Grading Methodology
GPA and Grade Determination
The GPAs were calculated by averaging the grades for each school and district. For this calculation, an “A” is worth 4 points, a “B” is worth 3 points, a “C” is worth 2 points, a “D” is worth 1 point, and an “F” is worth no points. GPAs were then divided into four groups: those ranging from 0.0 to .99, those ranging from 1.0 to 1.99, those ranging from 2.0 to 2.99, and those ranging from 3.0 to 4.0.
A maximum of 10 grades were assigned at the school and district level in the following categories.
- The percentage of all students scoring at the Proficient level or higher in English/Language Arts (ELA)
- The percentage of all students scoring at the Proficient level or higher in Math
- The percentage of low-income students, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL)through the National School Lunch Program, scoring at the Proficient level or higher in ELA
- The percentage of low-income students scoring at the Proficient level or higher in Math
- The Growth score in ELA, measured in National Curve Equivalents (NCE) prior to 2021-22 and measured in standard deviations in 2021-22
- The Growth score in Math, measured in National Curve Equivalents (NCE) prior to 2021-22 and measured in standard deviations in 2021-22
- The adjusted ELA scored, measured by the difference between the actual percentage of students scoring at the Proficient level or higher in ELA and the percentage that would be expected for that school based on the proportion of low-income students
- The adjusted Math score, measured by the difference between the actual percentage of students scoring at the Proficient level or higher in Math and the percentage that would be expected for that school based on the proportion of low-income students
- The high school 4-year graduation rate
- The average composite ACT score
The first step in determining the grades was to calculate the range of scores for that measure. The scores of magnet schools were excluded from the calculation of this range. For the range of Growth NCEs scores, both the top score and the bottom score were excluded. In addition, scores of either schools or districts with 50 or fewer students did not receive grades for the growth measure due to instability in the growth model.
The range of scores for each measure was then divided into five equal intervals. For example, at the school level, high school 4-yr graduation rates ranged between 70% and 100%. So, schools with scores between 94 and 100 received A’s, scores between 88 and 94 received B’s, scores between 82 and 88 received C’s, scores between 76 and 82 received D’s, and scores between 70 and 76 received F’s. Grade ranges were determined separately for school-level data and district-level data.
The intervals established for each measure using 2018–19 will be used as baselines. When new data are available, schools and districts will still be graded using the 2018–19 intervals.
The following describes the intervals for each measure associated with each grade as well as the number of schools in each grade category. For example, for rates of ELA proficiency, schools with rates between 72% and 90% received an “A” (124 schools), while those with rates between 0% and 17.9% received an “F” (95 schools).
School-Level Grade Determination
| Min | Max | A | B | C | D | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA % prof + all | 0% | 90% | 72% to 90% | 54% to 71.9% | 36% to 53.9% | 18% to 35.9% | 0% to 17.9% |
| Math % prof + all | 0% | 85% | 68% to 85% | 51% to 67.9% | 34% to 50.9% | 17% to 33.9% | 0% to 16.9% |
| ELA % prof + FRPL | 0% | 82% | 66% to 82% | 49% to 65.9% | 33% to 48.9% | 16% to 32.9% | 0% to 15.9% |
| Math % prof + FRPL | 0% | 82% | 66% to 82% | 49% to 65.9% | 33% to 48.9% | 16% to 32.9% | 0% to 15.9% |
| ELA growth | 42.209 | 55.704 | 53.005 to 55.704 | 50.306 to 53.004 | 47.607 to 50.305 | 44.908 to 47.606 | 42.209 to 44.907 |
| Math growth | 41.724 | 58.777 | 55.366 to 58.777 | 51.956 to 55.365 | 48.545 to 51.955 | 45.135 to 48.544 | 41.724 to 45.134 |
| ELA adjusted | −67% | +57% | +32% to +57% | +7% to +31.9% | −18% to +6.9% | −42% to −18% | −67% to −41.9% |
| Math adjusted | −60% | +54% | +31% to +54% | +8% to +30.9% | −15% to +7.9% | −38% to −14.9% | −60% to −37.9% |
| Graduation rate | 70% | 100% | 94% to 100% | 88% to 93.9% | 82% to 87.9% | 76% to 81.9% | 70% to 75.9% |
| ACT score | 13.4 | 26.2 | 23.6 to 26.2 | 21.1 to 23.5 | 18.5 to 21.0 | 16.0 to 18.4 | 13.4 to 15.9 |
District-Level Grade Determination
| Min | Max | A | B | C | D | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA % prof + all | 16% | 86% | 72% to 86% | 58% to 71.9% | 44% to 57.9% | 30% to 43.9% | 16% to 29.9% |
| Math % prof + all | 0% | 83% | 67% to 83% | 50% to 66.9% | 33% to 49.9% | 17% to 32.9% | 0% to 16.9% |
| ELA % prof + FRPL | 0% | 82% | 66% to 82% | 49% to 65.9% | 33% to 48.9% | 16% to 32.9% | 0% to 15.9% |
| Math % prof + FRPL | 0% | 80% | 64% to 80% | 48% to 63.9% | 32% to 47.9% | 16% to 31.9% | 0% to 15.9% |
| ELA growth | 45.841 | 53.797 | 52.206 to 53.797 | 50.614 to 52.205 | 49.023 to 50.613 | 47.423 to 49.022 | 45.841 to 47.422 |
| Math growth | 43.097 | 54.844 | 52.495 to 54.844 | 50.145 to 52.494 | 47.796 to 50.144 | 45.446 to 47.795 | 43.097 to 45.445 |
| ELA adjusted | −23% | +44% | +30% to +44% | +17% to +29.9% | +4% to +16.9% | −10% to +2.9% | −23% to −9.9% |
| Math adjusted | −31% | +49% | +33% to +49% | +17% to +32.9% | +1% to +16.9% | −15% to +0.9% | −31% to −14.9% |
| Graduation rate | 71% | 100% | 94% to 100% | 88% to 93.9% | 83% to 87.9% | 77% to 82.9% | 71% to 76.9% |
| ACT score | 14.7 | 26.2 | 23.9 to 26.2 | 21.6 to 23.8 | 19.3 to 21.5 | 17.0 to 19.2 | 14.7 to 16.9 |