|
|
|
Report Cards |
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Division of Data Analysis and Progress Reporting The
Better Schools Accountability Law (Section 10-17a of the Illinois School
Code) is reprinted below a paragraph at a time.
The terms to be defined are underlined.
The definitions of terms for each paragraph follow immediately
below the paragraph. In some
instances, terms have already been defined in statute, or they derive from
current state practice. Legislative
Citation—(1)
Policy and Purpose. It shall
be the policy of the State of Illinois that each school district in
this State, including special charter districts and districts
subject to the provisions of Article 34, shall submit to parents, taxpayers
of such districts, the Governor, the General Assembly and the State
Board of Education a school report card assessing the performance of its schools
and students. The
report card shall be an index of school performance measured
against statewide and local standards and will provide information
to make prior year comparisons and to set future year targets through the
school improvement plan. Definitions— For purposes of this legislation, school
districts include all regular operating elementary, high school, and
unit districts. Excluded are
other state-funded education agencies, such as area vocational centers,
special education cooperatives, university laboratory schools, the
Illinois Math and A special charter district is
any city, township, or district organized into a school district and
operating in whole or in part under a special act or charter of the
General Assembly. (Section 1-3 of the School Code.) Submit to parents
means the report card will be disseminated to all parents whose children
are enrolled in the school by the district’s usual means of distributing
student report cards, by a comparable method, or by making it available on
the district’s web site, as detailed in A parent means the natural or
adoptive parent, a guardian, or a person acting as a parent of a child. (Submit to)…taxpayers
means the report card will be kept on file by the district and the
respective regional superintendent of education.
According to the Freedom of Information Act, copies must be made
available upon request. A fee
to recover actual costs may be charged. A taxpayer is anyone who owns
property, resides, or pays taxes in the school district. (Submit to)…the Governor, the General
Assembly
means the report cards will be transmitted to the Governor and the General
Assembly by the Illinois State Board of Education. In current A student is an individual of
legal school age who is enrolled in an educational program in grades K-12
or in an age-appropriate placement under the jurisdiction of a school or
school district. An index of school performance
is an indicator that represents accomplishment. Statewide and local standards
are measures or criteria established by local and state authority. Legislative
Citation—(2)
Reporting Requirements. Each
school district shall prepare a report card in accordance with the
guidelines set forth in this Section which describes the performance of
its students by school attendance centers and by district and the
district’s financial resources and use of financial resources.
Such report card shall be presented at a regular school board
meeting subject to applicable notice requirements, posted on the
school district’s Internet web site, if the district maintains an
Internet web site, made available to a newspaper of general circulation
serving the district, and, upon request, sent home to a parent
(unless the district does not maintain an Internet web site, in which case
the report card shall be sent home to parents without request).
If the district posts the report card on its Internet web site, the
district shall send a written notice home to parents stating (i) that the
report card is available on the web site, (ii) the address of the web
site, (iii) that a printed copy of the report card will be sent to parents
upon request, and (iv) the telephone number that parents may call to
request a printed copy of the report card.
In addition, each school district shall submit the completed report
card to the office of the district’s Regional Superintendent which shall
make copies available to any individual requesting them. Definitions— Financial resources
include the amount of money that districts receive from all sources, as
listed in paragraph (3)(b) of the legislation. Use of financial resources
refers to “District expenditure by fund” in paragraph (3)(b) of
the legislation. Applicable notice requirements
are the terms and procedures of notification specified for regular
meetings in the Open Meetings Act. Posted on the school district’s
Internet web site
means that districts must provide parents with information relative to the
availability of report cards on the districts’ web sites and must also
provide printed copies upon request. Districts
that do not maintain web sites must continue to send printed copies of
report cards home to parents. Made available to a newspaper of
general circulation
means that the information must be provided to a newspaper that is
circulated in the district and in which the school district usually
publishes notices. This does
not include newspapers that are available for free distribution. Sent home is the same as “submit to parents”
in paragraph (1) of the legislation. Make copies available
means that the report card is kept on file.
