentiated recognition, accountability,
and support system, NC has identified a list of schools as Reward, Focus, and Priority. Reward Schools are
schools that have demonstrated high student achievement or high student progress over a number of years.
Districts with schools identified as Focus and Priority must implement interventions to assist at-risk students
in meeting the State’s high academic achievement standards and graduate students on time. In addition,
schools where one or more subgroups did not have at least 95% participation in the same subject for at least
three consecutive years are designated as a Focus School. For more information about ESEA Flexibility,
please see the ESEA Flexibility website at www.ncpublicschools.org/program-monitoring/esea/.
Graduation Project Status
The SBE (December 2011) included a graduation project as one of the six indicators in the high school
accountability model. The Board specified that high school graduation projects must meet defined
“Standards of Quality” in order for a high school to receive credit. High schools are not penalized if they
do not require a graduation project; however, information is reported out for those that do and do not
require a graduation project.
Implementation of a graduation project is reported for high schools on the SRC as ‘Yes’, ‘No’, or ‘N/A’.
To review the procedures of implementing and reporting the graduation project, refer to the following
document: www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability/testing/eoc/gradproject14.pdf
STEM Schools of Distinction
To identify and recognize exemplary STEM Schools and STEM Programs, the STEM Recognition
Program was developed by the NC Department of Public Instruction. This program provides a
standard definition of quality STEM instruction using the STEM Attribute Implementation Rubric as the
framework for implementing the 11 essential STEM Attributes. Schools have the opportunity to submit
an application describing demonstrated evidences of their schools distinguished STEM approaches to
leading and learning.
Schools receiving this honor underwent a rigorous application process that required: detailed responses
covering 40 key elements that define the quality characteristics rooted within the attributes; including
strategic class documents and video evidences, a self-assessment of their school aligning to the Attribute
Implementation rubric; and identification of their one best practice of educational excellence. These criteria,
along with a panel of reviewers’ consensus and a site visit, led to the designations. For more information
about STEM programs, please see the NCDPI website: www.ncpublicschools.org/stem/.
School Size
School size is the final Average Daily Membership (ADM) and is reported through the Principal’s Monthly Report
(PMR) at the end of every PMR interval collection of the school year. This figure includes all of the grades within
the school, with the exception of pre-kindergarten. Students in violation of the “Ten Day Rule” when the PMR
is submitted will not be included in the school’s funded membership data from the day after their last day of
attendance. Days prior to the “Ten Day Rule” violation will count toward funded membership. School size is a
calculated number using the monthly membership day figures and the number of days in the school year.
District and state counts are the average number of students in schools in the same grade span category
(elementary, middle, high, combined elementary, middle, and high, combined elementary and middle, or
combined middle and high).
District- and state-level demographic data are included as a drill-down link on the district report card. The
number and percentage of students in each racial/ethnic and gender group are displayed, as provided in
the Grade/Race/Sex report of the 1st month’s Principal’s Monthly Report (PMR). Schools categorized as
high or low poverty are noted on the Web version of the report card.
Source: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Division, Principal’s Monthly Report, 2014-15.
13
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
Average Class and Course Size
Average K-8 classroom sizes are reported through the School Activity Report (SAR) as of the 40th day
of the first semester. Reports are produced and returned to the school system’s Student Information
Management System coordinators for amendments.
All class size averages for grades K-8 are for “typical” classes. In grades K-3 a “typical” class is defined as a
self-contained class in which a teacher spends the majority of the day with the same students teaching a complete
curriculum. If a school does not identify any self-contained classes in grades K-3, class size averages are based
on the average enrollment in language arts classes. In grades 4-8, “typical” classes include self-contained
classes and those related to language arts, math, science and social studies. Classes designated as special
education, advanced, or English as a Second Language (ESL) are excluded. Due to limitations of the data
collection system, average class sizes of less than 10 students in grades K-8 are reported as N/A (not available).
Starting fiscal years 2012-2013, notwithstanding G.S. 115C-301 or any other law, local school administrative units
shall have the maximum flexibility to use allotted teacher positions to maximize student achievement in grades
4-12. For 2014-15 year the class size requirements in kindergarten through third grade shall remain unchanged.
A local board of education may request an individual class size exception waiver for a K-3 class size overage
that the local board determines it cannot correct. The State Board of Education may grant a local board an
individual class size exception waiver if the overage exists due to reasons allowed in class size legislation. An
individual class size exception waiver will remain in effect only for the school in which it is granted.
Class sizes are not available for students in pre-kindergarten. A text note appears on the web version of a
school’s report card to indicate that a school enrolls pre-kindergarten students.
Average course sizes for grades 9-12 are reported through the membership file collected by the Accountability
Services Division. Course size averages are provided only for courses finishing with a North Carolina End-ofCourse test and are based on the number of students in the school/district with a course using the official NC
course code for an End-of-Course Test. The total number of students in a course is divided by the number of
sections of that course. Average course sizes of fewer than five students are reported as N/A.
Sources: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Division, School Activity Report, 2nd
Month, 2014-15, and Accountability Services Division, Reporting Section, Testing Data Files, 2014-15.
Source of Funds (Charter Schools & Districts only)
Per pupil expenditures and the source of funds are calculated annually by the NC Department of Public
Instruction as a guide for local school administrators, legislators, and the general public. It includes all
disbursements necessary for the daily operation of the public schools. Capital expenditures for new
buildings and grounds, existing building renovations, and miscellaneous equipment purchases are
excluded, as are community service programs, Head Start, adult education, and inter/intra fund transfers.
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) code expenditures to the appropriate funding source (local, state, and
federal). The expenditure data are collected on a monthly basis throughout the school year. The Monthly
Financial Report allows the state to monitor how school districts are spending their resources and provides
the state with the tools to summarize and report expenditures to the General Assembly, Office of State
Budget and Management, and Fiscal Research for decision-making purposes.
Final expenditures are transmitted to the state level through the Annual Financial Report in late August. This is
after all payments are made to those teachers who elect to have their 10-month salary paid over 12 months and
the final expenditures are audited by a local CPA firm. Average Daily Membership (ADM) is the other component
of the Amount per Student calculation. This also is collected monthly through the Principal’s Monthly Report
(PMR). ADM is based on the sum of the days in membership for all students in individual school districts, divided
by the number of days in the school month. Per pupil expenditure is derived by dividing the total expenditure by
source (local, state, and federal) by the number of students in ADM in the school district.
Source: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Administration, 2014-15.
14
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
Use of Funds (Charter Schools & Districts only)
Like Source of Funds, each LEA codes expenditures to the appropriate funding source (local, state, and
federal). Expenditures are reported monthly and annually. Expenditures also are coded to objects that reflect
the use of the funds. Those objects in the 100 series are salary-related, the 200 series reflects employee
benefits, the 300 series is purchases and services, the 400 series is supplies and materials, and the 500
series indicates equipment purchases.
Source: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Administration, 2014-15.
>>School Performance
End-of-Grade and End-of-Course Tests
All data reported in this section are based on student performance on the North Carolina End-of-Grade
(EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) assessments. Students in grades 3-8 must take annual EOGs in English
language arts/reading, mathematics and science (grades 5 and 8). Students enrolled in any of the following
courses must take EOCs: English II, Math I, and Biology.
There are five levels of performance on the state’s EOG and EOC assessments ranging from Levels 1-5.
Detailed definitions may be found on the NC Department of Public Instruction’s Accountability Services
website at www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/shared/achievelevel/.
EOG percentages are based on the number of a school’s reading, mathematics and science tests scored at
Level 3 or above (grade level proficiency) and Level 4 and above (college- and-career ready proficiency) in the
2014-15 school year. EOC percentages are based on the number of a school’s EOC assessments scored at
Level 3 or above (grade level proficiency) and Level 4 and above (college- and career-ready proficiency) in the
2014-15 school year. Scores for non-high school students enrolled in courses subject to testing requirements
are also reported. For schools beginning with 9th grade, EOC percentages include assessments administered
to students prior to their 9th grade year, the year the student is designated a 9th grader. These are called
banked scores. EOG and EOC results may include scores from a summer administration of the EOG or EOC
completed prior to June 30th, where the students received a higher score than on a previous attempt. These
administrations were completed during a summer program provided by the school or district.
Results for students with disabilities taking the alternate assessment (NCEXTEND1) are included in the
reported percentages. Additional information is provided on the web-based version of the NC School Report
Cards. For example, tables display the number and percentage of students at each of the five achievement
levels on the EOG English language arts/reading test. This information also is displayed for students of each
racial/ethnic category, gender, economic status, disability status, migrant status, English language learners,
and academically/intellectually gifted. Detailed achievement level results for each grade level and course
tested are also available. Data on the number of students taking the North Carolina EOG tests also are
provided on the web-based Report Card.
The READY Accountability Model and federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) require
schools to test at least 95 percent of their students. Students with disabilities taking the alternate assessment
are credited as having been tested. Where no scores are reported or the number of students is too small
(less than five) to ensure that student test results aren’t personally identifiable, a N/A (not available) will
appear. In any group where the percentage of students at a grade level is greater than 95% or less than 5%,
the actual values may not be displayed because of federal privacy regulations. In these cases the results will
be shown as 95% or 5% or “.” for the group.
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Student performance on the North Carolina End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests is disaggregated by student
group. For each student group, the percentage of scores at Level 3 or above and at Level 4 and above is
reported. Data are reported for the following seven student groups:
• Gender – Male and Female
• Racial/Ethnic – American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Two or More Races, and
White. The one exception to Two or More Races is the combination of Hispanic with any other race/
ethnicity: Hispanic overrides the other race/ethnicity and the student is identified as Hispanic.
• Economically disadvantaged students were identified for 2014-15 analysis in accordance with
a Memorandum of Agreement between the School Nutrition Services Section and the Division of
Accountability Services.
•L
imited English Proficient (L.E.P.) – LEP students are students whose first language is not
English and who need language assistance to participate fully in the regular curriculum. For Annual
Measureable Objective reporting only, students who have exited LEP identification during the last two
years may be included in calculations for the LEP group; only if that group already met the minimum
number of 30 students required for a group.
