What are District and School Report Cards? As part of the new state accountability system, reflected in Wisconsin’s approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has produced report cards for every district and school in Wisconsin. These Report Cards provide data on multiple indicators for four priority areas:
- Student Achievement – performance on the WKCE and WAA-SwD in reading and mathematics
- Student Growth – improvement over time on the WKCE in reading and mathematics
- Closing Gaps – progress of student subgroups in closing gaps in reading and mathematics performance and/or graduation rates
- On-track and Postsecondary Readiness – performance on key indicators of readiness for graduation and postsecondary pursuits, whether college or career
Performance on three Student Engagement Indicators is also reported. These three indicators affect student success and school effectiveness and are test participation, absenteeism rate, and dropout rates.
A district's or school’s Overall Accountability Score places the district or school into one of five Overall Accountability Ratings:
- Significantly Exceeds Expectations
- Exceeds Expectations
- Meets Expectations
- Meets Few Expectations
- Fails to Meet Expectations
Each district and public school will earn a score from 0 to 100. These scores will be included on the report card and will be based on our performance in the four priority areas. It’s important to note that the 0 to 100 score is not a percent correct measurement, similar to a score your child might earn on a test in school. Instead, in combination with other school data, the score will help our school staff determine what areas we do well in and where we need improvement. The goal is to help every student in our school succeed, graduate, and be ready to pursue further education and a career.
The statewide accountability system also includes methods to spread effective practices of high-performing schools and support to help struggling schools improve. You’ll notice in the school report cards that standards for student achievement are higher. Our district, along with the entire state, is beginning to measure achievement with more rigorous national standards. These are incredibly high standards that will truly prepare our students to be competitive in a fast-paced, global economy.
That means that even though student performance hasn’t changed, the number of students identified as proficient and advanced will look different on the school report cards. And while that initial result will look different than what we are used to, these new, more rigorous standards are a good thing for our students, our district and our community. It means holding ourselves to the standards of an increasingly challenging, fast-paced world and economy.
The school report cards are one of many measures we use to make adjustments throughout the year.
While each of these assessments and the school report cards are important tools, we want to assure you that we know there is more to your child’s education than any single test score. Our students are engaged in their learning through rigorous and relevant curriculum and interactive and engaging instruction. They learn about positive emotions and behaviors, digital literacy and how to be good citizens. Educational programs are tailored to their needs through differentiated instruction and Response to Intervention.
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