Future Ready PA Index

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is committed to providing information regarding implementation of its approved Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan and the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive, public-facing school progress report that increases transparency around school and student group performance.

As outlined in previous Future Ready updates, indicators fall into three main categories:

1. Statewide Assessment Measures
2. On-Track Measures
3. College and Career Ready Measures

The English Language Proficiency Indicator is one of two on-track measures, along with Chronic Absenteeism (reported as Regular Attendance), that also serves as federal accountability indicators. This indicator provides a view of English learner growth toward, and on-time attainment of, English language proficiency as measured by the ACCESS for ELLs. English learners are expected to attain proficiency in English within a six-year span; however, this timeline can be less depending on initial proficiency level. Performance on this indicator will be calculated and depicted for all schools that meet the minimum student group size of 20 eligible English learners.

Frequently-asked questions and answers for the English Language Proficiency Indicator follow.

What are the steps to establish the Statewide 2033 goal and yearly interim targets?
Like academic achievement and graduation rate, the ESSA requires states to set long-term and interim targets for English learner proficiency. The State baseline was calculated using 2 years of data: 2015-16 (to reflect new cut scores on WIDA’s ACCESS for ELLs assessment) and 2016-17. Pennsylvania set the long term 2033 goal by calculating half of the difference between the statewide baseline performance and one hundred percent. Interim targets were set by dividing the difference by the remaining number of years.

Individual School Improvement Target: Every school will be assigned an Individual School Target for English Language Proficiency rate, based on the overall state goals set for 2033 and each school’s individual baseline ELP rate. After assigning the 2033 goal for each school, yearly individual school interim progress targets will be established.

What are the steps to establish and calculate English language proficiency for students and schools?

Step 1: Setting individual student growth targets:
The expectation is that schools meet increasing targets for students making adequate growth toward, and on-time attainment of, English language proficiency.
Individual student growth targets will be calculated each year as follows:

• Use of ACCESS for ELLs composite scaled score and composite proficiency level
• School year 2015-2016 data was used as the baseline year to set student growth targets
• For students in their baseline year (first year in PA schools), determine attainment target year and attainment target composite scale score. For students past their baseline year, determine interim growth target. In both cases, targets are calculated based on the following table:

Growth Target

*SS= Scaled Score
*AT= Attainment Target

• Individual targets are based on the amount of growth made, and the remaining growth required, to attain proficiency by the target year.
• Individual targets are reset each year.
• Students in their baseline year do not have growth targets and are not included in school calculations.

Step 2: Setting Individual School Improvement Targets for ELP:

• Every school will be designated a School Target for the percentage of students achieving their individual English Language Proficiency targets; these targets are derived from the same calculation as the statewide goal – the difference between expected 2030 performance and current baseline, divided by the 13 years in between.
• To derive a baseline, the school must have at least 20 full academic year EL students within two of the years used for the baseline calculations.

Step 3: Calculating school performance for EL targets:
PIMS ACCESS for EL’s assessment results will be the data source for this indicator. The process for scoring students in each school are as follows:

• First year baseline students are not included in the calculation.
• Identify students who were enrolled for a full academic year and met their growth target or their target attainment level on or ahead of time. These students will count as 1 in the numerator of the calculation. Students do not count after they exceeded their targeted attainment year.
• Identify those students who did not make their growth target, or did not attain. These students will count as 0 in the numerator.

The formula for calculating English language proficiency is the following:

Numerator: Number of EL students, enrolled for a full academic year, who met their interim growth target or met their attainment level on or ahead of time.

Denominator: Number of students who are enrolled for a full academic year and have ACCESS scores from the current and previous school years.

How will school performance on EL proficiency be displayed on the Future Ready PA Index?

Performance will be displayed on the Future Ready PA Index to reflect the percentage of students who met their interim growth target or attainment. The English Learner Proficiency Indicator will be measured based on meeting the Statewide interim goal or the individual school improvement target as follows:
BLUE: Meets or Exceeds Statewide 2033 Goal
GREEN: Meets Interim Goal/ Improvement Target
RED: Not Meeting Interim Goal/Improvement Target

In addition to the Blue, Green, and Red Performance designations, year over year performance will be depicted by:

• An upward ARROW for an increase in performance from the previous year,
• A solid CIRCLE for maintaining the same performance from the previous year, or
• A downward ARROW for a decrease in performance from the previous year.

PDE developed an online, self-paced tutorial that offers a detailed explanation of the EL Proficiency Indicator.

Questions or comments on the PA Future Ready Index can be sent to ra-edfuturereadypa@pa.gov.

Thank you for your continued work with Pennsylvania students and your partnership in implementing the Future Ready PA Index.

An important component of Pennsylvania’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan is the creation of the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive, public-facing school progress report that includes a wide range of meaningful, evidence-based indicators. The Future Ready PA Index moves beyond a single, summative score to increase transparency around school and student group performance.

Each indicator within the Future Ready PA Index was selected based on extensive feedback from stakeholders across the commonwealth, along with careful evaluation of the practices and systems that tie to continuous school improvement.

