Carson City, Lyon and Douglas schools rated above and below standards in state report card

Nevada's school performance report card was released Thursday with three Carson City schools, three Douglas County schools, and two Lyon County schools earning above-the-standards recognition in the freshly released Nevada School Performance Framework data.

Hillside Elementary School in Storey County received a full 5-star rating. A list containing the scores for school's in these four counties is as follows:

Carson City
Above standards 4-star rating:
Eagle Valley Middle School
Carson Middle School
Fritsch Elementary

Meeting standards 3-star rating:
Bordewich Bray Elementary
Seeliger Elementary
Mark Twain Elementary

Below standards 2-star rating:
Empire Elementary
Fremont Elementary

Douglas County
Above standards 4-star rating:
Carson Valley Middle School
Gardnerville Elementary
Pinon Hills Elementary

Meeting standards 3-star rating:
Zephyr Cove Elementary
Meneley Elementary
Jacks Valley Elementary
Scarselli Elementary
Minden Elementary
Pau Wa Lu Middle School
Whittell Middle School

Lyon County
Above standards 4-star rating:
East Valley Elementary
Fernley Elementary

Meeting standards 3-star rating:
Silver Springs Middle School
Yerington Middle School
Riverview Elementary
Smith Valley Middle School
Smith Valley Elementary

Below standards 2-star rating:
Dayton Elementary
Yerington Elementary
Fernley Elementary
Dayton Middle School
Cottonwood Elementary School
Sutro Elementary
Silverland Elementary

Below standards 1-star rating:
Silver Springs Elementary

Storey County
Full 5-star rating:
Hillside Elementary

Meeting standards 3-star rating:
Galagher Elementary
Virginia City Middle School

(This list does not include charter schools or those presented as not applicable in the report. Visit NevadaReportCard.com for more information.)

The NSPF provides clear and concise information about how a school is performing on a scale from one star (not meeting standards) to five stars (superior). Developed by stakeholders, new policy descriptors for each star level emphasize equity and guide performance expectations. The new star ratings are built around the foundational three-star performance expectations where a three-star school must have all students meeting the state’s 2017 measures of interim progress or have high student growth. Points were assigned to measures so that approximately half of the total points possible are earned one of two ways: meeting the state’s 2017 measures of interim progress or by achieving at the 50th percentile of schools from the 2016-2017 school year. Maximum points are earned by meeting the 2022 long-term goals or by achieving at the 85th percentile of schools from the 2016-2017 school year.

The Elementary School cut scores are:

• One-star schools have an index score of zero to less than 27 (49 schools)
• Two-star schools have an index score of greater than 27 and less than 50 (113 schools)
• Three-star schools have an index score of greater than 50 and less than 67 (84 schools)
• Four-star schools have an index score of greater than 67 and less than 84 (72 schools)
• Five-star schools have an index score of greater than 84 and less than 102 (48 schools)

The Middle School cut scores are:

• One-star schools have an index score of zero and less than 29 (20 schools)
• Two-star schools have an index score of greater than 29 and less than 50 (43 schools)
• Three-star schools have an index score of greater than 50 and less than 70 (38 schools)
• Four-star schools have an index score of greater than 70 and less than 80 (17 schools)
• Five-star schools have an index score of greater than 80 and less than 102 (22 schools)

The full state-wide report can be found at NevadaReportCard.com

The new NSPF is built on different criteria from its previous release in 2014, realigning expectations to a national bar with more rigorous requirements. The new NSPF has a renewed emphasis on student growth, a commitment to students from all backgrounds succeeding and added measures of English language proficiency and school climate.

“The updated NSPF reflects the starting line on our path to becoming the fastest improving state in the nation while taking a holistic approach to measuring school performance against high expectations,” said Steve Canavero, Ph.D., Superintendent of Public Instruction. “The NSPF provides actionable information for the continuous improvement of our education system.”

High schools will earn only an index score and not receive a star rating until September of 2018 while the Department works with stakeholders to create the College and Career Ready Diploma and transitions the End of Course exams to common, district administered final exams.

Before high school star ratings are issued, NDE needs to balance two demands: compliance with federal law and the additional time needed to build out the College and Career Ready (CCR) index in a manner consistent with the new opportunities available to students under Assembly Bill 7 and the College and Career Ready Diploma pathways. The Department will remain compliant with the federal law by using a whole school index score but will need more time to fully develop the CCR index before issuing a Star rating.

However, there is a a bit of newly released information about the performance of Nevada’s high school students. According to the Nevada Dept. of Education, Nevada high schools posted their highest graduation rate ever at 80.85 percent for the Class of 2017—an increase of seven percentage points.

“This is great news for our high school graduates and Nevada’s new economy that is counting on our education system producing more skilled workers,” said Steve Canavero, Ph.D., Superintendent of Public Instruction. “We are actually ahead of our goals for graduation rates, another strong indicator that Nevada is becoming the fastest improving state in the nation.”

Nevada’s two largest school districts both outpaced the rest of the state with healthy gains:

• The Clark County School District (CCSD) graduated 83.22 percent – an increase of 8.34 points.

"Over the past five years, our schools and all of the people in them have been focused on the success of every student in every classroom,” said Pat Skorkowsky, CCSD Superintendent. “We are seeing yet again that hard efforts pay off with more students graduating this year prepared to succeed and contribute in a diverse global society. Congratulations to every employee who made this success happen."

• The Washoe County School District (WCSD) graduated 84.02 percent – an increase of 7.38 points.

“All of us at WCSD are working to ensure the academic success of our students on the path to graduation, beginning on the first day of pre-kindergarten and continuing through the last day of their senior year in high school,” said Traci Davis, WCSD Superintendent. “As educators, we know that every year spent in school is important. Our teachers, aides, principals, administrators, and staff members come to work every day and encourage our students to work toward their goals, stay on that graduation path, and achieve their dreams. WCSD posted outstanding results that show the resources we have worked so hard to establish are working effectively, and are providing our students with the support they need to succeed.”

Five other districts in the state showed double-digit gains from 2016:

• The Pershing County School District graduated 100 percent – an increase of 16.67 points
• The Churchill County School District graduated 73.26 percent – an increase of 13.56 points
• The Mineral County School District graduated 84.38 percent – an increase of 10.19 points
• The Humboldt County School District graduated 89.50 percent – an increase of 13.22 points
• The Lander County School District graduated 92.31 percent – an increase of 12.05 points

This is the seventh year Nevada has calculated the graduation rate using the adjusted cohort rate, which is required by the U.S. Department of Education. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort based on when a student enters the ninth grade; it is calculated using the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for transfer out students. While all states are calculating the graduation rate using the same formula, each state still sets its own requirements for students to earn a diploma.