Encore's Data Team Shares Early Information

At the beginning of the "summer" a team of Encore's teachers with our COO started a data committee that is disaggregating the test data to be able to tell a more defined achievement picture based on sharing apples to apples. Over the coming weeks, the completed data will be pushed out to our families so you can see exactly where Encore stands in comparison of the Districts and schools where students that attend Encore come from.

The CA Dashboard has proven to be a flawed test comparison system for small schools and districts. Encore isn't perfect, but Encore does strive to be in a path of constant improvement (as does every school). Where the CA Dashboard gets tricky is that the dashboard itself is broken down into colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue. This Dashboard will indicate how much improvement a school has made year over year. This is great information for the school and the families so the stakeholders of a school can be laser focused on getting results in areas that they are struggling in.

What is deceiving about the Dashboard is when comparisons are made from school to school or even school versus state. This outcome is deceiving because it compares the level of improvement, not the actual level of where the test scores were. Encore's data team is specifically looking at individual students and comparing them to their home district schools to see the comparison of their individual achievement so Encore can determine how well we are closing the achievement gap for each individual student. The graph shown above is the actual 7th grade test scores for 2019 (no testing in 2020) against the other junior high schools in only Hesperia Unified School District. This is a more fair comparison of where Encore actually sits with student achievement.

The other piece of CA Dashboard that skews the test results for schools like Encore is that Encore is being weighed by the test scores for high school. That makes sense, except we also serve 7th and 8th grade. For California, testing takes place for only grades 7, 8, and 11. Encore has always shown a steep increase in high school test scores once we have time and years of teaching with the same students. Grades 7 and 8, when weighed for CA Dashboard as a junior high, are scored differently than high school. California does not disaggregate Encore's junior high students into a middle school test level to compare with other junior highs. Our junior high students are currently judged against the 11th grade students for the entire state. This does not give us apples to apples scores. When we push out the high school test scores, you will be able to see how different the picture becomes. Stay tuned.

At a training over the last school year with the CSDC, they explained that the CA Dashboard system can make some mediocre schools look great and take other schools that are generally outperforming their neighbors and "chew them up" in the data game. This is why a data committee like the one that Encore has is so important. As more information and data is completed, which I believe they are wrapping up the deep dive now to create the graphs (and there is so much work behind every graph), this information will be shared with everyone so you know where Encore is focussing improvement and why. Our energy has always been data driven. Keep watching the blogs for more test highlights as the committee shares information.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support of youth arts and thank you for your support of Encore High School.

https://www.encorehighschool.com/blog #creativefutures #thisisencore #encorehigschool #peteythepirate #future #CTEarts #artschool #indpendentstudy #covidstudy #highschool #juniorhighschool #homeschool #artsprograms #dancercareers #musiccareers #actingcareers #artcareers #circuscareers #neverendingsnowday #abc7 #innovativeeducation Denise Griffin, CEO is the author of this blog for Encore Education Corporation. Part of Encore Education Corporation is Encore High School, a free public performing arts regional high school in Southern California grades 7 - 12. Encore's program is currently taking applications for the fall 2020 enrollment. Encore offers full time, hybrid time, and independent study programs. Encore offers transporation from the Inland Empire and the high desert. www.encorehighschool.com. Where arts and academics grow together. WASC Accredited. Copyright 2020.