A bill sponsored by ACSA that would make improvements to the Academic Performance Index is currently wending its way through the state Legislature.
Assembly Bill 2776, Mullin, D-S. San Francisco, would require the Public School Accountability Advisory Committee to make recommendations to improve the API in two areas.
AB 2776 requires that by July 1, 2010, the PSAA will make recommendations to the state superintendent of public instruction for the establishment of a methodology for generating academic performance measures using unique student identifiers and to recommend a vertically scaled assessment system that can provide a more accurate measure of an individual student’s academic progress. This could result in looking at academic data within a grade level and across grade levels for an individual student in a number of subjects in which they are tested, such as mathematics, English/language arts and science.
“Classrooms and schools could still be compared, but with the full implementation of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System it will be feasible to focus on individual students,” ACSA Legislative Advocate Sherry Skelly Griffith wrote in a letter to Assemblyman Gene Mullin.
AB 2776 also requires the PSAA by July 1, 2009 to make recommendations to the state superintendent regarding the inclusion of the California English Language Development Test and the feasibility of including English learner proficiency in the API. The CELDT is the key assessment tool used to gauge the levels and progress of English learners over time.
ACSA believes AB 2776 is necessary for a number of reasons. First and foremost, while the current API has served the state well for almost 10 years, it has limitations. The current API only allows for comparison of classrooms and grade levels rather than progress of individual students over the course of their education experience.
The PSAA will identify how to link individual students with their test score progress from grade to grade and subject to subject. The PSAA would also explore how the STAR testing system can be linked from grade to grade as well, depending on the subject.
“There will be limitations and challenges; however, the PSAA is comprised of assessment experts and educators appointed by the state superintendent and is in the best position to explore these future elements,” Griffith wrote.
The second aspect of AB 2776 is critical in ACSA’s view, given the fact the CELDT serves the important purposes of not only identifying students who are limited English proficient but gauging their progress toward full English proficiency over time. The CELDT is a standardized, scaled test that has cut-points identifying students in five levels: Beginning, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Early Advanced and Advanced.
“ACSA believes schools should have the opportunity to demonstrate how well they are doing to bring up language proficiency and also to shed light on those that have not done so,” Griffith wrote. “The inclusion of this data in the API can also assist schools and teachers to refine their instructional practices and strategies working with English learners.”
AB 2776 does not mandate any changes to the API, but does ensure California is looking ahead as the longitudinal data system is built.
“Going beyond school, classroom and subgroup data to the level of individual students and their academic progress is very exciting,” Griffith wrote. “ACSA believes it will only be feasible if AB 2776 is passed and signed to begin this important step toward the future of an improved accountability system.”
AB 2776 was introduced in February and has been referred to the Assembly Education Committee. To access the bill in its entirety, visit www.leginfo.ca.gov.