Wisconsin’s School Report Cards earned strong reviews this week from the national Education Commission of the States. Researchers there praised the program’s comprehensive look at the qualities that make a school – and its students – successful. The state’s school grading system, which was introduced in 2011 and brought to reality in 2012, was part of a three-headed approach to improving accountability in Wisconsin’s publicly-funded schools. The other two initiatives – Educator Effectiveness and Read to Lead – are in varying stages of their implementation as of June 2014.
The program had earned some attention earlier this year when legislators from both sides of the aisle approved a law that would port these report cards to the state’s voucher schools by 2017. These grades examine five facets of education – student achievement, student growth, closing achievement gaps, graduation rates, and postsecondary readiness – to give parents and citizens throughout the state a better idea of how their local schools are performing.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2014
Contact: Laurel Patrick, (608) 267-7303
ICYMI: Education Commission of the States (ECS): Wisconsin Among Few States with Meaningful Accountability System
Madison – A report recently released by the ECS “Rating States, Grading Schools: What Parents and Experts Say States Should Consider to Make School Accountability Systems Meaningful,” highlights the findings of experts who conducted a three-pronged analysis of school report cards from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report praises Wisconsin’s success in two aspects of the three-pronged analysis of Accountability Systems throughout the United States, gaining success and recognition with parents for the accessibility and clarity of school reports, as well as with experts for reporting and meeting all five essential indicators identified in the report.
From ECS:
ECS today released a new report identifying Wisconsin as one of nine states measuring and reporting the five essential indicators of a meaningful accountability system.
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The five essential indicators of meaningful accountability systems that states should measure and report:
Student achievement
Student academic growth
Achievement gap closure
Graduation rates
Postsecondary and career readiness
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Wisconsin was named by parent reviewers as one of six report cards that are informative, readable and useful.
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Wisconsin and Ohio were the only two states whose report cards were top picks by parents while also meeting and reporting all five essential indicators.
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“Wisconsin is a state dedicated to creating a high-quality accountability system, and to effectively communicating the results of such a system to the public,” said ECS president Jeremy Anderson. “Transparency of accountability systems is essential for parents, educators and policymakers to make informed decisions about their students and schools.”
Read the full ECS report here. A copy of the ECS release commending Wisconsin’s Accountability System can also be found here.
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