Understanding the ToptoBottom Ranking PriorityFocusReward Designations Why the

Understanding the Top-to-Bottom Ranking & Priority/Focus/Reward Designations

Why the TTB Ranking? • Move from metric as designation only (“stick”) to leveraging the metric as a diagnostic tool for schools • Resist urge for “more data” until we understand the metrics available; avoids “dying in data” • Focus of this presentation: o Overview of calculations o How to interpret results (for schools and districts)

How Designations are Related Top-to-Bottom Ranking Priority Schools Focus Schools Reward High Achievement Reward High Improvement Study 1 Beating the Odds Study 2

The Top-to-Bottom List • Statewide ranking of ALL schools that meet ranking criteria • Bottom 5% = Priority (PLA) Schools • 10% schools with largest achievement gaps = Focus Schools • Also used for Reward School status: o Use top 5% from overall ranking = Reward Schools o Use top 5% improving schools = Reward Schools o Use Beating the Odds Schools = Reward Schools

Top to Bottom (TTB) Ranking • Three main components by subject: • Achievement • Improvement in achievement over time (top 5% here become Reward Schools) • Achievement gap top 30% vs. bottom 30% of students (bottom 10% here become Focus Schools) • Each component tells schools something about their overall performance and can be used for diagnostics

TTB Ranking • Graduation rates are included in the statewide Top-to. Bottom Ranking. • Schools with a graduation rate have it included in the following two ways: • Graduation Rate • Improvement in graduation rate over time

Who Receives a Ranking? • Schools with 30+ full academic year (FAY) students over the last two years in at least two state-tested content areas; school must be OPEN at time of list generation • Application Some schools do not receive a ranking if they: • • Have too few FAY students Only have one year of data

Tested Grades & Subjects • Reading and Mathematics: Grades 3 -8 and 11 • In grades 3 -8, testing every year allows us to figure out student performance level change (our current “growth” metric) in reading and math • Students can either significantly improve, maintain, decline or significantly decline • Writing: Grades 4 & 7 • Science: Grades 5 & 8 • Social Studies: Grades 6 & 9

What About Reconfigured Schools? • A school must change by four or more grades in order to get a new code • Example: A K-2 building becoming a K-6 building. • New codes NOT granted when a school is reopened as a charter, for example • If not, the school retains the old code and continues to have data “point” at it from all students for whom that code is their feeder school • There is no “phase reset” like there was in AYP • If school population changed by 51%, could request a phase reset—still got AYP calculations, but sanctions delayed • Under Priority/Focus interventions, would simply have a customized intervention.

How Is the Top to Bottom Ranking Calculated • For grade 3 -8 reading and mathematics Two-Year Average Standardized Student Scale (Z) Score School Achievement Z-Score Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/4 Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/4 1/2 School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore

How do we get Standardized Scale Scores for Each Student? • Step #1: Take each student’s score on the test they took and compare that score to the statewide average for students who took that same test in the same grade and year • This creates a student-level z-score for each student in each content area o Compare • MEAP to MEAP • MEAP-Access to MEAP-Access • MME to MME • MI-Access o Participation to Participation o Supported Independence to Supported Independence o Functional Independence to Functional Independence

What do we do with those Standardized Scores? • Step #2: Once each student has a z-score for each content area (based on the test they took), we take all of the students in a each school, and rank order the students within the school. o Z-scores will have come from different tests, and compare students to statewide average for that grade, test, and subject o But they can now be combined for the school • Step #3: Add up all z-scores and take the average. This is now the average standardized student scale score. • Step #4: Define the top and bottom 30% subgroups, based on that rank ordering.

