Student growth was highlighted and emphasized in a newly released online report by the Iowa Department of Education that shows how Lynnville-Sully High School, Middle School, and Elementary School perform, among Iowa’s 1,302 public schools, in the new accountability system that meets the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The new reports are called the Iowa School Performance Profiles and include each school’s scores on a set of accountability measures. According to the Iowa Department of Education, the reports display scores based on a school’s overall performance, as well as the performance of subgroups of students, such as children from low-income backgrounds.
“The recently released Iowa School Performance Profiles provides the community with a snapshot of school building performances based on measures established by the Iowa Department of Education. Lynnville-Sully views this new system for accountability and support as an opportunity to review our strengths and areas for improvement,” said Lynnville-Sully Superintendent Shane Ehresman.
L-S fared well, with the elementary receiving a score of 54.96, the middle school scoring 64.26, and the high school earning a 59.5 score. The scores are based on several school measures including reading and math participation, proficiency, achievement, and growth, calculated by an Iowa Department of Education formula. Lynnville-Sully met the comprehensive and targeted status at all levels.
Lynnville-Sully was not one of the 34 school listed as needing comprehensive improvement for all students, or one of the 307 schools who required targeted support for some student groups. According to a common question report released by the Iowa Department of Education, schools who are not identified for targeted or comprehensive support and improvement “deserve credit for their accomplishments.”
The new performance profiles are reports generated within the Every Student Succeeds Act, a federal education law that replaces the No Child Left Behind Act. Iowa Department of 
Education Director Ryan Wise explains, “I’m thankful the Every Student Succeeds Act puts ownership of school accountability back where it belongs: With states and local school districts. We’ve gone from a federal accountability system that was prescriptive and punitive under No Child Left Behind to a homegrown system that focuses on helping schools find solutions that work for them.”
The recently released reports acknowledging Lynnville-Sully’s commitment to student growth differ from the Iowa School Report
Card results, which Lynnville-Sully has also received high marks on – L-S Middle School ranked number one for exceptional middle schools in Iowa for the second straight year in the ratings system released on Dec. 13, 2017. That report gave 
L-S High School an exceptional rating for the third consecutive year, placing in the top one percent of all high schools. The Iowa School Report Card launched in 2015 in response to a state legislative requirement. Some overlap between the two reports exists, and the Iowa Department of Education will work to merge them in 2019. The goal is to have one report card that meets both state and federal requirements.
Ratings for each public school were not included in the initial launch of the Iowa School Performance Profiles. In 2019, ratings from the Iowa School Report Card will be phased into the Iowa School Performance Profiles, following a standard-setting process.
To access the Iowa School Performance Profiles, visit www.iaschoolperformance.gov. For more information on the Every Student Succeeds Act in Iowa, visit the Iowa Department of Education’s website.
