SCSC academic accountability report, 2021-2022

SCSC Academic Accountability Report 2021-2022
March 2023
State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia

Executive Summary

Executive Summary
Assessing State Charter School Performance
In 2016, the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (SCSC) adopted a Comprehensive Performance Framework (CPF) to set forth clear, quantifiable, rigorous, and attainable goals in the areas of academic achievement, financial viability, and organizational compliance. A school's performance on the CPF informs SCSC decision making over the course of the charter term and at renewal.
The academic portion of the CPF incorporates various components of the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI, Georgia's state accountability tool) and predictive indicators that control for a school's unique and/or challenging student population.
The financial portion of the CPF includes short-term and long-term measures to assess the school's financial viability.
The organizational portion of the CPF reflects the school's ability to comply with all applicable laws (state and federal), rules and regulations.
State Charter Schools are expected to meet academic, financial, and operational standards during every year of the charter term. However, schools that demonstrates a consistent track record of strong performance over multiple years may earn a standard five-year renewal. Additionally, schools that finish their first charter term strong (despite early struggles), and schools that consistently perform on par with the attendance zone they serve may earn an abbreviated three-year charter renewal. The intent of an abbreviated charter term is to assess the school's ability to sustain the requisite performance level. Specific renewal criteria are defined within the CPF document. SCSC renewal eligibility criteria are meant to serve as a guideline to inform renewal decisions. However, the SCSC may exercise discretion in approving renewal terms outside of these guidelines.
Academic Section of the Comprehensive Performance Framework
The academic portion of the CPF assesses a variety of indicators to measure a school's performance in alignment with the SCSC's mission. The academic portion of the CPF seeks to answer the following fundamental question:
Is the educational program offering students a better educational opportunity than they would otherwise receive in traditional district schools?
"The mission of the SCSC is to improve public education throughout the state by authorizing high-quality charter schools that provide students with better educational opportunities than they would otherwise be afforded in
traditional schools."

In any year of the charter term, a state charter school may satisfy annual academic requirements, and be considered Meeting SCSC academic standards, by outperforming its attendance zone on any one or combination of academic measures derived from the statewide accountability system (the College and Career Readiness Performance Index [CCRPI]) and other statistical, predictive measures (Value-Added Measure [VAM] and Beating the Odds [BTO]). Please refer to prior year academic accountability documents and CPF reports for details on those measures. However, due to data disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, SCSC utilized alternative academic measures for the 2020-2021 and 20212022 school years.
Explanation of the 2021-2022 Scores
The U.S. Department of Education (USEd) provided State Education Agencies (SEAs) the opportunity to amend their consolidated State plans under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) for the 2021-2022 school year. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) submitted a request to amend the State's consolidated plan on March 3, 2022, and a revised request on April 26, 2022. USEd approved GaDOE's COVID-19 State Plan Addendum for the 2021-2022 school year on May 26, 2022.
The request included the suspension of certain academic indicators utilized within the statewide academic accountability system to account for pandemic-related data disruptions. Those indicators include those used to calculate the Progress, Closing the Gaps and Readiness components of CCRPI. As such, those component scores as well as overall summative ratings and letter grades for the state, districts and schools were not reported. To account for the absence, the SCSC contracted with a researcher at Georgia Southern University to calculate Student Growth Percentiles (SGPs) and valueadded measures (VAM).
2021-2022 Academic Measures
1. GaDOE Content Mastery Scores 2. SCSC Progress Scores 3. SCSC Value-Added Impact Scores (VAM)
Meeting Goals
In the 2021-2022 school year, a state charter school may satisfy academic requirements, and be considered Meeting SCSC academic standards if it:
Outperforms the schools from which it enrolls students on any one or combination of measures 1-3 in all grades bands served OR
Outperforms the schools from which it enrolls students on a grade-band enrollment weighted overall school score for any measure 1-3.
If a school performs the same as the comparison score (no more than 3% below) on any measure 1-3 in all relevant grade bands or on a grade-band enrollment weighted score it is considered Approaching standards.
If the state charter school fails to adequately perform on any of the academic measures, the school is designated as Not Meeting SCSC academic standards.

