School Report Card - Question and Answers

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is required by state statute (Wis. Stat. 115.385) to generate a school report card and district report card for every publicly funded school and district in the state. The report cards are intended to help schools and districts use performance data to celebrate successes and improve their efforts to prepare students for their futures. These public report cards can be found online at: http://dpi.wi.gov/accountability/report-cards

The current school and district report card is based on last year’s performance during the 2023-24 school year.

 At the foundation of the report cards are four priority areas. Schools and districts receive a score for each priority area:

  • Achievement - proficiency in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics on the annual state assessments

  • Growth - year-to-year progress in ELA and math achievement

  • Target Group Outcomes - outcomes for students with the lowest test scores: the Target Group.

  • On-Track to Graduation - reliable predictors of how successfully students are progressing toward completing their K-12 education.

The priority area scores are aggregated into an overall accountability score, from 0 to 100. This score is displayed on the front page of the school or district report cards. It is important to note that the 0 to 100 accountability score is not a “percent correct” measurement. Based on its score, a school or district receives one of five rating categories, from Fails to Meet Expectations to Significantly Exceeds Expectations, as well as corresponding one to five stars.