8/3/2019 JPEF Policy Alert - School Grading Formula Changes
February 2012
1/2
Inform.Mobilize.Act.
www.jaxpef.org|(904)356-7757
POLICYALERTisapublicationoftheJacksonvillePublic
EducationFundtoinformthecommunityonimportant
currentissuesinpubliceducation.
February22,2012
ProposedchangestotheSchoolGradesformula:Whatdotheymean?
Background
In2011,studentsinFloridatookanewversionoftheannualstandardizedtestpreviously
knownastheFCAT(FloridaComprehensiveAssessmentTest).Theadoptionofthisnewtest,knownasFCAT2.0,requiredtheFloridaDepartmentofEducationtoalsocreateanewsetof
proficiencystandardstogowithit,knownascutscores.
Thenewcutscores,approvedbytheStateBoardofEducationonJanuary23,2012,willgointo
effectforthespring2012administrationoftheFCAT2.0andthesubsequentcalculationof2012
SchoolGrades(whicharebasedprimarilyonFCAT2.0performance).Asstudentsadjusttothemorechallengingtestandaccompanyinghigherperformancebenchmarksforthefirsttime,both
individualstudentscoresandSchoolGradesareprojectedtodropinthousandsofschoolsstate-
widenextyear.DuvalCountycouldhavemorethan20Fschools(currentlytherearefive).
OnFebruary28,2012,theStateBoardofEducationisscheduledtovoteonasecondsetof
changestotheformulausedtocalculateSchoolGrades.Thisproposalincludesadditionalrequirementsthatwouldresultinfurthergradedropsamongschoolslocallyandstate-wide.
Theproposedchanges
NumerousadditionsandmodificationsareunderconsiderationattheFebruarymeetingofthe
StateBoardofEducation.Thechangesthathavegeneratedthemostdebateinclude:
Theadditionofachievementscoresforallstudentswithdisabilities(ESE)andallsecond-yearEnglishLanguageLearner(ELL)studentsintotheSchoolGradeformula.Previously,
theformulaonlyincludedlearninggainsforthesestudents.ThiswouldresultinsomededicatedESEcentersreceivinggradesforthefirsttimebasedonthesameacademic
performanceexpectationsasgeneraleducationschools.InDuval,alldedicatedESE
centerswouldreceiveFgradesduetotheseveredisabilitiesofthestudentsserved.
ThecreationofanewthresholdthatwouldautomaticallydropanyschoolsgradetoanFiffewerthan25%ofitsstudentsdemonstratedreadingproficiencyontheFCAT2.0.
Achangeinthewaylearninggainsarecalculated.Learninggainsmeasuretheamountastudentsachievementchangesfromyeartoyear.TheSchoolGradesformulatakesintoconsiderationhowmanystudentsmademorethanoneyearsworthofgrowth
(previouslydefinedasatleastoneyearsgain+1point).Theproposedchangewould
requirethelowest-performing(Level1)studentstodemonstrategreaterlearninggainsthanothers(oneyearsgain+2points)inorderfortheschooltogetcreditforthat
studentsprogress.
8/3/2019 JPEF Policy Alert - School Grading Formula Changes
February 2012
2/2
Inform.Mobilize.Act.
www.jaxpef.org|(904)356-7757
POLICYALERTisapublicationoftheJacksonvillePublic
EducationFundtoinformthecommunityonimportant
currentissuesinpubliceducation.
TheimpacttoDuvalCounty
AccordingtocalculationsperformedbyDuvalCountyPublicSchools,theproposedchangeswouldresultinanadditionalincreaseinthenumberofF-gradedschoolsaboveandbeyond
thealreadyexpectedincreaseduetothechangesincutscores.
Locally,themostnotablewouldbethatAldenRoad,PalmAvenueandMountHermanExceptionalCenterswouldallreceiveaschoolgradeforthefirsttime.Becausethesecentersare
specificallyforstudentswiththemostseverephysicalandintellectualdisabilities,theywouldallreceiveagradeofF.
Thechangeswouldalsolikelyhaveafinancialimpactbecausetheywouldcreateanestimated24
additionalInterveneStatusschools.ThedistrictisrequiredtomakepersonnelchangesandimplementotherprogramsatInterveneschoolsthatcanbecostly.
JPEFcommentsandrecommendations
TheJacksonvillePublicEducationFundrecommendsthattheproposalberevisedtotakeinto
accountthewidedifferencesamongstudentsclassifiedashavingdisabilities.Judgingaschoolby
theFCAT2.0achievementlevelofstudentswithseveredevelopmentaldisabilitiesandstudentswhohaveonlyjustbegunlearningEnglishwouldnotgivethecommunityanaccurateevaluation
ofthatschoolsperformance.WesuggestthattheStateBoardofEducationrejectthispartofthe
proposalandmodifyittoavoidpunishingschoolsdesignedspecificallyforstudentswithseveredisabilities.WerecommendthestatekeepitscurrentstandardthatEnglishlanguagelearners
havetwoyearsofEnglishinstructionbeforetheirachievement(notsimplygrowth)isfactoredintoSchoolGrades.
Withsuchfar-reachingramifications,itisimperativethatschoolsbegivenadequatetimeto
adjusttothesechangesshouldtheybeenacted.IftheserulesareapprovedinFebruary,theJacksonvillePublicEducationFundwouldrecommendthattheynotgointoeffectuntilthe2012-
2013schoolyear.BecausestudentsaretakingthenewFCAT2.0foronlythesecondtimethis
spring,thissummerwillbethefirsttimeforcalculatinglearninggainsbasedonthetest.ImplementingthechangestotheSchoolGradesformulain2013wouldallowschoolsand
studentsthenecessarytimetoplanformeetingtheseexpectations.
Whatcitizenscando
TheJacksonvillePublicEducationFundurgesDuvalCountyandFloridaresidentstocontact
membersoftheStateBoardofEducationtospeakoutaboutthisissue.TofindcontactinformationfortheStateBoardofEducationmembers,gotohttp://www.fldoe.org/board.
