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2007 NCLB-Blue Ribbon Schools Named (10/2/07) ___________ |
 |
| • Overview
• Assessment Requirements • Process and Timeline • USDE Program Web Site |
• Frequently
Asked Questions • Qualifying Test Scores • Additional Guidelines • Previously Recognized Schools |
To Apply for the 2008 Program
|
To reward successful schools, the U.S. Department of Education established the No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program to honor those elementary and secondary schools in the United States that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at very high levels. The program recognizes and presents as models both public and private elementary and secondary schools that meet either of two assessment criteria.
First, it recognizes schools that have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and have dramatically improved student performance to high levels in reading (language arts or English) and mathematics on state assessments or assessments referenced against national norms in at least the highest grade tested in the last year tested. Second, it recognizes schools, regardless of their demographics, that are in the top 10 percent of schools as measured by state tests in both reading (language arts or English) and mathematics or that score in the top 10 percent on assessments referenced against national norms at a particular grade in at least the highest grade tested in the last year tested.
These Blue Ribbon Schools are honored at a Washington, DC ceremony. In addition, the winning applications are posted on the Department website. The Secretary may identify educational practices that have been successful in closing the achievement gap.
A private school can be recognized as a No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon School in one of two ways: Dramatic Improvement or Top 10 Percent.
Dramatic Improvement: A school has at least 40 percent of its students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have dramatically improved their performance in at least the past three years in reading (verbal for SATs or PSATs) and mathematics, and are achieving at high levels.
A student from a “disadvantaged background” is defined as one who is eligible for free or reduced-priced meals at the school, is limited English proficient, is a migrant student, or is a student receiving services under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. “Dramatically improved” is defined as an increase of at least one-half standard deviation over at least three years and includes the disadvantaged students as shown by disaggregated data. “High levels” is defined as student achievement in at least the highest grade tested in the last year tested at or above the 60th percentile of schools on assessments referenced against national norms at a particular grade, or at or above the 60th percentile of schools on state tests. If a private school administers state tests and nationally normed tests, the school must be at or above the 60th percentile in both.
Top 10 Percent: Regardless of the school’s demographics, it may be recognized if its students achieve at the highest levels, that is, if the school is either (a) in the top 10 percent of the schools in the nation in reading (verbal for SATs or PSATs) and mathematics in the last grade tested, as measured by an assessment referenced against national norms, or (b) in the top 10 percent in its state as measured by a state test in at least the last grade tested. If a private school administers state tests and nationally normed tests, the school must report both sets of test results and be in the top 10 percent in both. In other words, such schools must qualify under state standards and national standards.
For schools using national standardized tests, the U.S. Department of Education has published tables of cutoff scores that place a school in the top 10 percent of schools in the nation. You can download the tables here in Word or PDF format. Schools using state standardized tests will have to find out from their state education department whether their scores place them in the top 10 percent of schools in the state. Click here for a PDF list of state contacts. Whether a school uses national or state tests or both, the top 10 percent criterion must be met in both reading (verbal for SATs and PSATs) and math scores for the most recent year tested in the highest grade-level at which the tests are administered in the school.
New for the 2008 Program: Private schools must submit at least three years of testing data for each grade tested and up to five years of testing data if such data are available. If the school had fewer than 10 students in any grade tested during the three most recent years of testing, it is NOT eligible to apply for the program. If a private school is submitting data for nationally normed assessments, it should use CAPE’s format for reporting those scores.
For private schools, this supersedes what is in the USDE application.
| By November 1, 2007 | School officials download (1) CAPE's Procedures for Private Schools and (2) the NCBL-BRS application in Word or PDF format. |
| By November 1, 2007 | School officials use CAPE's online registration form to register for the program. Schools not registered by November 1 are not eligible to apply. |
| By December 3, 2007 | School officials submit two paper copies of the application (no electronic copies needed at this stage) and the required assessment verification document(s) to CAPE for review and comment. (CAPE must receive the application by 5 p.m., December 3.) Click here for CAPE's mailing address. |
| By January 18, 2008 | CAPE's review panel selects 50 schools to nominate for the award and advises applicants accordingly. Nominated schools receive feedback on how to improve their applications. |
| By January 31, 2008 | School officials from nominated schools submit two paper copies of the final application to CAPE, as well as an electronic copy (instructions will be provided at the time). (CAPE must receive all applications by 5 p.m., January 31.) Click here for CAPE's mailing address. |
| By February 15, 2008 | CAPE delivers no more than 50 private school applications to the U.S. Department of Education. |
| September 2008 | Secretary Spellings announces the 2008 No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon Schools. |
| Fall 2008 | Ceremony takes place in Washington, DC, to honor the No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon Schools. |
The U.S. Department of Education has published tables of cutoff scores for standardized tests that school officials can use to determine whether their school ranks in the top 10 percent of schools in the nation. You can download the tables here in Word or PDF format. Cutoff scores are available for the following tests:
ITBS/ITED (Forms A,B), Riverside Publishing
ITBS/TAP (Forms K,L,M), Riverside Publishing
SAT – 9th Ed (Form S), Harcourt Educational Measurement
SAT – 10th Ed, Harcourt Educational Measurement
MAT 8 , Harcourt Educational Measurement
Terra Nova (All Forms) , CTB/McGraw-Hill
CTP III, Educational Records Bureau
CTP IV, Educational Records Bureau
SAT, College Board
PSAT, College Board
ACT, ACT
PLAN, ACT
If a school's nationally normed testing program is not listed above, the school is not eligible for the NCLB-BRS program unless it administers, and qualifies using, state tests.
