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State education staff outline ESSA amendment, new baselines and 13‑year proficiency goals; 30‑day public comment opens
Summary
State Department of Education staff described proposed amendments to Alabama’s ESSA plan that reset achievement baselines after adoption of a new assessment, extend long‑term goals to the 2034–35 school year and open the estimate to 30 days of public comment through May 15 before submission to U.S. Department of Education.
Alabama State Department of Education staff told the State Board of Education that the department will submit an amendment to its ESSA accountability plan that resets achievement baselines based on the third administration of the ACAP assessments and establishes new long‑term proficiency targets, and that the amendment is open for a 30‑day public comment period through May 15.
The presenter said the amendment incorporates changes made during an ESSA addendum — including a revised exit rule for schools identified as CSI (Comprehensive Support and Improvement) or ATSI (Additional Targeted Support and Improvement) — and that the department shifted multi‑year timelines to account for two lost accountability years during the COVID pandemic. "The original ESSA plan as it was approved required that schools were to show continuous improvement for 2 consecutive years. We were able to change that through the addendum to show improvement from the time that they were originally identified," the presenter said.
Why it matters: resetting baselines after a new statewide assessment can change which schools are identified for supports and the timeline for meeting federally required long‑term goals. The department says it used the 2021–22 administration of the DRC‑based ACAP as the new baseline and applied the department’s existing methodology — a 50% reduction in the percentage of nonproficient students over the long term — across the new baseline.
Key figures and timeline
- Baseline scores (unweighted percentage scoring at levels 3 or 4): English language arts 47.38% (2021–22); mathematics 27.36% (2021–22); combined proficiency 37.35% (2021–22). - The department’s long‑term targets are set for the 2034–35 school year — a 13‑year horizon the department said corresponds to the K–12 span of a child who starts kindergarten now and finishes 12th grade in 2035. - Under the new baseline, the combined proficiency 3‑year interim target was listed as 44.58% for the first reporting cycle described by staff; the department will report target attainment every three years. - Public comment: the estimate and amendment are posted for a 30‑day public comment period through May 15; staff said they will review stakeholder comments and then transmit the amendment to the U.S. Department of Education for federal review.
Supporting details and context
Department staff noted that because interim and accountability reporting was paused for two years during the pandemic, the timeline for interim progress measures was shifted forward by two years. The presenter said these changes are consistent with federal flexibility granted during the pandemic and were discussed with schools and local education agencies.
Asked how the baseline numbers compare to prior targets, staff said the department included a column showing targets that would have applied had the state not changed assessments; but because assessments changed, the department reestablished baselines and will use the new figures going forward. "We were establishing new long term goals and measures of interim progress for achievement based on the 21–22 school year data," the presenter said.
What officials said
A department presenter summarized the change in approach: "The idea is to show improvement over a period of time, and we felt that was a very good measure to show if you're better off now after 3 years of implementing a plan than you were when you started." (Presenter listed in speaker roster below.)
Process and next steps
Staff said they will accept comments through May 15, review stakeholder input, revise the estimate as warranted, then send the amendment to the U.S. Department of Education for approval in time to implement the measures for the upcoming school year.
Ending
The board did not vote on the amendment during the discussion recorded in the transcript; staff framed the presentation as an informational briefing and described the public comment window and the department’s plan to submit the amendment to the federal government after review.
