Academic Key Performance Indicators, 2020 Report

This study sought to answer the following questions: (1) Is it feasible to develop Academic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and collect data on them across member urban school districts? (2) Are comparisons between districts on academic performance measures valid and reliable? (3) Do districts collect and maintain requested KPI data in a way that they can easily retrieve and format them? (4) Are data collection tools clear and easy to use? (5) Do the results of data analysis provide valuable insights into district academic performance and student achievement? and (6) How should the indicators be refined going forward? To answer these questions, the Council of the Great City Schools (Council) staff organized a process to develop and collect KPIs in three phases. The first phase involved the development of academic performance and cost KPIs. The second phase involved a small pilot of performance and cost KPIs in eight districts. These districts included Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City (MO), and Milwaukee. The final phase assessed the viability of collecting comparable performance indicators across all Council member districts. The current phase of the work, which has resulted in this report, involved updating the indicators and working with member districts on the accuracy of their data across multiple years. This report illustrates the current use of the performance indicators as viable measures of student achievement outcomes across all member districts. The data are based on results from about 48 member districts. The analysis presented here is divided into four sections: (1) elementary achievement indicators; (2) secondary achievement indicators; (3) attendance indicators; and (4) disciplinary indicators. This report focuses on the data collection and analysis of the following Academic KPIs: (1) Percent of 4th and 8th graders proficient in reading and math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP); (2) Algebra I completion rates for credit by grade 9; (3) Ninth grade course failure rates -- at least one core course; (4) Ninth graders with B average (GPA) or better; (5) Absentee rates by grade level; (6) Suspension rates; (7) Instructional days missed per 100 students due to suspensions; (8) Advanced placement (AP) participation rates; (9) AP-equivalent participation rates; (10) AP exam pass rates; (11) Four-year graduation rate; (12) National Assessment of Educational Progress Achievement, 2019; and (13) National Assessment of Educational Progress Trends, 2009 to 2019. This year, a companion online dashboard was released that added the ability to conduct several comparisons and analysis beyond what is presented in this report. To access this system, go to www.edwires.org. [For the 2019 report, see ED603169.]