Alternative School Accountability Examples from Colorado, Washington state and New York City Center for American Progress
Why we do this work “Like many students, school for me has been a mixed bag…I --Grace Marotta, seriously thought I would never graduate, and I considered Curtis-Tufts Alternative dropping out countless times. The Curtis was a game changer High School graduate, for me. My experiences have taught me how to be confident, 2019 how to overcome great obstacles step by step, and how to ask for help. I will use these skills for the resto of my life.” Center for American Progress | Alternative School Accountability
Agenda Overview of federal policy for alternative school • 60-minute session accountability (Laura) Alternative school accountability examples from the field: • Please hold your Colorado • questions until the end Washington • New York City • Moderated questions • Questions from the audience • Center for American Progress | Alternative School Accountability
Context for alternative school accountability Who do alternative schools typically serve? • Do the students not How do ESSA requirements account for the context of • “fit” into the system or students in alternative schools? does the system not fit What does federal law allow regarding alternative school • the students? –Laura Jimenez accountability? Center for American Progress | Alternative School Accountability
Overview on Alternative Education Campuses in Colorado Jessica Knevals-Watson, MPA June 2019
Alternative Education Ø What is an Alternative Education Campus Campuses in Colorado (AEC) in Colorado? Today’s Objectives Ø How does Colorado define a “high-risk” student? Ø What is the history of alternative education in Colorado? Ø How does Colorado measure accountability for Alternative Education Campuses (AECs)? Ø AEC accountability in Colorado under ESSA. 6
AEC Policy in Colorado 7
Alternative Education Campuses in Colorado § In Colorado, schools that serve primarily high-risk students are called “Alternative Education Campuses” , or AECs for short § As of the 2018-19SY, Colorado had 93 AECs , which served just over 20,000 students and represented 5% of schools in Colorado § AECs are outlined in C.R.S. 22-7-604.5 as schools: § (I) “Having a specialized mission and serving a special needs or at- risk population ”, § (V) “Having nontraditional methods of instruction delivery”, § (VI) (A) “Serving students who have severe limitations …”, and § (VI)(B) “Serving a student population in which more than 90% of the students have an individualized education program …or meet the definition of a high-risk student ”. 8
“High-Risk Student” is a student who has one or more of the following conditions: § juvenile delinquent § family history of domestic violence § dropped out of school § repeated school suspensions § habitually truant: 4 absences in one month or 10 absences in one § parent or pregnant woman year*** § migrant child* § expelled from school § homeless child § history of personal drug or alcohol § foster child*** use § history of mental or behavioral § history of personal street gang health issue or experienced involvement significant trauma*** § history of child abuse or neglect or § is over traditional school age for ward of the court*** his or her grade level and lacks § has a parent or guardian in prison adequate credit hours for his or her grade level (high school § has an IEP students only)** *Added in 2010 **Added in 2011 ***Added/Modified in 2016
Enrollment Trends at Colorado AECs 100% 90% 80% 70% 65% 61% 60% 46% 50% 41% 40% 30% 18% 17% 20% 13% 10% 10% 0% Students of Color Students with Disabilities Free/Reduced Lunch English Learners AECs Statewide (N Students = 20,091) Non-AECs Statewide (N Students = 853,076) Alternative Education Campuses (AECs) currently make up 2% of the total student enrollment) in Colorado. AEC schools enroll higher populations of highly at risk students. Source: 2018 October Count
Online/ Charter (N Schools = 6) 7% Types of AECs in Colorado Nearly two-thirds Non-online/ of AECs in Charter (N Colorado are Schools = 18) district-run 20% schools. Non-online/ Non-charter A small number (N Schools = of AECs in 65) Colorado are 71% online schools; Online/ Non- these are evenly charter (N split between Schools = 2) charters and 2% district-run schools.
History of AECs in Colorado 2002 2008 2009 2010 • C.R.S. 22-7- • CO Coalition of • SB 09-163, CO • School 604.5 Alt Ed Campuses Education Performance commissioned Accountability • Established Framework to establish Act definition of (SPF) for AECs basic framework AECs • Determined includes for alt. ed. AECs no longer Academic exempt from Achievement, accountability Academic Growth, Student Engagement, and Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness 2011 2015 2016 • AECs allowed to • HB15-1350 • HB16-1429 include optional (based on work • Created AEC measures in group recs) accountability School work group to • Modifies Performance refine and update minimum % of Framework the current AEC high-risk accountability students and system certain “high-risk indicators”
Alternative Accountability in Colorado 13
School and District Performance Frameworks & AEC School Performance Framework High Schools and Districts Elementary and Middle Schools Post- secondary & Achievement Workforce 30% Readiness Achievement 30% Growth 40% 60% Growth Alternative Education Campuses 40% Post- Achieve- secondary ment & Work- 15% force Readiness 30% Growth 35% Student Engage- ment 20%
AEC Accountability: Flexibility with Optional Measures Alternative Education Campuses receive a School Performance Framework annually, similar to traditional schools. The main exception is AECs are measured on Student Engagement measure and are allowed to submit local measures to include in their performance framework. Performance Weight State-Required Measures Optional Measures and Metrics Indicator and Metrics E/MS HS Academic 20% 15% CMAS/PARCC mean scale score NWEA MAP, Scantron, Acuity, Galileo, Reading, Math, Writing, Science, Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), Achievement PSAT mean scale score Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE), STAR, and/or Accuplacer Academic 50% 35% CMAS/PARCC median growth NWEA MAP, Scantron, Acuity, Galileo, percentiles in Reading, Math, Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), Growth Writing, Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE), PSAT to SAT growth ACCESS, STAR, and/or Accuplacer Student 30% 20% Attendance rate, Student Re-engagement, Truancy rate Returning students rate, Engagement Socio-Emotional or Psychological Adjustment Postsecondary N/A 30% Completion rate (best of 4, 5, 6, Credit/course completion, or 7 year rate) Workforce Readiness, & Workforce Dropout rate Post-Completion Success Readiness Colorado SAT mean scale score Successful transition (for non-degree EBRW and Math granting schools only) 15 Graduation rate
Performance of AECs in Colorado 2018 AECs by School Plan Type AEC: Turnaround (N Schools = 8) 9% AEC: Priority Improvement (N AEC: Performance (N Schools = 13) Schools = 31) 14% 34% AEC: Improvement (N Schools = 39) 43%
Federal Accountability in Colorado 17
AECs identified for support and improvement under ESSA* 78% of AECs in 73 Colorado are identified for support and improvement under ESSA 56% for 52 Comprehensive Support and Improvement - Low Graduation 19 20% for Targeted Support and Improvement 2% for 2 Comprehensive Support and Improvement - Lowest 5 Percent 18 *Including 3 schools on hold
Measures by Mission reframing Career and College ready under ESSA Comprehensive secondary schools and comprehensive low graduation rates in the Washington School Improvement Framework Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, State Superintendent
Vision: All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement. Mission: Transform K–12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities . Values: • Ensuring Equity • Collaboration and Service • Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement • Focus on the Whole Child June 2019 | 20
Equity Statement Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefit their peers, educators, and schools. Ensuring educational equity: Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current • policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations. Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts ; engage • students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making ; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools. June 2019 | 21
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