•M
igrant Students – To be considered a “Migrant Student,” a child must engage in or have parents
or guardians who engage in migrant agricultural work. The child also must have moved within the
preceding 36 months to accommodate temporary or seasonal agricultural work. There is a formal
certification process to identify migrant students.
•S
tudents with Disabilities (SWD) – “Students with Disabilities” includes all children who, because
of permanent or temporary mental, physical or emotional handicaps, are in need of special education
services. Section 504 students are not included. For Annual Measureable Objective reporting
only, students who have exited SWD identification during the last two years may be included in
calculations for the SWD group, only if that group already met the minimum number of 30 students
required for a group.
• Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) – AIG students are students who perform or show the
potential to perform at substantially high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of
their age, experience, or environment. Local Education Agencies determine identification criteria for
AIG based on State Board of Education guidelines.
In the breakdown by student group where the number of students is too small (less than five), data will not be
displayed. This ensures that student information remains anonymous. In any group where the percentage of
students is greater than 95%, the value will be displayed as 95%. For groups where the percentage of students
is less than 5%, data will not be displayed because of federal privacy regulations.
Source: NCDPI, Accountability Services Division, Analysis and Reporting Section
School Performance Grade
Legislative Requirement
The North Carolina General Assembly enacted School Performance Grades for North Carolina Public schools.
G.S. §115C-83.15 directs the State Board of Education to “award school achievement, growth, and performance
scores and an associated performance grade as required by G.S. § 115C-12(9)c1 and calculated as provided”.
Calculating the School Achievement Score
To calculate the School Achievement Score, the total number of points earned by a school is calculated
using a composite approach. The total number of students meeting the standards, set in up to 10 different
indicators, is divided by the total number of students included. The indicators include the following:
• Students that score at or above proficient on annual mathematics end-of-grade (EOG) assessments
in grades 3-8
• Students that score at or above proficient on annual reading EOG assessments in grades 3-8
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• Students that score at or above proficient on annual science EOG assessment in grades 3-8
• Students that score at or above proficient on Math I end of course (EOC) Assessment
• Students that score at or above proficient on English II EOC Assessment
• Students that score at or above proficient on Biology EOC Assessment
• Students who complete Algebra II, Integrated Math III or Math III with a passing grade (Passing Math III)
• Students who achieve the minimum score required for admission into a constituent institution of the
University of North Carolina on a nationally normed test of college readiness (The ACT assessment)
• Students enrolled in Career and Technical Education Courses who meet the standard when
scoring Silver, Gold or Platinum levels on a nationally normed test of workplace readiness (ACT
WorkKeys assessment)
• Students who graduate within four years of entering high school (4-year Cohort Graduation Rate)
Business rules regarding how students are included in these indicators and what the standards for meeting
the indicators are can be found on the Accountability Services webpage at www.ncpublicschools.org/
accountability/reporting.
Calculating Growth Score
North Carolina has partnered with SAS Institute Inc. to produce a School-wide Accountability Growth
measure. All EOG (math, English language arts, and science) and EOC (Math I, English II, and Biology)
scores are included in the EVAAS School-wide Accountability Growth measure. A composite index
score is generated in the EVAAS system, and for School Performance Grades it is converted to a 100
point scale and given a designation. These designations will be 1) Exceeds Expected Growth, 2) Meets
Expected Growth, or 3) Does Not Meet Expected Growth.
Some schools may not have a designation because they do not administer assessments that are
included in the growth measure, or they do not have enough students taking the assessment to obtain a
growth measure. More details on the growth model and other informational tools are available through
the EVAAS public reporting site https://ncdpi.sas.com/.
In addition, EVAAS uses the growth measure and its associated standard error to calculate the schoollevel EOG math and reading indices. These indices are converted to a 100-point scale for use in the
School Performance Grades.
Calculating Final Score and Grade
In order to calculate the final score and grade for a school, the School Achievement Score is combined
with the Growth Score. Achievement is worth 80% of the grade, and growth is worth 20%. After
combining these 2 values the score is placed on a 15-point scale:
A: 85-100 points
B: 70-84 points
C: 55-69 points
D: 40-54 points
F: Less than 40 points
In addition to the final score and grade, schools containing any grades K-8 that administer math and
English language arts/reading assessments are also given separate scores and grades based on the
achievement and growth of the math results and English language arts/reading results using the same
formula and scale as the overall School Performance Grades.
Schools may be designated with an A+ if after being assigned an “A” using the school performance
grade calculations, the school does not demonstrate significant gaps between subgroups that exceeds
the state gap on achievement/graduation rates.
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Additional information regarding School Performance Grades can be found on the Accountability
Services webpage at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting.
Source: Accountability Services Division, Analysis and Reporting Section
The ACT
The ACT is administered to Grade 11 students. The ACT consists of four subject tests (English, Reading,
Math, and Science) plus an additional Writing component. The four subject tests make up the Composite
Score for The ACT. Students must have taken all four subject tests to receive a Composite Score. For
accountability reporting purposes, a minimum Composite Score of 17 is displayed for the percent of students
meeting the expected level of attainment (proficient). A Composite Score of 17 is the University of North
Carolina (UNC) System’s minimum requirement for admission. Additionally, on the reporting website, the
percent of students meeting The ACT college-readiness benchmarks on each of the subject tests is reported
along with total percent of benchmarks met.
Students who meet eligibility requirements have an opportunity to take the College- and-Career Readiness
Alternate Assessment or the NCEXTEND1 Grade 11 alternate assessments. Students taking these
assessments are not included in the calculation of this measure for performance reporting. They are included
in participation. More details on The ACT are available at http://www.act.org/products/k-12-act-test/.
Subtest
Benchmark
English
18
Math
22
Reading
22
Science
23
Writing
7
Source: NCDPI Accountability Services Division, Analysis and Reporting Section
ACT WorkKeys
The ACT WorkKeys performance measure is administered to students who are identified as Career and
Technical Education (CTE) Concentrators. CTE Concentrators are students who complete 4 units of CTE
credit in a career cluster, with at least one credit in a Level 2 course. The ACT WorkKeys consists of 3 subtests
(Applied Math, Locating Information, and Reading for Information). Students can earn ACT’s National Career
Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Certificates are awarded at the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze level.
For accountability reporting purposes, a minimum NCRC of Silver is required to meet the expected level of
attainment (proficient). The results of the ACT WorkKeys assessments are used in accountability reporting
when the student graduates from high school. Reporting this measure shows the percent of graduates that are
CTE Concentrators who earned a Silver or better certificate on the ACT WorkKeys assessment. More details
on ACT WorkKeys are available at www.act.org/products/ workforce-act-workkeys/.
Source: NCDPI, Accountability Services Division, Analysis and Reporting Section
Passing Math III
This indicator is the measure of student success in higher-level math courses. This indicator measures the
number of graduates, starting with the 9th grade cohort entering in 2010–11, who have earned credit in a
designated math course. Credit can be obtained by taking and passing one of the following courses: Algebra II,
Integrated Math III, or Math III.
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For accountability reporting purposes, this indicator is measured by counting the number of graduates
who have taken and passed the defined higher level math course divided by the number of students who
graduated and are eligible to be included in the calculation. This measure includes all graduates, except
those in the Occupational Course of Study (OCS) who do not have an opportunity to take any of these
higher-level math courses due to the nature of their education track.
Cohort Graduation Rate
The graduation rate reported here complies with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
federal education law.
Since July 2005, all 50 states have signed the National Governors Association’s Graduation Counts
Compact on State High School Graduation Data. In the compact, governors agreed to take steps to
implement a standard, four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. States agree to calculate the graduation
rate by dividing the number of on-time graduates in a given year by the number of first-time entering
ninth graders four years earlier. Graduates are defined as those receiving a high school diploma. The
denominator can be adjusted for transfers in and out of the system, and data systems track individual
students with a longitudinal student unit record data system.
In the breakdown by student group where the number of students is too small (less than five), a N/A (not
available) is displayed. This ensures that student information remains anonymous. In any group where
the percentage of students is greater than 95%, the value will be displayed as 95%. For groups where the
percentage of students is less than 5%, data will not be displayed because of federal privacy regulations.
For more information on North Carolina’s cohort graduation rate, please see the NCDPI’s webpage: http://
www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting/cohortgradrate
Source: NCDPI, Accountability Services Division, Analysis and Reporting Section
Read to Achieve
Source data for Read to Achieve data are available from the Accountability test coordinator for each
district or charter school. The test coordinator is listed in EDDIE (http://apps.schools.nc.gov/pls/apex/
f?p=125:1:) under the staff role of “Accountability”.
AMOs
For Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) the reported subgroups are:
• All Students (School as a Whole);
• American Indian;
• Asian;
• Black;
• Hispanic;
• Pacific Islander;
• Two or More Races;
• White;
• Economically Disadvantaged Students;
• Limited English Proficient Students;
• Students With Disabilities; and
• Academically and Intellectually Gifted.
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2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
Most schools will not have all subgroups represented at their school. A student can be in as few as one
group (School as a Whole) or a student could be in as many as five subgroups. LEAs are held to the
same participation and target goals for students that are established for schools.
For elementary and middle schools (grades 3-8) targets include
• 95 percent participation rate in end-of-grade English language art/reading or alternate assessments;
• 95 percent participation rate in end-of-grade mathematics or alternate assessments;
• 95 percent participation rate in end-of-grade science or alternate assessments;
• 95 percent participation in current year end-of-course assessments;
• Proficiency at Achievement Level 4 or above in end-of-grade English language arts/reading or
alternate assessments;
• Proficiency at Achievement Level 4 or above in end-of-grade mathematics or alternate
assessments; and
• Proficiency at Achievement Level 4 or above in end-of-grade science or alternate assessments.
• In addition, the School as a Whole must show progress on the Other Academic Indicator, which
is attendance for schools in grades 3 to 8.
