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About ECS

State Approaches to Improving High School Outcomes: A National Perspective Jennifer Dounay Zinth Education Commission of the States For Legislative Achieving Classroom Excellence Task Force Oklahoma City, Oklahoma October 6, 2009. About ECS. 50-state education compact est’d 1965

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About ECS

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  1. State Approaches to Improving High School Outcomes: A National PerspectiveJennifer Dounay ZinthEducation Commission of the StatesFor Legislative Achieving Classroom Excellence Task ForceOklahoma City, OklahomaOctober 6, 2009

  2. About ECS • 50-state education compact est’d 1965 • Nonpartisan, nonprofit • Serves all state-level education policymakers and their staffs: • Governors • Legislators • State board members • State superintendents • SHEEOS and higher education leaders Education Commission of the States

  3. Any particular questions that have not been addressed by prior presenters to the task force? Education Commission of the States

  4. Overview • Middle grades • End-of-course exams • Exit exams, including alternate exams • A few words on ACT • Extemporaneous comments and discussion Education Commission of the States

  5. Why Focus on Middle Grades? • Student achievement drops after grade 4 • Middle schools most likely not to meet AYP • At-risk indicators fewer than at HS level • High school is too late to start college and career readiness Education Commission of the States

  6. Key Areas of State Activity • ID’ing at-risk youth beginning grade 6 • Helping students explore career options, set goals and see relevance • Set high bars in standards and assts. • Ensure teachers have knowledge and skills they need Education Commission of the States

  7. Identifying At-Risk Youth MI: “Superintendent’s Dropout Challenge” • Using data on: • Student achievement • Retention • Attendance • Behavior • To ID 10-15 kids/school for research-based supports (37,000-55,000 students statewide) Education Commission of the States

  8. Helping Students Explore Career Options, Set Goals • 2009 Ohio H.B. 1 • Requires local boards to address college and career readiness in grades 7-8 (and other grades as determined) • Local boards must submit resolution to state DOE Education Commission of the States

  9. Why End-of-Course Exams? • Increase academic rigor • Measure grade-level expectations (more accurate means of holding schools and students accountable) • Improve alignment of curriculum w/standards • Hold kids accountable across HS career • Let kids know what will be expected of them • More syllabus driven, like AP or IB • Less “gotcha” than standards-based exam • Way to make sure expectations of students are consistent across state Education Commission of the States

  10. End-of-Course Exams: A Growing Trend • Increasingly adopted by states • States amending existing exit exams • States starting exit exams with EOCs • RI: One option for showing “proficiency” • Some for exit purposes, some not • April 2007: 14 states had[AR, GA, IN, MD, MA, MS, NY, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA], under dev’t in D.C. & 7 states [KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, WV] Education Commission of the States

  11. State Activity re: EOCs since ‘07 • WA 2008: Math EOCs optional in 2010-11, may sub. for WASL math for Class of 2013, replace WASL math for Class of 2014 • IA 2008: Must make EOCs available to districts • FL 2008: EOCs to earn alternative credit • OH 2009: EOCs will replace current exit exam • PA 2009: Still pending leg. approval; students would pass 6 out of 10 EOCs for HS diploma Education Commission of the States

  12. How Are EOCs Being Used? As of spring 2007: • NCLB accountability: 9 states [AR, MD, MS, NY, NC, OK, TN, UT, VA] • Exit exam: 10 states [AR, MD, MS, NY, NC, OK (2012), SC, TN, TX (future date), VA] • Course credit/grade: 7 states [AR, GA, NY, NC, SC, TN, VA] [VA: optional, not mandatory use for this purpose] • Advanced diploma: 2 states [NY, VA] • Scholarship eligibility: 1 state [NY] Education Commission of the States

  13. EOCs: Best State Practices Indiana • College/work-ready standards embedded in “Core 40” curriculum • EOCs aligned with college/work ready standards • College/work readiness = default grad. reqts in 2011 • Supports for teachers online • Core standards to help prioritize instruction • Classroom assessments Education Commission of the States