Indicators fall into three main categories:

1. Statewide Assessment Measures
2. On-Track Measures
3. College and Career Ready Measures

This page provides additional detail and support on Grade 3 Reading/Grade 7 Mathematics Early Indicators of Success. This on-track measure reflects research on the relationship between student knowledge and skills in these grades and content areas and future academic success. It is important to note that this indicator does not require additional testing on the part of schools; rather, it is intended to validate, through appropriate public reporting, existing measures, already in place and in use, that can broaden conceptions of student achievement beyond statewide assessment systems.

This year, LEAs will have the option to report data from locally-identified assessment systems for Grade 3 Reading/Grade 7 Mathematics Early Indicators of Success. In identifying an assessment system for this measure, LEAs must take basic steps to evaluate the quality and sufficiency of evidence to support the use of the assessment and interpretation of its results. In addition, to ensure comparability and fairness, all students in the grades 3 and 7 cohorts across the LEA must participate in the same assessment. For more information on these standards and assurances, please review Guidance for Evaluating Locally Selected Measures for Use in the Future Ready PA Index for Grade 3 Reading and Grade 7 Mathematics (PDF).

Regardless of whether a locally selected assessment is reported for these indicators, all public schools must continue to administer PSSA assessments in English Language Arts and Math in grades 3-8, consistent with ESSA requirements. These PSSA scores and associated growth measures will also be reported via the Future Ready PA Index.

(This document is not to replace the PIMS Manual for coding.)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is committed to providing regular updates on the implementation of its recently approved Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan and the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive, public-facing school progress report that increases transparency around school and student group performance. This e-message is the sixth in a series to provide timely information on the transition to the Future Ready PA Index.

As outlined in previous Future Ready updates, indicators fall into three main categories:

1. Statewide Assessment Measures
2. On-Track Measures
3. College and Career Ready Measures

This e-message provides additional details and support on the Industry-Based Learning Indicator, one of six College and Career Measures.

The Industry-Based Learning Indicator is designed to evaluate how students are engaging in work- and classroom-based activities by 12th grade. Effective the 2017-18 school year, all LEAs must report in PIMS whether a 12th grader has met the requirements for the Industry-Based Learning Indicator. As with other data collections, school entities can enter and update student data for this indicator throughout the school year, up until the last collection period (typically June). Reporting requirements have not changed for students enrolled in PDE-approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Additional information regarding collection procedures, timelines, and technical instructions for submitting data are available in the 2017-18 PIMS User Manual, Vol. 1.

Table 1 illustrates the three options available to LEAs to meet the Industry-Based Learning Indicator requirements.

Table 1: Meeting the Industry-Based Learning Indicator

Frequently-asked questions and answers for the Industry-Based Learning Indicator are below.

What is the formula for calculating this indicator?

Numerator: Sum of the number of 12th graders¹ who achieved one or more of the following between 7th grade and 12th grade:

• Scored competent or advanced on Industry Standards-Based Competency Assessments;
• Earned at least one industry-recognized credential; or
• Completed a work-based learning experience

Denominator: Total number of 12th graders

In addition to this calculation, the Future Ready PA Index will report on each of the following:

1. Percentage of 12th graders in approved CTE programs who score competent or advanced on NOCTI/NIMS assessments
2. Percentage of 12th graders in approved CTE program as well as non-CTE 12th graders who earn at least one industry recognized credential
3. Percentage of 12th graders who complete a work-based learning experience

How will school performance be described and displayed on the Future Ready PA Index for the Industry-Based Learning Indicator?

For 2017-2018, this indicator will be displayed as an informational indicator, and will only be reported as a percentage of students who attained the target divided by the total number of students in the cohort.

Starting in 2018-2019, Performance Standards will be developed using the 2017-2018 data as a baseline to measure expected school performance levels. Results will be displayed as follows:

• BLUE for a school that exceeds the Performance Standard
• GREEN for a school that meets the Performance Standard
• RED for a school that does not meet the Performance Standard

In addition to the Blue, Green, and Red Performance designations, year over year performance will be depicted by:

• An upward ARROW for an increase in performance from the previous year
• A solid CIRCLE for maintaining the same performance from the previous year
• A downward ARROW for a decrease in performance from the previous year

Advanced on Industry-Based Competency Assessments (NIMS and NOCTI)

Beyond proficiency calculations, it is important to recognize advanced levels of academic achievement. The Department will calculate the percentage of 12th graders scoring advanced on Industry Standards Based Competency Assessments. This is the same measure as is included in the Industry-based Learning Standards, but only for those students who scored at an Advanced level.

Results will be reported as a percentage of students who attain advanced on the assessment.

Where can my school find additional information about industry-based learning experiences and the data collection requirements for reporting purposes?

PDE has provided an Industry-Based Learning Indicator Guidance Document below to assist schools in providing student work-based learning activities, as well as data reporting and monitoring requirements. PDE will develop additional resources made available on PDE’s SAS portal.

Introduction

Pennsylvania’s economic future depends on having a well-educated and skilled workforce prepared to meet the current and projected demands of a global, knowledge-based 21st century economy. To help meet this challenge, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is committed to ensuring all students in the commonwealth have access to high-quality learning opportunities that prepare them for meaningful engagement in postsecondary education, in workforce training, in career pathways, and as responsible, involved citizens.1 Regardless of their individual postsecondary plans, all students should graduate from high school with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to succeed in the workforce.