For high schools (grades 9-12) additional targets include:
• 95 percent participation rate on the English II End-of-Course or alternate assessments for
students in 10th grade;
• 95 percent participation rate on the Math I End-of-Course or alternate assessments for students
in 10th grade;
• 95 percent participation rate on the Biology End-of-Course or alternate assessments for
students in 11th grade;
• 95 percent participation rate in current year end-of-course assessments;
• 95 percent participation rate on The ACT assessment;
• 95 percent participation rate on the ACT WorkKeys assessment;
• Proficiency at Achievement Level 4 or above on the English II End-of-Course or alternate
assessments, for students in 10th grade;
• Proficiency at Achievement Level 4 or above on the Math I End-of-Course or alternate
assessments, for students in 10th grade;
• Proficiency at Achievement Level 4 or above on the Biology End-of-Course or alternate
assessments, for students in 11th grade;
• Proficiency on The ACT;
• Proficiency on ACT WorkKeys;
• Students Passing Math III; and
• Cohort Graduation Rate
Beginning in 2013-14 the 95% participation expectation for The ACT assessment will be measured on
the all students subgroup only. The ACT is only administered on 2 days with no further opportunity to
make up the assessment, therefore, the US Education Department granted North Carolina permission to
only measure the all subgroup. All other subgroup participation will be reported but only the all students
subgroup will be used to measure participation targets for The ACT.
Each student group at a school, district or the state level must meet or exceed the proficiency target
goals. For instance, in 2013-14, for economically disadvantaged students at an elementary school to
meet the AMO, at least 35.8 percent of students must have scored at Level 4 or 5 on the End-of-Grade
English language arts/reading assessment or its alternate. Through the use of the confidence interval a
school still might be able to meet the AMO target even if it misses its proficiency target goals.
More details regarding AMO targets are available on the Accountability Services webpage at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting/.
Source: NCDPI, Accountability Services Division, Analysis and Reporting Section
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>>School Indicators
SAT
The most recent version of the SAT, which was first administered in March 2005, consists of multiple-choice
questions, sentence completions, and a student-written essay. The test’s critical reading section, formerly
known as the verbal section, examines sentence completion and passage-based reading. The test’s
mathematics section examines a student’s ability to solve arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics, probability,
and data analysis problems.
The writing section consists of two subsections: short essay and multiple-choice. The short essay subsection
measures a student’s ability to effectively communicate a viewpoint and define and support a position. The multiplechoice subsection examines a student’s ability to improve sentences and paragraphs and to identify errors.
Each of the SAT’s three sections is scored on a scale of 200-800, with a highest possible total score of 2400.
When comparing SAT total scores from examinations administered in 2006 to the present with SAT total
scores from examinations administered prior to 2006, only critical reading and mathematics scores are used,
with a highest possible total score of 1600.
Average SAT scores and participation rates are provided. Participation rates represent the percentage of
high school membership in the class of 2015 who took the SAT. When comparing average SAT scores
across schools, participation rate might be a factor, because the larger the test-taking population, the smaller
SAT changes tend to be from year to year.
Source: NCDPI, Accountability Services Division, Reporting Section, The North Carolina SAT Report, Fall 2014.
College Enrollment
To calculate the number and percentage of high school graduates who enrolled in an institute of higher
education within 16 months of receiving a regular high school diploma, the University of North Carolina
General Administration provided data on students who enrolled in the 16 campuses in the UNC system. The
North Carolina Community College System provided enrollment data for students in all of 58 community
colleges in the State. Enrollment information for private colleges and out-of-state public schools was
determined using the results of the Graduate Data Verification Survey.
The Graduate Data Verification System (GDVS) compiles information as required by or used in Federal and
State policies, Career Technical Education, and the North Carolina School Statistical Profile. The survey
portion of the GDVS is completed by all NC high school students in the spring of their senior year and asks
them to provide information about their post-graduate intentions. The list of graduates’ names is preserved in
the State Archives and occasionally has become the only existing record of an individual’s graduation.
For more information about national college enrollment trends, see the National Center for Education
Statistics website: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=98
Source: C160 – High School Graduates Postsecondary Enrollment, U.S. Department of Education, August 2014.
College Course Completion
The University of North Carolina General Administration and the North Carolina Community College System
provided data on students who enrolled in one of their institutions and completed at least one year’s worth of
credit within two years of enrollment.
Source: C161 – High School Graduates Postsecondary Credits Earned, U.S. Department of Education,
August 2014.
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2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
Specialized Course Enrollments
Specialized course enrollments are reported through PowerSchool. The percentages are calculated based
on the 2014-15 Average Daily Membership (ADM). Enrollments in first semester, second semester, and
year-long courses are included.
Sources: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Division, 6th Month ADM and
PowerSchool, 2014-15.
Advanced Placement (AP)
AP exams are typically administered in May and consist of multiple choice and free-response questions.
These exams are scored by external AP reviewers. The final exam score is reported on a scale of 1 (lowest)
to 5 (highest) and shows how well a student has mastered the content of the course. Each college or
university sets its own policy about awarding course credit, but AP Exam scores of 3 or higher typically
result in credit at the college level.
Source: College Board AP report, 2014-15.
The AP course list includes any face-to-face AP course offered in the school. Courses that had the attribute of
NCVPS (NC Virtual Public School) or NCSSM (NC School of Science and Math), courses with the last three
digits of ‘VPS’ in the course code, and courses with NCVPS or NCSSM in the course name were excluded.
Source: PowerSchool, July 2015
International Baccalaureate (IB)
The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is an academically challenging and balanced program of education with
final examinations that prepares students, aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond. It has been
designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The program has
gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.
Students take written examinations at the end of the program, which are scored by external IB examiners.
Students also complete assessment tasks in the school, which are either initially scored by teachers and then
moderated by external moderators or sent directly to external examiners.
The marks awarded for each course range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Each college or university sets its own
policy about awarding course credit, but IB Exam scores of 4 or higher typically result in credit at the college level.
Source: International Baccalaureate report, 2014-15.
>>School Environment
Acts of Crime or Violence
Schools are required to report to the NC Department of Public Instruction all occurrences of 16 defined
criminal acts in school, on a school bus, on school grounds, or during an off-campus school-sponsored
activity. The report card provides data on the reported acts, which include the following:
• Possession of a weapon
• Possession of alcoholic beverage
• Assault involving use of a weapon
• Assault resulting in serious injury
• Taking indecent liberties with a minor
• Sexual offense
• Kidnapping
• Bomb threat
• Possession of controlled substance in violation of law
• Possession of a firearm or powerful explosive
• Assault on school personnel
• Robbery with a dangerous weapon
• Rape
• Sexual assault
• Homicide
• Burning of a school building
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Definitions of each reportable act and additional information about school reporting requirements are available
on the NC Department of Public Instruction’s Website at www.ncpublicschools.org/research/discipline/.
School crime rates are derived by dividing the school’s total number of reported acts by the school’s final Average
Daily Membership (ADM) and then multiplying by 100. District and state rates are calculated in a similar way.
District and state rates are calculated based on schools with similar grade ranges. Six grade level categories
are used to provide the most commensurable data for comparisons: K-5, K-8, K-12, 6-8, 6-12, and 9-12.
Schools that do not have these exact grade spans are placed in the group most nearly resembling their own
grade span. On the Report Card a school’s crime rate is compared to district and state rates for the school’s
group. For example, a 6-8 school’s crime rate will be compared to a district crime rate comprised of all 6-8
schools in the district and a state crime rate comprised of all 6-8 schools in the state.
Source: NCDPI, Safe and Healthy Schools Support Division, 2014-15.
Suspensions and Expulsions
Schools are required to report out-of-school suspensions and expulsions to the state. Out-of-school
suspensions are classified as short-term (10 days or less) and long-term (more than 10 days). An expulsion is
a permanent suspension.
Rates are derived by dividing each school’s total number of reported short-term suspensions, long-term
suspensions, and expulsions by Final Average Daily Membership (ADM) and then multiplying by 100.
District and state rates are calculated based on schools with similar grade ranges. Six grade level categories
are used to provide the most commensurable data for comparisons: K-5, K-8, K-12, 6-8, 6-12, and 9-12.
Schools that do not have these exact grade spans are placed in the group most nearly resembling their own
grade span. On the Report Card a school’s suspension and expulsion rates are compared to district and
state rates for the school’s group. For example, a 9-12 school’s short-term suspension rate will be compared
to a district short-term suspension rate comprised of all 9-12 schools in the district and a state short-term
suspension rate comprised of all 9-12 schools in the state.
Source: NCDPI, Safe and Healthy Schools Support Division, 2014-15.
School Attendance
The attendance rate is calculated by dividing the final Average Daily Attendance (ADA) in the school year by
the final Average Daily Membership (ADM) in the school year.
In order to be considered in attendance, a student (except for hospital/homebound or staggered kindergarten)
must be present in the school for at least one-half of the school’s instructional day, or at a place other than the
school with the approval of the appropriate school official for the purpose of attending an authorized school
activity. Such activities may include field trips, athletic contests, student conventions, musical festivals or any
similarly approved activity.
District and state counts are the averages for schools in the same grade range category (elementary; middle;
high; combined elementary, middle and high; combined elementary and middle; or combined middle and high).
Source: NCDPI, Financial & Business Services, School Business Division, Principal’s Monthly Report, 2013-14.
Internet-connected Learning Devices/Library Media/Digital Access
Each year, schools must complete an online technology report. All reports are due on June 30. The
Technology Director in each Local Education Agency (LEA) verifies all school data (by July 1) before it is
processed (July 17) and published on August 1. The report requests that schools report all information as of
June 30th. Schools and LEAs may amend reports before August.
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2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
• N
umber of Students per Internet-Connected Digital Learning Device: Schools are asked to provide a
count of the total number of Internet-connected digital learning devices available to students in their school.
This total is divided by the final average daily membership (ADM) for the school year to produce the average
number of students per Internet-connected digital learning device.
• B
ooks Per Student: Schools are asked to provide a count of the total number of books available
to students in their school. This total is divided by the final average daily membership (ADM) for the
school year to produce the average number of books per student.
• Average Age of Media Collection
• Percentage of Media Collection in Digital Format
• 1:1 Access: Schools are asked to indicate whether they provide 1:1 access to technology
• G
rades Participating in 1:1 Access: Schools are asked to indicate which grades in the school
participate in the 1:1 access program
• BYOD: Schools are asked to indicate whether they participate in a Bring Your Own Device program
• G
rades Participating in BYOD: Schools are asked to indicate which grades in the school
participate in the BYOD program
District and state averages for this indicator include data from all schools, without regard to school grade span.
