Measuring of school success

A bill that would add state academic growth-based measures to the Minnesota school report card received committee approval Feb. 26.

The House E-12 Education Committee sent HF3329 to the House Finance Committee with the recommendation that it be sent to the House K-12 Finance Division.

Rep. Kathy Brynaert (DFL-Mankato), the bill sponsor, said it is the work of the interim E-12 Education Work Group, which aimed to fully, fairly and accurately measure school improvement.

David Heistad, director of research, evaluation and assessment for Minneapolis Public Schools, said more than 300 state districts use some sort of academic growth-based model, which is complimentary to the federal No Child Left Behind program.

This provides a more dynamic way of looking at schools because some schools score high on academic growth standards, but do not score high on standardized tests or vice versa, he said.

Heistad said this would enable the Department of Education to find districts that are already making great progress and hold high-achieving students accountable for growth.

Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton), questioned the measurement system used, saying the methods were “deceptive.”

“You gain some precision by more complex models, but you lose some communication power,” Heistad said.

Christy Hovanetz Lassila, assistant commissioner of the department’s Office of Accountability and Improvement, said the department is concerned about the lack of proficiency standards, as well as limited authority granted in parts of the bill. Other concerns included unfunded mandates and the striking of the “value-added” language put into statute in 2004.

A companion bill, SF2882, sponsored by Sen. Sandy Rummel (DFL-White Bear Lake), awaits action by the Senate Education Committee.