Industry-based learning experiences vary in structure, scope, and intensity with the common goal of providing students with the opportunity to connect academic and technical skills to real-world settings. Examples of industry-based learning include site visits, job shadowing, paid and unpaid internships, job training, job shadowing, mentorships, service learning, apprenticeships, or paid employment, among others.

High-quality industry-based learning experiences that are aligned to challenging academic and technical instruction have demonstrated positive short- and long-term impacts on students, helping them develop and enhance their career awareness, skills, and abilities while preparing for meaningful careers.² Research also suggests that work-based learning experiences are a strong predictor of adult employment success for students with disabilities.³

As part of efforts to improve alignment between education and the needs of business and industry, PDE has worked with partners to highlight recommended strategies and considerations for local education agencies (LEAs) – including school districts, charter schools, and career and technical centers (CTCs) – looking to start or expand work-based learning programs for students.⁴ The Department has also provided assistance to LEAs to ensure that these initiatives and activities are aligned to Pennsylvania’s Career Education and Work (CEW) Standards, established as required education for all students by the State Board of Education in 2006.⁵

Purpose

To underscore the importance of connecting students with experiences that connect academic and technical education with workforce demands, the Department included a measure of students’ Industry-based Learning experiences as part of the Future Ready PA Index, the commonwealth’s public-facing school progress report. 

Effective the 2017-18 school year, school entities report student-level data for the Industry- Based Learning Indicator in the Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS).⁶ This document provides guidance for data collection, monitoring, and reporting students for this indicator.

NOTE: PIMS reporting requirements for PDE-approved CTE programs has not changed.

Background

The Industry-Based Learning Indicator identifies the percentage of graduates who demonstrate meaningful engagement in exploration and preparation in industry-based technical skills within grades 7 through 12. The indicator is calculated based on the total number of 12th graders who meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Score competent or advanced on Industry Standards-Based Competency Assessments;
• Earn at least one industry-recognized credential; or
• Complete a work-based learning experience.

The indicator also aims to promote access and inclusion for career readiness activities for historically underserved students, including English learners, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, students of color, and students in nontraditional fields.⁷

Implementation

The Industry-Based Learning Indicator is designed to evaluate how students are engaging in work-based and classroom-based activities by the end of 12th grade. Recognizing that industry-based learning activities should be developed and sustained throughout a student’s secondary level education, the Department recommends that LEAs monitor students’ annual progress towards meeting the indicator as described below.

Note: Reporting requirements have not changed for students enrolled in PDE-approved CTE programs.

Effective the 2017-18 school year, all LEAs must report in PIMS whether a 12th grader has met the requirements for the Industry-Based Learning Indicator. As with other data collections, school entities can enter and update student data for this indicator throughout the school year, up until the last collection period (typically June). (Note: Additional information regarding collection procedures, timelines, and other technical instructions for submitting the data are available in the 2017-18 PIMS User Manual, Vol. 1.)

Table 1 illustrates the three options available to LEAs to meet the Industry-Based Learning Indicator requirements.

Table 1: Meeting the Industry-Based Learning Indicator

LEAs must implement and evaluate all activities counted towards the Industry-Based Learning Indicator with fidelity and rigor, as demonstrated by alignment to CEW standards. Activities should reflect meaningful engagement focused on achieving postsecondary success, that are responsive to the needs of communities and regions, and that are tailored to students’ personal interests and education plans. LEAs are advised to provide a variety of standards-aligned programs and activities, including work-based learning opportunities, to promote career awareness, preparation, readiness, and entrepreneurship. The Department also encourages LEAs to partner with their local workforce development boards (LWDBs), chambers of commerce, Occupational Advisory Councils (OACs), business and industry leaders, postsecondary institutions, and other community partners to connect to local, regional, and state workforce needs. An analysis of regional and statewide workforce data, including current and future projected openings and skills needs, may also inform programming.

Appendix A includes a list of activities, descriptions, and requirements that promote valid and reliable industry-based learning programs. While not exhaustive, these lists are meant to provide examples of activities and programs that are aligned with CEW Standards and would meet the criteria of fulfilling the Industry-Based Learning Indicator. In addition to being standards-aligned, industry-based learning activities should be individualized to each student’s interests and needs and should be designed to ensure that all students – including students with disabilities, English learners, and other traditionally underserved students – are able to access industry-based learning experiences to prepare them for meaningful postsecondary success.

Data Reporting and Monitoring

Data Reporting

LEAs are responsible for reporting individual student data into PIMS to verify which 12th graders met the Industry-Based Learning Indicator criteria. LEAs can submit data regarding students’ status for the Industry-Based Indicator throughout the school year, until the final PIMS collection window in June. (Additional information regarding collection procedures, timelines, and other technical instructions for submitting the data are available in the 2017-18 PIMS User Manual, Vol. 1.)

