School Grades Model and
Historical Background
Why Grade Schools?
• Ensure students are college and career ready
• Clear information about schools for parents
and students
• A – F grading system is universally understood
• High stakes accountability for the adults
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Florida’s Grading System
• Focus on student achievement
• Focus on learning gains
• Focus efforts on students that need the most
support to succeed
• System of rewards and supports
• Model for the nation historically
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School Grades Basic Model Assessment-Based Measures Included in School Grades for All School Types
Reading
Performance
(100 points)
Math
Writing
Science
(100 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
50%
(100 points)
50%
Learning Gains All Students
(100 points)
(100 points)
Low 25% Learning Gains
(100 points)
(100 points)
(300 points)
(300 points)
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Elementary Schools 2012-13
Reading
Math
Writing
Science
Performance
FCAT 2.0, FAA
FCAT 2.0, FAA
FCAT, FAA
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
Learning Gains All Students
FCAT 2.0, FAA
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
(100 points)
Low 25% Learning Gains
FCAT 2.0
FCAT 2.0
(100 points)
(100 points)
(300 points)
(300 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
Additional Requirements:
 Learning gains requirement for the Low 25% reinstated.
 Test at Least 90% of students, 95% to earn an “A.”
 A performance threshold in Reading (25%) will be applied - Grade lowered one letter
grade if not met (greater weight on reading) .
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Middle Schools 2012-13
Reading
Math
Writing
Science
FCAT 2.0, EOCs,
FAA
(100 points)
FCAT, FAA
(100 points)
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
Acceleration
Performance
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
Learning Gains All Students
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
FCAT 2.0, EOCs,
FAA
(100 points)
Low 25% Learning Gains
FCAT 2.0
(100 points)
FCAT 2.0
(100 points)
(300 points)
(300 points)
Middle School
Students’
Participation in and
Performance on
High School Level
EOC assessments
(and Industry
Certifications
In 2012-13)
(100 points)
(100 points)
Additional Requirements:



Learning gains requirement for the Low 25% reinstated.
Test at Least 90% of students, 95% to earn an “A.”
A performance threshold in Reading (25%) will be applied - Grade lowered one letter grade
if not met (greater weight on reading).
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High Schools 2012-13*
Assessment Components – 50% (at least)
Reading
Performance
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
Math
(Algebra,
Geometry)
EOC, FAA
(100 points)
Writing
FCAT, FAA
(100 points)
Biology
(Science)
EOC, FAA
(100 points)
Learning Gains All Students
FCAT 2.0, FAA
(100 points)
EOC, FAA
(100 points)
“Other” Components – 50%
Acceleration
Grad Rate
College Readiness
Participation
(150 points)
Overall
(200 points)
100 – Four Yr Rate
100 – Five Yr Rate
Reading
(100 points)
Performance
(150 points)
At-Risk
(100 points)
50 – Four-Yr Rate
50 – Five Yr Rate
Math
(100 points)
(300points)
(300 points)
(200 points)
Low 25% Learning Gains
FCAT 2.0
(100 points)
EOC
(100 points)
(300 points)
(300 points)
(100 points)
(100 points)
Additional Requirements:
 Learning gains requirement for the Low 25% reinstated.
 Test at Least 90% of students, 95% to earn an “A.”
 Meet the at-risk graduation rate target to earn an “A” - 65% or improvement targets.
 Performance threshold in Reading (25%) - Grade lowered one letter grade if not met. (greater weight on
reading)
* K-12 and 6-12 combination schools are graded on a 1700-point model, which adds middle-school acceleration to the HS model.
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Why are High School Grades
Released in December?
