ACCOUNTABILITY AT A GLANCE. p a u l g. p a s t o r e k s tat e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f e d u c at i o n

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1 ACCOUNTABILITY AT A GLANCE D E C E M B E R p a u l g. p a s t o r e k s tat e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f e d u c at i o n

2 Accountability in Louisiana In 1997, the Louisiana Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law legislation that mandated several significant changes in public education for grades kindergarten through 12. Among other things, the law established a student and school accountability system, giving the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) the authority to create the accountability system. A rigorous School and District Accountability System was developed following passage of that legislation, and the first School Performance Scores were issued in Since that time, Louisiana schools have demonstrated steady improvement, and our system has been nationally recognized for its successful results. The ileap The ileap tests align with Louisiana s content standards, benchmarks and gradelevel expectations in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, and are administered in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7. The ileap was developed in response to No Child Left Behind, the current federal education act, and replaced The Iowa Tests. The ileap is referred to as an integrated LEAP because it combines a normreferenced test, which compares a student s test results to the performance of students in a national sample, with a criterion-referenced test, which reports student results in terms of the state s achievement levels. The following table shows the five possible achievement levels for the ileap, the 4th and 8th grade LEAP tests and the Graduation Exit Exam. Achievement Level Definition 4th & 8th Graders LEAP & GRADUATION EXIT EXAM (GEE) The LEAP and Graduation Exit Exam are tests that measure students knowledge and skills in English Language Arts, math, science and social studies to see how well they have mastered the state s standards. The state s goal is for all students to perform at the Basic achievement level or above by the year For students in grades 4 and 8, the English Language Arts and Math portions of the LEAP test are promotional tests. To pass, students must achieve a combination of Approaching Basic on one part and Basic on the other. An appeals process is available to 4th grade students who have not passed LEAP after the spring and summer tests. A school system may consider granting an appeal on behalf of individual students, provided that certain criteria are met. For 8th grade students who have not passed LEAP after the spring and summer tests, a school system may consider a waiver on behalf of individual students, provided that the following criteria are met: The student may be promoted to the 9th grade, provided that he or she has scored at the Approaching Basic level on both the English Language Arts and Mathematics components of LEAP, has attended the LEAP summer remediation program offered by the district, and has taken the summer retest administered at the conclusion of the summer program. The students must re-take the component(s) (English Language Arts and/ or Mathematics) of the retest on which a score of Approaching Basic or below was attained on the spring test. Detailed information on appeals and waivers can be found at net by clicking on Testing, then clicking on the arrow in the blue section labeled Testing Information, and then clicking on Policies and High Stakes Testing Policy. Advanced Mastery Basic Approaching Basic Unsatisfactory A student at this level has demonstrated superior performance beyond the proficient level of mastery. A student at this level has demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter and is well prepared for the next A student at this level has demonstrated only the A student at this level has only partially demonstrated the A student at this level has not demonstrated the 10th & 11th Graders Students in grades 10 and 11 take the Graduation Exit Exam (GEE). Tenth graders take the English Language Arts and Math tests and must score Approaching Basic on both tests to graduate. If a 10th grader fails, there are six re-test opportunities. Eleventh graders take the Science and Social Studies tests and must score Approaching Basic on one of the two to graduate. If an 11th grader fails, there are three re-test opportunities. Students only have to re-take the portion of the test they did not pass. End-of-Course Tests The ileap tests include mostly multiple-choice questions, but also include some constructed-response items that require students to compose an answer and generally require higher-order thinking. The ileap tests are administered in April, during the same week as the LEAP and Graduation Exit Exam are given. The ileap is not considered a high stakes promotional test like the 4th and 8th grade LEAP tests. Beginning with incoming freshmen in and beyond must pass three EOC tests in the following categories: English II or English III, Algebra I or Geometry, and Biology or American History. Thus, the EOC tests will replace the Graduation Exit Examination (GEE) for graduation purposes. Students are required to score Fair or above on EOC English II or English III, Algebra I or Geometry, and Biology or American History to be eligible for a standard high school diploma.

