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MCPS reports new state accountability ratings; five schools get federal identifications tied to students with disabilities
Summary
Montgomery County Public Schools officials presented the inaugural VDOE School Performance and Support Framework results: 6 schools rated 'distinguished,' 8 'on track,' 3 'off track,' and 2 need intensive support; five schools received federal identifications (TSI/ATSI) primarily for students with disabilities and will be eligible for targeted grants.
Montgomery County Public Schools officials briefed the board on the state’s new School Performance and Support Framework and how local schools scored under the inaugural system.
Amanda Widener, interim assistant superintendent, told the board that all MCPS schools are fully accredited on compliance measures but that the new performance index assigns state categories for student outcomes. Based on the December reports, "we had six schools that were identified as being distinguished, eight schools that met the on-track performance category, three schools that were identified as off track, and two schools that were identified as needing intensive support," Widener said.
Assessment coordinator Michael Tressel illustrated how the framework weights mastery, growth and readiness at different school levels, and he showed example framework scores for individual schools. The district noted that deviations between state and federal accountability can occur: a school may be "on track" under state measures but receive a federal designation if a particular student group falls below federally set thresholds.
Widener said five MCPS schools received federal identifications required under ESSA — targeted or additional-targeted support — and identified the student group most often cited: students with disabilities. The schools named by the presenters were Eastern Montgomery Elementary, Falling Branch Elementary, Price's Fork Elementary, Shawsville Middle School and Christiansburg Middle School. Those federal identifications make the affected schools eligible for targeted school-improvement grants (Widener cited up to $45,000 for TSI and about $70,000 for ATSI awards as part of the state process).
Board members asked for clearer, school-level plans showing how the division will address the identified groups and requested follow-up reporting when multi-year support plans are prepared for board approval. Widener said the division has already completed comprehensive needs assessments at each school and will fold those into the state's required multi-school support plans to pursue grant funding and targeted interventions.