Reporting CTE Graduates

For students enrolled in PDE-approved CTE programs, reporting requirements have not changed. PDE will use existing CTE Domain templates in PIMS to identify graduates meeting the Industry-Based Learning Indicator criteria either by scoring competent or advanced on the NOCTI/NIMS assessment, earning an industry-recognized credential, or participating in a work-based learning experience.

1. NOCTI/NIMS Assessment – Students scoring competent or advanced on the NOCTI/NIMS will be identified by PDE via the Assessment Fact Template in PIMS. The Assessment Fact Template is a PDE-loaded table, as information is pulled from NOCTI/NIMS. (Reminder: LEAs do not need to enter this information into PIMS for CTE students since it is already reported.)
2. Industry-Recognized Credentials - This information is entered in Field 7 "Industry Credential Code" of the Student Industry Credential template. It is a 3-digit code, identifying the industry certification and the industry certification provider of the credential that the CTE student earned during the reporting period, as a result of the student’s enrollment in the program (CIP CODE) and as reported in Field 5 of the template. (Refer to Appendix Q of the PIMS User Manual (Vol. 2) for a complete list of valid values.)
3. Work-Based Learning Experiences – The LEA will identify students with work-based learning using the following fields in the CTE Student Fact template in PIMS:
   • Field 12 - Registered Apprentice Indicator
   • Field 13 - Internship Indicator
   • Field 14 - Cooperative Work Indicator
   • Field 15 - Job Exploration Indicator
   • Field 16 - Agriculture Experience Indicator
   • Field 17 - School-Sponsored Enterprise Indicator
   • Field 22 - Work-Based Experience Indicator as CTE Work-Based Learning

Reporting Non-CTE Graduates

LEAs will report students not enrolled in PDE-approved CTE programs as follows:

1. NOCTI/NIMS Assessment – Non-CTE graduates scoring competent or advanced on the NOCTI/NIMS will be identified by PDE, via the Assessment Fact Template in PIMS. The Assessment Fact Template is a PDE-loaded table, as information is pulled directly from NOCTI/NIMS. The LEA does not enter this information into PIMS.
2. Industry-Recognized Credential and/or Work-based Learning Experiences - Non-CTE graduates with these experiences will be identified using the following fields in the Student Award Fact Template for Non-CTE Industry-Recognized Credentials and Work-Based Learning Experiences:
   • Field 5 Award Type - Enter one of the following: "ICN" for Industry-Recognized Credential, or "WBL" for Work-Based Learning Experience.
   • Field 4 Award Code - Enter the unique code assigned to identify the subgroup that pertains to the credential or work-based learning experience, as listed below or refer to Appendix AM in the PIMS User Manual, Volume 2.

Table 2 - Non-CTE Work-Based Learning Experiences Codes

LEAs with both CTE- and non-CTE graduates will use a combination of the previous reporting methods. Graduates enrolled in PDE-approved CTE programs will be identified using the existing CTE Domain templates in PIMS; non-CTE graduates will be identified using the Assessment Fact Template or the Student Award Fact Template for Non-CTE Industry-Recognized Credentials and Work-Based Learning Experiences, as described above.

As with all PIMS data reporting, the LEA is responsible for assuring the quality and sufficiency of evidence provided. The PIMS administrator and chief academic officer at the reporting school entity are encouraged to consult the current PIMS user manual for additional information regarding the submission of data for purposes of state and federal accountability to the Department. By signing the assurances included within the Accuracy Certification Statement (ACS) provided during PIMS reporting, the school entity’s chief academic officer verifies the accuracy of the data reported by the school entity, the successful completion of student evidence/artifacts, and the quality of the program.

Monitoring

During statewide assessment monitoring and the evaluation of approved CTE programs, monitors may request documentation to verify the data reported. Monitors may request to see lesson plans/curriculum, course guides, and/or other applicable evidence to support the reported data.

When evaluating evidence provided by school entities, the Department reserves the right to request additional information and make determinations regarding the accuracy and quality of both the school entity’s documentation of evidence as well as the programs and activities counted as evidence of students’ successful attainment of the Industry-Based Learning Indicator.

Appendix A: Work-Based Learning Activities

Work-based learning provides an opportunity for students to reinforce their classroom learning, explore future career fields, and demonstrate their skills in a real-world setting. Listed below are common types of work-based learning activities, along with requirements to qualify for the activities. Guidance on selecting and implementing work-based learning models, as well as key terms and considerations, are available in the PDE Work-Based Learning Toolkit

Appendix B: Terms and Definitions

Apprentice – A person at least 16 years of age who is engaged in learning a recognized skilled trade through actual work experience under the supervision of a journeyman. The training should be combined with properly coordinated studies of related technical and academic subjects.⁸

Apprenticeship Program – A competency-based program that coordinates and integrates classroom instruction with a structured work-based employment experience designed for students, as defined in Chapter 4.⁹

Career and Technology Center (CTC)/Area Vocational Technical School (AVTS) – A public school that provides vocational-technical education to secondary school students, out-of-school youth and adults in a geographical area comprised and operated by one or more school districts and established under sections 1840-1853 of the School Code (24 P. S. § § 18-1840—18-1853).¹⁰

