ThinkAZ Explores Expanded School Accountability Indicators.

PHOENIX -- Student stability, parental academic involvement, readiness for math and college admission without remedial courses are important measures of education success

"Expanding the Concept of School Accountability: Supplemental School Performance Indicators," just released by ThinkAZ, explores the addition of a new set of school accountability standards that could supplement standardized test scores to yield a more accurate picture of school and student performance.

A second Policy Brief published by ThinkAZ titled, "Accountability in the Emerging Education Landscape" describes Arizona's current system of measuring public school performance and provides a history of the national accountability movement.

According to ThinkAZ President Rita MacGuire, Arizona's standardized tests only tell a portion of the story when it comes to rating public schools.

"The risk of focusing on a narrow set of performance indicators in state school accountability systems is two-fold: First, teachers may overemphasize the tested subjects in an effort to maximize their school's rating. Second, tests scores alone do not measure all the important aspects of a successful school or quality education. The proposed indicators broaden the scope of school accountability systems to include 'real world' outcomes with direct student benefits and a focus on improving teaching and learning," MacGuire says.

Currently, Arizona's school accountability system known as "Arizona LEARNS" issues school achievement profiles based on student performance on the AIMS test, a standardized test administered annually in every elementary school and high school in the state. Student test scores drive the formulation of composite school labels that range from "underperforming" to "excelling." School accountability systems also include rewards and sanctions based on these labels. For example, underperforming Arizona schools are required to implement a school improvement plan and failing schools are susceptible to a state takeover.

ThinkAZ Board Member, former Alhambra School Superintendent and National Superintendent of the Year, Carol Peck points out that, "Standardized tests are currently the primary means of measuring academic success and, by extension, school performance. ThinkAZ's policy briefs offer an expanded set of measures that may provide a more complete picture of how the state's public schools are performing."

The proposed indicators consider additional critical factors that influence the outcome of the education process. Factors such as overall student stability and attendance, the amount of parental involvement with student academics, readiness for high school math and readiness for college coursework without remedial courses weigh heavily in overall school excellence, according to the Policy Brief.

Supporters of ThinkAZ's Policy Brief suggest that additional indicators would complement existing measurement systems.

"All public schools, including charter schools, need to work toward learning strategies that improve academic achievement, and the inclusion of additional rigorous measures as complements to Arizona's existing academic accountability system may encourage these outcomes," says Kristen Jordison, Ex. Dir., and AZ State Board for Charter Schools.

ThinkAZ is an independent, non-partisan research institute dedicated to providing thorough, accurate and impartial information on public policy issues that impact the economic and social well-being of the state.

Rita Pearson Maguire, President and CEO

Board of Trustees                        Advisory Council of Directors

Mr. Donald V. Budinger,                  Mr. David Bodney
 Chair/Treasurer                         Mr. Ed Fox
Ms. Susan Budinger, Vice Chair           Mr. Victor Flores
Ms. Leslie Budinger, Secretary           Mr. Grady Gammage
Mr. Geoffrey Barnard                     Mr. Patrick Graham
Professor Marianne Jennings              Mr. Ian Macpherson
Senator Jon Kyl                          Mr. Alex Mahon
Dr. Miguel Montiel                       Mr. Scott O'Connor
Dr. Carol Peck                           Mr. Steve Twist
Dr. John C. Peirce                       Dr. Marshall Vest
Congressman John Shadegg
Mr. Vernon Swaback
Mr. James Walsh