281—12.8(256) Accountability for student achievement. Schools and school districts shall meet the following accountability provisions for increased student achievement. Area education agencies will provide technical assistance as required by 281—subrule 72.4(7).
	12.8(1) School improvement advisory committee. Each school and school district will establish a school improvement advisory committee that is governed by Iowa Code section 280.12.
	a. 	Community involvement.
	(1)	Local community. The school or school district will involve the local community in decision-making processes as appropriate. The school or school district will seek input from the local community about, but not limited to, the following elements at least once every five years:
	1.	Statement of philosophy, beliefs, mission, or vision;
	2.	Major educational needs; and
	3.	Student learning goals.
	(2)	School improvement advisory committee. To meet provisions of Iowa Code section 280.12(2), the board will appoint and charge a school improvement advisory committee to make recommendations to the board. Based on the committee members’ analysis of the needs assessment data, the committee will make recommendations to the board about the following components:
	1.	Major educational needs;
	2.	Student learning goals;
	3.	Long-range goals that include, but are not limited to, the state indicators that address reading, mathematics, and science achievement; and
	4.	Harassment or bullying prevention goals, programs, training, and other initiatives.
	(3)	At least annually, the school improvement advisory committee will also make recommendations to the board with regard to, but not limited to, the following:
	1.	Progress achieved with the annual improvement goals for the state indicators that address reading, mathematics, and science in subrule 12.8(3);
	2.	Progress achieved with other locally determined core indicators; and
	3.	Annual improvement goals for the state indicators that address reading, mathematics, and science achievement.
	b. 	Data collection, analysis, and goal setting.
	(1)	Policy. The board will adopt a policy for conducting ongoing and long-range needs assessment processes. This policy will ensure involvement of and communication with the local community regarding its expectations for adequate preparation for all students as responsible citizens and successful wage earners. The policy will include provisions for keeping the local community regularly informed of progress on state indicators as described in subrule 12.8(3), other locally determined indicators and the methods a school district will use to inform kindergarten through grade 3 parents of their individual child’s performance biannually. The policy will describe how the school or school district will provide opportunities for local community feedback on an ongoing basis.
	(2)	Long-range data collection and analysis. The long-range needs assessment process is to include provisions for collecting, analyzing, and reporting information derived from local, state, and national sources. The process will include provisions for reviewing information acquired over time on the following:
	1.	State indicators and other locally determined indicators;
	2.	Locally established student learning goals; and
	3.	Specific data collection required by federal and state programs.
Schools and school districts are to also collect information about additional factors influencing student achievement that may include, but are not limited to, demographics, attitudes, health, and other risk factors.
	(3)	Long-range goals. The board, with input from its school improvement advisory committee, will adopt long-range goals to improve student achievement in at least the areas of reading, mathematics, and science.
	(4)	Annual data collection and analysis. The ongoing needs assessment process will include provisions for collecting and analyzing annual assessment data on the state indicators, other locally determined indicators, and locally established student learning goals.
	(5)	Annual improvement goals. The board, with input from its school improvement advisory committee, will adopt annual improvement goals based on data from at least one districtwide assessment. The goals will describe desired annual increase in the curriculum areas of, but not limited to, mathematics, reading, and science achievement for all students, for particular subgroups of students, or both. Annual improvement goals may be set for the early intervention program as described in subrule 12.5(18), other state indicators, locally determined indicators, locally established student learning goals, other curriculum areas, future student employability, or factors influencing student achievement.
	c. 	Content standards and benchmarks.
	(1)	Policy. The board will adopt a policy outlining its procedures for developing, implementing, and evaluating its total curriculum. The policy will describe a process for establishing content standards, benchmarks, performance levels, and annual improvement goals aligned with needs assessment information.
	(2)	Content standards and benchmarks. The board will adopt clear, rigorous, and challenging content standards and benchmarks in reading, mathematics, and science to guide the learning of students from the date of school entrance until high school graduation. Included in the local standards and benchmarks are the core content standards from Iowa’s approved standards and assessment system under the applicable provisions of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Standards and benchmarks may be adopted for other curriculum areas defined in rule 281—12.5(256).
	d. 	Determination and implementation of actions to meet the needs. The school or school district will specify actions it will take in order to accomplish its long-range and annual improvement goals as established in Iowa Code section 280.12(1)“b.”
	(1)	Actions will include addressing the improvement of curricular and instructional practices to attain the long-range goals, annual improvement goals, and the early intervention goals as described in subrule 12.5(18).
	(2)	A school or school district will document consolidation of state and federal resources and requirements. State and federal resources will be used, as applicable, to support implementation of the plan.
	(3)	A school or school district may have building-level action plans.
	e. 	Evaluation of plan. A school or school district will develop strategies to collect data and information to determine if it is accomplishing the goals it set.
	f. 	Assessment of student progress. Each school or school district will provide for districtwide assessment of student progress for all students. It will identify valid and reliable student assessments aligned with local content standards, which include the core content standards referenced in subparagraph 12.8(1)“c”(2). These assessments are not limited to commercially developed measures. School districts receiving early intervention funding described in subrule 12.5(18) will provide for diagnostic reading assessments for kindergarten through grade 3 students.
	(1)	State indicators. Using at least one districtwide assessment, a school or school district will assess student progress on the state indicators in reading, mathematics, and science as specified in subrule 12.8(3). At least one districtwide assessment will allow for the comparison of the school or school district’s students with students from across the state and in the nation in reading, mathematics, and science.