Career and Technology Education (CTE) – Programs under public supervision and control which provide an organized process of learning experiences designed to develop integrated academic and occupational skills, knowledge, attitudes, work habits, and leadership ability for entry into and advancement within various levels of employment in occupational areas of agriculture, business, marketing and distribution, health, home economics and trade, and industry and for participation in postsecondary education and training.¹¹

Career Education and Work (CEW) Standards – In 2006, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education established regulations (22 Pa. Code Chapter 4) establishing the state Academic Standards for Career Education and Work (CEW standards). In accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 4.12(5), career education and work is defined as "understanding career options in relationship to individual interests, aptitudes, and skills including the relationship between changes in society, technology, government, and economy and their effect on individuals and careers."¹² These standards describe what students should know and do, and provide measuring points at grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 in the following areas:

• Career Awareness and Preparation (Section 13.1);
• Career Acquisition (Getting a Job) (Section 13.2);
• Career Retention and Advancement (Section 13.3); and
• Entrepreneurship (Section 13.4).

Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code – A numerical coding of instructional programs developed by the U.S. Department of Education.¹³

Cooperative Education – A method of education for individuals who, through written cooperative arrangements between a school and employers, receive instruction, including required rigorous and challenging academic courses and related career and technical education instruction, by alternation of study in school with a job in any occupational field.¹⁴

Cooperative Vocational Technical Education – A planned method of instruction developed through a signed, cooperative arrangement among school representatives, students, parents, and employers in the community to provide students with an opportunity to alternate in-school academic and vocational technical instruction in entry-level, paid employment in an occupational field, in which the students total occupational work experience is planned, coordinated, and supervised by the school in close cooperation with the employer, as defined in Chapter 4.¹⁵

Cooperative Education Teacher-Coordinator – A certified professional member of the instructional staff responsible for administering the cooperative education program and/or work-based learning program and resolving all problems that arise between the school and the on-the-job activities of the employed student. The teacher-coordinator acts as a liaison between the school and employers for cooperative education programs or other work-based learning experiences.¹⁶

Fair Labor Standards Act – This act establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.¹⁷ Also see Appendix C.

Industry-Recognized Credential – A portable, industry-recognized credential validating that a student successfully demonstrated skill competencies in a core set of content and performance standards in a specific set of work-related tasks. The tasks and assessment must connect to workforce demands.

National Institute of Metalworking (NIMS) – This credentialing agency is a PDE-approved agency for student occupational competency testing in machining-related approved CTE programs and provides tests and student data for Pennsylvania. NIMS tests include both an online theory component and a performance component.

National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) – This testing agency is a PDE-approved agency for student occupational competency testing and provides job-ready tests and student data to Pennsylvania. NOCTI tests are composed of a multiple-choice component and a performance component. The online multiple-choice component measures the technical knowledge acquired by students. The performance component allows students to demonstrate their acquired skills by completing actual jobs using the tools, materials, machines, and equipment of the occupation.

Registered Apprenticeship Training Program – A program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor or the state apprenticeship agency in accordance with the Act of August 16, 1937, known as the National Apprenticeship Act (29 U.S.C. §50). A registered apprenticeship is conducted or sponsored by an employer, a group of employers, or a joint apprenticeship committee representing both employers and a union and contains all terms and conditions for the qualification, recruitment, selection, employment, and training of apprentices.¹⁸

Registered Apprenticeship – A training plan registered with the Apprenticeship and Training Council of the Commonwealth and evidenced by a certificate of registration or other appropriate document as meeting the apprenticeship standards of the council, as defined by Chapter 339.¹⁹

Teacher-Adviser – A certified professional member of the instructional staff responsible for administering the work-based learning program and resolving all problems that arise between the school and the on-the-job activities of the student. The teacher-adviser acts as a liaison between the school and other work-based learning experiences.

Appendix C: Work Guideline Requirements

The requirements described below apply to paid and unpaid work-based learning experiences. Additional information is available in the PDE Work-Based Learning Toolkit

Clearances

Employers participating in the program are required to obtain school volunteer background clearances. School volunteers are required to have a Pennsylvania State Police criminal history check, child abuse history certification, and if the mentor has resided in Pennsylvania for fewer than 10 years, a federal criminal history check. If the child interacts with other workers at the employer’s job site, only the assigned employee is required to have clearances if that employee remains in the immediate vicinity of the student and is identified as the responsible adult (PA Department of Education, n.d.).

Pennsylvania Child Labor Act

The Pennsylvania Child Labor Act was enacted to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of minors by forbidding their employment or work in certain establishments and occupations, and under certain specified ages. The Child Labor Act establishes the age limits, hours of employment and the prohibited occupations for students who are residents of the commonwealth.

The provisions of the Child Labor Act apply to all situations in which an employer-employee relationship exits, including all paid work experience as part of work-based learning.

Wages

Consideration must be given to whatever trainees or students participating in unpaid learning experiences might be considered employees with the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA). No single factor is determinative; it requires an analysis of the circumstances to determining if the student is or is not an employee. If the student is not an employee, then there is no entitle to minimum wage or overtime pay, in accordance with FSLA.

