2015 North Carolina General Statutes
Chapter 115C - Elementary and Secondary Education.
Article 8 - General Education.
§ 115C-83.15 - 15. School achievement, growth, performance scores, and grades.

115C-83.15. School achievement, growth, performance scores, and grades.

(a) School Scores and Grades. - The State Board of Education shall award school achievement, growth, and performance scores and an associated performance grade as required by G.S. 115C-12(9)c1., and calculated as provided in this section. The State Board of Education shall enter all necessary data into the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) in order to calculate school performance scores and grades.

(b) Calculation of the School Achievement Score. - In calculating the overall school achievement score earned by schools, the State Board of Education shall total the sum of points earned by a school on all of the following indicators that are measured for that school:

(1) One point for each percent of students who score at or above proficient on annual assessments for mathematics in grades three through eight.

(2) One point for each percent of students who score at or above proficient on annual assessments for reading in grades three through eight.

(3) One point for each percent of students who score at or above proficient on annual assessments for science in grades five and eight.

(4) One point for each percent of students who score at or above proficient on the Algebra I or Integrated Math I end-of-course test.

(5) One point for each percent of students who score at or above proficient on the English II end-of-course test.

(6) One point for each percent of students who score at or above proficient on the Biology end-of-course test.

(7) One point for each percent of students who complete Algebra II or Integrated Math III with a passing grade.

(8) One point for each percent of students who achieve the minimum score required for admission into a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina on a nationally normed test of college readiness.

(9) One point for each percent of students enrolled in Career and Technical Education courses who meet the standard when scoring at Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels on a nationally normed test of workplace readiness.

(10) One point for each percent of students who graduate within four years of entering high school.

In calculating the overall school achievement score earned by schools, the State Board of Education shall (i) use a composite approach to weigh the achievement elements based on the number of students measured by any given achievement element and (ii) proportionally adjust the scale to account for the absence of a school achievement element for award of scores to a school that does not have a measure of one of the school achievement elements annually assessed for the grades taught at that school. The overall school achievement score shall be translated to a 100-point scale and used for school reporting purposes as provided in G.S. 115C-12(9)c1., 115C-218.65, and 115C-238.66.

(c) Calculation of the School Growth Score. - Using EVAAS, the State Board shall calculate the overall growth score earned by schools. In calculating the total growth score earned by schools, the State Board of Education shall weight student growth on the achievement indicators as provided in subsection (b) of this section that have available growth values. The numerical values used to determine whether a school has met, exceeded, or has not met expected growth shall be translated to a 100-point scale and used for school reporting purposes as provided in G.S. 115C-12(9)c1., 115C-218.65, and 115C-238.66.

(d) Calculation of the School Performance Scores and Grades. - The State Board of Education shall use EVAAS to calculate the school performance score by adding the school achievement score, as provided in subsection (b) of this section, and the school growth score, as provided in subsection (c) of this section, earned by a school. The school achievement score shall account for eighty percent (80%), and the school growth score shall account for twenty percent (20%) of the total sum. If a school has met expected growth and inclusion of the school's growth score reduces the school's performance score and grade, a school may choose to use the school achievement score solely to calculate the performance score and grade. For all schools, the total school performance score shall be converted to a 100-point scale and used to determine a school performance grade based on the following scale:

(1) A school performance score of at least 90 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of A.

(2) A school performance score of at least 80 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of B.

(3) A school performance score of at least 70 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of C.

(4) A school performance score of at least 60 is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of D.

(5) A school performance score of less than 60 points is equivalent to an overall school performance grade of F.

(e) Elementary and Middle School Reading and Math Achievement Scores. - For schools serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade, the school achievement scores in reading and mathematics, respectively, shall be reported separately on the annual school report card provided under G.S. 115C-12(9)c1., 115C-218.65, and 115C-238.66.

(f) Indication of Growth. - In addition to awarding the overall school scores for achievement, growth, and performance and the performance grade, using EVAAS, the State Board shall designate that a school has met, exceeded, or has not met expected growth. The designation of student growth shall be clearly displayed in the annual school report card provided under G.S. 115C-12(9)c1., 115C-218.65, and 115C-238.66. (2013-360, s. 9.4(b); 2013-363, s. 3.6; 2014-5, ss. 13, 14; 2014-101, s. 7.)