Technical Fact Sheet: An Overview of West Virginia’s ESEA
Accountability System
West Virginia applied for flexibility from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in
September of 2012 and received full approval in May 2013. As part of its approved Flexibility Waiver,
West Virginia has the opportunity to implement a state-developed accountability system that
differentiates recognition, accountability, and support for all schools in the state.
This document provides an overview of the new West Virginia Accountability System and the individual
components used to determine a school’s designation.
Guiding Principles
West Virginia believes that continuous improvement occurs when schools work toward rigorous but
realistic goals. These goals should be tailored based upon where schools are now and where they need
to be tomorrow. Therefore, West Virginia developed its revised accountability system with three guiding
principles in mind:
1. Communicating realistic expectations for students;
2. Creating a system of support and recognition for all schools; and
3. Valuing both performance and growth.
Before ESEA Flexibility: Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Following passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2011 (NCLB), West Virginia revised its accountability
and accreditation systems to include expectations that schools must improve student achievement,
attendance, and dropout rates for all students. The previous federally-based accountability system
communicated a “pass/fail” designation that required 100% of students to be proficient by 2014.
Further, this indicated whether a school made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) or fell under the category
of “Needs Improvement” while the concurrent state-based system assigned schools an accreditation
status based on whether or not a school made AYP.
After ESEA Flexibility: An Introduction to WV’s Accountability System
The new West Virginia Accountability System is designed to more effectively identify struggling schools,
efficiently direct support for improvement in all schools, and recognize exemplary schools. This is
accomplished by assigning a single school-wide designation to each school that is based on two
components of the WV Accountability System:
1. Subgroup Specific Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs): Subgroup specific AMOs are similar
to the AMOs that were required under NCLB. Students need to continue making progress
against proficiency-based targets; and
2. West Virginia Accountability Index (WVAI) Scores: The WVAI is a multi-measure index that
takes into account multiple indicators regarding student performance. Schools will be expected
to make progress against annual WVAI targets.
We believe an accountability system designed to drive system-wide improvement must take into
account both: (1) individualized attention to subgroup-specific needs; and (2) school-wide goals that will
continue to increase each year. With these two parts, the West Virginia Department of Education
(WVDE) can assign school designations that are based upon an accountability system that is rigorous,
fair, valid, and transparent.
The following section details the major components of the West Virginia Accountability System and how
they fit together to arrive at school designations.
Bringing it All Together: Final School Designations
Using the new WV Accountability System, schools will receive a final designation based on whether they
make their required annual improvement on both, one, or neither the AMO or WVAI targets. More
information is provided below.
School Designations
West Virginia’s new accountability system uses an index comprising a balanced set of indicators based
on student achievement in Mathematics and English/Language Arts. Using the West Virginia
Accountability Index (WVAI), a school will receive an overall score based on multiple components of
student and school success and will examine subgroup-specific Annual Measureable Objectives (AMOs)
addressing both school-wide and student-focused interventions. These scores will be used to classify the
school into one of six designations:
1. Priority Schools: persistently lowest achieving schools;
2. Support Schools: schools that are not meeting their index-based trajectories and demonstrate
that a majority of their subgroups are not making sufficient academic progress;
3. Focus Schools: schools with persistent and pervasive subgroup achievement gaps/subgroup
graduation rate gaps;
4. Transition Schools: schools that are not meeting their index-based trajectories or demonstrate
that a majority of their subgroups are making sufficient academic progress;
5. Success Schools: schools that are meeting their index-based trajectories and demonstrate that a
majority of their subgroups are making sufficient academic progress; or
6. Reward Schools: our highest progress and highest achieving schools will be designated Reward
schools. Schools designated as Success Schools will be reviewed to identify whether they meet
the criteria of either High Progress or High Achieving schools. Schools designated as Transition
Schools will be reviewed to see if they meet the High Progress criteria.
West Virginia’s school designation process ensures all schools are represented in the accountability
system. This process strives to push schools to improve continuously, regardless of demographic or
preconceived notions defining high performance. Each school’s classification will be publically reported
and will impact the way in which the SEA or LEA must deliver services to the school.
Following the identification and designation of schools, a structured system of supports will be
implemented that involves the following components:
Technical Assistance Responsibilities will be distributed among various providers including the
SEA, LEA, and approved external providers including the Regional Education Service Agencies.
The school designation will determine the support provided.
Expected Interventions will be provided according to the school’s designation. Interventions for
priority schools will be aligned to the Turnaround Principles. Support, Focus, and Transition
schools will identify interventions consistent with the Turnaround Principles and the approved
menu based on needs identified in the diagnostic review.
Operational Accountability will be managed at the local level for Success, Transition, and
Support schools. The State Board of Education, SEA, RESA, Local Board of Education, LEA,
external providers, and school leadership teams in the Focus and Priority schools will be
required to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) detailing role definition and
accountability at each level.
Progress Reviews will be conducted annually by LEA and/or SEA based on school’s designation
and submitted to the local and/or state boards of education for appropriate action.
Rewards and Consequences range from monitoring exemptions and showcase opportunities to
extended strategic plan requirements and MOU describing accountability at various levels.
For more information regarding the new West Virginia Accountability System, please refer to the
Technical Fact Sheets located on the West Virginia ESEA Technical Support web site:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/support/
Contact Information
For more information on West Virginia’ ESEA Flexibility Request, please visit the website:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/
For more information on data, assessment, or accountability, please contact the WVDE Office of
Assessment and Accountability:
(304) 558‐2546
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/
For more information on technical assistance and school improvement, please contact the WVDE Office
of School Improvement:
(304) 558‐3199
http://wvde.state.wv.us/schoolimprovement/