G.S. 115C-83.15 — Read to Achieve

Plain English summary

This law tells the State Board of Education how to calculate and assign letter grades (A–F) to every public school in North Carolina based on student test scores (80%) and student growth (20%). Schools are also required to report separate scores for student subgroups such as children with disabilities and English learners, and all of this information must be publicly accessible on the DPI website in an easy-to-read format.

Key requirements

• The State Board of Education shall award school achievement, growth, and performance scores and an associated performance grade as required by G.S. 115C-12(9)c1. (G.S. 115C-83.15(a))
• School achievement score is calculated by awarding one point per percent of students scoring at or above proficient on annual assessments in math, reading, and science for grades 3–8, and on specified end-of-course tests for grades 9–12 (G.S. 115C-83.15(b))
• School growth score shall be calculated using the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) (G.S. 115C-83.15(c))
• Overall school performance score combines achievement score (80%) and growth score (20%), converted to a 100-point scale to determine an A–F letter grade (G.S. 115C-83.15(d))
• Performance grades must follow a fixed scale: 85+ = A, 70+ = B, 55+ = C, 40+ = D, below 40 = F, and no 'plus' or 'minus' designations are permitted (G.S. 115C-83.15(d))
• The State Board shall establish minimum subgroup sizes and calculate separate performance scores and grades for economically disadvantaged students, major racial and ethnic groups, children with disabilities, and English learners (G.S. 115C-83.15(d1) and (d2))
• Subgroup performance scores and grades must be reported separately on the annual school report card, including current-year and two prior years of achievement scores, statewide averages, gap comparisons, and identification of schools closing or widening achievement gaps (G.S. 115C-83.15(d3))
• Elementary and middle school reading and math achievement scores must be reported separately on the annual school report card (G.S. 115C-83.15(e))
• For high schools, career and college readiness scores must be reported on the annual school report card (G.S. 115C-83.15(e1))
• The State Board shall designate each school as having met, exceeded, or not met expected growth, displayed clearly on the annual report card (G.S. 115C-83.15(f))
• Beginning with data from the 2017–2018 school year, DPI must provide user-friendly public access to annual report cards through its website, prominently displaying performance grades, growth designations, and multi-year comparisons (G.S. 115C-83.15(g))

Affected parties

• State Board of Education (must comply — calculates and assigns scores and grades)
• Department of Public Instruction (must comply — publishes report cards on its website)
• Local school administrative units and individual schools (must comply — subject to grading and public reporting)
• Children with disabilities (benefit — separate subgroup performance scores and gap reporting)
• Economically disadvantaged students (benefit — separate subgroup reporting)
• English learners (benefit — separate subgroup reporting and proficiency progress points)
• Parents and the general public (benefit — access to school performance data online)

Advocacy note

Children with disabilities are an explicitly named subgroup under G.S. 115C-83.15(d1)(3), meaning every school with a sufficient number of students with disabilities must receive its own separate performance score and grade — and the State Board must publicly identify whether that school is closing or widening the achievement gap for that subgroup, giving parents and advocates a concrete, school-level accountability tool beyond IEP meetings.

Official source

https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_115C/GS_115C-83.15.pdf