Jane Fletcher, Florida Department of Education Accountability, Research and Measurement November 16, 2011

1. Jane Fletcher, Florida Department of EducationAccountability, Research and MeasurementNovember 16, 2011 Florida’s School Grading System Overview and Updates

2. Florida’s School Grading System Purpose and Aims • Making school performance clear to the public • Universally understood metric (A-F) • Performance is based upon student outcomes. • System of rewards and supports • Primary and lasting goals: raising student achievement and success, bringing more opportunities to students, opening doors

3. Context • Accountability systems in transition • FCAT cut scores increasing – raising standards • School Grades – Changes to add new statutorily required elements and new tests • End of Course assessments • Middle school – acceleration measures • high school end-of-course and industry certifications • Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

4. Transition in School Grades System • Transition to new tests occurring over the next 4 years • Designing the system now to accommodate the changes • All will know what to expect throughout the transition • Develop a multi-year model to: • Implement statutory changes • Include new tests as they are available • Review and set school grading scale • Working closely with stakeholders

5. School Grade Distribution – Graded Schools (2011 does not include high schools.)

6. Elementary School Grade Distribution (A-F) 2002 to 2011

7. Middle School Grade Distribution (A-F) 2002 to 2011

8. High School Grade Distribution (A-F) 2002 to 2010

9. Reading Outcomes for Schools Graded “A” in 2010 *Includes only regular high schools that received 1600-point scale high school grades. 9

10. Reading Outcomes for Schools Graded “B” in 2010 *Includes only regular high schools that received 1600-point scale high school grades. 10

11. Reading Outcomes for Schools Graded “C” in 2010 *Includes only regular high schools that received 1600-point scale high school grades. 11

12. Overview of School Grading: Assessment Components (Comprising 100% of Elementary and Middle School Grades, and 50% of High School Grades) 12

13. Current Elementary and Middle School Grades Model Performance Learning Gains: All Students Low 25% Learning Gains 13

14. Current High School Grades Model Performance Learning Gains: All Students Low 25% Learning Gains

15. Defining Learning Gains Three Ways to Make Learning Gains: • Move up by one or more achievement levels. • Maintain a satisfactory achievement level. • For students who remain at FCAT Level 1 or 2, demonstrate more than one year’s worth of growth on the FCAT vertical scale.

16. Additional Requirements Adequate Progress of Lowest Performing 25% in Reading and Mathematics • At least 50% of the low performers in a school must show learning gains in reading or math, or the school must show annual improvement in that percentage. • The school grade is lowered one letter grade if the requirement is not met - for schools that would otherwise be graded “C” or higher “Percent Tested” Requirement • 90% must be tested to receive a regular grade in lieu of an “I”. • 95% must be tested for a school to be eligible for an “A.”

17. HS Components Outside State Assessments = 50% of High School Grade (800 points)

18. Graduation Rate For 2009-10 and 2010-11, Florida is using the National Governors’ Association four-year graduation rate. Which students are included in the cohort (denominator)? • Entering 9th graders in Year 1 of the 4-year cohort plus incoming transfers, minus exiting transfers and deceased students • Who counts as a graduate? • Standard diploma recipients and special diploma recipients • Who counts as a non-graduate? • Students in the adjusted cohort who did not receive a standard diploma or special diploma (i.e., dropouts, certificate of completion recipients, GED diploma recipients, other non-graduates)

19. Accelerated Participation • Based on AP, IB, AICE exams; Dual Enrollment courses; Industry Certification programs • Denominator = count of 11th and 12th grade students. • Students in grades 9 and 10 are included in the numerator if they have successful completions • Extra weighting for more than one exam/course.

20. Accelerated Performance • Included students = Participants from the acceleration participation calculation. • Performance = Successful completions (i.e., credit-earning scores on AP, AICE, IB, Industry Certification; and, grade of “C” or higher in dual enrollment courses). • Extra weighting for highest scores on AP, IB, AICE, and for certain Industry Certification programs.

21. Postsecondary Readiness - Reading, Math • Calculated separately for reading and mathematics with max of 100 points each. • Beginning in 2011-12, by rule, the measure will apply to all on-time graduates.

22. Current Grading ScaleFor Elementary and Middle Schools 800 possible points: A = ≥ 525 points B = 495-524 points C = 435-494 points D = 395-434 points F = < 395 points

23. High School Grade Scale Grade Scale for High Schools = 1600 point scale: • A = At least 1,050 points, • B = 990 to 1,049 points, • C = 870 to 989 points, • D = 790 to 869 points, • F = Fewer than 790 points.

