Section 3302.03. [Effective 2/1/2016] Grading school districts

Annually, not later than the fifteenth day of September or the preceding Friday when that day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the department of education shall assign a letter grade for overall academic performance and for each separate performance measure for each school district, and each school building in a district, in accordance with this section. The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to establish performance criteria for each letter grade and prescribe a method by which the department assigns each letter grade. For a school building to which any of the performance measures do not apply, due to grade levels served by the building, the state board shall designate the performance measures that are applicable to the building and that must be calculated separately and used to calculate the building's overall grade. The department shall issue annual report cards reflecting the performance of each school district, each building within each district, and for the state as a whole using the performance measures and letter grade system described in this section. The department shall include on the report card for each district and each building within each district the most recent two-year trend data in student achievement for each subject and each grade.

(A)

(1) For the 2012-2013 school year, the department shall issue grades as described in division (E) of this section for each of the following performance measures:

(a) Annual measurable objectives;

(b) Performance index score for a school district or building. Grades shall be awarded as a percentage of the total possible points on the performance index system as adopted by the state board. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (A)(1)(b) of this section, the state board of education shall designate ninety per cent or higher for an "A," at least seventy per cent but not more than eighty per cent for a "C," and less than fifty per cent for an "F."

(c) The extent to which the school district or building meets each of the applicable performance indicators established by the state board under section 3302.02 of the Revised Code and the percentage of applicable performance indicators that have been achieved. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (A)(1)(c) of this section, the state board shall designate ninety per cent or higher for an "A."

(d) The four- and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates.

In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (A)(1)(d), (B)(1)(d), or (C)(1)(d) of this section, the department shall designate a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate of ninety-three per cent or higher for an "A" and a five-year cohort graduation rate of ninety-five per cent or higher for an "A."

(e) The overall score under the value-added progress dimension of a school district or building, for which the department shall use up to three years of value-added data as available. The letter grade assigned for this growth measure shall be as follows:

(i) A score that is at least two standard errors of measure above the mean score shall be designated as an "A."

(ii) A score that is at least one standard error of measure but less than two standard errors of measure above the mean score shall be designated as a "B."

(iii) A score that is less than one standard error of measure above the mean score but greater than or equal to one standard error of measure below the mean score shall be designated as a "C."

(iv) A score that is not greater than one standard error of measure below the mean score but is greater than or equal to two standard errors of measure below the mean score shall be designated as a "D."

(v) A score that is not greater than two standard errors of measure below the mean score shall be designated as an "F."

Whenever the value-added progress dimension is used as a graded performance measure, whether as an overall measure or as a measure of separate subgroups, the grades for the measure shall be calculated in the same manner as prescribed in division (A)(1)(e) of this section.

(f) The value-added progress dimension score for a school district or building disaggregated for each of the following subgroups: students identified as gifted, students with disabilities, and students whose performance places them in the lowest quintile for achievement on a statewide basis. Each subgroup shall be a separate graded measure.

(2) Not later than April 30, 2013, the state board of education shall adopt a resolution describing the performance measures, benchmarks, and grading system for the 2012-2013 school year and, not later than June 30, 2013, shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that prescribe the methods by which the performance measures under division (A)(1) of this section shall be assessed and assigned a letter grade, including performance benchmarks for each letter grade.

At least forty-five days prior to the state board's adoption of rules to prescribe the methods by which the performance measures under division (A)(1) of this section shall be assessed and assigned a letter grade, the department shall conduct a public presentation before the standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate that consider education legislation describing such methods, including performance benchmarks.

(3) There shall not be an overall letter grade for a school district or building for the 2012-2013 school year.

(B)

(1) For the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years, the department shall issue grades as described in division (E) of this section for each of the following performance measures:

(a) Annual measurable objectives;

(b) Performance index score for a school district or building. Grades shall be awarded as a percentage of the total possible points on the performance index system as created by the department. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (B)(1)(b) of this section, the state board shall designate ninety per cent or higher for an "A," at least seventy per cent but not more than eighty per cent for a "C," and less than fifty per cent for an "F."

(c) The extent to which the school district or building meets each of the applicable performance indicators established by the state board under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code and the percentage of applicable performance indicators that have been achieved. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (B)(1)(c) of this section, the state board shall designate ninety per cent or higher for an "A."