In cases where state tests are administered, a school should contact the state education department to find out what scores in reading and math put it in the top 10 percent of schools in the state. Click here for a PDF list of state contacts.
1. Read and follow the directions in the application packet carefully. Pay attention to the technical specifications. When CAPE's review panel evaluates applications in an effort to narrow the field to the allotted 50, it eliminates applications that do not comply with the program's rules and specifications.
2. The program is looking to identify truly exemplary model schools, not just good schools or strong schools. Your responses to the questions must convey programs and practices that are well above the ordinary.
3. Periodically check the Frequently Asked Questions section of CAPE's Web site
4. Proofread and edit the application. Someone with a solid background in writing should do the final edit.
5. We welcome your phone calls (301-916-8460), faxes (301-916-8485), or e-mail inquiries (brs@capenet.org) concerning any aspect of the application process. One of our goals at CAPE is to help private schools receive recognition as No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon Schools!
6. When you get your superintendent (e.g., for Catholic schools) and/or school board president to sign the cover sheet, have them sign a few extra copies, so you will have an original signed cover sheet if you are invited to submit a revised application by January 31.
7. All data for parts II and VI of the application should be for the current school year or the most recent year available.
8. Here are some points to review in connection with part II of the application:
9. Examples of responses to particular questions may be found in the applications of winning private schools for 2003-07. Click here to review those applications on the USDE Web site.
10. Avoid using the first person (we, our, etc.) in the narrative.
11. NEW FOR 2008: Private schools reporting nationally normed tests MUST use the reporting format provided by CAPE. Click here to download the sample filled-in format as a PDF file. Click here to download a blank table that you can complete in Word.
12. NEW FOR 2008: Schools that have grades with 9 or fewer students in any grade for which test scores are reported for the past three years are not eligible to apply.
13. NEW FOR 2008: The narrative answer to Part V, Question 1 must communicate compliance with the foreign language requirements that apply to grades 7 and higher.
14. NEW FOR 2008: Pay attention to the rounding rule at the top of page 10 of the application and the exception for ACT and PLAN tests on page 15.
General
What is the maximum number of schools that CAPE can nominate to the USDE for recognition?
Fifty.
What if CAPE receives more exemplary applications from qualifying schools than it can nominate?
The CAPE review panel will narrow the field to 50 by eliminating applications not in compliance with the requirements of the program (including technical requirements) and by evaluating the quality and responsiveness of the essay questions. (Download the scoring guidelines that reviewers used for the 2007 program. Guidelines for the 2008 program will be similar though not identical.) CAPE will give preference to schools that qualify in the "dramatic improvement" category. We will also give preference to schools that applied in previous cycles of the NCLB-BRS program but were unsuccessful because of technical violations.* After that, all applications of eligible schools that meet the requirements of the program and that provide exemplary responses to the essay questions will be pooled, and nominated schools will be selected randomly.
*To receive this preferential treatment, schools that fall in this category should attach a note to the application to let CAPE know that the application is a second try. The note should indicate the year and violation of the initial application.
Must a school have a minimum enrollment to apply?
Schools that have an enrollment of 9 or fewer students in any grade for which test scores are reported for the past three years are not eligible to apply. The U.S. Department of Education has advised state education departments not to nominate schools with 9 or fewer students in grades for which test results are being reported. In small sample groups, one or two students can dramatically affect group averages.
May a K-12 school apply to have only part of its school recognized (e.g., the elementary division or the middle school division)?
That depends on how the school is configured and managed. If the school has separate administrators for its lower, middle, and upper divisions, it may submit a separate application for each division. However, if a school has only one administrator, it must apply as a unit. The rule of thumb is whether or not the public would be able to understand that only a particular unit of the school, and not the entire school, received the award.
If a school received the NCLB-BRS award in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007 may it apply for the 2008 award?
No. Lists of those schools are available here.
May a new school apply?
A nominated school must be in existence with its current grade configuration for at least five full years, that is, since September 2002.
Foreign Language Requirement
Must a school offer a foreign language program in order to qualify?
