As part of the new state accountability system, reflected in Wisconsin’s approved ESEA Flexibility Request, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has produced report cards for every school in Wisconsin. These School Report Cards provide data on multiple indicators for four Priority Areas:

• Student Achievement – performance on the WKCE and WAA-SwD in reading and mathematics
• Student Growth – improvement over time on the WKCE in reading and mathematics
• Closing Gaps – progress of student subgroups in closing gaps in reading and mathematics performance and/or graduation rates
• On-track and Postsecondary Readiness – performance on key indicators of readiness for graduation and postsecondary pursuits, whether college or career

Schools receive a score from 0-100 for each Priority Area. Scores are included on each School’s Report Card. The longer (18-page) Report Card Detail includes the data factored into the scores. The School Report Cards available here are public. They are redacted to protect the privacy of individual students. Some data may be replaced by an asterisk (*) in cases in which groups have fewer than 20 students.

In addition to Priority Area Scores, performance on three Student Engagement Indicators is also reported. These three indicators affect student success and school effectiveness. Each indicator has a goal. Schools that do not meet the goal receive a point deduction from their overall score.

• Test Participation Rate, with a goal of 95 percent test participation for all students and each subgroup. Test participation rates for both the WKCE and WAA-SwD are included. Rates that are below 95 percent but at least 85 percent receive a five-point deduction. Rates below 85 percent receive a 10-point deduction.
• Absenteeism Rate, with a goal of 13 percent or less. Rates of attendance are measured as the number of days that a student attended school, divided by the number of possible days they could have attended during the school year. Students are expected to attend school for at least 84.1% of their possible number of days. If more than 13% of the school’s student population fails to meet this expectation, the school receives a five point deduction from their overall index score. Absenteeism is different than attendance (measured in the On-Track and Postsecondary Readiness Priority Area) because it measures a percent of students who are absent from school a certain amount of time, not how often students attend school.
• Dropout rate, with a goal of six percent or less. Schools not meeting this goal will have five points deducted from their overall score. This rate includes any student leaving school in grades 7-12 without expecting to earn a high school diploma, while a graduation rate counts students who earn a high school diploma within a certain time (four or six years) after starting ninth grade.

A school’s Overall Accountability Score places the school into one of five Overall Accountability Ratings:

• Significantly Exceeds Expectations
• Exceeds Expectations
• Meets Expectations
• Meets Few Expectations
• Fails to Meet Expectations

 What resources are available that explain the School Report Card?

• Interpretive Guide (12/2/12)
• Technical Guide (12/2/12)
• Parent Guide (10/19/12)
• Informational Update on School Report Cards (9/17/12)
• e-Learning Module: A Guide to Wisconsin’s School Report Card (9/24/12)
• e-Learning Module: A Guide to Wisconsin’s School Report Card (Ipad Version) (9/24/12)
• Report Card FAQ (10/29/12)
• Report Card at a Glance (12-17-12)
• Note: The Report Card Review Period Inquiry Form is no longer available because the deadline for submitting inquiries has passed. Questions and comments can still be directed to oeamail@dpi.wi.gov.

More information about Wisconsin’s new accountability system is available here: http://acct.dpi.wi.gov/acct_accountability.