(d) The four- and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates;

(e) The overall score under the value-added progress dimension of a school district or building, for which the department shall use up to three years of value-added data as available.

(f) The value-added progress dimension score for a school district or building disaggregated for each of the following subgroups: students identified as gifted in superior cognitive ability and specific academic ability fields under Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code, students with disabilities, and students whose performance places them in the lowest quintile for achievement on a statewide basis. Each subgroup shall be a separate graded measure.

(g) Whether a school district or building is making progress in improving literacy in grades kindergarten through three, as determined using a method prescribed by the state board. The state board shall adopt rules to prescribe benchmarks and standards for assigning grades to districts and buildings for purposes of division (B)(1)(g) of this section. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under divisions (B)(1)(g) and (C)(1)(g) of this section, the state board shall determine progress made based on the reduction in the total percentage of students scoring below grade level, or below proficient, compared from year to year on the reading and writing diagnostic assessments administered under section 3301.0715 of the Revised Code and the third grade English language arts assessment under section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code, as applicable. The state board shall designate for a "C" grade a value that is not lower than the statewide average value for this measure. No grade shall be issued under divisions (B)(1)(g) and (C)(1)(g) of this section for a district or building in which less than five per cent of students have scored below grade level on the diagnostic assessment administered to students in kindergarten under division (B)(1) of section 3313.608 of the Revised Code.

(h) For a high mobility school district or building, an additional value-added progress dimension score. For this measure, the department shall use value-added data from the most recent school year available and shall use assessment scores for only those students to whom the district or building has administered the assessments prescribed by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code for each of the two most recent consecutive school years.

As used in this division, "high mobility school district or building" means a school district or building where at least twenty-five per cent of its total enrollment is made up of students who have attended that school district or building for less than one year.

(2) In addition to the graded measures in division (B)(1) of this section, the department shall include on a school district's or building's report card all of the following without an assigned letter grade:

(a) The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building participating in advanced placement classes and the percentage of those students who received a score of three or better on advanced placement examinations;

(b) The number of a district's or building's students who have earned at least three college credits through dual enrollment or advanced standing programs, such as the post-secondary enrollment options program under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code and state-approved career-technical courses offered through dual enrollment or statewide articulation, that appear on a student's transcript or other official document, either of which is issued by the institution of higher education from which the student earned the college credit. The credits earned that are reported under divisions (B)(2)(b) and (C)(2)(c) of this section shall not include any that are remedial or developmental and shall include those that count toward the curriculum requirements established for completion of a degree.

(c) The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who have taken a national standardized test used for college admission determinations and the percentage of those students who are determined to be remediation-free in accordance with standards adopted under division (F) of section 3345.061 of the Revised Code;

(d) The percentage of the district's or the building's students who receive industry-recognized credentials. The state board shall adopt criteria for acceptable industry-recognized credentials.

(e) The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who are participating in an international baccalaureate program and the percentage of those students who receive a score of four or better on the international baccalaureate examinations.

(f) The percentage of the district's or building's students who receive an honors diploma under division (B) of section 3313.61 of the Revised Code.

(3) Not later than December 31, 2013, the state board shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that prescribe the methods by which the performance measures under divisions (B)(1)(f) and (B)(1)(g) of this section will be assessed and assigned a letter grade, including performance benchmarks for each grade.

At least forty-five days prior to the state board's adoption of rules to prescribe the methods by which the performance measures under division (B)(1) of this section shall be assessed and assigned a letter grade, the department shall conduct a public presentation before the standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate that consider education legislation describing such methods, including performance benchmarks.

(4) There shall not be an overall letter grade for a school district or building for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 school years.

(C)

(1) For the 2014-2015 school year and each school year thereafter, the department shall issue grades as described in division (E) of this section for each of the performance measures prescribed in division (C)(1) of this section . The graded measures are as follows:

(a) Annual measurable objectives;

(b) Performance index score for a school district or building. Grades shall be awarded as a percentage of the total possible points on the performance index system as created by the department. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (C)(1)(b) of this section, the state board shall designate ninety per cent or higher for an "A," at least seventy per cent but not more than eighty per cent for a "C," and less than fifty per cent for an "F."

