Section 193-E:3-c Development of the Performance-Based Accountability System.
I. There is hereby established a task force to develop a performance-based school accountability system that, beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, will serve as one method a school may use to demonstrate by the end of the school year that it is providing the opportunity for an adequate education. The commissioner shall be the chairman of the task force and shall appoint no fewer than 9 and no more than 13 members to the task force which shall consist of department personnel, one or more representatives of a school district including at least one school board member, educational experts, parents or guardians of a current public school pupil, members of a public interest group concerned with education, members of the business community, and other individuals with information or expertise of benefit to the task force's duties. The task force shall include one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
II. The task force shall have the following duties:
(a) Define the performance-based accountability system to be used by schools that will ensure that the opportunity for an adequate education is maintained.
(b) Identify performance criteria and measurements.
(c) Establish performance goals and the relative weights assigned to those goals.
(d) Establish the basis, taking into account the totality of the performance measurements, for determining whether the opportunity for an adequate education exists, which may include the assignment of a value for performance on each measurement.
(e) Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and validity of the performance methodology as a means of establishing that a school provided the opportunity for an adequate education as defined in RSA 193-E:2-a.
III. The task force shall develop a performance-based scoring system using only the best available data and indicators which are already provided to the department and/or performance measures that schools are already required to provide the department under other state or federal law. In establishing the performance-based system, the task force may consider one or more of the following data and indicators:
(a) Performance on state tests administered pursuant to RSA 193-C and, upon the prior approval of the department, other assessments administered at local option that are consistent with the state's curriculum standards.
(b) Number and percentage of pupils participating in an advanced placement course.
(c) Number and percentage of graduating pupils going on to post-secondary education and military service.
(d) Attendance rates.
(e) Annual cumulative drop-out rates of high school pupils.
(f) School environment indicators, such as safe schools data.
(g) Expulsion and suspension rates, including in-school and out-of-school suspensions, which shall be reported for each school year.
(h) Number and percentage of classes taught by highly qualified teachers.
(i) Teacher and administrative turnover rates at the school and district levels.
IV. No later than April 1, 2010, the task force shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations for future legislation for the performance-based accountability system to the chairpersons of the house and senate education committees, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the senate president. After the interim report is reviewed by the house and senate education committees, the department shall verify the integrity, accuracy, and validity of the performance-based accountability system utilizing actual school data as provided in RSA 193-E:3-d and shall submit a final report no later than November 1, 2010, including recommendations for future legislation and legislative adoption of the performance-based accountability system, to the chairpersons of the house and senate education committees, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate president, the governor, the house clerk, and the senate clerk.
V. During the department's verification process, the task force may further evaluate and review whether there are any new or emerging performance measures, or modifications to the performance-based accountability system based upon the verification process that should be considered by the department for implementation beginning with the 2012-2013 school year. No later than November 1, 2011, the task force shall present any further recommendations for legislation regarding the performance-based school accountability system to the same individuals receiving the final report under paragraph IV.
VI. The department shall annually prepare a detailed report documenting the results of each school on the performance-based school accountability system to be developed pursuant to RSA 193-E:3-c, and identifying all schools that can demonstrate the opportunity for an adequate education through the performance-based methodology. The report shall be submitted no later than October 1 to the same individuals receiving the final report under paragraph IV. The initial report shall be due October 1, 2012.
Source. 2009, 198:1, eff. July 14, 2009.