Factors meriting consideration include the following:

1. The extent to which training is tied to formal education program by integrated coursework or academic credit;
   
2. The extent to which training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is like that which would be given in a career and technical school;
3. The training is for the benefit of the trainees or students;
4. The trainees or students do not displace regular employees, but work under close supervision and complements the work of paid employees;
5. The employer that provides the training receives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees or students and, on occasion, his operations may even be impeded;
6. The trainees or students understand they are not necessarily entitled to a paid job after the training period and;
7. The employer and the trainees or students understand that the trainees or students are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.

More detailed information is provided in the resource, "Employment Relationship under the Fair Labor Standards Act" available at Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Association.

It is advisable to have the school solicitor assist in the preparation of a comprehensive school policy regarding potential liability in case of an accident or injury to a student participating in an unpaid worksite experience.

• If the student is paid by the workplace, the employer is responsible for all wages and taxes as well as liability and workers’ compensation coverage.
• If the school pays the student, the school district is responsible for all wages and taxes as well as liability and workers’ compensation coverage.
• If the student is unpaid, the school district is responsible for liability coverage.

¹ Pennsylvania’s state definition of "college and career readiness."

² C. Alfeld, et al., Work-Based Learning Opportunities for High School Students, National Institute for Work and Learning, February 2013.

³ What to Know about Work-based Learning Experiences for Students and Youth with Disabilities, Federal Partners in Transition, November 2015.

⁴ PDE Work-Based Learning​ Toolkit (PDF), November 2017

⁵ PA Career Standards, PA Department of Education.

⁶ 2017-2018 Pennsylvania Information Management System User Manual Volume 1 v.1.0

⁷ Nontraditional fields of work are those for which individuals from one gender comprise less than 25 percent of the individuals employed in each such occupation or field of work.

⁸ http://www.doleta.gov/OA/regdirlist.cfm

⁹ 22 Pa. Code § 4.12(5)

¹⁰ 22 PA Code § 4.3 Definitions

¹¹ 22 PA Code § 4.3 Definitions

¹² Pa. Code § 4.12(5)

¹³ https://nces.ed.gov/

¹⁴ Cooperative Education Guidelines for Administrators, PDE.

¹⁵ Cooperative Education Guidelines for Administrators, PDE.

¹⁶ Cooperative Education Guidelines for Administrators, PDE.

¹⁷ https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd

¹⁸ 22 Pa. Code § 339.31

¹⁹ 22 Pa. Code § 339.31

An important component of Pennsylvania’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan is the creation of the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive, public-facing school progress report that includes a wide range of meaningful, evidence-based indicators. The Future Ready PA Index moves beyond a single, summative score to increase transparency around school and student group performance.

Overview of the Future Ready PA Index Dashboard

The Future Ready PA Index is designed to provide clarity around specific indicators, including a subset of indicators that will be used in federal accountability determinations under Pennsylvania’s newly-approved ESSA Consolidated State Plan. Each Future Ready PA Index indicator was selected based on extensive feedback from education stakeholders from across the commonwealth, along with careful evaluation of the practices and systems that tie to continuous school improvement.

The Future Ready PA Index indicators are divided into three main categories, as listed below.

1. State Assessment Measures:
   
   • Percent Proficient or Advanced on PSSA/Keystone Exam (Mathematics/Algebra I*, Science/Biology, and English Language Arts/Literature*)
   • Meeting Annual Growth Expectations (PVAAS) (Mathematics/Algebra I*, Science/Biology, and English Language Arts/Literature*)
   • Percent Advanced on PSSA/Keystone Exam (Mathematics/Algebra I, Science/Biology, and English Language Arts/Literature)
    
2. On-Track Measures:
   
   • English Language Proficiency* (NEW Indicator)
   • Chronic Absenteeism* (NEW Indicator)
   • Grade 3 Reading/Grade 7 Mathematics Early Indicators of Success (NEW Indicator)
    
3.  College and Career Measures:
   
   • Graduation Rate*
   • Career Readiness Benchmark* (NEW Indicator)
   • Industry Based Learning, including Industry Standards-Based Competency Assessments, High Value Industry Recognized Credentials, or Work Based Learning Experiences) (NEW Indicator)
   • Rigorous Courses of Study, including Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB)/College Course Offerings, or CTE Career Pathways
   • Post-Secondary Transition to School, Military, or Work (NEW Indicator)

*Indicators required for ESSA accountability (annual meaningful differentiation) and identification of schools in need of improvement.

The Future Ready PA Index uses four different approaches in scoring and depicting student progress and performance. The four approaches are as follows:

1. 2033 Goal and Targets (Achievement, English Learner Progress, and Graduation Rate)

ESSA requires states to set long-term goals for certain indicators. Pennsylvania has aligned federal accountability goals to 2033, resulting in 16 interim targets for the intervening years. The following process is used to establish the 2033 goals and set yearly interim targets:

Step 1: Set the Statewide 2033 Goal – Pennsylvania’s goal for each designated indicator is to reduce, by half, the statewide percentage of students not meeting the target (proficiency, language attainment, or graduation) by the end of the 2032-33 school year.
Step 2: Establish Statewide Interim Targets – Statewide interim targets reflect the annual progress required to meet the Statewide 2033 Goal.
Step 3: Assign Individual School Targets – Using the same methodology for Statewide goals, every public school will be assigned individual annual improvement targets based on: 1) the State’s 2033 All-Student Goal; 2) school-level baseline data, both all-student and by student group; and 3) the 16 years between baseline and 2033.