As available, data from charter schools are reported.
Source: NCDPI, Division of Digital Teaching and Learning, Annual Media & Technology Report, 2014-15.
>>Personnel
Classroom Teachers
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time. It takes
several months for LEAs to finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct coding. March licensure data
most accurately reflect the situation in the school during the school year.
Data include only “classroom teachers” employed in April 2015. A classroom teacher is defined by the NC Department
of Public Instruction as anyone paid from object codes 121, 123, 124, or 127. There are other adults in the school
building, many of whom work with children, who are not counted here (e.g. Media Specialist, Counselor, etc.).
District and state counts are the average number of classroom teachers in schools in the same grade span
category (elementary, middle, high, combined elementary, middle and high, combined elementary and middle or
combined middle and high).
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification Files, April 2015.
Highly Qualified Teachers
All teachers of core academic subjects must be Highly Qualified. As specified by the No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) Act, the term “core academic subjects” includes English, reading, language arts, mathematics, science,
foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts (visual and music), history, and geography.
To be a Highly Qualified teacher at the elementary school, level a teacher must have obtained an appropriate
license for the core academic subjects taught, and demonstrate subject knowledge and teaching skills in
reading/language arts, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum by
passing the teacher licensing exams (Praxis II) required by the state.
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2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
To be a Highly Qualified teacher at the middle and high school levels, a teacher must have obtained
a middle school or secondary license in a teaching area required for each teaching assignment and
demonstrate a high level of competency by:
• Passing the required Praxis II test(s) in each academic subject in which the teacher teaches, or
• S
uccessfully completing one of the following steps in each academic subject in which the
teacher teaches:
(1) An undergraduate major,
(2) Coursework equivalent to an undergraduate major,
(3) A graduate degree in the core teaching subject area(s),
(4) Master’s level licensure or above in the appropriate subject area, or
(5) National Board Certification in the related subject area(s).
At the beginning of each school year, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must notify the parents of each
student attending a Title I school that they may request the following qualifications of their child’s teacher:
• Whether the teacher has met NC licensing requirements,
• Whether the teacher has had any licensure requirements waived, and
• W
hat the teacher’s bachelor degree major(s) is/are, other degrees held, and teaching license
area(s) held.
Timely notice must also be given to parents of children in Title I Schools who, after four consecutive
weeks, have been taught a core academic subject by a teacher who is not Highly Qualified. The specific
teaching licenses considered to be in field for each class can be obtained from the NC Department of
Public Instruction’s Licensure Section. Percentages only include core academic subject courses.
Sources: NCDPI, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification Files, March 2015.
Fully Licensed Teachers
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time. It takes
several months for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct
coding. March licensure data most accurately reflect the situation in the school during the school year.
In North Carolina, prospective teachers must complete an approved education program to obtain a
teaching license. North Carolina also requires first-time applicants to obtain a minimum score on North
Carolina State Board of Education (SBE) content-based examinations in their teaching field(s). Outof-state applicants, to the extent that their education programs are equivalent to the standards and
guidelines of North Carolina’s approved education programs, qualify through reciprocity agreements. But,
they too, during the 2013-14 school year, must have taken the appropriate North Carolina SBE approved
examinations to qualify for licensure. For purposes of the NC Report Card, “fully licensed” percentages
include only those classroom teachers with clear initial or clear continuing licenses. A classroom teacher
is defined by the NC Department of Public Instruction as anyone object codes 121, 123, 124, or 127.
Some teachers are licensed in multiple areas. For purposes of the NC Report Cards, these teachers are
counted only once and included in the license category with the most deficiencies to be satisfied before
becoming an initial or continuing license. License categories are ranked from most to least deficiencies,
as follows: emergency permit, SB 1124, lateral entry, provisional license, temporary permit, initial license,
and continuing license. Following is a description of each category.
• L
ateral Entry: Issued to individuals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionallyaccredited institution with the equivalent of a college major in the area they are assigned
to teach. Individuals employed on lateral entry licenses must be affiliated with colleges and
25
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
universities with approved teacher education programs, or with one of the Regional Alternative
Licensing Centers (RALC) in North Carolina to complete prescribed course work. The individual
follows their plan of study prescribed by the college or university or the RALC. A minimum
of six semester hours per year from the plan of study must be taken until the plan has been
completed. All coursework and the North Carolina SBE approved exam(s) for their licensure
area must be completed within three years.
• P
rovisional Licensure Areas: Issued to individuals who are already licensed in one or more
areas, but assigned to teach in an area in which they are not licensed. Provisional licenses
are not issued in elementary grades or core academic subject areas in middle or high school.
Individuals employed with provisional licenses must be affiliated with colleges and universities
with approved teacher education programs to complete prescribed course work. Individuals
employed on provisional licenses must complete at least six semester hours of course work
each year. The license can be renewed annually for up to four more years (five years total). The
North Carolina SBE approved subject test(s) for the area must be satisfied upon completion.
• Initial License: Issued to teachers with 0-2 years of teaching experience. This license is valid for
three years of practice. To be issued, the teacher must have completed a state-approved teacher
education program from a regionally-accredited college or university, or completed another state’s
approved alternative route to licensure, met the federal requirements to be designated as Highly
Qualified, and earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college.
• C
ontinuing License: Issued to individuals who have satisfactorily completed the Initial
Licensure Program or who are fully licensed and “Highly Qualified” in another state with three or
more years of teaching experience in another state, AND who meet NC’s SBE approved testing
requirements, OR have National Board Certification. This is a renewable, five-year license.
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification
Files, April 2014.
Teachers with Advanced Degrees
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time.
It takes several months for LEAs to finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct coding. April
licensure data most accurately reflect the situation in the school during the school year.
For purposes of the Report Card, an advanced degree is any degree above a bachelor’s, including master’s,
advanced, or doctoral degrees. Data are only reported for classroom teachers. A classroom teacher is defined
by the NC Department of Public Instruction as anyone in object codes 121, 123, 124 or 127.
Teachers with advanced degrees outside of the field of education are not being included in this percentage.
The licensure file does not capture non-education advanced degrees. If a classroom teacher is listed as
having more than one type of license, the license area with the highest degree held is reported.
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification
Files, April 2015.
National Board Certified Teachers
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time. It takes
several months for LEAs to finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct coding. March licensure data
most accurately reflect the situation in the school during the school year.
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards operates a national, voluntary system to assess
and certify teachers. Candidates for National Board Certification gather a portfolio of evidence of their
work (including student work samples, lesson plans, and videos) and complete a detailed analysis of that
evidence. In addition, all candidates complete a full day of assessments focused on content knowledge in
their main teaching area.
26
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
National Board Certified teacher counts include all staff members with National Board Certification, regardless
of their job assignment. District and state counts include the average number of National Board Certified
teachers in schools in the same grade span category (elementary; middle; high; combined elementary and
middle; combined middle and high; and combined elementary, middle and high).
Source: NCDPI, Human Resource Management Division, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary
Certification Files, April 2015.
Years of Teaching Experience
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time.
It takes several months for LEAs to finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct coding. April
licensure data most accurately reflect the situation in the school during the school year.
Data are presented on the percentage of classroom teachers with 0-3, 4-10, and greater than 10 years of
teaching experience. A classroom teacher is defined by the NC Department of Public Instruction as anyone paid
from object codes 121, 123, 124 or 127. North Carolina credits teachers with an additional year of experience
at the end of each school year. In addition, teachers licensed out-of-state and lateral entry teachers may be
credited with additional years of experience. Out-of-state teachers will receive additional credit for out-of-state
teaching experience verified by the Licensure Section at NCDPI. Lateral entry teachers may receive additional
credit for non-teaching work related to their teaching assignment. For example, a chemistry teacher may be
credited with additional years of experience for prior work as a chemist. Years of teaching experience are based
upon the highest years on the educator’s license during the 2014-15 school year.
Percentages in the three experience categories may not total 100 percent due to rounding.
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Files, April 2015.
Teacher Turnover
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time;
however, data are not fully updated until April of each school year. It takes several months for LEAs to
finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct coding. April licensure data most accurately reflect the
situation in the school during the school year.
School-level turnover rates are derived from school payroll data. All classroom teachers employed in
a school during April of one year but not employed as a classroom teacher in the same school system
during April of the following year are included in the school’s turnover statistics. Percentages reported on
the 2014-15 Report Cards are based upon the classroom teachers employed in April 2014
and their employment status in April 2015. A classroom teacher is defined by the NC Department of
Public Instruction as anyone paid from object codes 121, 123, 124 or 127.
Teachers employed in more than one school will be equally distributed in the turnover rates among all
schools in which they are employed in the school system. Visiting International Faculty teachers whose
contracts have expired and teachers who are no longer assigned to the classroom but who are still
employed in the school system are included in each school’s turnover statistics.
NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification Files, April
2014 and April 2015. NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Annual Teacher
Turnover Report, 2015.
School and Administrator Effectiveness
In 2014-15, all teachers and administrators were evaluated using the online North Carolina Educator
Evaluation System. This process is a cornerstone of North Carolina’s award and participation in the
federal Race to the Top grant program.
27
2014-15 Data Sources and Information Guide
Teacher Working Conditions
The North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions (NC TWC) survey is an anonymous statewide survey of
licensed school-based educators to assess teaching conditions at the school, district and state level. First
administered in 2002 as part of the Governor’s Teacher Working Conditions Initiative, it is conducted biennially.
The results of this survey are one component of the on-going process for collaborative school and district
improvement plans. Results are also used as artifacts in the educator and administrator evaluation instruments
in our state.
Source: Governor’s 2014 Bi-annual Teacher Working Conditions Survey (http://www.ncteachingconditions.org/).
School Principals’ Qualifications (District Report Cards only)
The licensure and salary certification files for teachers are updated daily and can be pulled at any time.
It takes several months for LEAs to finalize assignments, enter new hires, and correct coding. March
licensure data most accurately reflect the situation in the school during the school year.
Data are presented on the percentage of principals with 0-3, 4-10, and greater than 10 years of principals’
experience. Years of administrative experience are based upon the highest years on the principal’s
license during the 2014-15 school year. Percentages in the three experience categories may not total
100 percent due to rounding.
