Focusing on Growth in School Ratings
November 1, 2018
NWEA’s Chris Minnich writes in Education Next about the importance of factoring in student growth—and not just proficiency—when determining school ratings. While “proficiency matters, of course,” rating systems that include both achievement and growth are fairer because they “differentiate between a school with low achievement scores but high rates of growth and a school with low achievement and little growth.” ESSA “enables states to include growth in new school rating systems—and all 50 states and the District of Columbia have pledged to do so.” But to “truly serve students and close opportunity gaps, growth can’t just be added to the mix,” it must also carry significant weight, says Minnich.