Schools; creating a tiered assessment model for school performance; directing the State Department of Education to annually determine school attainment levels; effective date; emergency.
One of the significant impacts of HB 3177 will be the shift towards a more structured approach to assessing school performance. The Department will be responsible for calculating and reporting on various outcomes, including graduation rates, and the percentages of students who pursue further education or enlist in the military after high school. This structured assessment will provide clearer data on school performance that can inform stakeholders, including policymakers and parents, about educational outcomes across the state.
House Bill 3177 aims to establish a tiered assessment model for measuring the performance of public schools and school districts in Oklahoma. Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, the State Department of Education will annually determine school attainment levels using several performance indicators. These indicators will include student academic growth, achievement relative to state subject matter standards, and readiness for postsecondary education and the workforce. The bill necessitates careful measurement and reporting of student progress across various parameters, including the results of standardized tests.
Notable points of contention may arise around the implementation of the bill, particularly regarding how performance indicators are calculated. The bill requires compliance with federal laws, including provisions to protect student privacy, which might complicate the reporting process. Critics may argue that reliance on standardized testing does not fully capture student learning or the challenges faced by under-resourced schools. Additionally, the bill's requirements for disaggregation of data could raise concerns about the equitable representation of diverse student populations.