District Accountability

Districts will be assessed on student performance in six areas measured through three pathways. The score for each area is calculated by averaging the best of  absolute performance or AMO target and value-added pathways.

Performance Areas and Pathways

  1. Grade 3-5 Success Rate - TCAP data, including math, English language arts, and science
  2. Grade 6-8 Success Rate - TCAP data, including math, English language arts, and science
  3. Grade 9-12 Success Rate - TCAP data, including math, English language arts, and science, and ACT composite/SAT equivalent (for graduating seniors using best composite score)
    • For success rates, the absolute performance pathway is the number of students on track or mastered for all subjects in the applicable grade band.
    • For success rates, the AMO target pathway is the target set to reduce the percent of students who are not scoring on track or mastered for all subjects in the applicable grade band.
    • For success rates, the value-added pathway is the TVAAS composite in the applicable grade band.
  4. Graduation rate
    • The absolute performance pathway measures the percent of students in a graduation cohort who graduated within four years and one summer.
    • The AMO target pathway is a target to increase the percent of students who graduate within four years and a summer.
    • The value-added pathway is a student-level comparison that measures the percent of students meeting the Ready Graduate criteria. The growth expectation will be set based on the state-level performance.
  5. Chronically out of school
    • The absolute performance pathway measures the percent of students who are chronically out of school.
    • The AMO target is a cohort-level comparison target to reduce the percent of students who are chronically out of school.
    • The value-added pathway is a student-level comparison to measure reduction in chronic absenteeism for students who were chronically absent in the prior year, setting a growth expectation based on state- level performance versus the prior year.
  6. English Language Proficiency Assessment (WIDA ACCESS)
    • The absolute performance pathway measures percent of students exiting EL status, weighted by time in ESL services.
    • The AMO target is a target to increase the percent of students meeting the growth standard based on prior EL proficiency level.
    • The value-added pathway is a student-level metric based on the percent of students who recently exited EL service (T1-T4) scoring on track/mastered on the TNReady ELA assessment in the current year.

    In addition, to maintain a focus on historically under-served student groups, district performance will be assessed for the following student groups:

    • All students 
    • Students with disabilities (SWD) 
    • Black/Hispanic/Native American students (BHN)
    •  English learners (EL)
    • Economically disadvantaged students (ED)
    •  Combined subgroup (including students across each of the four subgroups)

​Final Determination

Final district determinations are calculated by using a weighted average of the district’s scores on the All Students and Subgroup status, with all students weighted at 60% and subgroups at 40%. The final determinations are:

• Exemplary • Advancing • Satisfactory • Marginal • In Need of Improvement

A district designated as In Need of Improvement did not meet the minimum progress goal and is not showing even minimal evidence of meaningful student progress based on achievement, TVAAS, or subgroup improvement, as well as meeting 95% participation rate on state assessments. These districts will receive additional state level support.