Wisconsin Accountability System – All public schools

This is the latest update from Mike Thompson at DPI on the new accountability system:

Dear District Administrators:

On April 17th, The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) received written feedback from the U. S. Department of Education (ED) concerning its application to waive specific elements of the No Child Left Behind accountability requirements. DPI staff are responding to provide specific clarifications requested by USED.

Title I

What’s New:

DPI will notify district administrators by letter before May 30,2012 if their district has one or more Title I Priority or Focus Schools. This identifications are required by ED.

• Priority schools are the lowest performing 5% of Title I schools. 
• Focus schools are equal to 10% of Title I schools and demonstrate the lowest subgroup performance and/or the greatest gaps in achievement or graduation rates. 
• Priority and Focus schools must begin implementing state directed reforms in the 2012-13 school year. 
• DPI will be providing technical assistance for Priority and Focus schools beginning in June 2012. 

Reminders:

• The waiver does not eliminate other aspects of NCLB such as teacher and paraprofessional qualifications and parent notification. 
• Districts with Title I schools previously required to offer choice and supplemental educational services will not be required to do so in 2012-13 and beyond as Wisconsin has successfully waived out of these federal requirements. 

Wisconsin Accountability System – All public schools

What’s New:

• A secure pre-release of a beta-version of individual school report cards based on the new accountability index will occur in June 2012. 
• District report cards will be not be provided this year but will be provided for the 2012-13 school year. 
• Between June and September DPI will solicit feedback on report cards, will incorporate changes as needed, and will develop communication pieces to aid districts in communicating with their staff and with the public. 
• Final school report cards based on the accountability index will be publically released in Fall 2012 (date TBD). 

Reminders: 

• Schools and districts will not be receiving AYP Reports this year. 

DPI is committed to providing resources that will help with this transition to a new accountability and support system. Updates and resources will be posted to the DPI Accountability Reform web pages at http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/acct/accountability.html, so check back often!