Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Report Card topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pending numeracy bill could force Alabama to produce two report cards and cost the department about $500,000 annually, staff say
Summary
Board staff warned that draft legislation about numeracy could require a separate state report card calculation that excludes English-language learners, forcing the department to publish two report cards — one aligned to federal law and one to state legislative guidance — and to maintain both annually at added expense.
At the Alabama State Board of Education work session, staff described a pending House measure related to numeracy and told the board it could require the department to produce a separate state report card calculation that excludes English-language learners (ELs).
Staff explained that if the legislature requires the department to calculate some accountability measures without EL students, the state would still have to comply with federal ESSA report-card requirements. That would likely mean publishing: (1) a federally compliant report card that follows federal law and (2) a state report card that follows the legislative formula. Staff warned that producing and maintaining two parallel report cards would introduce public confusion and annual costs for system maintenance.
When asked whether the department had performed a cost analysis, staff said no specific, line-item cost study had been done but based on prior experience the department estimated it would cost "upwards of probably half a million dollars" annually to maintain two report cards and the underlying data systems. Staff also noted earlier efforts to produce a single state/federal report card had been a priority for previous boards and administrators, and that returning to dual reporting would be confusing to parents and schools.
Board members asked operational questions about web presentation and public communication; one member suggested placing a prominent link or ‘‘mini report card’’ on the department home page to make multiple report cards easier for parents to find.
Ending: Staff said they are monitoring the legislature’s calendar and will bring a timeline and options to the board if the bill moves forward.