24. Changes Coming for School Grades • FCAT 2.0 cut scores: increased rigor of test and achievement expectations. • Moving toward new assessments of reading and mathematics in 2014-15: PARCC • Adding new measures to the middle school grades (HS EOCs and Industry Certifications) • Assimilating EOCs into the school grades model as they are implemented

25. Multi-year School Grades System • Transition to new tests occurring over the next 4 years • Designing the system now to accommodate the changes • Develop a multi-year model to: • Implement statutory changes • Include new tests as they are available • Review and set school grading scale

26. Each time standards are raised, the number of lower performing schools has decreased in the following year.

27. School Grades in 2011-12 and Beyond – Key Issues • Changes already written in rule for 2011-12 to increase rigor for high school grades • Include learning gains for EOCs as required in statute • Learning gains on the Florida Alternate Assessment for students scoring at the lowest levels • Learning gains: structure for FCAT 2.0 reading and mathematics • Balance of performance and learning gains in new model(s); distribution/weighting of points for school grade components

28. School Grades in 2011-12 and Beyond – Key Issues (continued) • Address the statutory requirement for greater emphasis on reading performance • High school science performance in 2011-12, Biology 1 EOC in its baseline year • Middle school grades – include high-school level EOCs and Industry Certifications (as available) • Banking middle school performance on HS level EOCs (Algebra 1 for 2011-12) for high school grades

29. School Grades in 2011-12 and Beyond – Key Issues (continued) • Criteria for setting school grading scale • Review cell size requirements • Possibly include exceptional education students in proficiency calculations • Accountability for ESE centers • Accountability for DJJ Centers

30. AAAC Recommendation Learning Gains for FCAT 2.0 • Students who increase an achievement level • Students who maintain a Level 3 or higher achievement level • Students at achievement levels 1 and 2 must: • Demonstrate a years achievement and progress towards proficiency • Department will provide a table showing the increase required • Review value added at the school level next summer

31. Scale Scores – Reading, Draft Proposed Rule Not determined

32. Learning Gains Example

33. AAAC Proposed Learning Gains Model for FAA Scores • Students’ second-year score must increase relative to their first year score by more than the standard error of the difference of the two scores. • AAAC recommends setting a fixed score differential for the calculation to make it more understandable to stakeholders. • The fixed score differential would be derived from analysis of all state scores. • This provision is supported by the Leadership Policy Advisory Council (LPAC). • Task - Determine whether the value of the fixed score differential fluctuates among grade levels or achievement levels

34. AAAC Recommendation Learning Gains for Algebra 1 • If a student scores at level 3 or higher on Algebra 1 they receive a learning gain • For levels 1 and 2 use the t score for FCAT 2.0 Mathematics in the prior year compared to the t score for Algebra 1 • Next summer review the value added model for EOC learning gains at the school level

35. New Middle School Grades Component – AAAC Recommendation Middle School acceleration measure – 100 points • Structured similar to the high school measure • Participation in high school end-of-course assessments (50 points) • Denominator = • Grade 8 students scoring at level 3 or higher on 7th grade FCAT • 6th and 7th graders taking HS EOCs in the current year that have matched course records • Other 8th graders taking HS EOCs that have matched course records • Performance on high school end-of-course assessments (50 points) • Denominator = participants from the participation measure • Attainment of National Industry Certifications

37. New EOC’s Added to School Grades

38. Timeline • May – Feedback from LPAC • July – Feedback from AAAC • August – Feedback from LPAC • October – Feedback from AAAC and LPAC • November – Feedback from AAAC, Submit ESEA Flexibility Request • December – FCAT rule to the State Board to set cut scores • December – School Grades rule workshops • January – Receive USDOE determination on flexibility request • February – School grades rule to the State Board

39. Department Contact for School Grades Ed.Croft@fldoe.org Or call (850) 245-0429

40. Florida’s Cohort Graduation Rates

41. Definition The percentage of students who graduated within four years of their initial enrollment in ninth grade in the district

42. Different Graduation Rates NGA Version (the official version and the version used for school grades calculations in 2011) NCLB Version (used for federal reporting) Florida Version (used since 1998-99) Federal Version (used for AYP calculations next summer)

43. Graduation Rate Summary Information

44. Building the 2010-11 Cohort Include all first-time 9th graders in fall 2007 membership in your district Add incoming transfers on the same schedule to graduate

45. Building the Cohort, cont. New 9th graders in 2007-08 New 10th graders in 2008-09 New 11th graders in 2009-10 New 12th graders in 2010-11

46. Adjusting the Cohort Remove from the Cohort Transfers to other public schools Transfers to private schools Transfers to home education programs Transfers to adult education programs – except for the federal calculation Deceased students Additional Year Students* (typically ESE students opting to remain in school until age 21)

47. What about the others? The remaining students are then categorized into two “buckets.” • Dropouts • Non-graduates (students still in school or certificate ) Note: This definition differs for each version.

48. Who are the non-graduates? Certificates of Completion Students who do not graduate on time, such as repeaters Additional School Year students

49. Federal Graduation Rate • Counts only standard diplomas • Transfers to adult education programs remain in denominator • Assigns DJJ students back to their most recent prior high school

50. Calculate the Rate Number of Graduates (Numerator) ÷ Number in Adjusted Cohort (Denominator)