According to the Freedom of Information Act, copies must be made
available upon request. A fee
to recover actual costs may be charged. Legislative
Citation—The
report card shall be completed and disseminated prior to October 31
in each school year. The
report card shall contain, but not be limited to, actual local school
attendance center, school district and statewide data indicating the present
performance of the school, the State norms and the areas for
planned improvement for the school and school district.
Definitions— Disseminated is the same as “submit” in
paragraph (1) and “made available” in paragraph (2) of the
legislation. The actual local school attendance
center is the location where a child is housed and counted as enrolled
in school in the fall of the school year. Present performance
refers to the most recent data available for the various indicators. State norms are the quantitative values
that constitute the typical performance in Areas for planned improvement
include academic and other areas targeted for improvement by local
administrators. Legislative
Citation—(3)(a)
The report card shall include
the following applicable indicators of attendance center, district, and
statewide student performance: percent
of students who exceed, meet, or do not meet standards established by the
State Board of Education pursuant to Section 2-3.25a [105 ILCS
5/2-3.25a]; composite and subtest means on nationally normed
achievement tests for college bound students; student attendance
rates; chronic truancy rate; dropout rate; graduation
rate; and student mobility, turnover shown as a percent
of transfers out and a percent of transfers in. Definitions— Percentage of students who exceed,
meet, or do not meet standards established by the State Board of Education
refers to the distribution of students in the various performance levels
based on their ISAT, PSAE, or IAA scores. These
performance levels are defined in the school report cards. Composite and subtest means on
nationally normed achievement tests for college bound students refer to the average ACT scores
based on the most recent performance of students in the school’s class
of 2009 who sat for the ACT on a national test date or PSAE testing.
The composite mean is the reported average composite score; the
subtest mean is the reported average for each of the ACT subtests, which
include English, mathematics, reading, and science. Student attendance rate
is the aggregate days of student attendance, divided by the sum of the
aggregate days of student attendance and aggregate days of student
absence, multiplied by 100. Chronic truancy rate
is the number of chronic truants, divided by the average daily enrollment,
multiplied by 100. Chronic
truants include students subject to compulsory attendance who have been
absent without valid cause from such attendance for 10 percent or more of
the previous 180 regular attendance days. Dropout rate is the number of dropouts,
divided by the fall enrollment (not including postgraduates), multiplied
by 100. Dropouts include
students in grades 9-12 whose names have been removed from the
district-housed roster for any reason other than death, extended illness,
graduation/completion of a program of studies, transfer to another
public/private school, or expulsion. Graduation rate
is the number of 2009-10 high school graduates, divided by the 2006
first-time grade 9 fall enrollment (not including students transferred
out), plus students transferred in, multiplied by 100.
[Numerator = number of graduates, denominator = (grade 9 enrollment
– transfers out) + transfers in]. “Transfers
out” include students from the freshman class who transferred to another
school or died prior to graduation. “Transfers
in” encompass 2009-10 graduates who were not counted in the 2006
first-time grade 9 fall enrollment; transfers in may include students who
transferred from another school, students with or without disabilities,
and students who graduated in fewer or more than four years. Student mobility (turnover)
reflects any enrollment change between the first school day in October and
the last day of the school year. It
is the sum of the students who transferred out and the students who
transferred in, divided by the average daily enrollment, multiplied by
100. Students are counted each
time they transfer out or in during the reporting year.