Student Test Taken Z-score Tommy Mi-Access, Participation 2. 5 Sally MEAP 2. 0 Maura MI-Access, SI 1. 9 Fred MEAP 1. 5 Ichabod MEAP-Access 1. 0 Freud MEAP 0. 8 Maybelle MI-Access, FI 0. 7 Destiny MEAP 0. 5 Harold MEAP -0. 2 Bickford MI-Access, FI -0. 5 Talledaga MEAP-Access -0. 7 Francine MEAP -1. 2 Joey MEAP -1. 9 William MEAP -2. 2

Student Test Taken Z-score Tommy Mi-Access, Participation 2. 5 Sally MEAP 2. 0 Maura MI-Access, SI 1. 9 Fred MEAP 1. 5 MEAP-Access 1. 0 Ichabod Freud Maybelle Destiny Average Z-score (average standardized. MEAP student scale score): 0. 28 FI MI-Access, (sum all z-scores, MEAP divide by 14) 0. 8 0. 7 0. 5 Harold MEAP -0. 2 Bickford MI-Access, FI -0. 5 Talledaga MEAP-Access -0. 7 Francine MEAP -1. 2 Joey MEAP -1. 9 William MEAP -2. 2

Student Test Taken Z-score Tommy Mi-Access, Participation 2. 5 Sally MEAP 2. 0 Maura MI-Access, SI 1. 9 Fred MEAP Ichabod MEAP-Access 1. 0 Freud MEAP 0. 8 Maybelle MI-Access, FI 0. 7 Destiny MEAP 0. 5 Harold MEAP -0. 2 Bickford -0. 5 Talledaga MI-Access, FI Bottom 30% MEAP-Access Francine MEAP -1. 2 Joey MEAP -1. 9 William MEAP -2. 2 Top 30% 1. 5 -0. 7

How Is the Top to Bottom Ranking Calculated? • For grade 3 -8 reading and mathematics Two-Year Average Standardized Student Scale (Z) Score School Achievement Z-Score Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/4 Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/4 1/2 School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore

What is Important to Show Schools? • For grade 3 -8 reading and mathematics Two-Year Average Standardized Student Scale (Z) Score School Achievement Z-Score Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/2 1/4 School Content Area Index Step #1: Achievement How well did the school do in that subject? Two-Year Average Positive number = better than average School Achievement Bottom 30% - Top 30% 1/4 Near zero = average Gap Z-Score Gap Negative number = worse than average Content Index Zscore

What. Step is #2: Important Improvement Is the school improving in that subject? tonumber Show Schools? Positive = greater rate of improvement than average • For grade 3 -8 reading and mathematics Near zero = average improvement Negative = slower rate of improvement than Two-Year Average School Achievement Standardized Studentaverage; can also mean they 1/2 are declining Scale (Z) Score Z-Score Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/4 Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/4 School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore

What is Important Raw value is also meaningful: Positive students improving tonumber: Show. More Schools? than declining Negative number: More students declining than improving Two-Year Average • For grade 3 -8 reading and mathematics Standardized Student Scale (Z) Score School Achievement Z-Score 1/2 Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/4 Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/4 School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore

What is. Achievement Important Step #3: Gap Is the gap in that subject between top 30% to Show Schools? and bottom 30%: number) = smaller gap than • For grade(positive 3 -8 reading and mathematics average Two-Year Average (negative number) = larger gap than School Achievement Standardized Student 1/2 Z-Score average Scale (Z) Score (near zero) = average gap Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/4 Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/4 School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore

Once you have Looked at each Component, Discuss: • What’s the overall pattern? o Low achievement? o Declining achievement? o Large gaps? • Where are the actionable areas? o Which subjects need the most attention? o Is everyone doing poorly (small gap, low achievement) or are some students doing well and others falling behind (decent achievement, but large gap)

What is Important to Show Schools? • For grade 3 -8 reading and mathematics Two-Year Average Standardized Student Scale (Z) Score School Achievement Z-Score Two-Year Average Performance Level Change Index School Performance Level Change Z-Score 1/2 1/4 Reward Schools (for improvement) School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore Focus Schools Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/4

Weighted Performance Level Change (PLC) • A weighted composite of individual student performance level change is used to calculate improvement in grades 3 -8 reading and mathematics Previous Proficiency Significant Decline Maintain Improvement Significant Improvement Not Previously Proficient -2 -1 0 1 2 Previously Proficient -2 -1 1 1 2 • Rewards large improvements more heavily, rewards maintenance of proficiency if a student was already proficient