SCSC Academic Standings 2021-2022

84% of state charter schools OUTPERFORMED THE SCHOOLS their students would otherwise attend in 2021-2022

SCHOOLS MEETING STANDARDS

Academy for Classical Education

International Academy of Smyrna

Atlanta Heights Charter School

International Charter Academy of Georgia

Atlanta Unbound Academy

International Charter School of Atlanta

Baconton Community Charter School

Ivy Prep Academy at Kirkwood

Brookhaven Innovation Academy

Liberty Tech Charter School

Cirrus Academy Charter School

Northwest Classical Academy

Coweta Charter Academy

Odyssey Charter School

D.E.L.T.A. STEAM Academy

Pataula Charter Academy

DuBois Integrity Academy

Resurgence Hall Charter School

Ethos Classical Charter School

Scintilla Charter Academy

Furlow Charter School

Southwest Georgia STEM

Genesis Innovation Academy for Boys

Spring Creek Charter Academy

Genesis Innovation Academy for Girls

Statesboro STEAM Academy

Georgia Connections Academy

Utopian Academy for the Arts

Georgia Cyber Academy

Yi Hwang Academy of Language Excellence

Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics

SCHOOLS APPROACHING STANDARDS

Cherokee Charter Academy

Fulton Leadership Academy

SCHOOLS NOT MEETING STANDARDS

Atlanta SMART

SAIL School for Arts-Infused Learning

Georgia Fugees Academy

SLAM Academy of Atlanta

Summary Table

Table 1. Performance Comparison Across Measures and Grade Bands Content Mastery

Progress

SCSC School

Grade band

SCSC School Score

Comparison Score

SCSC School Score

Comparison Score

Academy For Classical Education

E

97.5

57.0

85.9

86.7

Atlanta Heights Charter School

E

31.8

28.0

56.0

82.0

Atlanta SMART Academy

E

31.6

34.4

45.5

82.2

Baconton Community Charter School

E

59.5

37.9

80.9

79.1

Brookhaven Innovation Academy

E

62.5

53.5

90.6

81.1

Cherokee Charter Academy

E

58.2

72.7

73.8

83.0

Cirrus Charter Academy

E

23.9

28.9

77.2

71.4

Coweta Charter Academy

E

78.5

64.8

69.8

75.8

D.E.L.T.A. STEAM Academy

E

59.9

50.9

67.3

84.7

Dubois Integrity Academy

E

42.3

32.2

78.6

76.8

Ethos Classical Charter School

E

52.4

40.3

100.0

83.6

Furlow Charter School

E

63.6

24.5

90.2

57.7

Genesis Innovation Academy for Boys

E

50.5

37.9

81.9

80.7

Genesis Innovation Academy for Girls

E

62.5

37.9

100.0

81.5

Georgia Connections Academy

E

49.1

58.3

53.9

78.7

Georgia Cyber Academy

E

48.5

52.9

61.4

77.6

Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics

E

69

44.8

73.8

74.7

International Academy of Smyrna

E

53.2

52.0

98.4

85.5

International Charter Academy of Georgia

E

88.8

74.1

97.5

87.6

International Charter School of Atlanta

E

89.7

84.4

88.7

86.9

Ivy Preparatory Academy, Inc

E

46.4

32.8

76.3

83.8

Liberty Tech Charter Academy

E

65.3

61.5

80.0

80.6

Northwest Classical Academy

E

71.6

73.0

66.5

82.6

Odyssey Charter School

E

60.1

66.2

76.8

82.2

Pataula Charter Academy

E

49.1

32.3

82.5

70.6

Resurgence Hall Charter School

E

87.6

42.6

77.6

84.9

SAIL Charter Academy

E

72.3

74.8

66.4

79.2

Value-Added Measure

SCSC School Effect

Comparison Effect

Statistically Different from Comparison?