Thus, individual students may be counted more than once. Transfers out, relative to student mobility,
comprises all incidents of students being removed from the enrollment
roster for any reason. Transfers in, relative to student mobility,
comprises all incidents of students being added to the enrollment roster. Legislative
Citation— (b)
The report card shall include the following descriptions for the
school, district, and state: average
class size, amount of time per day devoted to mathematics, science,
English and social science at primary, middle and junior high school grade
levels; number of students taking the Prairie State Achievement
Examination under subsection (c) of Section 2-3.64 [105-5/2-3.64], the
number of those students who received a score of excellent, and the
average score by school of students taking the examination; pupil-teacher
ratio; pupil-administrator ratio; operating expenditure per pupil;
district expenditure by fund; average administrator salary; and
average teacher salary. The
report card shall also specify the amount of money that the district
receives from all sources, including without limitation subcategories
specifying the amount from local property taxes, the amount from general
state aid, the amount from other state funding, and the amount
from other income. Definitions— Average class size
is the sum of specified class enrollments from kindergarten through grade
8 for schools having grades below grade 9 and in all subject areas in high
school, divided by the number of classes.
For high schools, and optionally for grades 6 and 8, an average for
the 2nd and 5th class periods is used. Amount of time per day devoted to
mathematics, science, English, and social science at primary, middle, and
junior high levels
is the average number of minutes of instruction per 5-day school week
reported as allocated for instruction in each of the specified subject
areas at grades 3, 6, and 8, divided by 5. Number of students taking the Number of those students who received a
score of excellent
may be derived by multiplying the number of students taking the PSAE by
the percentage in Level 4 (Exceeds Standards) for each subject at the
school. Average score by school,
for each subject, is the sum of the individual student scores divided by
the total number of students tested in that subject.
Average scores range from a low of 120 to a high of 200. Pupil-teacher ratio
is the fall enrollment for the school year divided by the number of
full-time equivalent classroom teachers in the district.
Teachers classified as special education teachers are excluded. Pupil-administrator ratio
is the fall enrollment for the school year divided by the number of
full-time equivalent administrative staff. Operating expenditure per pupil
is the gross operating cost of a school district (except summer school,
adult education, bond principal retired, and capital expenditures) divided
by the nine-month average daily attendance for the regular school term. District expenditure by fund
is the total expenditure from each of the eight funds: educational,
operations and maintenance, transportation, debt service, tort, municipal
retirement/social security, fire prevention and safety, and site and
construction/capital improvement. Average administrator salary
is the sum of the salaries for all administrative staff divided by the
number of full-time equivalent administrative staff. Average teacher salary
is the sum of the salaries for all classroom teachers divided by the
number of full-time equivalent classroom teachers. Local property taxes
means the receipt of taxes that apply to the prior year’s levies, as
well as those available from the current levy.
Also included are payments in lieu of taxes as monies from the
Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax. General state aid
means the amounts received from the State for the general apportionment
(flat grants) and the equalization portions of the State Aid Formula, as
authorized in Section 18-8.05 of the School Code. Other state funding
means State funds apportioned for various programs, such as Transportation
Aid, Bilingual Education, Early Childhood, etc., excluding General State
Aid. Other income means revenue from sources that
include federal funding (federal programs, grants, and contracts) and
other local funding (such as interest on investments, tuition, and sale of
property). Legislative
Citation—(c)
The report card shall include applicable indicators of parental
involvement in each attendance center.
The parental involvement component of the report card shall include
the percentage of students whose parents or guardians have had one
or more personal contacts with the students’ teachers during the
school year concerning the students’ education, and such other
information, commentary, and suggestions as the school district
desires. For the purposes of
this paragraph, “personal contact” includes, but is not limited
to, parent-teacher conferences, parental visits to school, school visits
to home, telephone conversations, and written correspondence.