  14. EOCs: More Best State Practice Texas • College-ready standards embedded in HS curriculum • EOCs to be aligned with college-ready stds. • Grade 12 “college prep courses” for those who haven’t passed EOCs • Teacher prof. devt. available on college-ready standards Education Commission of the States

  15. Exit Exams Why? • Motivates teaching of standards • Motivates students to learn • Sets same statewide expectation for all students • Provides info that can inform policymakers on quality of education • ID’s student strengths/weaknesses to target instruction Education Commission of the States

  16. Exit Exams: Critics Say… • Tests too hard? • Access to good instruction not consistent among all students • Research mixed on impact of exit exams • May lead teachers to teach to test • May take time away from instruction • Inadequate accommodations to English language learners, students with disabilities? Education Commission of the States

  17. Evolution of Exit Exams • 1970s: Minimum competency based • 1990s: Advent of standards-based • 2000s: Transition to EOCs • 2007: 22 states required passage • 23 w/WA, Class of 2008 • 24 w/MD, Class of 2009 • 25 w/AR, Class of 2010 • 26 w/OK, Class of 2012 Education Commission of the States

  18. How Are Exit Exams Being Used? • NCLB accountability: 24 states[AL, AZ, AR, CA, FL, GA, ID, IN, LA, MD, MA, MN, MS, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA] Red = EOC exit exam, Orange = State has developed EOC but is not using it for NCLB accountability at this time • Course grade (for EOC exit exams): 6 states [AR, NY, NC, SC, TN, VA] [optional, not mandatory use for this purpose in VA] • Advanced diploma: 3 states [LA, NY, VA] • Financial award/scholarship: 2 states [AZ, MA] • Certificate of mastery: 1 state [MA] Education Commission of the States

  19. Alternatives for Students Who Don’t Pass (As of March 2008) • Reciprocity with other states: Seven states [Moot point given provision in interstate military compact] • Substitute assessments: Ten states [AL, AR, FL, ID, MD, NJ, NY, TX, VA, WA] • Evaluation of course grades: Six states [IN, MA, MS, NY, OH, WA] • Evaluation of classroom evidence: Seven states [GA, IN, MA, MS, OH, TN, WA] • Evaluation of other criteria [attendance, letters of recommendation, etc.]: Seven states [GA, IN, MA, MS, NY, OH, TN] Education Commission of the States

  20. Substitute Assessments • Diverse state approaches • Most common: Valid scores on AP, IB, ACT, SAT in same subject area Education Commission of the States

  21. Arkansas • ACT, SAT, AP or IB exam • All exit EOCs must be given by grade 10 • Students must pass alt. asst. “directly related to alternate exit course”[i.e., Alg. I or Eng. II] • After 3 failed attempts, student must take an alt. exit course and pass alt. asst. • Alt. exit course may be online, outside school day Sources: ark. code ann. § 6-15-2009; 005 18 carr023.28.7 Education Commission of the States

  22. Florida • Legislation req. state board to analyze PSAT, PLAN, SAT, ACT, and common College Placement Test for potential “concordant scores” • Student must fail FCAT 3x before taking alt. exam • State board ID’d SAT, ACT reading, math scores • College placement exam option for student with certificate of completion Sources: fla. stat. ann. § 1008.22(10), http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/fcatpass.pdf Education Commission of the States

  23. Idaho Fall of senior year: Student may appeal to district for opportunity to demonstrate proficiency via locally established mechanism. All such mechanisms must be: • Approved by state board • Aligned at a min. to 10th grade content standards • Aligned to state standards in subject in question • Valid and reliable • 90% of criteria of measure(s) must be based on academic proficiency and performance. Source: Idapa 08.02.03.105.03 Education Commission of the States

