State School Accountability Decisions and the Implications for School Ratings

State school accountability systems have been a constant in educational policy since before federal law required them. Currently, state systems must include multiple measures of school quality but states otherwise have considerable leeway in measuring schools. We simulate school ratings using eight years of data to demonstrate how state decisions about (a) weighting multiple measures and (b) how many years of data go into the rating influence the list of schools identified for improvement. We evaluate the implications and tradeoffs inherent in these decisions. For example, weighting growth more than proficiency produces more valid measures of school quality, whereas weighting proficiency more identifies schools most in need of resources. We conclude with recommendations for state accountability systems.