-0.0229 -0.0761 -0.2809 -0.0237 0.0400 -0.0736 0.0261 -0.1121 -0.1732 0.0930 0.3116 0.1229 0.1211 0.1992 -0.1827 -0.1191 -0.1281 0.0098 -0.0064 -0.1021 -0.0310 -0.0657 -0.1233 -0.0751 0.0370 0.0028 -0.1945

0.0853 0.1718 0.1211 0.0248 0.0338 0.0161 0.0291 -0.0392 0.0754 0.0282 0.1372 0.0588 0.1128 0.1102 0.0127 0.0211 0.0204 0.0099 0.0271 0.0521 0.1620 0.0072 -0.0083 0.0422 0.0002 0.1518 0.0083

Lower Lower Lower
No No Lower No Lower Lower No Higher No No No Lower Lower Lower No No No Lower No Lower Lower No Lower Lower

Scintilla Charter Academy

E

89.9

59.6

82.1

SLAM Academy of Atlanta

E

17

31.0

53.9

Southwest Georgia S.T.E.M. Charter Academy

E

57.1

37.9

63.5

Spring Creek Charter Academy

E

58

51.9

89.4

Yi Hwang Academy of Language Excellence

E

93.9

81.2

84.0

Academy For Classical Education

M

94.1

44.4

95.4

Atlanta Heights Charter School

M

34.6

29.1

98.7

Atlanta SMART Academy

M

27.1

36.5

57.9

Atlanta Unbound Academy

M

36.3

36.4

89.3

Baconton Community Charter School

M

63.6

36.6

78.9

Brookhaven Innovation Academy

M

62.5

52.1

96.8

Cherokee Charter Academy

M

56.9

68.8

73.6

Cirrus Charter Academy

M

27.6

30.0

73.6

Coweta Charter Academy

M

74.2

56.6

79.3

Dubois Integrity Academy

M

41.5

33.6

100.0

Fulton Leadership Academy

M

34.9

37.0

76.7

Furlow Charter School

M

46.4

31.8

90.5

Genesis Innovation Academy for Boys

M

48.7

34.6

77.7

Genesis Innovation Academy for Girls

M

54.1

35.4

94.8

Georgia Connections Academy

M

56.7

54.1

65.7

Georgia Cyber Academy

M

62

50.6

84.4

Georgia Fugees Academy Charter School

M

22.1

39.2

77.2

Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics M

73

28.8

98.2

International Charter School of Atlanta

M

94.2

78.7

90.4

Ivy Preparatory Academy, Inc

M

49.3

32.4

100.0

Liberty Tech Charter Academy

M

75.8

63.0

87.8

Northwest Classical Academy

M

80.7

71.4

79.8

Odyssey Charter School

M

69.6

61.8

93.7

Pataula Charter Academy

M

49.7

31.4

93.3

SAIL Charter Academy

M

52.5

63.8

62.5

Scintilla Charter Academy

M

84.4

57.6

100.0

SLAM Academy of Atlanta

M

TFS

30.4

-

Southwest Georgia S.T.E.M. Charter Academy

M

46.3

35.7

86.1

71.7

0.0277

-0.0202

77.4

-0.1850

0.1424

74.2

-0.0369

0.0270

58.4

0.0879

-0.1343

87.4

-0.1727

0.0338

79.7

-0.0094

0.0694

77.1

0.3103

0.2077

78.3

-0.0831

0.1429

75.5

0.0033

0.0952

80.4

-0.0170

0.0533

81.5

0.1038

0.0433

73.0

-0.0583

-0.0919

72.4

0.0403

0.0618

77.8

-0.0569

-0.0165

76.8

0.1864

0.0233

74.6

0.0073

0.0987

93.5

0.0070

0.1672

76.8

0.0119

0.1027

77.1

0.0873

0.0980

77.9

-0.1077

0.0145

76.8

0.0647

0.0177

83.0

-0.1229

0.0775

60.5

0.0395

-0.0883

88.2

0.2429

0.0601

77.3

0.2611

0.1135

84.8

0.0437

0.0315

88.9

-0.0455

0.0627

79.7

0.0651

-0.0110

79.4

0.1157

0.0830

72.7

-0.2524

-0.0918

74.1

0.0963

-0.0127

-

-

-

79.8

0.0694

0.0925

No Lower
No Higher Lower Lower
No Lower
No Lower
No No No No Higher No Lower No No Lower Higher Lower Higher Higher No No No No No Lower Higher No

Spring Creek Charter Academy

M

51.0

51.0

81.7

71.2

0.0010

-0.0444

No

Statesboro STEAM Academy

M

48.4

46.3

63.8

