W. Va. Code R. § 126-13-6

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 126-13-6 - School Accreditation

6.1. Through the direction and oversight of the WVBE, the accreditation system provides:

6.1.a. The criteria and procedures for verifying a school's A through F grade designation;

6.1.b. A process for assessing and reporting school adherence to Policy 2322, Policy 4110, W. Va. 126CSR99, WVBE Policy 4373: Expected Behaviors in Safe and Supportive Schools, hereinafter referred to as Policy 4373, and other appropriate policy and Code; and reporting schoolbest practices, efficiencies, and resource, facility, and capacity building needs.

6.1.c. A process for identifying and reporting school and classroom conditions and non-compliances that may be impacting (1) student learning and well-being and (2) overall effective and efficient operation of the school;

6.1.d. A system of school self-study through which strengths and weaknesses can be determined and from which local school improvement decisions can be made;

6.1.e. A method of promoting continuous improvement by aligning local school improvement processes, strategic planning, and the annual and cyclical accreditation reviews; and

6.1.f. A basis for determining rewards, supports, technical assistance, and intervention.

6.2. Measures and Levels. School accreditation ratings are determined by the A-F grading system as described in Section 5 of this policy. This is based on the premise that student outcomes are the primary measure of an effective school. A school's performance rating is calculated by the WVDE then transferred to the OEPA for verification through the accreditation process. Once verified, the performance level is approved by the WVBE and communicated to schools, school systems, and communities.

6.3. Principles and Processes.

6.3.a. Operating Principles. The school's performance grade is verified by the OEPA through annual and cyclical review processes. These processes assure parents and the general public that school A-F grades are an accurate representation of the school's overall quality. The verification processes are derived from W.Va. Code § 18-2E-5 requirements that the accreditation system monitor high quality standards and promote continuous improvement of all West Virginia public schools. The verification processes reflect the premise that every West Virginia school has the obligation to improve and to create school and classroom conditions that lead to student success. The accreditation processes will operate according to the following principles:

6.3.a.1. Focus on Student Performance. The accreditation processes focus all schools on creating those school and classroom conditions reflected in Policy 2322, used in the accreditation process to positively impact student performance.

6.3.a.2. Transparency and Clarity. The accreditation processes are based on clear and transparent expectations communicated in advance to schools and school systems. These expectations are outlined in the central tool of the accreditation process, the School Monitoring Report. This Report summarizes school compliance with Policy 2322, and other policy and Code requirements. Responses on the School Monitoring Report will be reviewed and validated through the annual and cyclical review processes.

6.3.a.3. Vehicle for Local Decision-Making. The annual and cyclical accreditation processes are designed and implemented to support local decision-making on how to change school and classroom conditions in ways that improve student performance and well-being. By using the School Monitoring Report, school faculties and Local School Improvement Councils, hereinafter LSIC, have a valuable method for reflecting on current practice, reaching consensus on improvement priorities, guiding the contents of the school strategic plan, and addressing non-compliances with policy and Code.

6.3.b. Review Processes. All West Virginia schools participate in annual and cyclical reviews managed by the OEPA under the direction of the WVBE.

6.3.b.1. Purposes of the Review Process. These annual and cyclical reviews are designed to (1) verify the school's annual performance grade, (2) provide feedback for local school improvement efforts, (3) verify compliance with core policy and Code, (4) document school best practices, and (5) identify efficiencies, resource, facility, and capacity building needs.

6.3.b.2. Annual Reviews. Each West Virginia school completes an annual on-line review using the School Monitoring Report. This report is used by the faculty to self-assess overall school quality as defined in Policy 2322 to document compliance with policy and Code, gather information on best practices, and identify school resource and capacity building needs. After review by the Faculty Senate and the LSIC and approval by the principal and local superintendent of schools, the report is submitted to the OEPA according to timelines established by the WVBE. The results submitted on the report regarding school quality and compliance with policy and Code is utilized by the OEPA to verify the school's performance grade. After the initial submission, the school annually updates the School Monitoring Report and uses the report as a source for identifying school strengths and weaknesses, determining improvement priorities, addressing non-compliances, revising the school strategic plan, and tracking progress during the four-year accreditation cycle.

6.3.b.3. Cyclical Reviews. At least every four years, all schools participate in an on-site review by an external team of educational professionals managed through the OEPA. This external review process assures the West Virginia Legislature and the WVBE that all schools are accountable to a common set of high quality standards, are complying with core policy and Code, and are fulfilling their obligation to continuously improve. The on-site review team assesses the accuracy of the school's electronic submission of the School Monitoring Report. The external team reviews the school strategic plan and supports local school improvement efforts by (1) examining school practices associated with Policy 2322 and providing feedback on school strengths and needs, (2) bringing public notice to school successes by documenting best practices, and (3) identifying any resource, facility, efficiency, and capacity building needs that may be impeding the school's capacity to improve.

