HB 558 Haffner, Mike
HB 558 -- SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
SPONSOR: Haffner
CHARTER SCHOOL ACCREDITATION (Section 160.423)
This bill requires charter school sponsors to provide annual accreditation status for each charter school by July 1st based on previous school years' data and "best practice standards" in the area of legal compliance, leadership stability, parent education, financial condition, teacher and administration standards, and instructional practices. The bill outlines the process for ongoing evaluation by sponsors with a procedure for notification of violations of the standards and a 45 day window for a plan of action to correct violations. Schools that comply with the policies will be classified as accredited, any school that fails to comply with all policies will be provisionally accredited and required to develop an improvement plan. Failure to comply with the school improvement plan before the next school year will result in the school being classified as unaccredited.
ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT CARD (Sections 160.2900 - 160.2906)
The bill requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to develop a simplified school report card for each local education agency (LEA). The report cards will use specified letter grades A to F for LEA's based on statewide annual assessments. The SBE may incentive LEAs that receive an "A" or demonstrate two grade levels of improvement in a three year timeframe. The calculation for the LEA grades are outlined in the bill and include but are not limited to proficiency measures on the statewide assessment in English, Math, and Science, growth toward proficiency or advanced in English and Math, graduation rates, AP scores, dual enrollment, and career technical certification. The bill requires that for elementary and middle schools report card grades shall be based on a balance of overall student achievement and growth and that for high schools certain parameters for the report card grade are also outlined.
The bill outlines guidelines for student assessment data, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is required to develop a methodology for LEA to earn a letter grade on a scale of zero 100, with specifications outlined in the bill and a system of providing awards to LEAs that improve by one letter grade or earn an A. The bill provides specific college and career readiness measure guidelines and instructs DESE to calculate the growth of LEAs from school year to school year on the state assessment. By the 2025 school year DESE must implement a growth model and provide the model to LEAs.
The bill provides DESE the authority for district LEAs and the sponsor for a charter LEA to provide a list of organizations that offer evidence-based turnaround services for any LEA with a D or F on the annual report card. Local education agencies must partner with such an organization to create an improvement plan and present such a plan to the LEA's respective board. The Department may allocate school improvement funds to any LEA that chooses a partner and develops a school improvement plan. Students in any LEA that earns a D or F for three consecutive school years, may transfer out of the school or district to any district or school. Any LEA that earns a D or F for four consecutive years may be reorganized with a new partnership chosen by DESE or the charter sponsor. Any LEA with five consecutive years of a D or F may be considered for school closure.
The bill requires DESE to prepare annual reports of accountability measures as specified in the bill to describe student achievement in the state and for each LEA.
PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCREDITATION (Section 161.092)
The bill requires the SBE to modify the current accreditation process for public schools and school districtus by requiring an annual accreditation status for each school and school district by July 1st based on previous school years' data and "best practice standards" in the area of legal compliance, leadership stability, parent education, financial condition, teacher and administration standards, and instructional practices. The bill specifies the process for ongoing evaluation by DESE with a procedure for notification of violations of the standards and a 45 day window for a plan of action to correct violations. Districts that comply with the policies will be classified as accredited, any district that fails to comply with all policies will be provisionally accredited and required to develop an improvement plan. Failure to comply with the school improvement plan before the next school year will result in the school being classified as unaccredited.
This bill repeals certain existing provisions related to school accountability report cards.