The Purpose of the Report Card

The Report Card is a comprehensive report of state and federal accountability and additional reporting requirements. The Report Card is comprised of the School Report Card (state and federal reporting), ESSA School Index (federal accountability), Discipline Act 1015 of 2017 (state reporting), and Waivers. All stakeholders have access to aggregate data, data disaggregated by subgroups and grade levels (where applicable), and comparisons of schools, district, and state. The ESSA law in Section 1111 (h)(1)(C)(i) requires states to report, "A clear and concise description of the State’s accountability system." The State Accountability System empowers the State and public school districts to assess the effectiveness of student-focused education using multiple factors, measures, and indicators of student achievement and school quality, rather than relying solely on an annual statewide assessment. Stakeholders are encouraged to examine the Report Card and engage in communication with local school and district staff.

Overview of the State’s accountability system under Title I

Arkansas’ ESSA plan was approved January 18, 2018.  In this plan, Arkansas utilizes a summative (one final score) accountability system based on the following indicators: weighted achievement, value-added growth including English learner progress toward English language proficiency, cohort graduation rates, and school quality and student success. Arkansas’ system is known as the ESSA School Index.
As per stakeholder requests, the indicators are weighted as noted in https://myschoolinfo.arkansas.gov/Content/ESSA/2022/13_What_is_the_ESSA_School_Index.pdf.
The full ESSA School Index report for each school can be accessed by going to My School Info and selecting the school, clicking Reports, then ESSA School Index.

Reporting the N-Size and Subgroup Membership

The ESSA law in Section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i)(I); seeks to determine how many students must be in a group for the data to be used for accountability. Arkansas uses an n size of 15 students to identify student subgroups. This means a school must have a minimum of 15 students in a subgroup to be held accountable for that subgroup. Arkansas reports on six subgroups of students including Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, White, English Learners, Low-Income, and Special Education as required under federal requirements of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Arkansas will also report on additional subgroups of students including Gifted and Talented, Military Dependents, Foster, Homeless, and former English Learners in the School Report Card. The ESSA School Index identifies scores for each of the six subgroups of students. The scores for these subgroups of students are available under the School Rating tab (Accountability at-a-Glance Report) and on the ESSA School Index Report under the Reports tab.
Arkansas is committed to student privacy therefore n size of 10 is used for reporting. "N<10" is shown instead of a value if there are fewer than ten students in a subgroup. "RV" is Restricted Value. "RV" is used instead of a value so that information identifiable for individual students will not be shown.

How does the state differentiate to support public schools?

Arkansas is committed to supporting local education agencies to ensure all students are college, career and community ready.  Arkansas’s approved ESSA plan explains that in addition to supporting all districts and schools, the state will also differentiate support to schools in need of comprehensive support and improvement and schools in need of targeted support and improvement.  

Arkansas offers support to schools that are in need of support for consistently underperforming subgroups.

The ESSA law in Section 1111 (h)(1)(C)(i)(IV)(cc) requires states to define consistently underperforming subgroups. Arkansas defines a consistently underperforming subgroup as any subgroup, pursuant to ESEA Section 1111(C)(3), in any school that scores at or below the bottom one percent in each of the three prior years. Effective 2018-2019 and annually thereafter, Arkansas will identify schools with one or more subgroups that meet the above definition of consistently underperforming for Targeted Support and Improvement. In addition, ADE provides a statistical report annually that is posted on the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education - Offices - Public School Accountability - Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - Informational Documents web page under the column Business Rules and Statistics.

Arkansas Identifies schools in need of comprehensive support and improvement (CSI).

The ESSA law in Section 1111 (h)(1)(C)(i)(IV)(dd) requires states to identify schools for comprehensive support and Improvement (CSI). (1) All schools will be assigned to one of three grade spans based on each school’s grade configuration. (2) Schools receiving Title I, Part A funds will be ranked by ESSA School Index score within their respective grade span. (3) Schools receiving Title I, Part A funds with ESSA School Index scores at or below the ESSA School Index score of the lowest five percent in each grade span will be identified as in need of comprehensive support and improvement. (4) Arkansas will identify schools in need of comprehensive support and improvement in 2018-2019 and every three years thereafter (as per the approved addendum the next identification year will be 2022-2023 and every three years thereafter). (5) In addition, Arkansas will identify schools with a four-year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate below 66.667 percent for all students as in need of comprehensive support and improvement in 2018-2019 and every three years thereafter (as per the approved addendum the next identification year will be 2022-2023 and every three years thereafter).
The process, identification of schools, and exit information regarding ESSA Cycle 1 (data from 2018-2022) is available at ESSA Cycle I School Support and Improvement
The process, identification of schools, and exit information regarding ESSA Cycle 2 (data from 2022-2025) is available at ESSA Cycle II School Support and Improvement

Arkansas Identified schools can exit from comprehensive support and improvement.

Section 1111 (h)(1)(C)(i)(VI) of the ESSA Law examines how identified schools can exit from comprehensive support and improvement. Arkansas exit criteria requires a school identified in need of comprehensive support and improvement to demonstrate continued progress by exhibiting an upward trend on the ESSA School Index for two or more years and meet or exceed the ESSA School Index score that initially led to identification (the 5% cut score). High schools may exit from comprehensive support and improvement services after three years if the schools’ four-year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate is greater than 66.667 percent.

Arkansas schools that have been identified as additional targeted support schools can exit.

Beginning in 2018-2019 and every three years thereafter (as per the approved addendum the next identification year will be 2022-2023 and every three years thereafter), schools will be identified in need of additional targeted support. Arkansas’s exit criteria requires the school to demonstrate continued progress by exhibiting an upward trend on the ESSA School Index for two or more years for each identified subgroup of students and meet or exceed the ESSA School Index score that initially led to identification (the 5% cut score).

School identified to receive Title I Grants (1003 funds)

The Arkansas Department of Education will provide support and monitoring to all schools identified in need of comprehensive support and improvement, targeted support and improvement, or additional targeted support. Information on school improvement funds under ESEA section 1003 by district and school including: names of districts and schools receiving school improvement funds, amount of funds received by each school, and types of strategies implemented in each school are available at ESSA Cycle II 1003 Allocation & Support

Requests for report card information in an alternate language should be directed to the local school/district.  Districts that are unable to accommodate requests locally should contact the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education School Performance and Monitoring Unit at ade.schmail@ade.arkansas.gov.