Technical Fact Sheet: Understanding the West Virginia Accountability
Index (WVAI)
West Virginia applied for flexibility from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in
September of 2012 and received full approval in May 2013. As part of its approved Flexibility Waiver,
West Virginia has the opportunity to implement a state-developed accountability system that
differentiates recognition, accountability, and support for all schools in the state.
The new West Virginia Accountability System is comprised of two components: Annual Measurable
Objectives (AMOs) and the West Virginia Accountability Index (WVAI). This document provides further
explanation of the role the West Virginia Accountability Index (WVAI) has in determining a school’s
designation.
West Virginia Accountability Index (WVAI)
The West Virginia Accountability Index (WVAI) is the second component of the new West Virginia
Accountability System. The index is comprised of the following performance indicators:
 Proficiency rates in Mathematics and English/Language Arts
 Achievement gaps of subgroups in Mathematics and English/Language Arts for the state’s
general and alternate assessments
 Student academic growth comprising:
o observed growth of subgroups in Mathematics and English/Language Arts in grades 4-11
o adequate growth (e.g., the amount of growth required to be proficient) in Mathematics
and English/Language Arts in grades 4-10.
 Attendance rates for elementary and middle schools or graduation rates for high schools
The following section describes the measurement process for each core index component and how
these component scores contribute to overall Index scores.
General Rules (Trajectory)
All schools have an individual starting point that is based on the 2012 statewide assessment data. Each
school is required to meet a specific index target by 2020. The programmatic-specific index targets are
as follows:
 Elementary schools = 74.67
 Middle schools = 65.01
 High Schools = 71.73
Proficiency Rates
The achievement component of the West Virginia Accountability Index includes proficiency for ALL
students based on the Mathematics and English/Language Arts sections of WESTEST 2 and the Alternate
Performance Task Assessment (APTA). Achievement on these measures for all students constitutes 40%
of the total index in elementary/middle schools and 35% of the total index in high schools. The available
points for achievement are split evenly between Mathematics and English/Language Arts.
Achievement Gaps
The achievement gap component of the WVAI includes the differences in proficiency rates between
subgroups and non-membership students, based on the Mathematics and English/Language Arts
sections of WESTEST 2 and APTA. Operationally, it refers to a school’s achievement gap across all
subgroups, which is derived by comparing proficiency rates of a membership group to a nonmembership group. For example, if one were examining students in the low SES subgroup, the
proficiency rates of low SES students would be compared to the proficiency rates of non-low-SES
students. If low-SES students were compared to the “all” subgroup, there would be an overlap of
students in the two groups—in other words, some “all” students would also be low-SES students; which
diminishes the accuracy of calculating achievement gaps.
The achievement gap comprises 20% of the total Index and available points are split evenly between
Mathematics and English/Language Arts. The following steps are taken to calculate the percentage of
points a school is assigned based on the presence of or lack of an achievement gap:
1. A subgroup’s proficiency rate is identified (i.e., the numerator).
2. A subgroup’s corresponding non-membership proficiency rate is identified—the potential gap
possible (i.e., the denominator).
3. The subgroup’s proficiency rate is divided by the non-membership proficiency rate to obtain a
percentage of the possible gap closed—the higher the percentage, the more the achievement
gap will have been closed. Any number equal to or greater than 1.0 is referred to as lack of an
achievement gap.
4. This calculation is replicated for each subgroup.
5. If there are less than 20 students in a particular subgroup in a school, that subgroup’s gap value
is suppressed.
6. The valid number of subgroups for each school is identified.
7. The valid subgroup gap values are summed and divided by the valid number of subgroups to
arrive at an overall gap percentage.
8. The average gap percentage is used as the multiplier for the achievement gap calculation.
Values approaching 1.0 indicate smaller achievement gaps; values approaching 0 indicate very
large achievement gaps.
Growth
The growth component of the West Virginia Accountability Index includes: (1) observed growth; and (2)
adequate growth, as measured by the Mathematics and English/Language Arts sections of WESTEST 2.
