School dashboard shows local improvement

The accountability system designed to replace the former Academic Performance Index, or API, was released Thursday, Dec. 12, and attempted to offer visual representations of school performance and climate.

Outcomes shown on the dashboard are based largely on results from the Smarter Balanced test taken last school year, when certain student populations underperformed and were flagged to receive extra support.

County Superintendent Nancy Magee lauded the new system as a more nuanced and detailed format of detailing a district’s academic achievements, as well as the prevailing educational culture.

“The dashboard keeps improving each year, adding indicators and tools that support school leaders in making data-informed decisions that best meet the needs of students,” she said in a prepared statement. “The dashboard also serves to provide families and community members with the information they need to understand how well their schools are serving their children.”

For districts throughout the county, the dashboard tracks success indicators such as chronic absenteeism, graduation and suspension rates, college and career preparedness, students achievement and a variety of other factors.

To convey achievements, the dashboard when applicable uses a color coding system ranging in order from blue, green, yellow, orange and red to span respectively from highest to lowest performance levels.

In the case of a district or school showing significant room for improvement, or in the red on the dashboard gauge, district officials are expected work with their colleagues at the county Office of Education to develop a strategy for assistance.

The aforementioned districts were identified for needing assistance in the previous year and advanced out of the requirement as outcomes improved in the most recent dashboard release.

Maggie MacIsaac, superintendent of the Burlingame Elementary School District, lauded the collaborative effort leading to her school system moving out of the mandated support, known as differentiated assistance, for addressing chronic absenteeism.

“In Burlingame we believe all students have potential and knowing students’ names, faces and stories help us remove the barriers that get in their way,” she said in an email. “I am proud of the admin team, teachers and students in Burlingame for getting out of [differentiated assistance] in one year because we looked at systems and structures that would help us support students and families to be at their best.”

Jorge Quintana, spokesman for the Redwood City Elementary School District, shared a similar perspective.

“In Redwood City School District, we are committed to supporting all of our students. Knowing our students needed assistance, we developed and implemented a plan to ensure all students are in school. It was a team effort including teachers, students, parents and administrators,” he said in an email.

Dianne Willoughby, spokeswoman for the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District, credited collaboration with county officials in the district’s improved capacity working with foster youth.

“The district implemented an individual student approach, bringing together key providers … to discuss the best supports for each child,” she said in an email “This process continued throughout the year whenever a new foster youth enrolled in our district, and the district will continue to monitor student needs using a continuous improvement cycle.”

Meanwhile, Laura Chalkley, spokeswoman for the San Mateo Union High School District, credited the dedication of educators in driving improvements on the Smarter Balanced math and English tests necessary to advance out of differentiated assistance.

“We attribute these gains on an intentional focus in ensuring students are on track for graduation and our support of students in their transition to post-secondary options,” she said in an email. “We continue to support our students in attaining standards.”

Not all schools fared so well though, as the South San Francisco Unified School District will remain in differentiated assistance for the year and the Millbrae, San Carlos and San Bruno Park elementary school districts are among those locally which qualified for the help over the coming year.

Michelle Harmeier, superintendent of the San Carlos Elementary School District, said officials are committed to working with their county colleagues to improve performance.

“We are looking forward to partnering with the county Office of Education so we can continue our efforts to improve the academic achievement of all students through our systems of support,” she said in an email.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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