Accountability Changes on Today's State School Board Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
By: Amy Kiley

February 18, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando--The State Board of Education considered changes to the school accountability system when it met in Orlando this morning. An executive order from Governor Rick Scott directs Commissioner Pam Stewart to recommend the changes.

Stewart’s plan would change the equations that determine school letter grades – and related funding.  It would switch from points to percentages, alter some categories of assessment, and eliminate triggers for automatic letter drops.  For instance, SAT scores would no longer affect a high school’s grade, and poor reading achievement would no longer cause an automatic penalty.

Orange County School Board Chair Bill Sublette says, overall, Stewart’s ideas are good.  He notes, “Anything we can do to keep the system as transparent and understandable as possible, the better for the credibility of the entire accountably system.”

Sublette has a caveat. He -- along with the Association of District School Superintendents -- wants a moratorium on school grades during the shift to Common Core standards.  The group suggests three years.  Stewart’s plan does not include that. 

Common Core itself is also on the board's agenda today.  Today's proposed changes are minor, but critics argue that entire effort is a federal intrusion.