For indictors using the 2033 goal and targets approach, school performance will be depicted using one of three color-coded ranges:

• BLUE = Meets or Exceeds All-Student Statewide 2033 Goal
• GREEN = Meets Statewide Interim or School Target
• RED = Does not meet either the Statewide Interim or the School Target

2. Academic Growth Standard (Academic Growth)

The PVAAS Academic Growth Score presents the school’s impact on the year-to-year change in academic performance of groups of students in state-assessed content areas:

• English Language Arts: PSSA English Language Arts and Keystone Literature
• Math: PSSA Math and Keystone Algebra I
• Science: PSSA Science and Keystone Biology

PVAAS Academic Growth Scores will be depicted as follows: 

• BLUE = Exceeds the standard demonstrating growth 
• GREEN = Meets the standard demonstrating growth
• RED = Does not meet the standard demonstrating growth

3. Performance Standards (Regular Attendance and Career Standards Benchmark. Beginning n 2018-19, Industry Based Learning and Rigorous Courses of Study)

Performance standards are norm-referenced presentations of school performance. Using one year of data as a baseline, cut scores were set at the 75th and 25th percentiles. Performance at or above the 25th percentile cut score satisfies the minimal performance standard.

For indicators using the performance standard approach, school performance will be depicted as follows:

• BLUE = Exceeds the Performance Standard
• GREEN = Meets the Performance Standard
• RED = Does not meet the Performance Standard

4. Informational (Percent Advanced on State Assessments, Industry Based Learning, Advanced on Industry Competency Assessment, Rigorous Courses of Study, Postsecondary Transitions to School, Military or Work, and Early Indicators of Success)

Informational indicators will be reported as a percentage of students who attain the target (e.g., course enrollment, advanced level of achievement), divided by the total number of students in the cohort or group. State averages will also be presented for Advanced on State Assessments, Advanced on Industry Competency Assessment, and Postsecondary Transitions to School, Military, or Work.

Future Ready PA Index Indicators Summary Chart:

Questions or comments on the Future Ready PA Index can be sent to ra-edfuturereadypa@pa.gov.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is committed to providing regular updates on the implementation of its recently approved Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan and the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive, public-facing school progress report that increases transparency around school and student group performance. This e-message is the seventh in a series to provide timely information on the transition to the Future Ready PA Index.

As outlined in previous Future Ready updates, indicators fall into three main categories:

1. Statewide Assessment Measures
2. On-Track Measures
3. College and Career Ready Measures

This e-message provides additional details and support on the Rigorous Courses of Study Indicator, one of six College and Career Ready Measures. There is a strong body of research supporting the connection between enrollment in rigorous secondary coursework and postsecondary enrollment.1

The Rigorous Courses of Study Indicator represents the percentage of 12th graders who participated in at least one Rigorous Course of Study, defined as Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB)/dual credit, during grades 7-12, or were concentrators in a CTE program of study. Core content subject areas included in this collection are as follows:

•  Arts
•  English Language Arts
•  History and Social Sciences
•  Math and Computer Science
•  Science and Engineering
•  World Language and Culture

For students attending a Career and Technical Center (CTC) for a CTE program of study, credit will be provided to both the CTC and the sending local education agency (LEA). Similarly, an LEA that enrolls students in a high school-based CTE program while sending other students to a regional CTC program will be credited for both student groups.

1 Lucas, 1999; Perna, 2000; Speroni, 2011.

Future Ready PA Index

An important component of Pennsylvania’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan is the creation of the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive, public-facing school progress report that includes a wide range of meaningful, evidence-based indicators. The Future Ready PA Index moves beyond a single, summative score to increase transparency around school and student group performance.

Each indicator within the Future Ready PA Index was selected based on extensive feedback from stakeholders across the commonwealth, along with careful evaluation of the practices and systems that tie to continuous school improvement.

Indicators fall into three main categories:

1. Statewide Assessment Measures
2. On-Track Measures
3. College and Career Ready Measure

Consistent with the state’s ESSA plan, a subset of indicators, drawn from all three categories, will be utilized in federal accountability determinations and in identifying schools for additional support.

This page provides additional detail on the first category: Statewide Assessment Measures.

Statewide Assessment Measures Indicator

Statewide Assessment Measures include:

• Percent Proficient or Advanced on PSSA/Keystone Exam (English Language Arts/Literature, Mathematics/Algebra I, and Science/Biology)
• Meeting Annual Growth Expectations (PVAAS) (English Language Arts/Literature, Mathematics/Algebra I, and Science/Biology)
• Percent Advanced on PSSA/Keystone Exam (English Language Arts/Literature, Mathematics/Algebra I, and Science/Biology)

Indicators listed in bold above will be utilized in federal accountability determinations; for these indicators, PDE will utilize two years of data to ensure the strongest possible evidence for school improvement designations.