For purposes of the report card, an advanced degree is any degree beyond a master’s degree.
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification
Files, April 2015.
School Principals’ by Demographic Group (District Report Cards only)
The SS-200 Full-Time Personnel Reporting System collects and compiles race/ethnicity and gender data
of all full time principals. This data is submitted by the LEAs and Charter Schools as of October 1 for the
2014-2015 school year.
This table provides you with demographic information about the principals employed in this school district.
Use this table to see what percentage of principals is male or female and in which racial/ethnic group
principals classify themselves.
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, SS-200 Full Time Personnel Report Files, September 2014.
School Principals’ Turnover Rate (District Report Cards only)
District-level turnover rates are derived from licensure and salary certification files. All principals employed
in a school in April 2014, but are not employed in the same school district in any certified position in
April 2015 are included in turnover statistics.
Source: NCDPI, Financial and Business Services, Licensure Section, Licensure & Salary Certification
Files, April 2014 and April 2015.
28
Glossary of Terms
Achievement Gap
Differences in academic performance among groups are often identified racially, ethnically, and by income
levels. In the United States, white students tend to outperform children of color; and wealthier students often
do better than poorer ones.
Achievement Levels
Student achievement on North Carolina’s End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests is reported by achievement
level. There are five achievement levels:
• Level 1: Students performing at this level demonstrate limited command of knowledge and skills.
• Level 2: Students performing at this level demonstrate partial command of knowledge and skills.
• Level 3: Students performing at this level demonstrate sufficient command of knowledge and skills.
• Level 4: Students performing at this level demonstrate solid command of knowledge and skills.
• Level 5: Students performing at this level demonstrate superior command of knowledge and skills.
ACT WorkKeys
The ACT WorkKeys performance measure is administered to students who are identified as Career and
Technical Education (CTE) Concentrators. Students can earn ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate
(NCRC) at the Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze level. More information on the WorkKeys is available at
http://www.act.org/products/workforce-act-workkeys/.
Advanced Placement (AP)
AP courses are designed by College Board and offer the opportunity for high school students to experience
college-level rigor and to earn college credits based on exam performance.
Annual Measurable Objective (AMOs)
AMOs measure the yearly progress of different groups of students at the school, district, and state levels
against yearly target goals. All public schools, in North Carolina and throughout the country, must measure
and report AMOs as outlined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Average Daily Membership (ADM)
The number of days a student is in membership at a school divided by the number of days in a school
month or school year.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are independent public schools designed and operated by educators, parents, community
leaders, educational entrepreneurs, and others who operate outside of the traditional system of public
schools. They are sponsored by designated local or state educational organizations, which monitor their
quality and effectiveness.
College-and-Career Readiness and Achievement Level 4 and Above
These terms refers to student work that meets the College-and-Career Readiness achievement standard set
by North Carolina. Students scoring at Achievement Level 4 or above are considered to be performing on
track to be college-and-career ready by the time they graduate from high school.
Disaggregated Data
To disaggregate means to separate a whole into its parts. In education, this term means that test results are sorted
by groups of students who are economically disadvantaged; are from racial and ethnic minority groups; have
disabilities; or have limited English fluency. This practice allows parents and teachers to see more than just the
average score for their child’s school. Instead, parents and teachers can see how each student group is performing.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The ESEA was first passed by Congress in 1965 and represents a sweeping change in the federal
government’s role in local public education. The law was originally authorized through 1970; however, the
government has reauthorized the act every five years since its enactment. The current reauthorization of
ESEA is the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001.
29
Glossary of Terms
End-of-Course (EOC) Tests
EOC tests are designed to assess the competencies defined by the North Carolina Standard Course of
Study for each of the following courses: English II, Math I, and Biology.
End-of-Grade (EOG) Tests
North Carolina’s state-developed standardized tests for grades 3-8 are linked to the Standard Course
of Study for each grade level. These tests measure student learning in English language arts/reading,
mathematics, and science.
Grade Level Proficiency and Achievement Level 3 and Above
These terms refers to student work that meets the achievement standard set by North Carolina. Students
scoring at Achievement Level 3 or above are considered to be performing at grade level and to be well
prepared to meet the demands of the next grade level.
High Poverty School
The designation for a high poverty school is based on the percentage of students defined as Economically
Disadvantaged. Economically Disadvantaged students were identified in accordance with a Memorandum of
Agreement between the School Nutrition Services Section and the Division of Accountability Services.
Highly Qualified Teacher
A Highly Qualified teacher is defined as one who has obtained full state teacher certification or has passed the state
teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in the state; holds a minimum of a bachelor’s degree;
and has demonstrated subject area competence in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
IB courses are designed by International Baccalaureate Organization and offer the opportunity for high
school students to experience college-level rigor with a global focus and to earn college credits based on
exam performance.
Local Education Agency (LEA)
Synonymous with local school district and indicating that a public board of education or other public
authority maintains administrative control of the public schools in a city or county township, school district,
or other political subdivision of a state.
Limited English Proficient (LEP)
Limited English Proficient refers to students for whom English is a second language and are not at grade
level in reading and writing English.
Limited English Proficiency
Limited English proficiency is a test of English language skills given to all LEP students to ascertain the
student’s readiness to take the state assessment tests in English.
Low Poverty School
The designation for a low poverty school is based on the percentage of students defined as Economically
Disadvantaged. Economically Disadvantaged students were identified in accordance with a Memorandum
of Agreement between the School Nutrition Services Section and the Division of Accountability Services.
NAEP
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing
assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas. Results for the reading and
mathematics assessments in the 4th and 8th grades are reported in the NC School Report Cards.
Passing Math III
This indicator is the measure of student success in higher-level math courses by providing information on
the number of students who have earned credit in one of the following courses: Algebra II, Integrated
Math III, or Math III
30
Glossary of Terms
Principal’s Monthly Report (PMR)
This is a record of data about student enrollment, transfers, membership, and attendance.
Proficiency
Proficiency is mastery or the ability to do something.
READY
Effective with the 2012-13 school year, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted the READY Accountability
Model, an indicator-based reporting model. The READY Accountability Model replaces the ABCs of Public
Education, which had been in place since 1996. This change was facilitated by the recommendations from
The Blue Ribbon Commission and the college- and-career readiness content standards adopted by the SBE
in June 2010 and the college- and-career readiness accountability indicators adopted by the SBE in December
2011. The SBE identified indicators that would help educators, parents and the public understand the status
and progress that schools are making toward ensuring that all students are college- and- career ready. These
indicators include new state administered end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) assessments,
college- and-career readiness examinations (The ACT and ACT WorkKeys), Passing Math III, and high school
graduation rates. In addition to these indicators other valuable information is reported including school growth as
measured by EVAAS and participation in a graduation project.
SAT
The SAT, which is often taken by high school juniors and seniors as a precursor to college/university
admission, assesses a student’s verbal, mathematical, and writing skills.
School Growth
North Carolina has partnered with SAS Institute Inc. to produce a School-wide Accountability Growth
measure. All EOG and EOC scores are included in the EVAAS School-wide Accountability Growth
measure. For reporting purposes, schools will be given a designation of 1) Exceeds Expected Growth, 2)
Meets Expected Growth, 3) Does Not Meet Expected Growth. Some schools may not have a designation
because they do not administer assessments that are included in the growth measure or they do not have
enough students taking the assessment to obtain a growth measure.
STEM
STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines – science,
technology, engineering and mathematics.
The ACT
The ACT is administered in North Carolina public schools to all eligible students in the eleventh grade. The
assessment consists of four curriculum-based, multiple-choice tests of English, Mathematics, Reading,
and Science and includes a Writing test that measures skills in planning and writing a short essay. The
ACT assesses students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.
The assessment also includes an interest inventory that provides test takers with information for career
and educational planning. The ACT is part of the NC READY Accountability Model and is used in School
Performance Grades. More information on The ACT is available at http://www.act.org/products/k-12-act-test/.
Title I
Title I provides federal funding for schools to help students who are behind academically or at risk of falling
behind. Funding is based on the number of low-income children in a school, generally those eligible for the free
lunch program. Title I is intended to supplement, not replace, state and district funds. Schools receiving Title I
monies are supposed to involve parents in deciding how these funds are spent and in reviewing progress.
31
2014-15 School Report Cards Data Preview
On September 21, Report Card Coordinators will receive an email from the NC Department of Public
Instruction with any final updates and information regarding the Report Cards review process.
* Please note, Snapshots should NOT be printed during the data preview period; the data in the
Snapshots during this time is not considered final.
LEA Information: Prior to September 21, Report Card Coordinators should provide each
superintendent and principal in their LEA with the following information:
• General instructions for accessing their web-based and PDF Report Cards on the NC School
Report Cards test site and local instructions for submitting questions about their web-based
and/ or PDF Report Cards to you, their Report Card coordinator, during the preview period
September 21 - October 2. (The www.ncpublicschools.org/src site is still live with 2013-14 data;
you will receive instructions to go to a non-public test site.)
• To the extent possible, we ask that Report Card Coordinators handle questions and data verification
for each of their schools. To assist LEA coordinators with data verification, a list of data contacts
for every district will be online at www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/resources/. This
list contains the names of the staff in each LEA who are responsible for each of the data systems
submitted to NC Department of Public Instruction and used by the NC School Report Cards. If
Report Card Coordinators need additional information or assistance in answering any questions,
please submit your request via the Contact Us submission form on the Report Cards test site.
• Please remember to ask principals to contact their Report Card Coordinator with any questions
about Report Cards data. Inquiries received by the NC Department of Public Instruction directly
from principals will be redirected to the appropriate Report Card Coordinator. Please note that the
NC Department of Public Instruction will not accept requests for corrections from schools
that did not meet deadlines for submitting data at the local level or submitted it incorrectly.
Charter School Information: Prior to September 21, Report Card Coordinators should provide key
personnel in their charter school with the following information:
• General instructions for accessing their web-based and PDF Report Cards on the NC School
Report Cards test site and instructions for submitting questions about their web-based
and/or PDF Report Cards to you, their Report Card Coordinator, during the preview period
September 21 - October 2. (The www.ncpublicschools.org/src site is still live with 2013-14 data;
you will receive instructions to go to a non-public test site.)