3 Alternate Assessments Only students with the most severe cognitive disabilities are eligible to take the LEAP Alternate Assessment, Level 1 (LAA 1). A second alternate assessment known as LAA 2 is administered to students with persistent academic difficulties in grades For more information, visit Click on Testing and then click on Special Populations/Testing Accommodations. Resources & Tutorials The Department of Education produces practice test materials to help teachers, parents and students prepare for the LEAP and GEE tests. Call the Department s toll free helpline at LEAP21 ( ) to request copies of these materials. Additionally, the Department has several interactive, web-based tutorials: PASS: Practice Assessment/Strengthen Skills is an Internet learning tool that gives students the opportunity to solve multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay questions similar to those on LEAP and GEE. Students receive instructional feedback tailored to their responses to improve their knowledge, skills, and problem-solving abilities. Sign on to Newton s Classroom is designed for students in grades 1-8 who would like to work on their math skills. Newton s Classroom helps reinforce the mathematics concepts students are learning and enables teachers to provide supplementary instruction at a level appropriate to a student s ability. Reading Runway is designed to help young students in prekindergarten to grade 3 develop their reading skills (e.g., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary/oral language, comprehension) through a series of interactive tutorials. Students can choose the tutorial that best meets their reading needs and receive colorful, printable reports after each activity. EAGLE (Enhanced Assessment of Grade-Level Expectations), an online classroom assessment tool, is designed for teachers to create their own tests with items aligned with the grade-level expectations. The EAGLE system can be used during classroom instruction and provides teachers with feedback so that the teaching-learning process can be adjusted to improve student learning. Testing schedules can be found at by clicking on Testing. School Performance Scores are based on the following calculations: K-5 Schools Attendance Index (10%), Assessment Index (90%) K-8, 7-8 Schools Attendance Index (5%), Dropout Index (5%), and Assessment Index (90%) 9-12 Schools - Graduation Index (30%) and Assessment Index (70%)% Below is a chart outlining the Letter Grades schools are given based upon their SPS. A plus (+) sign will be added to the letter grade of schools that meet their Growth Targets. A minus (-) sign will be added to the letter grade of schools that have a declining SPS of.01 points or greater. Growth Labels Performance Labels A B C D F (Academically Unacceptable) SPS Ranges Note: In and beyond, the F range will be and the D range will be Each year, schools must show improvement in their School Performance Scores by meeting a growth target. Growth Targets represent the amount of progress a school must make every year to reach the state s SPS goal of 120 by the year The maximum amount of growth that a school will be required to make is 10 points, and the minimum amount is 2 points. Schools are given Growth Labels based upon their success in meeting their yearly Growth Target. Below is a chart defining each Growth Label. Growth Labels Exemplary Academic Growth Recognized Academic Growth Minimal Academic Growth Definition A school that makes its Growth Target has all subgroups grow at least two points, and is not in School Improvement (SI). A school that makes its Growth Target. A school that is improving (at least 0.1 points) but not meeting its Growth Target. No Growth A school with a change in SPS of 0 to -2.5 points. SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY School in Decline A school with a declining SPS (more than -2.5 points). Louisiana s School Accountability System calls for continuous improvement in student achievement, attendance and dropout rates. This system is based on two principles: rewarding schools that grow academically and assisting schools and students who need help. School Performance Scores (SPS) Every year, schools receive numerical scores known as School Performance Scores (SPS). Louisiana s goal is for every school in the state to have an SPS of 120 by the year Subgroup Component As required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB), schools must also show improvement or Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in up to nine student subgroups in English Language Arts and Math. Any school failing to meet subgroup component AYP in the same subject area for two consecutive years in a row will enter School Improvement. If a school continues to fail AYP in the same subject it must implement additional educational interventions to address the students academic deficiencies. Schools exit School Improvement by making AYP in the particular subject for two consecutive years.