(c) The extent to which the school district or building meets each of the applicable performance indicators established by the state board under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code and the percentage of applicable performance indicators that have been achieved. In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades under division (C)(1)(c) of this section, the state board shall designate ninety per cent or higher for an "A."

(d) The four- and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates;

(e) The overall score under the value-added progress dimension, or another measure of student academic progress if adopted by the state board, of a school district or building, for which the department shall use up to three years of value-added data as available.

In adopting benchmarks for assigning letter grades for overall score on value-added progress dimension under division (C)(1)(e) of this section, the state board shall prohibit the assigning of a grade of "A" for that measure unless the district's or building's grade assigned for value-added progress dimension for all subgroups under division (C)(1)(f) of this section is a "B" or higher.

For the metric prescribed by division (C)(1)(e) of this section, the state board may adopt a student academic progress measure to be used instead of the value-added progress dimension. If the state board adopts such a measure, it also shall prescribe a method for assigning letter grades for the new measure that is comparable to the method prescribed in division (A)(1)(e) of this section.

(f) The value-added progress dimension score of a school district or building disaggregated for each of the following subgroups: students identified as gifted in superior cognitive ability and specific academic ability fields under Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code, students with disabilities, and students whose performance places them in the lowest quintile for achievement on a statewide basis, as determined by a method prescribed by the state board. Each subgroup shall be a separate graded measure.

The state board may adopt student academic progress measures to be used instead of the value-added progress dimension. If the state board adopts such measures, it also shall prescribe a method for assigning letter grades for the new measures that is comparable to the method prescribed in division (A)(1)(e) of this section.

(g) Whether a school district or building is making progress in improving literacy in grades kindergarten through three, as determined using a method prescribed by the state board. The state board shall adopt rules to prescribe benchmarks and standards for assigning grades to a district or building for purposes of division (C)(1)(g) of this section. The state board shall designate for a "C" grade a value that is not lower than the statewide average value for this measure. No grade shall be issued under division (C)(1)(g) of this section for a district or building in which less than five per cent of students have scored below grade level on the kindergarten diagnostic assessment under division (B)(1) of section 3313.608 of the Revised Code.

(h) For a high mobility school district or building, an additional value-added progress dimension score. For this measure, the department shall use value-added data from the most recent school year available and shall use assessment scores for only those students to whom the district or building has administered the assessments prescribed by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code for each of the two most recent consecutive school years.

As used in this division, "high mobility school district or building" means a school district or building where at least twenty-five per cent of its total enrollment is made up of students who have attended that school district or building for less than one year.

(2) In addition to the graded measures in division (C)(1) of this section, the department shall include on a school district's or building's report card all of the following without an assigned letter grade:

(a) The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who have taken a national standardized test used for college admission determinations and the percentage of those students who are determined to be remediation-free in accordance with the standards adopted under division (F) of section 3345.061 of the Revised Code;

(b) The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building participating in advanced placement classes and the percentage of those students who received a score of three or better on advanced placement examinations;

(c) The percentage of a district's or building's students who have earned at least three college credits through advanced standing programs, such as the college credit plus program under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code and state-approved career-technical courses offered through dual enrollment or statewide articulation, that appear on a student's college transcript issued by the institution of higher education from which the student earned the college credit. The credits earned that are reported under divisions (B)(2)(b) and (C)(2)(c) of this section shall not include any that are remedial or developmental and shall include those that count toward the curriculum requirements established for completion of a degree.

(d) The percentage of the district's or building's students who receive an honor's diploma under division (B) of section 3313.61 of the Revised Code;

(e) The percentage of the district's or building's students who receive industry-recognized credentials;

(f) The percentage of students enrolled in a district or building who are participating in an international baccalaureate program and the percentage of those students who receive a score of four or better on the international baccalaureate examinations;

(g) The results of the college and career-ready assessments administered under division (B)(1) of section 3301.0712 of the Revised Code.

