Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2008

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

TO:
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Strategic Data Release Calendar
DATE:	April 7, 2008
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1, 2 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Discussion 

The Department’s procedures for the release of data on student performance and teacher quality.

Reason(s) for Consideration

 For Information 

 

Proposed Handling 

This information will be shared and discussed with the Regents EMSC Committee in April. 

Procedural History 

N/A 

Background Information 

At the February meeting of the Board of Regents, members raised questions regarding our plan to release the results of the grades 3-8 ELA and mathematics assessments in June of this year.   In addition, to be responsive to feedback from the education community we are considering significant changes to the way in which we schedule and carry out public data releases and wanted to update the Board on our thinking on this issue. 

This item will provide the Board with information on our discussions of streamlining the number of major data releases in 2008-09, while meeting our regulatory requirements, commitment to transparency and disclosure of critical data.  

Recommendation 

N/A 

Timetable for Implementation 

N/A 

 

 

 

Attachment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Data Releases

During the 2006-07 school year, there were 15 different releases of data and media events regarding school performance, including the performance of students with disabilities. 

Data Releases During 2006-07
August 2006	Persistently Dangerous Schools
September 2006	High School Accountability Status
September 2006	2006 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts results
October 2006	Districts In Need of Assistance or Intervention – Students with Disabilities (Based on 2004-05 school year data)
October 2006	2006 Grades 3-8 Mathematics results
January 2007	Highly Qualified Teacher Data
January 2007	Elementary/Middle School and District Accountability Status
March 2007	SURR Schools
April 2007	High School Graduation Rates
May 2007	School Report Cards
May 2007	2007 Grades 3-8 ELA Results
May 2007	High Performing / Gap Closing Schools
June 2007	State vs. NAEP Comparisons
June 2007	2007 Grades 3-8 Mathematics Results
June 2007	Districts In Need of Assistance or Intervention – Students with Disabilities (Based on 2005-06 school year data)

 

 

 

 

 

By the time the current school year ends there will have been a total of 15 if we follow our current plan, or fewer if we combine some related releases. 

 

Data Releases During 2007-08
August 2007	Persistently Dangerous Schools; School Violence Index
December 2007	Elementary/Middle School Accountability Status
December 2007	School District Special Education Data Profiles (2005-06 school year data)
February 2008	SURR Schools
March 2008	High School and District Accountability Status
April 2008	School Report Cards Part I (release to districts for voters)
April 2008	High Performing Schools and Districts
April 2008	Highly Qualified Teachers
June 2008	Graduation Rate / Total Cohort
June 2008	School Report Cards Part II
June 2008	Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Results
June 2008	Districts In Need of Assistance or Intervention – Students with Disabilities (Based on 2006-07 school year data)
June 2008	School District Special Education Data Profiles (2006-07 school year data)
June 2008	SAVE Report

 

For 2008-09, however, we are now looking very carefully at each of the data releases to create a more strategic plan for the release of data that is not only based on the availability of data  but also what will be helpful to school instruction. This may entail the combination of releases of accountability data. For example, for the past several years the information on elementary, middle and secondary assessments has been reported separately. We believe that streamlining of the data releases will provide administrators, teachers, policymakers and the public with the information they need while not overwhelming everyone and allowing for more time for analysis and discussion of the data being released. Our first draft of such a strategic plan, which will be shared with the field for review and feedback, is provided below for your information.  Once we have received all field comments, we will revise accordingly and bring the calendar back to the Board for approval.

Please note:

Our ability to make our data releases timelier and more strategic is dependent on a number of factors, not the least of which is the underlying data collection and reporting system. The funding to create the individual student data system has been limited and, therefore it has taken several years to put it into operation, and results have been mixed.  In addition, the transition of data collection from the old method to the new individual student data system has been complex and difficult for districts, RICs, SED and Grow, leading to delays in implementation.     During the past several months, we have taken major actions to address this situation: 

• In addition to speaking with hundreds of people in the field, we have formed an advisory group of system users to make recommendations for change, and we are beginning to put these into effect.  However, the improvements being considered are not inexpensive and their cost must be weighed against Department resources and other priorities.
• We have identified and hired an expert consulting firm that has improved systems like this nationwide, and
• We are in the process of filling key leadership vacancies in the Department unit that administers the data system.  

If we are able to make the improvements identified through our own analysis and that of outside experts, and if we are able to fill the key vacancies, we are confident that we will be able to move forward with a more strategic and efficient data release schedule. 

 

 

Proposed Data Releases During 2008-09
August 2008	Persistently Dangerous Schools; School Violence Index
October 2008	School and District Accountability Status
December 2008	SURR Schools
January 2009	SAVE Report
February 2009	Graduation Rate / Total Cohort
March or April 2009* (single release)	School Report Cards
	Highly Qualified Teachers
	Districts In Need of Assistance or Intervention – Students with Disabilities (Based on 2007-08 school year data)
	School District Special Education Data Profiles (2007-2008 school year data)
May 2009	Grades 3-8 ELA Results
June 2009	Grades 3-8 Math Results

                            *specific month to be determined

Note: The above proposed schedule reflects only accountability data releases. These are the data releases mentioned most often by school and district administrators when they have raised the issue of consolidating releases.    Other data releases, i.e., high performing schools and districts, will also be made periodically throughout the year as the relevant data becomes available.  

Suggested Framework for an Annual Data Release Schedule

The draft schedule above reflects recommendations received to date.  Our final proposal, which we hope to bring to the Board in June, would adhere to the following principles:

• Be announced for a year in advance and would include dates for the reporting of valid and reliable data by the school districts and for reporting by the State Education Department.
• Reflect the intended use of the data.  For example, data expected to inform curriculum choices and professional development would have to be available when schools can focus on this.

• Allow sufficient time for the Regents to review the data prior to release so they can prepare policy actions.
• Reflect the suggestions of members of the public, the policy community, and educators.
• Combine related data releases to avoid numerous, distracting data reports during the year.