Computing Composite Scale Scores for Accountability: A Validation Study of Nebraska's District Evaluation Model.

Because districts in Nebraska are not measured on common instruments, comparisons are difficult. This study examined a district evaluation strategy that classifies districts into school performance ratings (SPR) based on a combination of three factors. Student performance and non-cognitive indicator data for three grade levels and two content areas from school districts in a southern state were used. Analyses comparing classification decision consistency for three mathematical models were conducted using Spearman rank order correlations for composite scale scores (CSS) and kappa statistics for SPR classifications. Results show that there is a high level of agreement among the three mathematical models considered, suggesting that the preferred model be the one that is easiest to understand and communicate. (Contains 2 tables and 10 references.) (Author/SLD)