The Jacksonville Public Education Fund presented information on proposed changes to Florida's school grading system. The Florida Department of Education proposes transitioning to a new school accountability model that focuses on student achievement, learning gains, and graduation rates. It would report grades as a percentage of total points earned rather than a point total. The proposal aims to make grades more stable and meaningful but has received some feedback regarding areas like measuring student growth and transition timelines. Next steps include addressing these issues and ensuring better alignment between school, teacher, and district accountability systems during the transition.

1. S
Understanding and Updating
School Grades for Florida’s Future
Jacksonville Public Education Fund
March 10, 2014
www.jaxpef.org/SchoolGrades

2. About the Jacksonville Public
Education Fund
The Jacksonville Public
Education Fund is an
independent nonprofit
organization that works to
inform and mobilize the
community to advocate for
universally high-quality public
education for all children in
Duval County.
Presenters
• Trey Csar, President
• Dr. Jason Rose, Director of Data &
Research
• Deirdre Conner, Director of
Advocacy & Communications
• Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent,
Duval County Public Schools

3. Background
o School grades were introduced in Florida in 1999, the first A-F model
for reporting school accountability in the nation.
o Numerous changes to the standards, tests, and formula over time have
caused confusion over what school grades actually mean.
o Florida is implementing new standards and adopting a new assessment,
making this the right time to update the school grading system.

4. Why is this important?
o In a recent survey conducted by the Jacksonville Public Education Fund
through UNF Survey Research Center, 42% of respondents polled said
school grades would be the most important thing to them in considering
a school to enroll a child in – more than personal recommendations or
any other factor.
o Significant rewards and accountability sanctions are tied to school grade
performance for schools and districts.
o Numerous changes have caused confusion and mistrust over what grades
mean. Now is the time to make grades stable and meaningful moving
forward.

5. inBRIEF: Winter 2014
Understanding and Updating
School Grades for Florida’s Future
Download at www.jaxpef.org/SchoolGrades

6. What’s happening at the Florida
Department of Education
o January 8: Florida Education Commissioner, Pam Stewart, introduces
outline for planned changes to school accountability model at Senate
Education Committee meeting.
o February 18: Commissioner presents more detailed proposal for changes
to school accountability model at state Board of Education meeting.
Board also approves new Florida Standards at same meeting.
o February 20: Commissioner presents new plan to House Education
Committee.
o March 18: Commissioner expected to select new statewide assessment.

7. Proposed transition timeline
Source: Florida Department of Education

8. Florida Department of
Education Proposal
o Focus on student success measures such as student
achievement, graduation rate and learning gains
o Report A-F grades based on the percentage of total
points earned rather than a point total
o Reset grading scale to require a rigorous standard be
met and avoid compression issues in current scale
o Periodic review of the scale
o Release grades for all schools in the summer

9. Current & Proposed (FLDOE)
School Grades Formula: Elementary Schools
Category Current Formula* FDOE Proposed Formula**
Proficiency (Reading - All)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Math - All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Writing – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
Proficiency (Science – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Reading – All)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Math – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Reading – Lowest 25%)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Math – Lowest 25%) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Total Scale 0 - 800 pts. 0 – 100% (x/700)
* - School is lowered one letter grade below below what point total indicates if:
• Fewer tham 50% of Lowest 25% demonstrate gains in reading and mathematics (or show annual improvement)
• Fewer than 25% of students are reading at or above grade level
• Fewer than 95% of eligible students are tested, and school earned enough for an “A”
** - No additional rules
*** - Reading & Writing combined as “English/Language Arts” in new assessment