As a whole, the growth component accounts for 35% and 15% of the total index in elementary/middle
and high schools, respectively. Additionally, the proportion of available points within the growth metric
is split differently between observed and adequate growth by programmatic level.
The basis of the index’s growth component is the West Virginia Growth Model, which calculates a
student growth percentile—a descriptive estimation of how much growth has occurred for a given
student when compared with students across the state with similar prior academic scale scores. The
student growth percentile methodology relies on quantile regression to estimate conditional
probabilities, establishing a normative reference for year-to-year scale score changes.
This application of a normative framework to an otherwise criterion-based score allows one to
contextualize changes in performance (e.g., observed growth) while still holding student performance to
a predetermined amount of growth, as defined by proficiency expectations in Mathematics and
English/Language Arts (e.g., adequate growth). West Virginia defines “adequate growth” as achieving
the level of sustained growth that is necessary for students’ to reach/maintain proficiency within three
years or by 11th grade; whichever is sooner.
Observed Growth
Observed growth answers the question, “How much growth has occurred?” Observed growth (15% for
elementary/middle schools and 10% for high schools) is split evenly between Mathematics and
English/Language Arts. The observed growth component represents the median student growth
percentile (SGP) for each subgroup with a combined n count of at least 20 across all assessed grades in a
school. Students are assessed in grades three through eleven.
To arrive at an observed growth score, the following steps are taken to calculate the percentage of
points a school is assigned based on student growth during the most recent year’s assessment
administration:
1. A subgroup’s median growth percentile is calculated for every student in a given school.
2. The total number of students in the school is calculated and disaggregated by subgroup.
3. If there are less than 20 students in a particular subgroup across all grades, that subgroup’s
growth value is suppressed.
4. The observed SGPs for each valid subgroup are combined.
5. A multiplier is assigned to the combined observed subgroup SGP to calculate the total index
value.
Adequate Growth
Adequate growth answers the question, “Is the growth we have observed enough for students to reach
policy expectations?” This component of the West Virginia Accountability Index is weighted at 20% for
elementary and middle schools and at 10% for high schools. Further, these values are split evenly
between Mathematics and English/Language Arts.
Furthermore, unlike observed growth, the adequate growth measure encompasses the all students
group. While individual subgroups are not specified, the WVDE believes this is a valid examination of
academic performance because the growth of all students is considered and that performance is then
disaggregated into one of four designations:
Table 4. Designation of Student Performance
Prior Proficient: Yes
Not Keeping Up
(i.e., falling behind)
Student was proficient but
is on track not to be
proficient within three
th
years, or by 11 grade,
whichever is first.
Keeping Up
Student was proficient
and is on track to stay
proficient within three
th
years, or by 11 grade,
whichever is first.
Prior Proficient: No
Not Catching Up
(i.e., staying behind)
Student was not proficient
and is not on track to be
proficient within three
th
years, or by 11 grade,
whichever is first.
Catching Up
Student was not proficient
but is on track to be
proficient within three
th
years, or by 11 grade,
whichever is first.
Because of the normative nature of the West Virginia Growth Model, without a proficiency target, one
could potentially exhibit “growth to nowhere” or demonstrate the highest growth among the lowestperforming group of students—neither of which is desirable without a referent point for success. By
including adequate growth in this manner, the WVAI focuses attention on progress toward a growth
target without penalizing a school or classroom due to unreasonable targets based on effects incurred in
prior settings. Further, adequate growth is weighted more heavily than observed growth to ensure
schools attend to growth to standard.
To arrive at an adequate growth score, the following steps are taken:
1. The distance between the observed SGP and target SGP (required for a student to be
proficient within three years, or by 11th grade) is calculated for every student in a given
school.
2. Median distances are calculated using all available target distances in the school.
3. A multiplier is assigned to each observed and target SGP distance for each valid subgroup to
calculate the total index value.
Attendance Rate or Graduation Rate
The application of attendance and graduation rates in the West Virginia Accountability Index differs by
programmatic levels. At the elementary and middle school level, attendance rates will account for 5% of
the total index value. However, at the high school level, graduation rates will account for 30% of the
total index value.