6.3.c. Conditions Affecting Grade Verification. The annual and cyclical review processes determine if a school's A-F performance grade is an accurate representation of the school's overall quality and should be approved by the WVBE. There are three conditions affecting approval:

6.3.c.1. Unreliability of Performance Measures. The auditing processes examine school procedures for (1) administering the state student assessments; (2) recording dropout data and other data related to student graduation rate; and (3) measuring and reporting any other measure in the WVAS. This review is based on information gained from electronic analysis of student response patterns and investigations conducted by the WVDE prior to the audit, as well as the on-site review of school processes and procedures. Scrutiny of these areas ensures performance measures used to determine a school's accreditation grade are reliable. If it is determined that assessment results or graduation data have been significantly compromised, the OEPA recommends reducing the school's performance grade according to Section 6.3.d of this policy.

6.3.c.2. School Conditions that Significantly Impair Student Academic Success and Well-Being. During the auditing processes based on examination of the School Monitoring Report and/or onsite review, it is the responsibility of the OEPA to identify any conditions that are significantly impairing, or may, if not addressed, significantly impair student academic success and/or well-being as outlined in Extraordinary Circumstances, Section 8.2.f.1. For these conditions to impact a school's performance grade, the conditions must be pervasive and/or serious in nature.

6.3.c.3. Significant Policy and Code Violations. During the auditing processes, the OEPA identifies state policy and Code non-compliances and makes recommendations for corrective action. In cases where non-compliances are pervasive and/or deemed so serious in nature that they threaten the overall quality of school conditions and performance, it will be the responsibility of the OEPA to notify the WVBE and to make recommendations on school corrective action.

6.3.d. Circumstances for Modifying Grades. Modification of a school performance grade is considered only when there are school conditions so serious that the WVBE determines the existing performance grade would be a misrepresentation of the school's overall quality. The WVBE intends that such circumstances be rare and occur only when there is evidence that one of the following three circumstances exist:

(1) The school has failed to follow procedures outlined in Section 6.3.c.1 that guarantee accuracy of student performance assessments, graduation rates, and/or other measures in the WVAS. In this case, the school's performance grade is designated an F rating, regardless of the grade established through the WVAS.

(2) The OEPA finds conditions within the school outlined in Section 6.3.c.2. of this policy. These conditions are egregious and may require WVBE direct or indirect intervention in the operation of the school. In this case, the school's performance grade is designated an F rating, regardless of the grade established from the WVAS.

(3) If during the auditing processes, the OEPA finds circumstances outlined in Section 6.3.c.3. of this policy and the school does not take appropriate corrective action as directed by the WVBE and/or fails to meet the timelines established by the WVBE, then the WVBE modifies the grade accordingly and in no case will the grade be higher than a C.

6.4. School Responsibilities for Accreditation. In order for accreditation processes to fulfill purposes outlined in W.Va. Code § 18-2E-5, to impact student performance levels and to improve school quality, each West Virginia school must determine productive and meaningful ways to integrate accreditation processes into continuous improvement efforts. To that end, the school is responsible for the following:

6.4.a. Develop Knowledge of Policy 2322. The accreditation process is built from standards derived from Policy 2322. All school faculty and members of the LSIC need sufficient knowledge of these standards in order to participate effectively in the school self-assessment process and in the annual and cyclical reviews. Methods for developing understanding of these standards are determined by the school.

6.4.b. Complete the School Monitoring Report. Results recorded on the Report are derived from staff and LSIC perceptions. The results are intended to be derived from meaningful discussions among the principal, staff and LSIC members. How time is scheduled for such discussions and the processes used for reaching consensus are determined locally through the leadership of the principal. The responses recorded on the Report are submitted to the OEPA as one basis for the annual and cyclical reviews and for school performance grade verification.

6.4.c. Develop the Strategic Plan. Development of the electronic strategic plan is a collective and collaborative process led by the principal. The staff(1) analyzes student performance data and determines priorities, (2) evaluates school and classroom quality through the School Monitoring Report and other locally determined tools and processes, (3) determines appropriate improvement strategies to impact student performance and well-being, and (4) outlines these strategies in the electronic school strategic plan.

6.4.d. Implement the Strategic Plan. The school implements improvement efforts using action steps and monitoring processes outlined within the school strategic plan. The school annually modifies and adjusts the Strategic Plan as new data and information dictate, including information gleaned from the School Monitoring Report. During the on-site review process, the development and implementation of the plan is examined.