If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it must have a foreign language program in those grades as part of its core curriculum. Compliance with the foreign language requirement must be communicated as part of the response to Question 1 of Part V.
What standard is used to determine if foreign language is part of the core curriculum in grades 7 and higher?
The U.S. Department of Education has determined that for foreign language to be considered part of the core curriculum, it must be taught for the entire year to the same group of students. The department no longer has any requirements regarding the percentage of students that must take foreign language in each grade or the amount of time foreign language must be offered. CAPE considers foreign language to be part of the core curriculum in grades 7 and higher if foreign language instruction is given throughout the year for at least 30 minutes per week to at least 20 percent or more of students in each grade. Programs offered outside the regular school day are not part of the core curriculum. If you have questions about whether your school meets this requirement, please send an e-mail message to CAPE (brs@capenet.org) describing the program in detail (e.g., what percent of students in grade 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 take the program; how many periods per week; how many minutes per period). If need be, we will forward your e-mail to the U.S. Department of Education for guidance. Please be sure to resolve this issue before applying for the award. A number of schools were disqualified in past years because they failed to meet the foreign language requirement.
What assessment verification must schools submit to CAPE?
Depending on how they qualify for the program, schools must include with their initial applications the following information:
Top 10 Percent in Nation: A copy of the one-page printout from the testing publisher that identifies the school's scores in reading (verbal for SATs and PSATs) and math for the most recent year tested in the highest grade tested. (Note: A school must submit, as part of the application, testing data in reading and math for all grades tested for the past five years. We suggest using CAPE's sample format when submitting this data. (Note: Starting 2008, private schools reporting nationally normed tests MUST use the reporting format provided by CAPE.) But the assessment verification is an additional one-page document that applies only to the highest grade tested in the most recent year tested. Attach the one-pager to the very end of your application.) High schools using SAT and ACT scores from multiple testing dates should call CAPE regarding assessment verification.
Top 10 Percent in State: A copy of the one-page printout from the state education department that identifies the school's scores in reading and math for the most recent year tested in the highest grade tested. The school must also provide evidence from the state education department that the scores reported for the highest grade tested in the most recent year tested place the school in the top 10 percent of schools in the state in both reading and math.
Dramatic Improvement for Schools Serving Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds: A copy of printouts from the testing publisher that verify the "high levels" of performance (see definition above) and the one-half standard deviation of improvement over at least three years.
Other Assessment Issues
Does CAPE have a format that schools must use for reporting nationally normed test scores?
Yes. If a private school is submitting data for nationally normed assessments, it must use CAPE’s format for reporting those scores. The CAPE format replaces the format identified on page 17 of the application. (Private schools submitting state normed tests should continue to use the format found on page 16 of the application.) Examples of CAPE’s format filled in for various subgroup scenarios (i.e., no subgroups, subgroups with less than 10 students, subgroups with 10 or more students) are available in PDF format here. CAPE also has a blank Word table that can be used to report testing data. Schools should customized the Word table by inserting, in the appropriate spaces, the name of the school, the names of any subgroups (if applicable), the names of the tests and subject areas, month of testing, etc.). The completed table(s) should be attached to the end of the application.
Does a school have to meet or exceed the cutscores for every grade tested in the five years for which test scores are being reported?
No. Even though a school must report three years of reading and math scores for every grade tested (and five years, if available), the only scores that must meet or exceed the cutscores are the scores for the highest grade tested in the most recent year tested. Other scores for other grades and other years must be in the general vicinity of the cutscores, but need not meet or exceed them.
If a school is in a state that requires private schools to take state tests, should the school use nationally normed tests or state tests to qualify for the program?
If a private school administers state tests and nationally normed tests, the school must report both sets of test results and be in the top 10 percent in both. In other words, such schools must qualify under state standards and national standards.
If a private school elects to, but is not mandated to, administer state tests in addition to national tests, must it report the state test results and meet the state test cutoff scores?
Yes.
Where can I find out what state tests to report, how to report them, and whether my school is in the top 10 percent of schools in the state?
For questions about state assessments, call your state department of education. Click here for a PDF list of state contacts.
If a school uses national standardized tests for which qualifying cutoff scores have not been determined by the USDE, is there any way it can qualify under the "top 10 percent in the nation" category?
We're sorry, but at this point there is not. If a school wishes to qualify under the "top 10 percent in the nation" category, it must use a test whose publisher has provided the U.S. Department of Education with qualifying cutoff scores.
Under what circumstances must a school disaggregate assessment data for certain groups of students?
The school must disaggregate the data (1) for students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals if such students make up 10 percent or more of students in the school and (2) for any minority ethnic/racial group that makes up 10 percent or more of the student body of the school. Do not, however, report results for any subgroups of nine or fewer students. CAPE has sample formats for reporting test scores under the following scenarios: a school without any qualifying subgroups; a school with subgroups that have nine or fewer students; a school with subgroups that have 10 or more students. CAPE also has blank Word tables for reporting testing data.
