HB 18-1197: Student-centered Pilot Accountability Systems 

The bill authorizes a school district, board of cooperative services, or charter school (local education provider) or group of local education providers to create local, student-centered pilot accountability systems (pilot accountability system) for measuring the performance of the public school systems operated by the participating local education providers. A pilot accountability system must be designed to assess student learning, professional culture, and resource allocation within a participating local education provider. The bill describes the minimum requirements for a pilot accountability system proposal, including the manner in which the participating local education providers will determine whether the pilot accountability system is successful. A local education provider that participates in a pilot accountability system must continue to comply with the accountability and accreditation statutes. A local education provider or group of local education providers may receive a grant to operate the pilot accountability system by submitting the proposal to the department of education (department), agreeing to allow the department to monitor implementation of the pilot accountability system, and agreeing to submit to the department its evaluations of the success of the pilot accountability system. Subject to available appropriations, the participating local education provider or group of local education providers will receive an annual grant so long as they comply with the monitoring and reporting requirements. For each year in which the department distributes a grant, the department must prepare a report of the implementation of the pilot accountability systems; submit it to the governor, the state board of education, and the education committees of the general assembly; and post it on the department website. The authorization for the pilot accountability system grants repeals in 5 years. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)  

CEA supports this bill because it is attempting to review and improve accountability. Both aspects of this bill would support adapting accountability and educator effectiveness to reflect research supported best practices. Even as amended CEA still supports a program that will look into better student centered systems for accountability data.