• To the extent possible, we ask that Report Card Coordinators handle questions and data
verification for each of their schools. Inquiries received by the NC Department of Public
Instruction from those other than your charter school’s Report Card Coordinator will be
redirected to the appropriate individual. Please note that the NC Department of Public
Instruction will not accept requests for corrections from schools that did not meet
deadlines for submitting data at the local level or submitted it incorrectly.
Information for All Coordinators: On September 21, Report Card Coordinators, superintendents
and principals will receive an email from the NC Department of Public Instruction indicating they can
access their school and district Report Cards.
• WEB: The Web versions of the school and district Report Cards may be accessed.
• PDFs: Printable versions of the school and district Report Cards (also called Snapshots) can be
accessed from each school and district Report Card.
• ZIP Files: A ZIP file containing PDFs for all of the schools in a district, plus the district’s PDF,
can be downloaded from the district Report Card. Free software and detailed instructions for
opening ZIP files are available on the Web: PC users: WinZip: http://www.winzip.com/
MAC users: Stuff It Expander: http://www.stuffit.com
Data from prior Report Cards (2001-2013) do not need to be reviewed again. Only 2014-15 data should
be reviewed.
All data questions and outstanding issues must be submitted via the Contact Us Submission Form on the
Report Cards test website by 5 p.m. on October 2.
32
2014-15 School Report Cards Data Preview
How to Submit a Data Question/Issue During Data Preview:
Select the Contact Us link on the home page. (The URL to the test site for the 2014-15 Report
Cards will be released on September 21.) This link will take you to a form that can be filled out and
submitted directly to the appropriate business units at the NC Department of Public Instruction.
•
•
eport card coordinators will need to submit one form for each question or issue. Please
R
do not submit multiple issues in one form.
Please be prepared to enter the following information:
1. Report Card Coordinator’s Name
2. LEA/Charter School Unit Number
3. School Unit Number (if applicable)
4. Coordinator’s Email Address
5. Coordinator’s Phone Number
6. S
elect one of the following categories to which your correction or question applies (these
categories are subject to change):
• 9-12 Course Size
• National Board Certified
• ACT WorkKeys/The ACT
•Other
• Advanced Placement (AP)
• Passing Math III
• Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs)
• Principal Demographics
• Classroom Teachers
• Read to Achieve
• Cohort Graduation Rate
•SAT
• College Enrollment/Course Completion
• School Attendance
• Digital Access
• School/District Contact Information
• Digital Learning Devices
• School Performance Grades
• Educator Effectiveness
• School Safety/ Suspensions & Expulsions
• End of Grade/Course Tests
• School Size
• ESEA School Status
• Specialized Course Enrollments
•Funding
• STEM Status
• Graduation Project Status
• Teacher Licenses
• Highly Qualified Teachers
• Teacher/Principal Advanced Degrees
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Teacher/Principal Turnover
• K-8 Class Size
• Teacher/Principal Years of Experience
• Library Media
•National Assessment of Education
Progress (NAEP)
7. Enter Your Specific Question and Submit
33
2014-15 School Report Cards Data Preview
Sample of Contact Us Submission Form available during Data Preview:
2014-15 School Report Cards Data Preview
Please note:
When you have submitted your form, a copy of your request will be emailed to you automatically, so you
can keep a record of your submissions.
HELPFUL HINTS FOR SUBMITTING YOUR DATA QUESTIONS/ISSUES:
• Please do not wait to submit all of your questions/corrections at the end of the review
period. Submit your questions as you encounter them.
• When you submit a new question/request, please do not re-submit all of your previous
questions and corrections.
• Between October 28 - November 10, the appropriate business units at the NC Department of
Public Instruction will contact Report Card coordinators to resolve any state-level data load
errors or data questions.
• This review is for 2014-15 Report Cards data only. Issues will not be accepted for prior
years’ data.
34
Tips for Improving Data Accuracy
Please share this information with the appropriate personnel in your schools and district office.
Educational Directory and Demographical Information Exchange (EDDIE)
Formerly the School Name and Address (SNA) file
The school type, calendar type, and grade range on the NC School Report Cards will reflect information
in the EDDIE system as of June 30, 2014. However, select information is also provided by EDDIE and
authorized personnel may update this information at anytime without contacting the NC Department of
Public Instruction:
District Level
School Level
• Name
• Name
• Address
• Address
• Superintendent name
• Telephone number
• Superintendent email address
• URL (web address)
• Telephone number
• URL (web address)
Updates to these items should appear on the Report Cards site within one week. For more information
about EDDIE visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/fbs/accounting/eddie/. A list of authorized personnel
“Subscribed User List” is online at the above URL.
School Activity Report (SAR)
• Be certain to assign the correct course code to course sections scheduled. The section must have
the appropriate subject content, academic level and grade level for the course being scheduled.
• Exceptional Children (EC) data must be in PowerSchool for accurate SAR reporting
• All staff associated with the course section scheduled must be attached to the section.
• The appropriate amount of time must be assigned to sections.
Accountability Data
• The accuracy of each school’s Accountability data depends in large measure on the accuracy
of the information entered into PowerSchool. Therefore, it is essential that data managers
and coordinators are appropriately trained and follow all guidelines, procedures and timelines
outlined by Accountability Services.
• NC SIS personnel and testing coordinators at the school and district levels must communicate
throughout the year to ensure that demographic variables and achievement data are entered
correctly and reported consistently across all files.
• School and district NC SIS personnel and testing coordinators should routinely employ all
available processes for verifying their data including audit reports and end-of-year checklists
• Principals are responsible for verifying audit reports for their schools throughout the school year
and after all corrections are made and data are ready to be submitted to Accountability Services.
Data on Classroom Teachers
• Classroom teachers are identified using the budget codes provided by Local Education Agency
(LEA) finance officers as of March 2014. Report card data include only those teachers in object
Codes 121, 123, 124, or 127. LEA finance officers must carefully examine all codes and data
included in the licensure file prior to March of each school year in order to ensure accurate reporting.
35
Local Contacts for Data
Local Education Agency (LEA) Coordinators: Data reported to the NC Department of Public
Instruction can come from a multitude of areas within the LEA or charter school. To assist coordinators
with data verification, a list of data contacts for every LEA will be online at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/resources/.
This list contains the names of the staff in each LEA who are responsible for each of the data systems
submitted to the NC Department of Public Instruction and used by the NC School Report Cards.
Educational Directory and
Demographical Information Exchange (EDDIE)
Charter School Coordinators: Because roles may differ from school to school, customized contact
sheets have not been created for each charter school. A generic contact sheet is provided on page 36
for charter schools to fill in and use for their NC School Report Cards release process. Charter school
coordinators should contact their RAC with student performance questions in lieu of a testing coordinator.
A list of authorized contacts for Educational Directory and Demographical Information Exchange (EDDIE) are
available online for both LEAs and charter schools at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/fbs/accounting/eddie/.
36
Local Contacts for Data
Local Education Agency (LEA) Contact for NC School Report Card Data
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ducational Directory and Demographical Information Exchange (EDDIE) application
E
Typically one staff person in each LEA and charter school has access to make changes in EDDIE.
Provided here is a link to the authorized users in each LEA and charter school. You can access
this list online directly at www.ncpublicschools.org/fbs/accounting/eddie/.
rincipal’s Monthly Report (PMR)
P
The PMR is typically submitted by the PowerSchool coordinator in each LEA.
chool Activity Report (SAR)
S
The SAR is typically submitted by the PowerSchool coordinator in each LEA.
Accountability
Nearly all data found in the School Performance and School Indicators section are collected from
the testing director/coordinator in each LEA and charter school.
Finance
All financial data are submitted via the LEA finance director.
chool Safety Data / Suspension & Expulsion Data (DDC)
S
Data for school safety and suspension/expulsion are collected in the Disciplinary Data Collection
Form. The personnel responsible for submitting this data in each LEA are provided here.
Books & Technology
These data are collected via the Annual Media & Technology Report (AMTR). The individual
responsible for this data at each LEA is provided.
icensure & Highly Qualified (HQ)
L
All licensure and highly qualified data are collected by the LEA’s personnel or human
resources director.
37
Local Data Contacts Template
LEA or Charter School:
Report Card Coordinator(s):
Report Card Data
LEA File Name
School Address/Phone;
School URL;
Grade Range; Calendar
Educational Directory and
Demographical Information
Exchange (EDDIE)
application
School Size; Demographics;
Attendance
Principal’s Monthly Report
(PMR)
Class Size; Course Enrollments
School Activity Report (SAR)
Financial Information
Annual Financial Report
Course Size; Student &
School Performance
READY
AMO Results;
Cohort Graduation Rate,
ESEA Attendance
Accountability Summary File
School Safety;
Suspensions & Expulsions
Disciplinary Data Collection
Books & Technology
Annual Media & Technology
Report
Teacher & Principal Data
Licensure & Salary
Certification
Highly Qualified Teachers
Licensure & Salary
Certification (ESEA)
Non-Data Specific Questions/
Welcome Letters/Email
Addresses
N/A
38
Local Contact
Data Collection and Reporting Calendar
This calendar provides a listing of every data collection and reporting system used by the NC
School Report Cards along with the Local Education Agency (LEA) data collection timeline;
applicable review periods; and the NC Department of Public Instruction timeline for submitting
final data reports to the various recipients, such as the State Board of Education, the General
Assembly, etc.