10. Current & Proposed (FLDOE)
School Grades Formula: Middle Schools
Category Current Formula* FDOE Proposed Formula**
Proficiency (Reading - All)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Math - All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Writing – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
Proficiency (Science – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Social Studies – All) ✖ ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Reading – All)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Math – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Reading – Lowest 25%)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Math – Lowest 25%) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Accelerated Coursework (Participation) ✔ (0 - 50 pts.) ✖
Accelerated Coursework (Performance) ✔ (0 - 50 pts.) ✖
Total Scale 0 - 900 pts. 0 – 100% (x/800)
* - School is lowered one letter grade below below what point total indicates if:
• Fewer tham 50% of Lowest 25% demonstrate gains in reading and mathematics (or show annual improvement)
• Fewer than 25% of students are reading at or above grade level
• Fewer than 95% of eligible students are tested, and school earned enough for an “A”
** - No additional rules
*** - Reading & Writing combined as “English/Language Arts” in new assessment

11. Current & Proposed (FLDOE)
School Grades Formula: High Schools
Category Current Formula* FDOE Proposed Formula**
Proficiency (Reading - All)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Math - All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Writing – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
Proficiency (Science – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Proficiency (Social Studies – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Reading – All)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Math – All) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Reading – Lowest 25%)*** ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Learning Gains (Math – Lowest 25%) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Accelerated Coursework (Participation) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
Accelerated Coursework (Performance) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Graduation Rate (Overall, 4-year) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✔ (0 – 100%)
Graduation Rate (Overall, 5-year) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
Graduation Rate (At-risk, 4-year) ✔ (0 - 50 pts.) ✖
Graduation Rate (At-Risk, 4-year) ✔ (0 - 50 pts.) ✖
College Readiness (Reading) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
College Readiness (Math) ✔ (0 - 100 pts.) ✖
Total Scale 0 - 1600 pts. 0 – 100% (x/1000)
* - Ibid.
** - Ibid.
*** - Ibid.

12. FLDOE Proposal: Feedback
Positive Steps
o Resetting grade scale to improve
stability, meaningfulness of grades
o Acknowledging need to establish
scheduled, periodic review of scale
and components
o Elimination of extraneous bonuses
and penalties
o Suspension of sanctions attached
to “baseline grades” in first year.
Concerns
o Insufficient transition time to calculate and
communicate baseline grades in new system
o Lacks consideration about improving
measurement & use of growth
o Elimination of individual components:
o College readiness (Reading)
o College readiness (Math)
o Accelerated coursework (Participation)
o Graduation rate (At-risk students)
o Potential use of old data for HS grades

13. State Legislative Updates
o Senate Education Committee bill (SB 1642) mostly reflects
Florida Department of Education proposal.
o Amendment to return credit for middle school accelerated
coursework participation & performance added.
o Alternate bill (SB 1368) filed Feb. 27 by Sen. Montford
seeking to implement a three year transition plan, delaying
school grades until 2017-2018.
o House Education Committee held School Accountability
workshop on March 6. Expected to file bill for approval at
March 12 meeting.

14. What’s next?
o Formula Issues:
o Return increased focus on college readiness & at-risk
graduation to school grades
o Reconsider options how student growth is measured and used
as an emphasis in school accountability
o Implementation & Alignment Issues:
o Establish review “window” (ideally 5 years)
o How will alignment of teacher, school & district evaluation
measures be addressed?

15. What’s next?
o Transition Issues:
o How will learning gains will be calculated for proposed “baseline
year” grades without two administrations of the new assessment?
o Implement a full one-year transition period
o Increase public understanding and trust
o Time to improve the way growth is measured and used, and better
align teacher and school accountability systems
o Ensure the transition to measuring growth on a new assessment is
meaningful and sound
o Graduation rates, scores, other data would continue to be released
o Consider approaches used in other states facing similar transitions
such as Texas

16. Questions

17. How to Get Involved
o Be informed:
o Download the brief
o Stay abreast of current developments on the blog
o Be heard:
o Write your elected lawmakers – visit the site to connect to an easy-
to-use tool
o Share this information with your friends, neighbors and coworkers
Find all of these resources and more online at
www.jaxpef.org/SchoolGrades

18. Thank You!
www.jaxpef.org/SchoolGrades