School Performance Profiles for schools across the state are expected to be made public today, about a month later than educators initially expected them.
The profiles were posted on an internal “preview” site for schools on Wednesday, according to an email sent to district superintendents Wednesday morning.
Today’s expected public posting, on paschoolperformance.org, will mark the second year the profiles are being used to measure academic progress of schools. The profiles give each school a single academic score based on test scores, growth of test scores, graduation rates and other factors.
They replace the single measurement system the state previously used to track achievement, which was adequate yearly progress based on scores of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams.
Last year, the academic profiles were released in the first week of October. They were delayed this year because of the review and correction process, according to the Department of Education.
Some school officials expressed skepticism that the delay was caused by district corrections, and instead suggested they were being held until the governor’s race concluded. The memo to superintendents came the morning after Gov. Tom Corbett was defeated in his bid for a second term.
“It’s scary to think that some of the conspiracy theories surrounding the release of this information may be true. This certainly adds to that notion,” said West Mifflin Area superintendent Dan Castagna.
“What a coincidence,” said Wythe Keever, spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association, of the timing of the release of the profiles.
Tim Eller, spokesman for the Department of Education, said the SPP release was not connected to the election.
“The election had no bearing on release of the SPP. Accuracy was and remains the sole reason for why the department provided schools with additional time to review and verify their data. There are nearly 120,000 teachers across the commonwealth whose evaluations will be impacted by this year's SPP. That is why accuracy is of paramount importance to the department,” Mr. Eller said.
The delay in the release of the academic profiles has held up the final ratings that were to be given to teachers for their performance in the 2103-14 school year. Under state law, classroom teacher evaluations were to be based for the first time in 2013-14 in part on student outcomes.
First Published: November 5, 2014, 5:09 p.m.
Updated: November 6, 2014, 4:19 a.m.