Collection Period: date(s) when system is open to LEAs to enter data
Review Period: some systems provide a final verification for LEAs
Reporting Date: the NC Department of Public Instruction deadline for submission of data to recipient
Report Recipient: the recipients of data collected by the NC Department of Public Instruction
Report Name
(Data Collection System)
1st month Grade/Race/
Sex Report (PMR)
PowerSchool
READY, Reports of
Supplemental Disaggregated
State, School System &
School Performance Data
Data Collection
Period
NCDPI/LEA
Data Review
Period
Reporting
Date
Report Recipient (s)
November
December
Various NCDPI staff
and systems use this
information; NC School
Report Cards
July
August November
State Board of Education;
NC School Report Cards
Annual Financial Report
July 1 - June 30
Annual Media and Technology
Report (AMTR)
Sept. 1 - June 30
Annual School Violence
Report – Suspensions/
Expulsions, School Violence
(Disciplinary Data Collection,
PowerSchool)
Annual Study of Suspensions
and Expulsions (Disciplinary
Data Collection, PowerSchool)
Fall of
NC Statistical Profile;
following year NC School Report Cards
August
Lieutenant Governor;
NC School Report Cards
July 1 - June 30
October
NC School Report Cards;
State Board of Education
July 1 - June 30
October
NC School Report Cards;
State Board of Education
July - August
AP Exam Performance and
Participation (College Board)
NCDPI Accountability
Division
College Course Completion
– C161 (Education Data
Exchange Network)
July - August
January
US Department of
Education
College Enrollment – C160
(Education Data Exchange
Network)
July - August
January
US Department of
Education
39
Data Collection and Reporting Calendar
Report Name
(Data Collection System)
Consolidated Federal Data
Collection: Eligible Schools
Summary Report
Consolidated Federal Data
Collection: Title I Schools In
Improvement (TBD)
Consolidated Federal Data
Collection: Title I Districts in
Improvement (TBD)
Educational Directory and
Demographical Information
Exchange (EDDIE)
Highly Qualified Teachers
Data Collection
Period
NCDPI/LEA
Data Review
Period
August - June
June - July
N/A
August September
N/A
AugustSeptember
Ongoing
Reporting
Date
Report Recipient (s)
August
US Department of
Education/CEDARS/
Accountability Division/
NC School Report Cards
September
US Department of
Education/CEDARS/
Accountability Division/
NC School Report Cards
September
US Department of
Education/CEDARS/
Accountability Division/
NC School Report Cards
N/A
May 23 - July 31
August
September
IB Exam Performance and
Participation (International
Baccalaureate)
Licensure and Salary
Certification file information
(LicSal system)
Various NCDPI staff
and systems use this
information; NC School
Report Cards
US Department of
Education; State Board
of Education; NC School
Report Cards
NCDPI Accountability
Division
March
Principal’s Monthly
Report (PMR)
PowerSchool
July 1 - June 30
School Activity Report (SAR)
PowerSchool
Sept. 2 - Dec. 19
June 1 August 1
N/A
Various NCDPI staff
and systems use this
information; NC School
Report Cards
Various NCDPI staff
August of
and systems use this
following year information; NC School
Report Cards
March
40
Reported to General
Assembly; NC School
Report Cards
Process for Submitting Welcome Letter URL
THE WELCOME LETTER
The NC School Report Cards offer an opportunity for Local Education Agency (LEAs) and charter
schools to highlight local achievements via the “Welcome Letter.” The Welcome Letter is a letter from
your superintendent or charter school director that provides more personalized information about your
school system or charter school. (Please note that the Report Cards are already linked to each
school and district website; the Welcome Letter is specifically a place to post letters about local
achievements in regards to the Report Cards.)
The link to the Welcome Letter appears in the snapshot tab in the school profile report. Although the link
to the Welcome Letter appears on the Report Cards, the actual letter is housed on your LEA’s or
charter school’s website. This gives you the flexibility to update the letter anytime throughout the year.
Additionally, you may choose to post letters from individual principals from your Welcome Letter page.
Please note that all schools in an LEA will link to the same Welcome Letter page; we cannot link
to individual letters on each school’s Report Card.
The Welcome Letter is optional. If your LEA or charter school chooses not to post this page on your
Web server, the Welcome Letter link will not appear on any of the Report Cards in your district.
Even if you submitted your Welcome Letter URL last year, you will need to do so again for the
upcoming release.
The instructions that begin on the next page describe how the process will work for posting Welcome
Letters on your LEA’s or charter school’s Web server. Please share these instructions with your LEA’s
or charter school’s webmaster. The Division of Communications will send an email to every LEA and
charter school webmaster explaining the process as well. These instructions will be posted on the
SRC Communications website at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/welcomeletter/.
Once your webmaster has posted the letter and provided you with the URL, you will need to submit the
URL via the Welcome Letter & Superintendent’s Email Submission Form on the SRC Communications
website at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/welcomeletter/.
Submissions will be accepted from September 1-11. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on
September 11 in order to appear in time for the official release of the Report Cards. Welcome Letters
will not be displayed during the preview period.
If, at any time during the year, the URL changes for your Welcome Letter, please notify the NC Department
of Public Instruction with the new URL. Changes may be sent via email to reportcards@dpi.nc.gov.
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Process for Submitting Welcome Letter URL
INFORMATION FOR LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY (LEA) AND CHARTER SCHOOL
WEBMASTERS:
The following process will enable the “Welcome Letter” link in the School Information table of the
school and district reports to link to a Welcome Page on the LEA’s or Charter School’s Web server.
1. Webmasters will receive the Welcome Letter(s) from the Report Card coordinator. Report Card
coordinators will most likely submit these letters to the webmaster in Word Format. Webmasters
will need to format these letters according to the LEA’s or charter school’s Web style guide or
according to the specifications of the Report Card coordinator.
2. Create a folder on the Web server titled “srcwelcome”
3. Save the Welcome Page as letter.html and save it in this srcwelcome folder. If the LEA plans only
to post a letter from the superintendent and not from principals, please proceed to number 6.
Charter schools should proceed to number 6 as well.
4. If your LEA plans to include principals’ letters, we suggest the following process (although you are
free to set this up to best suit your website structure and needs). Please note that the Report Cards
will link only to the main Welcome Page. We will not link to individual letters from principals
(see figure 1.1).
Figure 1.1 Example of School Report Cards Welcome Page with link to letters from principals.
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Process for Submitting Welcome Letter URL
5. Save EACH Welcome Letter separately (we recommend using the school code for the school the
letter represents).
6. Once the file(s) are loaded in your srcwelcome directory on your Web server, give the URL to the
Report Card coordinator. This is vital for collecting the correct URLs for this project.
Questions? Please contact us via email at reportcards@dpi.nc.gov
SUBMITTING YOUR WELCOME LETTER URL
We have posted a short form on the School Report Card Communications website about the
Welcome Letters. To access the form, please go to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src-communications/
welcomeletter/ between September 1-11.
On this form, you will be asked if your Local Education Agency (LEA) or charter school is going to
provide a welcome page on your LEA’s Web Server. If the answer is ‘yes’, you will be asked to provide
the URL for where the letter will be placed on the server.
Submissions must be received by 5pm on September 11 in order to appear in time for the official
release of the NC School Report Cards.
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Communication Resources
TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING REPORT CARD RESULTS
Just the Facts
•School Report Cards will be available for external data preview by coordinators, superintendents and
local principals between Oct. 28 and Nov. 10. Questions and corrections must be submitted to the
NC Department of Public Instruction by 5 p.m. on Nov. 10. It is important to note that only schools
open during the 2014-15 school year have Report Cards.
•Report cards are available for charter and alternative schools operating during the 2014-15 school
year. Federal schools, state-operated schools, and other special schools do not receive Report
Cards due to differences in the way data are reported for these schools.
•
Report Card Snapshots will be available for printing and distributing to parents on December 1,
the public release date of the School Report Cards. Administrators may want to use this
opportunity to involve local businesses in their schools by soliciting help from a business
partner in printing the Report Card.
•In most instances, Report Card data are reported at the school, district, and state level. School
data are based on information from all grades within the school. The district and state comparisons
for each school include totals or averages from schools with the same grade spans. Please note
that there are a few schools with uncommon grade spans – such as K-9, K-12 and 6-11. In some
instances there is only one such school in a district and one or very few in the state. Comparing
district and state data to schools with uncommon grade spans should only be done with caution.
•The School Report Card website allows viewers to compare schools with each other, but because
schools can be structured differently from one another – in their sizes, available grades and the
programs they offer – Report Cards are not a useful tool for ranking schools. It would be incorrect to
determine that one school is better than another based only on slight differences between data points.
Determine your Key Messages
•Study your school’s Report Card to determine its strengths and weaknesses. From this, develop some
key messages around what you want people to remember about your school and its data. Make sure
these messages are clear and concise and that they are repeated on any materials you produce
for the public. Avoid using educational jargon or unclear words that may confuse people. Ask a noneducator to listen and respond to your messages before you provide them to the general public.
•Revise the sample letter for parents (included in this packet) to include your key messages. Copy it
with your school’s Report Card Snapshot and distribute both to parents.
•Add a link to the North Carolina School Report Card website, www.ncpublicschools.org/src, from
your school’s website.
Provide a Complete Picture
•Student performance reported for the 2014-15 year is based on more rigorous standards
implemented for the first time in the 2012-13 school year. As expected when states increase learning
standards, North Carolina’s student performance decreased in the first year or two after the new
standards were put in place. That’s why it is not helpful to compare the current performance to data
prior to 2012.
•This is the second year that A-F performance grades will be provided for each school. The letter
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Communication Resources
grades provide an additional measure of school performance. For 2014-15, the letter grades are
calculated on the following scale: 85-100 = A, 70-84 = B, 55-69 = C, 40-54 = D, and less than 40 = F.
•No school is performing so well that there is no room for improvement. If you only tell the pictureperfect stories, your message will lose it credibility.
•Those who readily admit their weaknesses and communicate a plan for improvement create a
better understanding among their audience.
•Share ways your community members can get involved so that increased student achievement
will be reported on next year’s Report Card. Make school improvement everyone’s business.
Inform Faculty First
•Teachers and other staff members are often a parent’s first contact in your school. Schedule a
meeting devoted to the school Report Card for your staff, or discuss the Report Card at your next
faculty meeting. Provide teachers with a copy of your School Report Card Snapshot. Tell faculty that
school, district and state Report Cards also are available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/src.
•Clarify the difference between the School Report Card Snapshot and your school’s online Report
Card. The online Report Card contains additional data and information about indicators that were
difficult to capture in a printed document.
Keep Parents and Businesses Informed
•Include a copy of your school’s Report Card in welcome materials for students and parents who
are new to the school. Ask teachers to include the Report Card Snapshot in any weekly folders or
material that they send home to families.