A detailed description of indicators, including data element descriptions and measurement rules, follows.

Percent Proficient or Advanced on PSSA/Keystone Exam
(English Language Arts/Literature, Mathematics/Algebra I, and Science/Biology)

This performance measure represents the percentage of all students, enrolled for a full academic year, scoring Proficient or Advanced on the:

• Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) in grades 3 through 8;
• Keystone end of course exams (for federal accountability, Pennsylvania reports students’ best score to date by 11th grade); and
• Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) in grades 3 through 8 and 11.

Beginning in 2017-18, federally-required provisions for assessment participation may influence proficiency calculations. It is important to note that there will be no change in how proficiency rates are calculated for schools that exceed 95 percent participation; in these cases, proficiency will be calculated based on the performance of tested students only. However, where participation rates fall below 95 percent, each subsequent non-tested student must be designated as non-proficient. For more information on ESSA-required participation rates, please view a webinar provided by PDE on January 30, 2018.

Specifically, the formula for calculating Proficiency or Advanced is based on the higher of the following:

# of students listed in the denominator who achieved proficient or advanced on the statewide assessment
95% of students enrolled in the school on the last day of the respective testing window

OR

# of students listed in the denominator who achieved proficient or advanced on the statewide assessment
# of test takers among students enrolled in the school on the last day of the respective testing window

Once proficiency rates are calculated, performance will be displayed in the context of two targets as required by the state’s ESSA Plan:

1. Statewide Interim Target – Under ESSA, every state was required to set long-term goals for student achievement. Pennsylvania’s goal is to reduce, by half, the statewide percentage of non-proficient students on state assessments by the end of the 2032-33 school year. This timeline will allow academic planning and programming to support a cohort of students across the full span of their public education experience, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Statewide Interim Targets represent the annual gain required to close these gaps.
2. Individual School Improvement Target – Every school will be assigned an Individual School Target for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, derived from the same calculation as the statewide goal – the difference between expected 2032-33 school year performance and current performance, divided by the 13 years in between.

To ensure transparency in public reporting, Future Ready will designate each school’s academic performance as follows:

Schools will be scored in one of three color-coded ranges:

• BLUE for a school whose performance Meets or Exceeds Statewide 2033 Goal
• GREEN for a school whose performance meets Statewide Interim or School Improvement Target
• RED for a school whose performance does not meet either the statewide Interim or the School Improvement Target.

Student Group Scores

ESSA requires states to disaggregate achievement and other data by student group, including economically disadvantaged students, English learners, students receiving special education services, and major racial and ethnic groups. Pennsylvania celebrates this facet of the law and has designed its accountability system to ensure maximum transparency around student group performance. Within each school, the performance of any student group that meets the minimum group size of 20 will be calculated and depicted as described above.

Meeting Annual Growth Expectations (PVAAS)
(Mathematics/Algebra I, Science/Biology, and English Language Arts/Literature)

The Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System (PVAAS) is a statistical analysis of Pennsylvania state assessment data and provides Pennsylvania districts and schools with growth data to add to achievement data. This lens of measuring student learning provides educators with valuable information to ensure they are meeting the academic needs of their students. Growth of groups of students is an indicator of the academic performance of a school.

PVAAS answers two basic questions about the performance of a school:

1. Did each group of students make growth in ELA (Grades 4-8), math (Grades 4-8), and science (Grades 4 and 8)?
2. Did each group of students make growth in the Keystone content areas (Algebra I, Literature, and Biology)?

The PVAAS Academic Growth Score presents the school’s impact on the change in academic achievement levels of groups of students from year-to-year in each of the state assessed content areas.

The PVAAS Growth Index will be converted to a 50-100-point scale for each of the following state assessed content areas for ALL students and each applicable subgroup (N > 20):

• English Language Arts: PSSA English Language Arts and Keystone Literature
• Science: PSSA Science and Keystone Biology
• Math: PSSA Math and Keystone Algebra I

The calculation of this Indicator is the same as past years, except for a change in the N count to 20 students. For more information on the PVAAS indicator, visit the PVAAS website.

The scoring for the PVAAS Academic Growth Score will be designated on the dashboard as follows:

• BLUE = Exceeds the Standard Demonstrating Growth
• GREEN = Meets the Standard Demonstrating Growth
• RED = Did Not Meet the Standard Demonstrating Growth

The PVAAS Academic Growth scaled scores and scoring of the measures will be displayed for the All Student Group as well as the ten subgroups.

Percent Advanced on PSSA/Keystone Exam
(Mathematics/Algebra I, Science/Biology, and English Language Arts/Literature)

Beyond proficiency calculations, it is important to recognize advanced levels of academic achievement. While not a federal accountability indicator, the Future Ready PA Index will report the percentage of all students scoring Advanced on a state assessment.

This performance measure represents the percentage of all students, enrolled for a full academic year, scoring Advanced on the:

• Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) in grades 3 through 8;
• Keystone end of course exams (for federal accountability, Pennsylvania reports students’ best score to date by 11th grade); and
• Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) in grades 3 through 8 and 11.