  24. Maryland Student who has not passed HSA may: • Earn overall combined score [as determined by DOE] • Earn score on DOE-approved alt. asst [AP, SAT, IB] If student is unable to do either, student may: • Complete reqts. for “Bridge Plan for Academic Validation” (project-based demonstration of knowledge and skills). Prerequisites apply. Source: md. regs. code tit. 13A, § 03.02.09 Education Commission of the States

  25. New Jersey • “Special Review Assessment” has been under attack • Performance asst. tasks assigned by teachers • New SRA released this year • No longer unlimited opportunities to take • Teachers will not score own students Sources: http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/hs/sra/, http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/hs/sra/082609update.pdf Education Commission of the States

  26. New York With commissioner approval, Regents scores may be substituted for exams measuring equivalent levels of knowledge and skill. Such exams must: • Measure state standards in content area • Be at least as rigorous as corresponding state test • Be consistent with technical criteria for validity, reliability and freedom from bias • Be developed by entity other than school district • Be available for any school to use • Be administered under secure conditions Source: ny. comp. codes r. & regs. tit. 8, § 100.2(4)(f) Education Commission of the States

  27. Texas • Legislation requires commissioner to adopt method allowing AP, IB, SAT or other test determined just as rigorous as EOC to be substituted • FYI: Students must achieve cumulative score that is at least = to the product of the # of EOCs admin. in that subject and 70; minimum score of 60 for score to count toward cumulative score Source: tex. educ. code ann. § 39.025(a), (a-1) Education Commission of the States

  28. Virginia Establishes alternative means for earning “verified units of credit”. Any test for earning verified credit must: • Be standardized and graded independently of school or district where test is given • Be knowledge-based • Be administered on multistate or int’l basis, or as part of another state’s accountability system. • Measure content that incorporates or exceeds state stds. content in the course for which verified credit is given.Source: 8 vac 20-131-110(c) Education Commission of the States

  29. Virginia and CTE State board must incorporate into CTE courses math, science, English, social studies standards, “as may be appropriate.” State board may authorize sub. of industry cert. and state licensure exams for verified units of credit for CTE courses, “where appropriate.” State board must provide the option of industry cert. and state licensure exams as student-selected verified credit. Sources: va. code. ann. § 22.1-227.1, 22.1-253.13:3(c) Education Commission of the States

  30. Virginia Quality Control in CTE Statute establishes quality control division in DOE. With funds as may be appropriated, unit must “assist in developing and revising local career and technical curriculum to integrate the Standards of Learning”. Source: va. code. ann. § 22.1-227.1 Education Commission of the States

  31. More on CTE, SOLs and Virginia State board rule: Students who complete a CTE program sequence and (1) pass an exam or occupational competency asst. in a CTE field that confers certification, or (2) earn occupational competency credential from recognized industry, or (3) earn professional license in a CTE field may sub. the cert., credential or license for (a) student selected verified credit and (b) either a science or history verified credit when the cert., license or credential confers more than one verified credit. Exam must be approved by state board as add’l test to verify student achievement. Source: 8 va. admin. code § 20-131-50 Education Commission of the States

  32. OK, Really the Last Thing on Virginia Every person seeking initial licensure or renewal of a license must receive professional development in instructional methods tailored to promote student academic progress and effective preparation for the Standards of Learning end-of-course assessments. Source: va. code ann. § 22.1-298.1(D)(3) Education Commission of the States

  33. A Few Words on ACT • Six states administer ACT to all juniors [CO, IL, KY, MI, TN, WY] (WY = ACT or WorkKeys) • Four additional states will give ACT to all juniors [ID, either COMPASS, SAT or ACT, Spring 2012; AL, ND and OH –unclear at this time] • ACT typically not used for: • Exit purposes (OH only state exploring this) • HS accountability (used partially for these purposes in MI and IL, not at all in CO, KY, WY) Education Commission of the States

  34. Further discussion… Education Commission of the States

  35. jdounay@ecs.org303.299.3689 Education Commission of the States

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