In this policy brief, we build on our previous brief, Missouri's School Accountability System, and take a deeper dive into two specific components of school accountability systems—school rating systems and accountability indicator weights. We discuss the weight of academic growth within performance indicators at the elementary and middle school level and consider the proposed changes to these areas under SB 341 and HB 558. We add evidence by examining school accountability systems in states with high growth and conclude by providing policy recommendations based on our findings.

In this policy brief, we examine grade-level configuration approaches in Missouri, the existing research around configuration, and offer a view into the new approaches going into place in Normandy Schools Collaborative and Ferguson-Florissant School District.