6.4.e. Participate in the On-Site Review Process. The on-site review is a culminating activity designed to verify the school's performance grade and verify the quality of school conditions as reported on the School Monitoring Report. The review process also provides feedback for future school improvement efforts and development of the school strategic plan. School responsibilities during the on-site review are:

6.4.e.1. Prepare for Review. Prior to the cyclical on-site review, the principal is responsible for preparing the staff for productive involvement in the review process with materials provided by the OEPA. One month prior to the scheduled review, the school staff updates the School Monitoring Report to document and summarize the school's overall progress. The principal prepares the staff and stakeholders for the on-site review, including orientation to the logistics, responsibilities, and expectations associated with the process.

6.4.e.2. Participate in Review. During the on-site review process, the principal, school staff, and appropriate stakeholders participate in processes to authenticate the School Monitoring Report. This authentication occurs through (1) review and/or observation of school activities, functions, and materials, (2) interviews of staff, students, and stakeholders, and (3) scrutiny of existing data bases related to student performance and high quality learning conditions

6.4.e.3. Participate in Exit Conference. At the conclusion of the school on-site review, the principal participates in an exit report as part of the school system exit conference. As feasible, other school personnel may attend. (See Section 7.3.c.4. of this policy).

6.4.e.4. Address Review Findings. Once the on-site accreditation review report is finalized, the information and recommendations contained in the report become a part of the school self-study for the ensuing improvement cycle. The principal is responsible for sharing and discussing the report with the school staff and LSIC and for using the report in the development or revision of the school strategic plan. If findings are identified in the final report, the principal must work with staff to determine how the deficiencies are to be corrected according the timelines established by the WVBE.

6.5. County Board of Education Responsibilities for School Accreditation. It is intended that the accreditation process be a method for local boards of education to improve school quality and student performance. Thus, the county board of education through the county superintendent of schools must exercise leadership and provide appropriate support to accomplish this intent.

6.5.a. Implementation. It is the responsibility of the county board of education through the superintendent, to direct, support, and monitor school responsibilities for the accreditation process. The specific responsibilities are:

6.5.a.1. Develop Understanding of Accreditation Processes. The school system is responsible for implementing a professional development process by which principals, teachers, and appropriate stakeholders become knowledgeable of accountability and accreditation processes. The professional development must advance staff knowledge of accountability measures on which school grading is based, procedures for school accreditation, and effects of school and classroom conditions on student performance. Resources for the professional development include Policy 2320, Policy 2322 and the OEPA School Monitoring Report.

6.5.a.2. Establish Local Direction. It is the responsibility of the school system to develop and communicate (1) procedures for local implementation of the school accountability and accreditation processes and (2) expectations regarding the improvement of student performance and school quality.

6.5.a.3. Monitor School Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of the school system to monitor individual school implementation of accreditation processes including the following:

6.5.a.3.A. Completion of the annual School Monitoring Report according to requirements, including holding schools accountable for compiling the report in a collaborative process and basing responses on the perceptions of the school faculty and LSIC members.

6.5.a.3.B. Review and verify the accuracy of the School Monitoring Report.

6.5.a.3.C. Ensure school strategic planning processes consider the annual and cyclical feedback provided through the accreditation process.

6.5.a.3.D. Ensure that all audit review findings are sufficiently addressed according to the directives and timelines established by the WVBE.

6.5.b. Establish Supports and Expectations that Impact Student Performance. It is the responsibility of the county board of education to implement processes, provide supports, and develop expectations that ensure all schools achieve a C or above and all schools are improving. Those responsibilities are:

6.5.b.1. Develop instructional leadership skills of principals. Create expectations that all schools are student-centered and learning-focused.

6.5.b.2. Support school continuous improvement and strategic planning processes as outlined in Section 9 of this policy so each school has structures in place for collective self-assessment and goal setting that lead to improved performance.

6.5.b.3. Implement school-based professional development programs that address the unique needs of staff and students.

6.5.b.4. Differentiate support and resources to individual schools according to performance grades, ensuring that all students in the school system have equitable opportunities for success.

6.6. OEPA Responsibilities for School Accreditation. It is the responsibility of the OEPA to provide schools with the tools, information, and feedback necessary for effective participation in the annual and cyclical review process.

6.6.a. Tools. The OEPA will provide each school the tools necessary for participation in the accreditation process, including the electronic School Monitoring Report and orientation materials for participation in the on-site review.

6.6.b. Information. The OEPA will provide documents and offer supports that develop understanding of the accreditation process including:

(1) informational brochures on the accreditation system,

(2) local and/or regional professional development offerings,

(3) regular electronic updates, and

(4) guidance on accreditation processes and procedures.

6.6.c. Feedback. The OEPA will provide feedback to individual schools based on the annual and cyclical review processes. This will include:

(1) strengths and weaknesses related to Policy 2322, compliance with policy and Code, recognition of best practices, and assessment of resource, facility, efficiency, and capacity building needs;

(2) communication of any recommendations or findings resulting from annual or cyclical reviews; and

(3) identification of circumstances that may impact modification of the school's performance grade.

W. Va. Code R. § 126-13-6