	(2)	Performance levels. A school or school district will establish at least three performance levels on at least one districtwide valid and reliable assessment in the areas of reading and mathematics for at least grades 4, 8, and 11 and science in grades 8 and 10 or use the achievement levels as established by the Iowa testing program to meet the intent of this subparagraph.
	g. 	Assurances and support. A school or school district will provide evidence that its board has approved and supports the actions under this rule. This assurance includes the commitment for ongoing improvement of the educational system.
	h. 	Statewide summative assessment.
	(1)	For purposes of this chapter, the statewide summative assessment of student progress administered by school districts for purposes of the core academic indicators is the summative assessment developed by the Iowa testing program within the University of Iowa college of education and administered by the Iowa testing program’s designee. The department may require the Iowa testing program to enter into agreements with such designee to ensure the department is able to comply with Iowa Code chapter 256; this chapter; the provisions of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, Pub.	L.	No.	114-95; the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g; and any other applicable state or federal law.
	(2)	For the school year beginning July 1, 2018, and each succeeding school year, the statewide summative assessment referred in this paragraph is to meet all of the following provisions:
	1.	All students enrolled in school districts in grades 3 through 11 will be administered an assessment in mathematics and English language arts, including reading and writing, during the last quarter of the school year, and all students enrolled in school districts in grades 5, 8, and 10 will be administered an assessment in science during the last quarter of the school year.
	2.	The assessment, at a minimum, will assess the core academic indicators identified in Iowa Code section 256.7(21)“b”; be aligned with the Iowa common core standards in both content and rigor; accurately describe student achievement and growth for purposes of the school, the school district, and state accountability systems; provide valid, reliable, and fair measures of student progress toward college or career readiness; and meet the summative assessment provisions of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, Pub.	L.	No.	114-95.
	3.	The assessment will be available for administration in both paper-and-pencil and computer-based formats and include assessments in mathematics, science, and English language arts, including reading and writing.
	4.	The assessment will be peer-reviewed by an independent third-party evaluator to determine that the assessment is aligned with the Iowa core academic standards, provides a measurement of student growth and student proficiency, and meets the summative assessment provisions of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, Pub.	L.	No.	114-95. The assessment developed by the Iowa testing service within the University of Iowa college of education will make any necessary adjustments as determined by the peer review to meet the provisions of this paragraph.
	5.	The costs of complying with this paragraph will be borne by the Iowa testing program within the University of Iowa college of education.
	12.8(2) Annual reporting. A school or school district will, at minimum, report annually to its local community about the progress on the state indicators and other locally determined indicators.
	a. 	State indicators. A school or school district will collect data on the following indicators for reporting purposes:
	(1)	The percentage of all fourth, eighth, and eleventh grade students achieving proficient or higher reading status using at least three achievement levels and by gender, race, socioeconomic status, students with disabilities, and other subgroups as required by state or federal law.
	(2)	The percentage of all fourth, eighth, and eleventh grade students achieving proficient or higher mathematics status using at least three achievement levels and for gender, race, socioeconomic status, students with disabilities, and other subgroups as required by state or federal law.
	(3)	The percentage of all eighth and tenth grade students achieving proficient or higher science status using at least three achievement levels.
	(4)	The percentage of students considered as dropouts for grades 7 to 12 by gender, race, students with disabilities, and other subgroups as required by state or federal law.
	(5)	The percentage of high school seniors who intend to pursue postsecondary education/training.
	(6)	The percentage of high school students achieving a score or status on a measure indicating probable postsecondary success. This measure should be the measure used by the majority of students in the school, school district, or attendance center who plan to attend a postsecondary institution.
	(7)	The percentage of high school graduates who complete a core program of four years of English-language arts and three or more years each of mathematics, science, and social studies.
	b. 	Annual progress report. Each school or school district will submit an annual progress report to its local community, its respective area education agency, and the department. That report will be submitted to the department by September 15 of each year. The report will include the following information:
	(1)	Baseline data on at least one districtwide assessment for the state indicators described in subrule 12.8(3). Every year thereafter the school or school district will compare the annual data collected with the baseline data. A school or school district is not to report to the community about subgroup assessment results when a subgroup contains fewer than ten students at a grade level. A school or school district will report districtwide assessment results for all enrolled and tuitioned-in students.
	(2)	Locally determined performance levels for at least one districtwide assessment in, at a minimum, the areas of reading, mathematics, and science. Student achievement levels as defined by the Iowa Testing Program may be used to fulfill this provision.
	(3)	Long-range goals to improve student achievement in the areas of, but not limited to, reading, mathematics, and science.
	(4)	Annual improvement goals based on at least one districtwide assessment in, at a minimum, the areas of reading, mathematics, and science. One annual improvement goal may address all areas, or individual annual improvement goals for each area may be identified. When a school or school district does not meet its annual improvement goals for one year, it shall include in its annual progress report the actions it will take to meet annual improvement goals for the next school year.
	(5)	Data on multiple assessments for reporting achievement for all students in the areas of reading, mathematics, and science.
	(6)	Results by individual attendance centers, as appropriate, on the state indicators as stated in subrule 12.8(3) and any other locally determined factors or indicators. An attendance center, for reporting purposes, is a building that houses students in grade 4 or grade 8 or grade 11.
	(7)	School districts are encouraged to provide information on the reading proficiency of kindergarten through grade 3 students by grade level. However, all school districts receiving early intervention block grant funds will report to the department the progress toward achieving their early intervention goals.
	(8)	Other reports of progress as the director of the department requires and other reporting requirements as the result of federal and state program consolidation.
	12.8(3) Accreditation, monitoring, and enforcement. Accreditation, monitoring, and enforcement is as referenced in Iowa Code section 256.11(10) and 256.11(11).
[ARC 7787C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]