(3) The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish a method to assign an overall grade for a school district or school building for the 2017-2018 school year and each school year thereafter. The rules shall group the performance measures in divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section into the following components:

(a) Gap closing, which shall include the performance measure in division (C)(1)(a) of this section;

(b) Achievement, which shall include the performance measures in divisions (C)(1)(b) and (c) of this section;

(c) Progress, which shall include the performance measures in divisions (C)(1)(e) and (f) of this section;

(d) Graduation, which shall include the performance measure in division (C)(1)(d) of this section;

(e) Kindergarten through third-grade literacy, which shall include the performance measure in division (C)(1)(g) of this section;

(f) Prepared for success, which shall include the performance measures in divisions (C)(2)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section. The state board shall develop a method to determine a grade for the component in division (C)(3)(f) of this section using the performance measures in divisions (C)(2)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section. When available, the state board may incorporate the performance measure under division (C)(2)(g) of this section into the component under division (C)(3)(f) of this section. When determining the overall grade for the prepared for success component prescribed by division (C)(3)(f) of this section, no individual student shall be counted in more than one performance measure. However, if a student qualifies for more than one performance measure in the component, the state board may, in its method to determine a grade for the component, specify an additional weight for such a student that is not greater than or equal to 1.0. In determining the overall score under division (C)(3)(f) of this section, the state board shall ensure that the pool of students included in the performance measures aggregated under that division are all of the students included in the four- and five-year adjusted graduation cohort.

In the rules adopted under division (C)(3) of this section, the state board shall adopt a method for determining a grade for each component in divisions (C)(3)(a) to (f) of this section. The state board also shall establish a method to assign an overall grade of "A," "B," "C," "D," or "F" using the grades assigned for each component. The method the state board adopts for assigning an overall grade shall give equal weight to the components in divisions (C)(3)(b) and (c) of this section.

At least forty-five days prior to the state board's adoption of rules to prescribe the methods for calculating the overall grade for the report card, as required by this division, the department shall conduct a public presentation before the standing committees of the house of representatives and the senate that consider education legislation describing the format for the report card, weights that will be assigned to the components of the overall grade, and the method for calculating the overall grade.

(D) On or after than July 1, 2015, the state board may develop a measure of student academic progress for high school students using only data from assessments in English language arts and mathematics. If the state board develops this measure, each school district and applicable school building shall be assigned a separate letter grade for if not sooner than the 2017-2018 school year. The district's or building's grade for that measure shall not be included in determining the district's or building's overall letter grade.

(E) The letter grades assigned to a school district or building under this section shall be as follows:

(1) "A" for a district or school making excellent progress;

(2) "B" for a district or school making above average progress;

(3) "C" for a district or school making average progress;

(4) "D" for a district or school making below average progress;

(5) "F" for a district or school failing to meet minimum progress.

(F) When reporting data on student achievement and progress, the department shall disaggregate that data according to the following categories:

(1) Performance of students by grade-level;

(2) Performance of students by race and ethnic group;

(3) Performance of students by gender;

(4) Performance of students grouped by those who have been enrolled in a district or school for three or more years;

(5) Performance of students grouped by those who have been enrolled in a district or school for more than one year and less than three years;

(6) Performance of students grouped by those who have been enrolled in a district or school for one year or less;

(7) Performance of students grouped by those who are economically disadvantaged;

(8) Performance of students grouped by those who are enrolled in a conversion community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code;

(9) Performance of students grouped by those who are classified as limited English proficient;

(10) Performance of students grouped by those who have disabilities;

(11) Performance of students grouped by those who are classified as migrants;

(12) Performance of students grouped by those who are identified as gifted in superior cognitive ability and the specific academic ability fields of reading and math pursuant to Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code. In disaggregating specific academic ability fields for gifted students, the department shall use data for those students with specific academic ability in math and reading. If any other academic field is assessed, the department shall also include data for students with specific academic ability in that field as well.

(13) Performance of students grouped by those who perform in the lowest quintile for achievement on a statewide basis, as determined by a method prescribed by the state board.

The department may disaggregate data on student performance according to other categories that the department determines are appropriate. To the extent possible, the department shall disaggregate data on student performance according to any combinations of two or more of the categories listed in divisions (F)(1) to (13) of this section that it deems relevant.

In reporting data pursuant to division (F) of this section, the department shall not include in the report cards any data statistical in nature that is statistically unreliable or that could result in the identification of individual students. For this purpose, the department shall not report student performance data for any group identified in division (F) of this section that contains less than ten students. If the department does not report student performance data for a group because it contains less than ten students, the department shall indicate on the report card that is why data was not reported.

(G) The department may include with the report cards any additional education and fiscal performance data it deems valuable.

