With new accountability standards being implemented in the coming years for South Dakota education, Baltic High School principal Jim Aisenbrey assessed the school’s results at a school board meeting Nov. 12, speaking to early results from the “school performance index” (SPI).

The new system is effective this school year, essentially replacing No Child Left Behind. Aisenbrey outlined pre-secondary and secondary results for Baltic Elementary, Middle and High schools.

For elementary and middle school measurement two of the five instated “indicators” have gone into effect for this school year, Student Achievement and Attendance (see 7A infobox for definitions), while Academic Growth, Effective Teachers & Principals and School Climate will be implemented in fall 2014.

Baltic Elementary posted a 36 in math points and 34.23 in reading points, both out of 40 possible. As for attendance, the elementary students achieved a 19.39 score out of 20 possible.

Baltic Middle School posted a 34.43 in math points and 33.04 in reading points, as well as a 19.30 in attendance.

At the high school level, three indicators, Student Achievement, High School Completion and College & Career Ready, have been rolled out for the current school year, while Effective Teachers & Principals and School Climate will be implemented in fall 2014.

Achievement for Baltic High School was measured at 14.17 in math and 16.66 in reading, out of 25 possible in each. The graduation score was 24.22 out of 25, and readiness was measured at 7.50 in math and 8.75 in English, out of 12.5 points possible.

“I think the SPI results were what we expected,” Aisenbrey said. The scores this year were based on 50 percent Dakota Step scores, 25 percent ACT scores and 25 percent graduation rate at the high school level. “Once we received the Dakota Step results, we had a pretty good idea where we would end up score-wise.”

With the impending inclusion of new standards in the 2014-15 school year, the high school principal is planning ahead.

“I keep looking to the future to see what the final SPI scores will be based on,” he said. “These additional indicators will have a dramatic effect on the final score, so we still have some time to plot out a path that we want to take and develop a plan that we think will be most effective for us.”

For more information on the School Performance Index, visit does.sd.gov/secretary/spi.aspx.

INDICATORS
Pre-Secondary Level
--Student Achievement: Percent proficient and advanced in reading and math in grades 3-8 on state assessment
--Attendance: Measured by physical presence in classroom

Secondary Level
--Student Achievement: Percent proficient and advanced in reading and match in grade 11 on state assessment
--High School Completion: Graduation rate and completer rate factored
--College & Career Ready: Percent of ACT math sub-scores 20 or higher and English sub-scores 18 or higher