Shawn Wells, presenting the district’s instructional update at the Sept. 17 meeting, reviewed the state accountability framework that will determine color-coded school and district ratings. Wells described six principal indicators used by the state: reading, math, science/social studies/writing (writing combines two assessments), English learner progress, school climate and safety; at the high-school level, postsecondary readiness and graduation rates are additional factors.

Wells illustrated how the state reports both a status (current performance bands such as novice, apprentice, proficient and distinguished) and a change metric (the difference in status for the same grade year over year). "Change is really simply the status and then how did it change going to the next year," Wells said, noting the metric compares the same grade’s performance across consecutive years rather than tracking the same cohort.

Staff described how districts receive color-coded ratings (blue, green, yellow, orange, red) and emphasized that teachers already have early student-level data. Wells said teachers were provided student-level results in August so they can use EduClimber and other formative data to plan instruction when students returned this fall. Public reporting of the state’s school report card is scheduled for Oct. 3.

Wells also noted the district is participating in state revamps of the accountability system and that some districts’ historical work—local pathways, CTE, and other programs—will influence future metrics. He invited further board questions and asked principals and counselors to plan for the Oct. 3 public release.

What’s next: The district will publish its status and change data after the state’s Oct. 3 release and continue to use EduClimber and other tools to support teacher planning and interventions.