65.0

-0.1160

-0.0576

No

Utopian Academy for the Arts Charter School

M

43.4

37.5

85.5

75.0

0.1179

-0.0046

Higher

Academy For Classical Education

H

98.8

43.6

100.0

67.1

0.2978

-0.1250

Higher

Baconton Community Charter School

H

63.7

32.5

85.5

89.6

0.0640

0.1652

No

Fulton Leadership Academy

H

26

37.2

65.3

68.8

-0.1903

0.0471

Lower

Furlow Charter School

H

42.9

34.3

62.1

36.9

-0.2093

0.0493

Lower

Genesis Innovation Academy for Boys

H

TFS

37.0

-

-

-

-

-

Genesis Innovation Academy for Girls

H

40.6

36.3

43.5

59.3

-0.0590

0.0128

No

Georgia Connections Academy

H

62.5

59.7

80.7

73.3

-0.0553

0.0064

Lower

Georgia Cyber Academy

H

62.1

55.0

82.9

70.7

0.1399

-0.0025

Higher

Georgia Fugees Academy Charter School

H

16.7

42.6

-

-

-

-

-

Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics

H

63.9

29.3

71.1

48.5

-0.2560

-0.2712

No

Pataula Charter Academy

H

55.2

35.4

76.7

77.3

-0.0224

0.1663

Lower

Southwest Georgia S.T.E.M. Charter Academy

H

56.7

47.4

28.9

59.4

-0.1449

0.1011

No

Statesboro STEAM Academy

H

58.1

53.3

19.2

78.0

-0.2480

0.0372

Lower

Green cells indicate a state charter school score higher than the comparison score. Yellow cells indicate a state charter school score that is the same as the comparison score.

Calculations Explained

Academic Measures 2021-2022
Measures 1 and 2 were calculated using the Content Mastery and Progress methodologies as described in the Department's CCRPI Calculation Guides.
CCRPI Elementary School Calculation Guide1 CCRPI Middle School Calculation Guide CCRPI High School Calculation Guide

1. GaDOE Content Mastery Scores an achievement measure intended to serve as an indicator of whether students are prepared for the next grade, college, or career.
2. SCSC Progress Scores a measure of academic growth relative to academically similar peers. The SCSC used student growth percentiles (SGPs) calculated by a research partner at Georgia Southern University to carry out Progress score calculations.

Measure 3 was calculated by a researcher at Georgia Southern University.

3. SCSC Value-Added Impact Scores (VAM) a measure of the school's impact on average student performance versus predicted student performance.

School Weighted Score

The School Weighted score is calculated using the proportion of students the school enrolls from each school attendance zone served. The student-level address element in the GaDOE Data Collections Student Record report is used to determine which school each student enrolled in a state charter school is zoned to attend (the school the student would attend if they were not enrolled in the charter school). The SCSC weights those schools' CCRPI scores based on the proportion of students enrolled.

District Weighted Score

The District Weighted Score is calculated using the proportion of students the school enrolls from each district served. For instance, if a state charter school enrolls 80% of its students from District A and 20% of its students from District B, then the comparison score is 80% of District A's score plus 20% of District B's score. This is the same process followed in the School Weighted Score.