With respect to meal-eligible students, the school must disaggregate the data whether or not the school actually offers the federal school meal program. Show how all subgroups of students achieve at high levels or improved dramatically in achievement for at least three years. Explain any disparity among subgroups. Before you begin to disaggregate scores, please call CAPE for further guidance.
What specific data triggers the obligation to report disaggregated scores?
The percentages reported in questions 9 and 6 in Part II of the application. If the percentages for any group, other than the majority group in the school, are 10 or greater, the school is obligated to report disaggregated scores for that subgroup. The obligation is negated, however, in any grade where the number of students in the subgroup is less than 10.
Consider this example: School A has 300 students, and 12 percent of those students are eligible for free lunch. Officials in the school must report scores using CAPE’s Sample Format #2 or Sample Format #3 (the samples that include subgroups). If the number of free-lunch students in each grade is less than 10, officials should use Sample Format #3 to report test scores. If the number of free-lunch students is 10 or greater in one or more grades, officials should use Sample Format #2, omitting the scores in grades with less than 10 free-lunch students, while indicating that the number is less than 10. (The sample format shows how to do this.)
Even though a school qualifies for the program using test results in reading and math from the most recent year tested in the highest grade tested, does it still have to submit reading and math results from all the standardized state and national tests administered in all grades for the past five years?
Yes. If the school has testing data for five years, it must submit the data. At the very least, however, it must submit three years of testing data.
What if a school does not have three years of assessment data?
CAPE can only nominate schools that have at least three years of data.
May the assessment results reported by the testing company be adjusted to allow for special circumstances (e.g., by excluding the scores of a student who falls asleep during the test and thereby brings the group’s average down)?
No. The only scores that count are those reported by the testing company. The school may not make adjustments to these scores.
We are a high school, but ninth grade is the highest grade we test, may we use those scores to qualify for the program?
No. High schools may only use scores for tenth grade or higher to qualify.
Does the "top 10 percent" requirement mean that the school has to have been in the top 10 percent of all the schools in the nation or state for at least the past three years? Or could it be for the current year only?
The school must be in the top 10 percent for the latest year of the reported tests. Depending on when test results are available, the "latest year" may be the current one or it may be the previous year.
Does the "top 10 percent" requirement mean that the school has to demonstrate that all student groups in the school score equally well?
No. Schools may use aggregate scores. However, each student group for whom there are disaggregated data must achieve at close to the same levels as the majority students. For example, a school that is in the top 10 percent in the nation or state may have its economically disadvantaged group scoring slightly below the other students, but improving. This school would still qualify. However, a school that is in the top 10 percent in the nation or state that has its economically disadvantaged students scoring far below the other students would not.
Does the "highest grade tested" standard apply to K-12 schools? For example, would a K-12 school with test results for grade 11 (the highest grade tested in the school) in the top 10 percent qualify for the program or would the school have to qualify through its top grade in the upper division, its middle division, and its lower division?
The "highest grade tested" standard applies to K-12 schools. So, in the example above, the grade 11 test results would qualify the entire school, assuming that test results for the rest of the school were in the ballpark.
Can the school report the reading and math scores as a composite?
The reading (verbal for SATs and PSATs) and mathematics scores must be reported separately. That is, the schools whose applications are submitted by CAPE must achieve at the required levels in both mathematics and reading. For example, for a school to be recognized as being in the top 10 percent of the nation, it must be in the top 10 percent in both reading and mathematics.
If the results of the current year's assessments are not available at the application deadline, may the school use the previous three (five, if available) years' data?
Yes. The school should use at least the most recent three/five years of available data.
What if the nationally normed high school test used is the ACT or SAT?
At least 90 percent of the students in the appropriate classes must take either of the two tests before the results may be used. For example, 50 percent take the SAT and 40 percent take the ACT. If fewer than 90 percent take the tests, the results cannot be reported. The school has the responsibility to demonstrate that, in the aggregate, the students in a school achieve in the top 10 percent of the nation on these tests. If 40 percent of the students in the school are disadvantaged, the school must demonstrate that it has dramatically improved the performance of all students.
Should high schools submit PSAT or PLAN results?
If at least 90 percent of the students take some combination of the PSAT or PLAN, high schools must include the data for those tests.
If a high school has 90 percent or more or its seniors taking some combination of the ACT and SAT, must it submit those scores and must they meet or exceed the cutoff scores for the program.
Yes.
If a high school has its seniors take a standardized test other than the ACT and SAT but also has 90 percent or more or its seniors taking some combination of the ACT and SAT, must it submit both sets of scores and must they both meet or exceed the cutoff scores for the program.
Yes.
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