The parental involvement component shall not single out or identify
individual students, parents, or guardians by name. Definitions— Percentage of students
is the number of students whose parents or guardians had one or more
personal contacts with the students’ teachers during the school year
concerning the students’ education, divided by the average daily
enrollment, multiplied by 100. There
are no multiple counts; each student is counted only once even if his or
her parents made more than one contact with the teachers during the school
year. As referred to in this section of the
legislation, teachers include all certified staff. Such other information
may include matters related to students’ behavior and social and
physical well-being that a district chooses to report. Parental contact
includes in-person visits and individualized communication, but excludes
the following: form letters or
notices; parental letters relating to student absences; regular
notification of grades; student progress report cards; school report
cards; attendance at school athletic, music, or drama events; and other
co-curricular activities. Legislative
Citation—(d)
The report card form
shall be prepared by the State Board of Education and provided to school
districts by the most efficient, economic and appropriate means. Definitions— The report card form is a
document designed by the Illinois State Board of Education to reflect the
minimum required content to be reported by school districts and provide
districts with the necessary statewide data. Most efficient, economic and
appropriate means
refers to electronic dissemination. Supplemental
Information—Report
cards also contain information not specifically required in state
legislation, such as data elements required by the federal No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. Following
are definitions of the supplemental information. Definitions— Enrollment total
is the total student enrollment in the school and district in the fall of
the school year. The percentage of students for each
racial-ethnic group
(White, Black, Hispanic, Asian-Pacific Islander, American Indian-Alaskan
Native, and Multiracial/Ethnic) is the count of students belonging to a
particular racial/ethnic group, divided by the total fall enrollment,
multiplied by 100. Low-income students
are pupils age 3 to 17, inclusive, from families receiving public aid,
living in institutions for neglected or delinquent children, being
supported in foster homes with public funds, or eligible to receive free
or reduced-price lunches. The
percentage of low-income students is the count of low-income students,
divided by the total fall enrollment, multiplied by 100. Limited-English-proficient students
are students who have been found to be eligible for bilingual education.
The percentage of limited-English-proficient students is the count
of limited-English-proficient students, divided by the total fall
enrollment, multiplied by 100. IEP students are students who have been
found to be eligible to receive special education services.
The percentage of IEP students is the count of IEP students,
divided by the total fall enrollment, multiplied by 100. The percentage of teachers by
race/ethnicity
is the number of full-time equivalent classroom teachers belonging to that
particular racial-ethnic group as reported for the district, divided by
the total number of full-time equivalent classroom teachers, multiplied by
100. The percentage of teachers by gender
is the number of full-time equivalent classroom teachers for a particular
gender, divided by the total number of full-time equivalent classroom
teachers, multiplied by 100. Pupil-certified staff ratio
is the fall enrollment total, divided by the number of full-time
equivalent certified staff (excluding adult education personnel). Average teaching experience
is the sum of the years of teaching experience for all full-time
equivalent classroom teachers in the district, divided by the total number
of full-time equivalent classroom teachers. Percentage of teachers with a
bachelor’s degree
is the sum of all full-time equivalent classroom teachers with
bachelor’s degrees as reported in the district divided by the total
number of full-time equivalent classroom teachers, multiplied by 100. Percentage of teachers with a
master’s degree and above
is the sum of all full-time equivalent classroom teachers with master’s
degrees and above in the district, divided by the total number of
full-time equivalent classroom teachers, multiplied by 100. Percentage of teachers with emergency
or provisional credentials is the number of full-time equivalent teachers
teaching with emergency or provisional credentials, divided by the total
number full-time equivalent teachers, multiplied by 100. Percentage of classes not taught by
highly qualified teachers
is the number of classes not taught by highly qualified teachers, divided
by the total number of classes, multiplied by 100. Equalized assessed valuation per pupil,
an indication of district wealth, is the district’s equalized assessed
valuation divided by the nine-month average daily attendance. Total school tax rate per $100,
an indication of district effort, is the district’s total tax rate for
education (per $100) as shown on local property tax bills. Instructional expenditure per pupil
is instructional expenditures divided by the nine-month average daily
attendance. “Instruction”
includes activities dealing with the teaching of pupils or the interaction
between teachers and pupils. Teaching
may be provided for pupils in a school classroom or in another location,
such as a home or hospital and may include other learning activities.
It may also be provided through some other approved form of
communication, such as television, radio, telephone, or correspondence.
