How States Prioritize Readiness in School Accountability Plans
New reports detail ESSA plans, with a focus on college and career readiness
How are states’ new school accountability plans focusing on college and career readiness?
Many SREB states went above and beyond the basic requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which addresses readiness but does not require a comprehensive approach. An SREB analysis of state plans across the South identifies five ways states prioritize readiness for all students, statewide. They used the law’s flexibility to:
- Add long-term, statewide goals for college and career readiness
- Shape school performance indicators to track progress toward readiness
- Include or heavily weight indicators that measure readiness
- Require data on all student groups, which encourages schools to focus on readiness for each student
- Establish support systems for struggling schools and districts to focus on readiness for all students
“Accountability systems can be dynamic drivers of change,” said SREB President Stephen Pruitt. “States will continually monitor their systems to ensure accurate and reliable measures of school performance — and will adjust as necessary.”
Explore the reports on SREB Insights
State-by-state profiles
In addition to the regional analysis, interactive reports distill complex information about each state’s ESSA plan for evaluating schools’ performance and holding them accountable for improvement. The profiles include:
- How the system addresses college and career readiness
- Long-term goals
- Indicators of school performance
- Systems for differentiating and reporting on school performance
- Supports for struggling schools
“We hope these reports help policymakers and school leaders compare accountability measures and watch what’s working to help them keep improving their plans,” said Kim Anderson, the SREB researcher who directs the reports.
MEDIA CONTACT
Beth Day: beth.day@sreb.org (404) 879-5544