How is the Top-to Bottom Ranking Calculated? • For science, social studies, writing, and grade 11 all tested subjects Two-Year Average Standardized Student Scale (Z) Score School Achievement Z-Score Four-Year Achievement Trend Slope School Performance Achievement Trend Z-Score Two-Year Average Bottom 30% - Top 30% Z-Score Gap School Achievement Gap Z-Score 1/2 1/4 School Content Area Index Content Index Zscore

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • For graduation rate Two-Year Average Graduation Rate School Graduation Rate Z-Score Four-Year Graduation Rate Trend Slope School Graduation Rate Trend Z-Score 2/3 1/3 School Graduation Rate Index Grad Index Zscore

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • Calculating a four-year slope (e. g. , graduation rate) • Plot the school’s graduation rate for the last four years • Plot a linear regression line through the points • Calculate the slope of the line (gives the school’s annual improvement rate) 90% Graduation Rate 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 1 2 Year 3 4

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • Calculating a four-year slope (e. g. , graduation rate) • Plot the school’s graduation rate for the last four years • Plot a linear regression line through the points • Calculate the slope of the line (gives the school’s annual improvement rate) 90% Graduation Rate 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 1 2 Year 3 4

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • Calculating a four-year slope (e. g. , graduation rate) • Plot the school’s graduation rate for the last four years • Plot a linear regression line through the points • Calculate the slope of the line (gives the school’s annual improvement rate) 90% Slope = 2. 3% Graduation Rate 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 1 2 Year 3 4

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • Calc an overall rank for a school with a grad rate School Mathematics Std Index School Reading Std Index School Science Std Index School Social Studies Std Index School Writing Std Index School Graduation Rate Std Index 18% Overall Standardized School Index 18% 18% 10% Overall School Percentile Rank

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • Calculating an overall ranking for a school without a graduation rate School Mathematics Std Index School Reading Std Index School Science Std Index School Social Studies Std Index School Writing Std Index 20% 20% 20% Look at each subject index. Help schools understand which subjects are strong/weak for them. Positive number: better than. Overall average School Overall School Standardized Index Negative number: below Percentile average Rank Near zero: near average

How is the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Calculated? • Calculating an overall ranking for a school without a graduation rate and without a writing score School Mathematics Index School Reading Index School Science Index School Social Studies Index 25% 25% Overall School Standardized Index Overall School Percentile Rank

Which years of data are in the ranking?

For elementary and middle schools • Michigan tests in the fall. • These fall tests reflect the learning of students in the previous school year. SY 2010 -2011 Fall 2009 Testing SY 2011 -2012 Fall 2010 Testing SY 2012 -2013 Fall 2011 Testing Fall 2012 Testing

For High Schools • Michigan tests in the spring • The spring test (MME and MI-Access) measures what students have learned from grades 9, 10 and grade 11 prior to the MME testing.

What do the 2012 Rankings reflect? • For elementary/middle schools: o. MEAP and MI-Access tests from fall 2011 • For high schools: o. MME and MI-Access tests from spring 2012

Resources Available • • • List of all schools and their ranking Individual school look-up to see school-specific results Overview presentation with voice over FAQ Business rules by which the rankings were calculated Complete data file and validation file You can access these resources at www. mi. gov/ttb You can also request individual assistance by calling the Evaluation, Research and Accountability unit at 517 -373 -1342, or emailing mde-accountability@michigan. gov

Priority School Status • Schools in the bottom 5% of the Top-to-Bottom Ranking • MDE ensures that the number of schools identified as Priority Schools includes >=5% of the state’s Title I schools. • MDE will also add schools with a grad rate of <60% for 3 consecutive years, and any Tier I or Tier II school using SIG funds to implement a turnaround model.

How does a school EXIT Priority School status? • For a school to exit priority school status, it has to receive a Green, Lime, Yellow or Orange on the Accountability Scorecard at the close of its third year in the Priority School intervention system. • A school must either meet aggressive proficiency targets (toward 85% of students proficient by 2022), or must have demonstrated significant improvement. • The proficiency and/or improvement gains must be demonstrated all nine traditional ESEA subgroups as well as in the new “bottom 30%” subgroup.