Attendance Rates
As in the previous system, the new accountability system requires that elementary and middle schools
have at least a 95% attendance rate. For elementary and middle schools, attendance rates account for
5% of the total index value. Schools are awarded points based on their attendance rate on a one-to-one
ratio. For example, if a school has a 97% attendance rate, they are awarded 97% of the available points.
Graduation Rates
The graduation rate accounts for 30% of the WVAI for high schools. Points are based on their
graduation rates for all students using a one-to-one ratio. For example, a high school with a graduation
rate of 80% will be awarded 80% of the available points. West Virginia currently uses a 4-year adjusted
cohort rate as well as a 5-year adjusted cohort rate. The following provides guidelines for reporting
based on cohorts:
4 year cohort –
 85% target
 Same process of checks for averaging
 Same process of checks for improvement
 Same checks for all subgroups as if disaggregating all subs
 Uses the 9th grade cohort from 4 years back
 Includes the summer of the 4th year
5 year cohort –
 87.5% target
 Same process of checks for averaging
 Same process of checks for improvement
 Same checks for all subgroups as if disaggregating all subs
 Uses the 9th grade cohort from 5 years back
 Includes the summer of the 5th year
School Programmatic Levels
The designation of elementary, middle, or high school is based on WV’s accountability classification, and
is determined by the highest grade level of accountability (i.e., 4, 8, or 12) in a school, regardless of
grade configuration. For example, a school with students in grades K-8 would be designated a middle
school, while a school with students in grades 7-12 would be designated a high school.
Participation Rate
As required in the previous accountability system, all schools must meet a target participation rate of
95%. While participation rates are not directly calculated as a component of the WVAI, they still impact
a school’s designation. If a school does not meet the minimum participation rate, then the proficiency
rates are invalidated for the index. This prevents a school from meeting Annual Measurable Objectives
(AMOs), however, AMOs are still reported. Additionally, any school failing to meet the 95%
participation rate in any valid subgroup is automatically identified as a Support school.
While participation rates will not be included in the West Virginia Accountability Index, they will serve as
traditional “on/off switches” in the sense that they will be minimum requirements for all schools. If a
school fails to meet the 95% participation criteria for any valid subgroup, it will automatically be
identified as a Support School. In addition, schools that do not make their 95% participations rate will be
awarded a zero on the achievement component of the WVAI. These schools will still be included in the
West Virginia Accountability Index scoring process and be provided with reports that align with the
index components to support sound data-driven decisions for academic improvement.
Of note: A school may be identified as a Support School because of failure to meet the participation rate
requirements; but otherwise would have been placed as either a Transition or Success School because of
Index ratings and/or AMOs. As a result, their extended improvement plan requirements will be focused
on improving their participation rates. This is in addition to the already required technical assistance,
interventions and monitoring focused on overall or subgroup performance concerns.
Final Index Calculations
To derive the final index score for each school, the multipliers for each component, achievement, gaps,
observed growth, adequate growth, and attendance/graduation rates are applied to the predetermined
weights that were identified previously. Table 5 shows the set weights based on a possible 100 points.
Table 5. Weights by Programmatic Level
Category
Proficiency Rates in Mathematics and
English/Language Arts
Achievement Gaps in Mathematics and
English/Language Arts for All Subgroups
Observed Growth in Mathematics and
English/Language Arts for All Subgroups
Adequate Growth in Mathematics and
English/Language Arts for All Students
Attendance/Graduation Rates
Elementary/Middle Schools
High Schools
40%
35%
20.0%
20.0%
15%
5%
20%
10%
5% (Attendance)
30% (Graduation)
For more information regarding the new West Virginia Accountability System, please refer to the
Technical Fact Sheets located on the West Virginia ESEA Technical Support web site:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/support/
Contact Information
For more information on West Virginia’ ESEA Flexibility Request, please visit the website:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/
For more information on data, assessment, or accountability, please contact the WVDE Office of
Assessment and Accountability:
(304) 558‐2546
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/
For more information on technical assistance and school improvement, please contact the WVDE Office
of School Improvement:
(304) 558‐3199
http://wvde.state.wv.us/schoolimprovement/