A Better Way to Look at Core Scores – The FO’REAL Score

In my last post, I made this argument: it seems unfair to me that schools that are wealthier, whiter and with less English learners seem to do better on the Core Index Score, the new measurement for LAUSD schools.

According to my multiple linear regression (MLR), 65% of the variance in index scores can be accounted for based on the demographics of a school (Percent of students with disabilities, english learners, students with special needs and diversity of ethnicity).

By using the MLR, you can create an equation that predicts what schools should get based on their demographics, and that provides an interesting opportunity to level the playing field on scores. Then, you can compare that prediction to their actual score. The result is called a residual. A positive residual in this case means that the school outperformed relative to their demographics, while a negative residual means they underperformed.

Using this, I have created a new metric! Let’s call this the Fair and Obvious Residual Evaluation of Academics and Learning  (FO’REAL Score for short). it’s nothing special, just the actual index score minus the predicted score based on the MLR.

Does it work? Let’s take a quick preview by looking at the highest outperforming high schools in Los Angeles.

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These results are both satisfying and anecdotally accurate.

They are satisfying because now the top of the list is almost entirely made of schools that generally represent the rest of LAUSD – primarily low income, primarily latino and african american, with a high population of English Learners. And it levels the playing field. Look at the last two on the list – Mendez scored lower than Middle College, but they both outperformed by the same amount, so their achievement becomes leveled.

But they are also anecdotally accurate because rising right to the top of the list in King/Drew Medical Magnet, recently named one of the best magnet schools in the country.

I will be using this FO’REAL score to evaluate schools more in the upcoming days, but I already see some interesting results. More to come….