•Help parents who may not be fluent in English understand the school Report Card. Spanish
language versions of the School Report Card Snapshots can be printed from the NC School
Report Card website www.ncpublicschools.org/src.
•Place copies of your school’s Report Card Snapshot in community venues, possibly by attaching
it to a brochure or other publication that describes your school and invite parents and community
members to come visit or attend an event at your school. Encourage businesses that employ
parents of students in your school to link their website or intranet to the NC School Report Cards
website. Send copies of the Report Card Snapshot to local faith-based organizations and ask
them to include them in their next mailing or with their bulletin/newsletter.
•Send out information about the school Report Card to your School Improvement Team members,
PTA/PTO/PTSO leaders, key communicators, booster club members, business partners, and
other constituents.
•Use in-house television stations to talk about the release of the Report Cards and about how your
school plans to distribute them to parents. Highlight particular strengths and needs of your school.
•Use this time to generate interest from students.
•Used the enclosed newsletter articles to alert teachers, students, parents, and community
members to the Report Card.
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Communication Resources
Sample Letter:
Dear Parent:
We provide regular updates to you about your student’s academic progress by sending home a Report
Card. Once a year we provide you with updates on our school’s achievements through the North
Carolina School Report Card. This Report Card includes important information about school and student
performance, class sizes, attendance, school safety, instructional resources, and teacher quality. There
also is information about how our school measured against federal Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO)
targets and the number of suspensions and expulsions in our school.
For the second year, each school has received a letter grade to describe its performance. These school
performance grades are comprised of student achievement (80 percent) and growth (20 percent). For
some schools that meet or exceed expected growth, the growth calculation would lower their letter grade.
In those instances, growth is not included in the letter grade.
[For districts: Report data is available for our school district and for the state’s education system as a
whole. For charter schools: Due to some differences in reporting for charter schools, your school’s Report
Card contains some additional information, such as finance data, that regular schools do not display.]
I have enclosed with this letter a summary of our Report Card called the Report Card Snapshot. Our school’s
full Report Card can be found on the NC School Report Cards’ website at www.ncpublicschools.org/src.
[For districts: Our school district’s report also is available on the Report Card website.] School Report
Cards are provided for regular public schools, charter schools, and alternative schools that were open
during the 2014-15 school year.
The numbers only tell part of the story. At our school we are proud of the following special activities that are
underway [include information about partnerships, special programs, and other initiatives that make your
school unique. Highlight special accomplishments or unique qualifications of members of the school staff.]
State and local education leaders are committed to providing parents with more information about
schools. Well-informed parents who participate in their children’s education and school enhance the
learning environment for students and educators alike. In addition, the federal Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA) requires schools to issue Report Cards.
At ______________ School your involvement is very important to the success of our school! I encourage
you to review our Report Card carefully, then feel free to contact me directly to discuss any questions
or concerns you may have regarding the Report Card. I also welcome your feedback regarding other
interests you have in our school.
Thank you for allowing me to share this Report Card with you and thank you for supporting our efforts to
provide your child with a high-quality education.
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Communication Resources
Sample News Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date
Contact: Name and title
Phone number, e-mail
North Carolina School Report Cards for 2014-15 Now Available Online
(The subheadline should indicate an element of the report’s results. For example: “District or School XXX
Reaches High Performance Goals in 2014-15”)
DATELINE—The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently released its North Carolina
School Report Cards for 2014-15. The School Report Cards offer up-to-date information about student
achievement and attendance, class size, school safety, teacher quality, school technology and other
topics for the XXX number of public and charter schools in XXXX County as well as all other school
districts across the state. Information for the Report Cards is compiled annually and available by school,
district and state levels at http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/.
Next, include positive points from your district or school’s report card. For example: “Highlights from
District or School XXX’s Report Card include:
• District or School XXX received a letter grade of XX. This is based on our school’s achievement score
(80 percent) and student academic growth (20 percent). For some schools that meet or exceed expected
growth, the growth calculation would lower their letter grade. In those instances, growth is not included in
the letter grade.
• District or School XXX reported no long-term suspensions or expulsions.
• District or School XXX had a 95% attendance rate.
Insert a quote from local superintendent. For example:
“I am honored to lead a district that is setting and reaching such high student achievement goals,” said
Superintendent XXX. “This recognition proves that our teachers and principals are going above and
beyond to give our students the best education.”
Include any other pertinent information about your district or school’s Report Card. Also acknowledge
where your district or school can make improvements in areas that may not have been as impressive and
what district or school is already doing to improve in these areas. For example:
“To improve reading test scores, three elementary schools have started new literacy programs.”
• Insert another quote from local board member or school principal. For example: “I am pleased in the
performance of our teachers and students. Together we can be proud of our accomplishments and
identify and improve upon our weaknesses,” said Principal or Local Board of Education Member XXX.
For more information regarding about XXXXX District’s or XXXXX School’s Report Card or to see the
full report online, please visit http://ncreportscards.org/src or contact XXXX County Schools Public
Information Officer XXXX at XXXXXX.
###
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Communication Resources
SAMPLE NEWSLETTER ARTICLE #1
The 2014-15 North Carolina School Report Card is now available.
This Report Card includes important information about school and student performance, class size,
attendance, school safety, instructional resources and teacher quality data. Report card data will be
available for each school, for each school district, and for the state’s education system as a whole.
Schools will be assigned a letter grade A-F to reflect overall student academic achievement and growth in
the school. The letter grades are based on student performance and academic growth.
The Report Cards also provide details about school performance under the federal Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA). They contain information about school discipline, high school
graduation rates, and digital learning devices.
These Report Cards are an excellent tool for parents to use in gathering important data about schools.
Parents and community members are encouraged to ask additional questions and learn more about the
special programs and efforts under way at their children’s schools.
School Report Cards are available on the Web at www.ncpublicschools.org/src. District Report Cards
and the state Report Card can be found on this website as well. Report cards are provided for traditional
public schools, charter schools, and alternative schools that were open during the 2014-15 school year.
Federal schools, state-operated schools, and other special schools will not receive Report Cards due to
differences in the way data are reported for these schools. The information in the Report Cards is from
the 2014-15 school year.
To learn more about the North Carolina School Report Card, talk to your child’s principal or visit the NC
School Report Cards website at www.ncpublicschools.org/src.
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Communication Resources
SAMPLE NEWSLETTER ARTICLE #2
Banks send out statements, doctors perform checkups and schools issue report cards. These checks and
balances let us know what’s happening with our money, our health and our children’s education.
In North Carolina, educators and citizens can access the annual NC School Report Cards for each public
school, each school district, and for the state as a whole. These Report Cards, which were initially released
this year on Dec. 1 and have been updated with additional information, provide comprehensive information
on student achievement, school climate, student demographics, and teacher quality at every level.
The NC School Report Cards website, www.ncpublicschools.org/src, allows you to access a variety of
information about each public school alongside district and state information. The individual school Report Cards include school contact information; school and class/course sizes; student performance data
(disaggregated); teacher qualifications and credentials; attendance; statistics on school technology; and
school safety figures.
The Report Card website is user friendly, offering a variety of ways to find the information you need. Users
can search by school or district name, by grade span, calendar type, or city. Search capabilities also are
available for charter schools across the state.
The online School Report Cards are hosted by SAS and provide the opportunity for school-to-school
comparisons.
A summary of the report, called the Report Card Snapshot, also is available on the Report Card website.
The Report Card Snapshot is a condensed version of school’s online Report Card. The online Report
Cards contain additional data and information about the indicators that were difficult to capture in a
printed document. Principals are encouraged to send copies of their school’s Report Card Snapshot to
parents in the days following.
North Carolina’s School Report Cards provide an excellent information resource to begin conversations
and to further understanding of public schools. Citizens are encouraged to use the information provided
online and in the Snapshots sent home, talk to district staff, school administrators and educators, parents,
and even students about specific schools. The NC School Report Cards are a great way to get the word
out about North Carolina public schools.
To learn more about the North Carolina School Report Card, talk to your child’s principal or visit the NC
School Report Cards website at www.ncpublicschools.org/src.
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Communication Resources
Background and Talking Points on the North Carolina School Report Cards Dec. 1 Release
•State law and the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act require Report Cards for every
local school, every school district and for the state. In North Carolina, stakeholders can access the
Report Cards on the North Carolina School Report Card website - www.ncpublicschools.org/src. The
website allows users to examine a school or district’s full report and to compare schools side-by-side.
•School Report Card users also can do school-to-school comparisons and may view multiple years of
data for a school on the same page.
•Parents, teachers, principals, and other school administrators and education association leaders
have provided input to the School Report Card Advisory Committee to support the development of
the Report Card. All local school superintendents have named a Report Card coordinator who is the
state’s contact for the Report Cards in each district.
•With the exception of the school address/contact information, the Report Card includes information
from the 2014-15 school year.
•Each school’s Report Card includes school contact information; school and class/course sizes;
student performance data; teacher qualifications and credentials; statistics on digital learning devices;
and school safety figures.
•For the second year, schools will be assigned a letter grade A-F to reflect overall student academic
achievement and growth in the school. The letter grades are based on student performance (80 percent)
and academic growth (20 percent). For some schools that meet or exceed expected growth, the growth
calculation would lower their letter grade. In those instances, growth is not included in the letter grade.
•The Report Cards use numbers, percentages, ratios, and state board designations to show school
and district performance.
•The NC School Report Cards website includes a Data Sources and Information Guide and a list of
Frequently Asked Questions. These publications describe what is included in each of the Report Card
sections and provide more details about how to interpret and use the Report Card data.
•Report cards are provided only for schools that were open during the 2014-15 school year. Schools
that opened in the 2015-16 school year will have Report Cards when the next ones are issued in the
fall of 2016.
•The Report Cards provide excellent information, but not a complete profile of a school, a district, or
even the state. Special programs or partnerships, involvement opportunities, and circumstances that
may affect various pieces of data are not included at this point.
•Because schools can be structured quite differently from one another – in their sizes, available
grades, and the programs they offer – Report Cards are not a useful tool for ranking schools. It would
be incorrect to determine that one school is better than another based on slight differences between
data points.
•It is important to look at the entire Report Card and to talk to school staff members, principals,
parents, and students to learn more about a school.
50