SLS 15RS-3526 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 190
BY SENATOR MURRAY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Requests the Department of Education to study the
reliability and validity of the Louisiana Public School Accountability and Assessment.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the Department of Education to study the reliability and validity of the
3 Louisiana Public School Accountability and Assessment.
4 WHEREAS, in accordance with R.S. 17:391.2, et seq., the state superintendent of
5 education is required to develop and implement a program to provide for educational
6 accountability; and
7 WHEREAS, since 1999, the state has issued public school and district performance
8 scores; and
9 WHEREAS, the current system uses a system of letter grades whereby public schools
10 and districts are assigned a grade of A, B, C, D, or F, or T; and
11 WHEREAS, the letter grade for elementary schools, grades kindergarten through
12 sixth, is based one hundred percent on student achievement on annual assessments in English
13 language arts, math, science, and social studies, with additional points for students who are
14 academically behind who show significant improvement; and
15 WHEREAS, the letter grade for middle schools, grades seven and eight, is based
16 ninety-five percent on the annual assessments with five percent based on credits earned
17 toward the student's ninth grade year, with additional points for students who are
18 academically behind who show significant improvement; and
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SLS 15RS-3526 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, the letter grade for high schools is based twenty-five percent on the
2 ACT score, twenty-five percent on End-of-Course tests, twenty-five percent on graduation
3 cohort rate, and twenty-five percent on graduation index, along with rewards for AP, IB, and
4 dual enrollment coursework, with additional points for students who are academically behind
5 who show significant improvement; and
6 WHEREAS, other states have adopted similar systems to provide for an
7 accountability system that uses a wider variety of data to determine the performance score
8 for a public school or public school system; and
9 WHEREAS, the current system in Louisiana applies the same standard and
10 expectations to all schools of the same level, elementary, middle or high school, despite the
11 fact that individual schools may have varying missions; and
12 WHEREAS, many school districts have alternative schools that are dedicated to
13 serving students with significant academic or discipline issues, magnet schools, or gifted
14 programs within traditional schools that are selective admissions schools that provide higher
15 academic opportunities; and
16 WHEREAS, this differentiation in mission is found among the various public charter
17 schools in Louisiana as well; and
18 WHEREAS, the variation in mission among various public schools calls into
19 question whether applying the same accountability system using the limited elements to
20 determine the performance score provides the best representation to parents and the state as
21 to the level of educational performance of the public school.
22 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
23 does hereby urge and request the Department of Education, in consultation with public
24 school boards, charter school operators, educational and statistical professionals, and
25 members of academia, to study the reliability and validity of the current school and district
26 accountability and the performance scores resulting therefrom.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include a review of the method and
28 manner that other states conduct school and district accountability systems.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study consider the criteria reviewed at the
30 elementary, middle and high school levels in determining school and district performance
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SLS 15RS-3526 ORIGINAL
1 scores.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education issue a report of
3 the study and its findings, specifically a comparison of the method and manner that other
4 states are using to conduct school and district performance scores and the public education
5 accountability system, recommendations as to the appropriate elements and factors to be
6 considered in determining school and district performance scores, and whether the elements
7 and factors utilized should be the same for schools that have differing core missions.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of the report be provided to the House
9 and Senate education committees on or before March 1, 2016, and be published in a readily
10 ascertainable manner on the website maintained by the Louisiana Department of Education.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the
12 state superintendent of education.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SR 190 Original 2015 Regular Session Murray
Requests the Dept. of Education, in consultation with public school boards, charter school
operators, educational and statistical professionals and members of academia, to study the
reliability and validity of the current school and district accountability and the performance
scores resulting therefrom.
Requires the department to provide a report of its findings to the House and Senate education
committees on or before March 1, 2016, and that it be published in a readily ascertainable
manner on the website maintained by the department.
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