SCSC School Northwest Classical Academy

Grade band E M

Content Mastery Score 71.6 80.7

District-Weighted Comparison 71.1 69.2

1 The calculation methodologies were last updated in 2018. Since then, the social studies test was removed from elementary schools. Thus, the weighting of total score has been adjusted for that removal but following the same methodology- subjects are weighted based on the frequency of test occurrence in the grade band.

Grade Band Enrollment Weighted Overall Score

The Grade Band Enrollment Weighted Overall Score is calculated based on the proportion of students the state charter school enrolls in each grade band served. The SCSC uses the March FTE count to determine enrollment numbers. For instance, if a state charter school serves grades K-8 and enrolls 60% of its students in the elementary grade band and 40% of its students in the middle grade band, then the Grade Band Enrollment Weighted Score is 60% of the school's elementary school score plus 40% of the school's middle school score. The state charter school's score is then compared to the same weighting of the School Comparison Score. For state charter schools that serve across grade bands, this measure seeks to determine whether, as a whole, the school is providing a better opportunity for most students. If a school is already outperforming all grade bands, the Grade Band Enrollment Weighted Overall Score was not generated.

Genesis Academy for Boys GaDOE Content Mastery Scores

Grade band School Score Comparison Score

Grade band %

School Score

Comparison Score

E

50.5

37.9

62.9% (50.5*62.9%) = 31.8 (37.9*62.9%) = 23.8

M

48.7

34.6

30.2% (48.7*30.2%) = 14.7 (34.6*30.2%) = 10.5

H

TFS

37.0

6.9%

(0*6.9%) = 0

(37*6.9%)= 2.5

Overall Score (grade band enrollment weighted)

46.5

36.9

*TFS indicates Too Few Students (i.e., fewer than 15). The SCSC used a score of zero for the high school grade band as it still results

in a higher score. Please note the SCSC is NOT assigning the school a score of zero for the high school grade band. It will still be publicly reported as TFS. The zero was simply used to move forward with designating the school as Meeting Standards.

Georgia Connections GaDOE Content Mastery Scores

Grade band School Score Comparison Score Grade band %

School Score

E

49.1

58.3

5.5%

M

56.7

54.1

42.5%

H

62.5

59.7

52%

Overall Score (grade band enrollment weighted)

(49.1*5.5%) = 2.7 (56.7*42.5%) = 24.1 (62.5*52%) = 32.5
59.3

Comparison Score
(58.3*5.5%) = 3.2 (54.1*42.5%) = 23 (59.7*52%) = 31
57.2

Georgia Cyber GaDOE Content Mastery Scores

Grade band School Score Comparison Score Grade band %

School Score

E

48.5

52.9

46.4%

M

62

50.6

27%

H

62.1

55.0

26.6%

Overall Score (grade band enrollment weighted)

(48.5*46.4%) = 22.5 (62*27%) = 16.7 (62.1*26.6%) = 16.5
55.8

Comparison Score
(52.9*46.4%) = 24.5 (50.6*27%) = 13.7 (55*26.6%) = 14.6
52.8

Fulton Leadership Academy SCSC Progress Score

Grade band School Score Comparison Score Grade band %

School Score

M

76.7

74.6

55.5%

H

65.3

68.8

44.5%

Overall Score (grade band enrollment weighted)

(76.7*55.5%) = 42.6 (65.3*44.5%) = 29.1
71.6

Comparison Score
(74.6*55.5%) = 41.4 (68.8*44.5%) = 30.6
72.0

Odyssey Charter School SCSC Progress Score

Grade band School Score Comparison Score Grade band %

School Score

E

76.8

82.2

70.12%

M

93.7

79.7

29.88%

Overall Score (grade band enrollment weighted)

(76.8*70.1%) = 53.8 (93.7*29.9%) = 28
81.9

Comparison Score
(82.2*70.1%) = 57.6 (79.7*29.9%) = 23.8
81.4