Law Conference - Making the Grade: How the New School Labels will be Assigned and How to Communicate Effectively with your Community Once You Have Them

AIMS Points = Status and School Improvement (Growth)

Schools will receive A-F letter Evaluation

• 50% of evaluation based on student level growth on the new system, versus 30% as in the Legacy Evaluation
• 50% of student-level growth component based growth of students in bottom 25% at school.  Focus is on our lower achieving students to see their growth.

July 2010 there will be a new Math test and the Legacy Evaluation will still be in place.  A new Writing test will be available in Sept 2011 and both scoring systems will be used. 

While each school and district will receive two separate AZ LEARNS profiles for 11-12 and 12-13:

• ·         All school improvement decisions by ADE will be made based on AZ LEARNS legacy formula results during the transition. 
• ·         Transition to the new profiles will NOT allow underperforming/failing schools to 'start over'.

The New AZ LEARNS Profiles (see graphic)

50% of Composite Score - Measures of Academic Progress

Percent passing AIMS  (% to points 0-100)  All grade levels and both content levels.  Wrtiting will be added next year.

Extra points for

• ·         Percent ELL students reclassified (0 or 3)
• ·         Graduation Rate (0 or 3)
• ·         Dropout rate (o or 3)

Rules

• ·         Only full academic year (FAY=1) students are included in the calculations for both parts, the calculation for growth and percent passing
• ·         SAT data is used for growth calculations. Second grade scores are used for the 3rd grade students and 9th grade scores are used for 10th grade students to calculate growth.
• ·         AZ LEARNS uses AIMS data, 5 year cohort graduation rate, dropout rate, and ELL Reclassification rate (Fiscal year 2010)
• ·         ELL Reclassification target is 30%. Need a minimum of 16 students to be included.
• ·         Graduation Rate for 5yrs needs to be >90% or Dropout rate for 3yrs needs to be <6%.

We have to message our school system.  We have to tell our story or it will be told for us.

Alhambra:

• ·         is inviting the community and faith based leaders to learn about the new AZ LEARNS grading system and will give guided tours to the community to educate them about the offerings of the district.
• ·         will be educating the staff and students about the labeling system.
• ·         will send a central message via Vod-casts.

ADE is trying to capture as much growth for schools as possible and desire to show growth in HS, however 9th to 11th grade re-testers are not measured.