4 Academically Unacceptable Schools Schools with School Performance Scores (SPS) less than 65.0 are labeled Academically Unacceptable (AUS). However, the cut score for the AUS designation will increase next year. Beginning in the school year, schools that earn a School Performance Score (SPS) below 75 will be designated AUS. When Louisiana s accountability system was launched in 1999, the minimum cut score was 30. But the minimum standard was increased to 45 in 2003 and 60 in Each year the school remains AUS it must implement additional remedies designed to improve academic performance. These remedies include District Assistance Teams, supplemental educational services (free tutoring), school choice and eventually state takeover. A school is no longer AUS when its SPS exceeds the cut score. School Interventions State law provides for the takeover of schools that are identified as Academically Unacceptable under the school and district accountability system for four or more consecutive years. The law allows for the operation of a special state school district, called the Recovery School District, to be administered by the Louisiana Department of Education and subject to the authority of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Recovery School District provides for the supervision, management and operation of a school placed under its jurisdiction until the school can be brought to an acceptable level of performance. Rewards Schools that meet or exceed their growth targets receive flags that identify them as Schools of Recognized or Exemplary Academic Growth. Exemplary Academic Growth is earned when a school meets its growth target, its students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged subgroups grow by at least two points, and the school is not in school improvement or labeled Academically Unacceptable. Recognized Academic Growth is earned when a school meets its growth target, regardless of other conditions. Supplemental Educational Services Supplemental Educational Services (SES) are tutoring or extra help provided to students in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science, as well as English language proficiency for students with Limited English proficiency (LEP) that can be provided to students not only after school, but also before school and during the summer. School Report Cards School Report Cards are produced annually and sent to districts for distribution. These report cards provide school-level information on Performance Scores, Growth Targets, Subgroup Data, enrollment, teacher certification and safety. Report cards can be downloaded from the Department s website at by clicking on Accountability. District Performance Scores (DPS) District Subgroup Component DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY Every school district in the state is evaluated through the District Accountability System. District Performance Scores (DPS) are a roll up of a school district s individual student scores on the LEAP, ileap and Graduation Exit Exam as well as attendance and dropout rates, and graduation outcomes. District Performance Scores are calculated with the same formula as School Performance Scores, but use one year of data, as if the district is one large school. Below is a chart outlining the performance labels districts are given based upon their DPS. Performance Labels Five Stars Four Stars Three Stars Two Stars One Star Academically Unacceptable DPS Ranges and above Below 60.0 Like individual schools, local districts must also show improvement or Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in up to nine student subgroups in English Language Arts and Math. Districts are evaluated for the subgroup component using grade clusters (K-5, 6-8, 9-12). Districts that do not meet AYP in any subgroup within any cluster in a given year fail the district subgroup component. By federal law, these services must be provided to eligible students at Title I schools that are at least in their second year of being labeled as Academically Unacceptable Schools (AUS 2) or School Improvement 2 (SI 2). Additionally, all schools entering school improvement for the first time either AUS 1 or SI 1 must also offer SES to their students per state policy. Local school districts arrange and offer the supplemental services and notify parents and students of the availability of SES. School districts may also help parents choose a provider, if requested, enter into an agreement with providers, protect the privacy of students who are eligible for or receive SES, and prominently display on its website the number of students who are eligible for and participate in SES.

5 Grade-Level Expectations Louisiana s Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) identify what all students should know or be able to do by the end of each grade from prekindergarten through grade 12 in math, English, science and social studies. Anyone wishing to view the GLEs for any grade level may log onto the Department s website at www. louisianaschools.net and click on Curriculum under Most Requested Information. STATE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION Mr. Keith Guice President 5th BESE District Mr. Walter Lee Vice President 4th BESE District Mr. Dale Bayard 7th BESE District Ms. Linda Johnson 8th BESE District Statewide Comprehensive Curriculum Each school district is required to implement a curriculum based upon the Louisiana Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs). Each school district had a choice whether to adopt the state s Comprehensive Curriculum or develop its own. The state s Comprehensive Curriculum is aligned with state content standards, as defined by the GLEs, and organized into logical, time-bound units with sample activities and classroom assessments to guide teaching and learning. The Comprehensive Curriculum is available on the Department s website at (click on Curriculum under Most Requested Information). Ms. Louella Givens Secretary-Treasurer 2nd BESE District Mr. James D. Garvey, Jr. 1st BESE District Ms. Glenny Lee Buquet 3rd BESE District Mr. Charles E. Roemer 6th BESE District Mr. John L. Bennett Ms. Connie Bradford Ms. Penny Dastugue Ms. Jeanette Vosburg Executive Director Additional Information Call the Department s toll free helpline or visit our website for more information or- The mission of the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is to ensure equal access to education and to promote equal excellence throughout the state. The LDOE is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities and is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public. The LDOE does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or genetic information. Inquiries concerning the LDOE s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be directed to the Deputy Undersecretary, LDOE, Exec. Office of the Supt., P.O. Box 94064, Baton Rouge, LA ; or customerservice@la.gov. Information about the federal civil rights laws that apply to the LDOE and other educational institutions is available on the website for the Office of Civil Rights, USDOE, at Louisiana Department of Education 1201 North Third Street Baton Rouge, LA