(H) The department shall include on each report card a list of additional information collected by the department that is available regarding the district or building for which the report card is issued. When available, such additional information shall include student mobility data disaggregated by race and socioeconomic status, college enrollment data, and the reports prepared under section 3302.031 of the Revised Code.

The department shall maintain a site on the world wide web. The report card shall include the address of the site and shall specify that such additional information is available to the public at that site. The department shall also provide a copy of each item on the list to the superintendent of each school district. The district superintendent shall provide a copy of any item on the list to anyone who requests it.

(I)

(1)

(a) Except as provided in division (I)(1)(b) of this section, for any district that sponsors a conversion community school under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, the department shall combine data regarding the academic performance of students enrolled in the community school with comparable data from the schools of the district for the purpose of determining the performance of the district as a whole on the report card issued for the district under this section or section 3302.033 of the Revised Code.

(b) The department shall not combine data from any conversion community school that a district sponsors if a majority of the students enrolled in the conversion community school are enrolled in a dropout prevention and recovery program that is operated by the school as described in division (A)(4)(a) of section 3314.35 of the Revised Code. The department shall include as an addendum to the district's report card the ratings and performance measures that are required under section 3314.017 of the Revised Code for any community school to which division (I)(1)(b) of this section applies. This addendum shall include, at a minimum, the data specified in divisions (C)(1)(a). (C)(2). and (C)(3) of section 3314.017 of the Revised Code.

(2) Any district that leases a building to a community school located in the district or that enters into an agreement with a community school located in the district whereby the district and the school endorse each other's programs may elect to have data regarding the academic performance of students enrolled in the community school combined with comparable data from the schools of the district for the purpose of determining the performance of the district as a whole on the district report card. Any district that so elects shall annually file a copy of the lease or agreement with the department.

(3) Any municipal school district, as defined in section 3311.71 of the Revised Code, that sponsors a community school located within the district's territory, or that enters into an agreement with a community school located within the district's territory whereby the district and the community school endorse each other's programs, may exercise either or both of the following elections:

(a) To have data regarding the academic performance of students enrolled in that community school combined with comparable data from the schools of the district for the purpose of determining the performance of the district as a whole on the district's report card;

(b) To have the number of students attending that community school noted separately on the district's report card.

The election authorized under division (I)(3)(a) of this section is subject to approval by the governing authority of the community school.

Any municipal school district that exercises an election to combine or include data under division (I)(3) of this section, by the first day of October of each year, shall file with the department documentation indicating eligibility for that election, as required by the department.

(J) The department shall include on each report card the percentage of teachers in the district or building who are highly qualified, as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and a comparison of that percentage with the percentages of such teachers in similar districts and buildings.

(K)

(1) In calculating English language arts, mathematics, social studies, or science assessment passage rates used to determine school district or building performance under this section, the department shall include all students taking an assessment with accommodation or to whom an alternate assessment is administered pursuant to division (C)(1) or (3) of section 3301.0711 of the Revised Code.

(2) In calculating performance index scores, rates of achievement on the performance indicators established by the state board under section 3302.02 of the Revised Code, and annual measurable objectives for determining adequate yearly progress for school districts and buildings under this section, the department shall do all of the following:

(a) Include for each district or building only those students who are included in the ADM certified for the first full school week of October and are continuously enrolled in the district or building through the time of the spring administration of any assessment prescribed by division (A)(1) or (B)(1) of section 3301.0710 or division (B) of section 3301.0712 of the Revised Code that is administered to the student's grade level;

(b) Include cumulative totals from both the fall and spring administrations of the third grade English language arts achievement assessment;

(c) Except as required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, exclude for each district or building any limited English proficient student who has been enrolled in United States schools for less than one full school year.

(L) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year and at least once every three years thereafter, the state board of education shall review and may adjust the benchmarks for assigning letter grades to the performance measures and components prescribed under divisions (C)(3) and (D) of this section.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 2, §1, eff. 2/1/2016.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 487, §1, eff. 9/17/2014.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.184, HB 555, §1, eff. 3/22/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.143, HB 525, §1, eff. 10/1/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.128, SB 316, §101.01, eff. 9/24/2012.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.47, SB 181, §1, eff. 9/13/2010.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 06-09-2004; 09-16-2004; 05-18-2005; 06-30-2005; 03-30-2007; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007