• High school grades use additional sources of
data
– Graduation rate
– SAT and ACT
– Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate,
Industry Certification, AICE, and Dual Enrollment
• This information is not available in time for a
summer release of grades
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School Grading Scale
A = 65.6% of points
B = 61.9 % of points
C = 54.4.% of points
D = 49.4 % of points
F = less than 49.4 % of points
Same percentages apply to grading scales for all school types:
Elementary Schools = 800 possible points
Middle Schools = 900 possible points
High Schools = 1600 possible points
Combination Schools (K-12, 6-12) = 1700 possible points
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School Improvement Ratings
• Alternative schools and ESE centers can choose a
School Improvement Rating instead of a School
Grade
• School improvement ratings compare learning
gains in the current year to learning gains of the
same students in the prior year
• Ratings include:
– Improving – at least 5% increase in the percent
making learning gains
– Maintaining – less than a 5% increase or decrease in
the percent making learning gains
– Declining – at least a 5% decrease in the percent
making gains
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School Accountability History
1991
Florida’s system of school improvement and accountability (Blueprint 2000).
• Schools self-identified and self reported adequate progress as part of the school
improvement planning process.
1995
Identification of critically low performing schools began.
• Schools were identified based on reading, math and writing performance for 2 years.
• Standards set for critically low performance.
• If schools are critically low in reading writing and math for 2 years they were
designated as critically low.
1999
The “A – F” school grading system began and FCAT results were used for the first time.
• Based on current year data.
• Included performance in reading, mathematics, and writing, and additional criteria dropout rates, attendance, and discipline data.
• Minimum and higher performing criteria set for reading, writing, and math.
• To receive an A or B, schools were required to meet the higher performing criteria
and additional requirements.
2002
School grades calculation was changed to the points based model we have today – 50%
performance and 50% learning gains.
• Learning gains were added (reading and math) - FCAT administered in Grades 3 to 10.
• Learning gains for the Low 25% in reading added. Learning gains target in reading for
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the Low 25% added.
School Accountability History
2005
Additional students added to the calculation.
• Students with disabilities added to learning gains, if students had FCAT scores.
• ELLs added to learning gains.
2007
•
•
•
Science added to school grading measures.
Learning gains for the Low 25% in mathematics added (along with learning gains
target for the Low 25% in math).
Bonus points for high school retakes added.
2010
Implement new High School measures (50% of HS Grade)
• Acceleration – participation and success.
• Graduation rate – all students and at risk.
• College readiness – SAT, ACT, and PERT.
2012
New FCAT 2.0 and End-of-course (EOC) assessments with new achievement levels.
• Students with disabilities and English language learners in performance measures.
• New middle school acceleration measure.
• Use federal graduation rate.
• Allow weighted learning gains for some students.
• Safety net protection.
2013
• New Science FCAT 2.0 and Geometry and Biology EOC assessments and achievement
levels.
• Safety net provision continued.
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• Reading threshold implemented.
Increasing Inclusion of Students
• Began school grades with fewer students included
–
–
–
–
Only 3 grade levels (Grades 4, 8, and 10)
Reading, Writing, and Math
No students with disabilities
No English language learners
• Now schools are accountable for all students’
performance
– Includes 8 grade levels (Grades 3 to 10) plus students with
end-of-course assessments
– Reading, Writing, Math, Science and end-of-course
– Include students with disabilities
– Include English language learners
– Focus on lowest 25% of students
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Student Reading Performance Increased
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Student Math Performance Increased
FCAT
FCAT 2.0
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Changes Already in Rule
Scheduled for 2013-14
• Include US History in the high school model at
100 points (in the “other” 50%)
• Reduce the points for acceleration to 200
points
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Proposed Rule Revisions: October SBE Meeting
• Rule revisions required to implement changes to statute
(s. 1008.34, F.S.) from Senate Bill 1720
– Grading co-located schools
– Cell-size re-set at 10
• Rule revision required for compliance with the federal
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
– Revise percent-tested calculation - not limited to students who are fullyear enrolled, based on students enrolled at the time of testing.
• Proposed extension of the one-letter-grade-drop limit (safety
net provision) for school grades
• Technical correction
– Clarify definition of “full-year enrolled.”
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Focus Moving Forward
• School Grades. Improving our education
accountability system to further ensure
transparency and fairness while providing
meaningful and useful information to our
parents and educators about how our
students and schools are performing
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