Included here are the activities of aides or assistants of any type
(clerks, graders, teaching machines, etc.), who assist in the instruction
process. (Capital Outlay
expenditures, which are reported separately, are excluded.) Expenditure by function
consists of expenditures for instruction, general administration, support
services, and other expenditures. Overall student performance,
presented graphically, shows the percentage of student scores meeting or
exceeding Illinois Learning
Standards in all state assessments for the most recent two years, in
compliance with NCLB legislation. Percentage of students not tested in
state testing programs
is the number of students not tested for each state assessment, divided by
the enrollment as reported during the testing windows, multiplied by 100.
This is another Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
is an School improvement status
is an NCLB requirement that Title I schools and districts that are
identified as being in need of improvement be listed in all district and
state report cards. National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP)
is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and administered to
students in grade 4, 8, and 12. Only
grade 4 and 8 results are required to be reported. Achievement levels reflect what
students should know and be able to do.
Based on recommendations from policymakers, educators, and members
of the general public, the Governing Board for NAEP sets specific
achievement levels for each subject area and grade.
To provide a context for interpreting student performance, NAEP
results are reported as percentages of students performing below the Basic
level, at or above the Basic and Proficient levels, and at the Advanced
level. Differentiated Accountability
Classification In
2008, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) was one of 6 states to
be chosen by the US Department of Education to participate on the
Differentiated Accountability Pilot Program. The Differentiated
Accountability classification applies
only to schools/districts in federal improvement status and do not make
AYP. Schools
are in the top quartile of low income rate in the state. Schools
are in the bottom quartile of low income rate in the state.
Report
Card Data Sources 1.
School Report Card Data Form (ISBE 86-43), 2009-10 2.
Teacher Service Record (ISBE 87-05), 2009-10 3.
Student Information System from IWAS, 2009-10 4.
Annual Financial Report (ISBE 50-35)/General State Aid Claim for
2008-09 payable in 2009-10 (ISBE 54-33) 5.
Special file from ACT for class of 2010 6.
State Assessment Files, 2009-10 7.
Special File from Data Systems Division, 2009-10 8.
National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2009 Report Card Elements
Source(s) Parental
Involvement........................................................................................................
1 Dropout
Rate....................................................................................................................
1, 3 Student
Attendance Rate...................................................................................................
1 Student
Mobility...............................................................................................................
1 Chronic
Truancy Rate.......................................................................................................
1 Average
Class Size...........................................................................................................
1 Amount
of Time Devoted to Math, Science, English and Social Science at the Pupil-Teacher
Ratio..........................................................................................................
2, 3 Pupil-Administrator
Ratio.................................................................................................
2, 3 Average
Teacher Salary....................................................................................................
2 Average
Administrator Salary...........................................................................................
2 Operating
Expenditure Per Pupil.......................................................................................
4 District
Expenditure by Fund............................................................................................
4 ACT
Scores......................................................................................................................
5 Graduation
Rate................................................................................................................
1 Overall
Student Performance............................................................................................
6 ISAT.................................................................................................................................
6 PSAE................................................................................................................................
6 IAA..................................................................................................................................
6 Supplemental
Information Grades
in the School.........................................................................................................
3 Enrollment
by Race/Ethnicity...........................................................................................
3 Low-Income
Enrollment...................................................................................................
3 Limited-English-Proficient
Enrollment..............................................................................
3 Teacher
Distribution by Race/Ethnicity and
Gender…………………………………….....
2 Pupil-Certified
Staff Ratio................................................................................................
2, 3 Average
Teaching Experience..........................................................................................
2 Teachers
with a Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree and Above...............................
2 Teachers
with Emergency or Provisional Credentials........................................................
7 Classes
Not Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers............................................................
1 Other
School Finance Indicators.......................................................................................
4 Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP)......................................................................................
6 School Improvement Status..............................................................................................
6 National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).....................................................
8 Differentiated Accountability
Classification.....................................................................
6 High Poverty School.........................................................................................................
3 Low Poverty School.........................................................................................................
3 |