How does a school EXIT Priority School status? • This means that a priority school who achieves a Green, Lime, Yellow or Orange on the Accountability Scorecard and exits Priority School status has: o Met all interim measurements of progress for priority schools (approved plan, leading and lagging indicators). o Met proficiency and/or improvement targets on average as a school. o Increased the proficiency rate of all traditional subgroups. o Increased the proficiency rate of their very lowest performing students.

Focus School Status • 10% of Schools with the largest achievement gaps in scale score between the top 30% of students and bottom 30% of students within a school from the Top-to-Bottom Ranking. • Focus schools may have high average performance overall, but have a significantly large gap, suggesting struggles addressing low achieving students

The Purpose of Identifying Focus Schools • Critical component to closing achievement gaps within schools and statewide. • Highlight where changes in teaching and learning practices need to be undertaken to respond to the learning needs of low-achieving students. • These changes are difficult; both accountability and support need to be differentiated.

Focus Schools: Achievement Gaps • Top-to-Bottom list includes a component that examines the gap in achievement scores between top 30% and bottom 30% of students within a school • Gaps are standardized between all students using a common assessment within a school, and then averaged for the school • Gaps are calculated for all subject areas and combined to form a composite gap

How are Focus Schools Identified? • Average gap is then standardized and ranked among all schools • The 10% of schools with the largest achievement gaps are identified as Focus Schools

Focus Schools: Common Concerns • Are Focus Schools only high-achieving schools? • Are Focus Schools only high socioeconomic status schools? • Is the bottom 30% subgroup in Focus Schools actually high performing? • Are schools more likely to be Focus Schools if they have [fill in the blank group] kids?

Focus Schools are NOT Just High Achieving. . .

Focus Schools are NOT Exclusively High (or Low) Socioeconomic Status. . .

Bottom 30% Students are NOT High Achieving. . . Focus Schools Bottom 30% Non-Focus Schools Top 30% Across all subject areas and grade levels, the bottom 30% subgroup consistently had average achievement z-score below zero, and most of them are between -0. 5 and -1. 5. (This example: E/MS Reading)

Bottom 30 are Not Dominated by any 1 Subgroup… q. Focus schools have higher concentrations of subgroups in bottom 30% than other schools

Focus Designation vs. AYP • Achievement gap between top 30% and bottom 30% of students within a school. • This approach targets ACHIEVEMENT gaps and THEN asks the demographic question. • Methodology detects differences in achievement within subgroups; between subgroups; or with small populations. • Limited by the size of groups and demographic status only. • Methodology detects differences in achievement within a subgroup as a whole or as an overall student population

Reward School Status Identification as a Reward School results from achieving one or more of the following distinctions: Being in the top 5% of the Top-to-Bottom Ranking Being in the top 5% of improving schools from the improvement metric in the Top-to-Bottom ranking Being a school identified as “Beating the Odds” (BTO).

Identifying Schools Beating the Odds • 2 separate studies of schools Beating the Odds using considerably different methodologies 1. Schools performing above their predicted levels based on these factors: • Percent economically disadvantaged • Percent students with disabilities • Percent English language learners • Percent minority 2. Schools performing above a comparison group of the most demographically similar schools in the state • Provides a strong basis for concluding that these schools are indeed beating odds

What happens once a school is named a Reward School? • Receive public recognition for their achievements through a communication to local media. • Have their practices highlighted at conferences and other events, such as MDE’s School Improvement Conference. • MDE is seeking other supports for Reward Schools, including increased flexibility in the use of federal grant funds, corporate and philanthropic support, and networking meetings for school leaders and educators.

Summary of Ranking-Related Designations Top-to-Bottom Ranking Priority Schools Focus Schools Reward High Achievement Reward High Improvement Study 1 Beating the Odds Study 2

We’re here to help! MDE-Accountability@Michigan. gov -OR- 877 -560 -8378, Option 6