The State Board of Education developed the ABCs of Public Education in response to the School-Based Management and Accountability Program enacted by the General Assembly in June 1996. An accountability model for elementary and middle schools was implemented in 1996-97. The high school accountability model was implemented for the first time in 1997-98.

Using the ABCs models, state officials hold teachers and administrators accountable for how well their students perform on end-of-grade (EOG) tests in grades 3-8 and end-of-course (EOC) tests in some high school subjects. These standardized exams test content and knowledge from the NC Standard Course of Study, the state-mandated curriculum. One goal of the ABCs is to get teachers and students to focus on the " basics." Students in grades 3-8 are tested in reading, mathematics, and writing. Initially, high school students were tested at the end of 6 courses. Five more EOC tests were recently added so that now high school students are currently tested at the end of 11 courses.

The SBE and DPI set standards for improvement in test scores for each school in the state. Currently certified staff in schools that meet their exemplary growth or gain standard receive monetary bonuses of $1,500. Teachers' assistants in those schools receive $500. In schools that meet their expected growth or gain standard, certified staff receive $750 and teachers' assistants receive $375. Schools that do not meet their goals are designated as adequate performing if 50% or more of the students are performing at grade level. If schools do not meet their goals and have less than 50% of their students performing at grade level, they are designated as low performing. The 15 lowest performing schools receive state assistance teams of educators to help them improve their performance.

State officials determine a school's status based on 1) the percentage of students performing at or above grade level and 2) the value computed for meeting either expected or exemplary improvement in scores. The term " growth" is used to describe improvement in K-8 schools; the term " gain" is used to describe improvement in high schools.

In elementary and middle schools, the expected growth composite is based on three factors: statewide average growth, the previous performance of students in the school, and a statistical adjustment, the regression to the mean, that compensates for fluctuations that occur whenever test scores of students are compared from one year to the next. To set an exemplary growth standard, state statisticians factor in an additional 10% above the statewide average growth. The growth composites are based on two years of data for reading and mathematics and three years of data for writing. The performance composite (the percentage of students scoring at or above grade level) is based on the reading, mathematics, and writing data available for the current year.

Who's Responsible FOR THE ABCS? GOVERNOR Recommends education budget to GA Appoints majority of SBE members GENERAL ASSEMBLY (GA) Appropriates 70% total operating funds to schools Passes laws about teacher testing, teacher pay, etc. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (SBE) Governs public school system Directs State Superintendent & DPI staff DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (DPI) Implements GA & SBE policies Develops ABCs tests, analyzes/releases test results

For high schools, the expected gain composite is based on making improvement over the average performance of two previous classes of students in the tested courses. The exemplary gain composite requires that a school improve by a specific amount over the expected gain standard. Gain composites are based on three years of data for EOC tests and College Prep and College Tech Prep completion. The high school performance composite (the percentage of students scoring at or above Level III) is based on the EOC test data available for the current year.

Schools receive special designations and rewards based on the number of students they have performing at or above grade level and whether they meet or exceed their expected growth or gain standard. Table 1 lists the ABCs categories and the matching rewards and sanctions.4

The heaviest sanctions are for the 15 lowest performing schools, which receive a state assistance team for a year. Each assistance team is made up of three to five educators who are on leave from their local school systems. An educator can serve up to three years on the team. These educators must have certification for the subject and level in which they teach.

The team's mission is to help low performing schools assess and improve their teaching. Team members conduct needs assessments, mentor teachers, and build relationships within the school. The team also works with the staff to locate resources to help the school, develop a plan to improve performance, and assist in implementing the plan.

In addition, the assistance team evaluates the certified staff including the teachers, principal, and counselors to identify low performing staff who will then receive one-on-one training for the rest of the year. Last year principals were not formally evaluated by the assistance teams. But this year, the team will evaluate the principal and, like teachers, a principal found to be lacking can be put on an action plan and required to take a test. If a principal is non-cooperative, the team can recommend dismissal to the SBE. The team also ultimately reports on the school's progress to the SBE and DPI. If a school receives a low-performing designation two years in a row, then the principal can be fired, transferred or forced to accept a personnel remediation plan.