High School Accountability

Specific High School Accountability Indicators

Since the overarching goal of Bellevue School District is to prepare all graduates to be successful, not just in enrolling in college but in succeeding in college, it is important that the district be engaged in ongoing assessments of its performance. The questions that must be asked are:  How well prepared are Bellevue graduates to enter college? Have they had the educational experiences, that is, challenging coursework and core courses beyond the minimum, which will enable them to successfully navigate the college experience? 

Measures of accountability used by the district to assess its high school programs include:  enrollments in advanced coursework (more information here);  disaggregated results of district-level common assessments given in all subject areas; remedial course-taking in college; grade point averages over time; WASL results ; (http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/); college admissions tests; and graduation and dropout rates. In addition, the district looks at school performance by gender, ethnicity, and enrollment in special programs.

Are students prepared for college admission?

The answer to the first question -- whether Bellevue graduates are prepared to enter college -- is yes. Nearly all Bellevue graduates say they plan to attend college and many have been admitted to elite schools around the country. Students take the courses required for college admission, and a large percentage have chosen to challenge themselves by enrolling in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. Of the 86 percent who took AP or IB courses before graduation in 2008, 56% of those students took four or more AP classes.  Average SAT scores have climbed over time.   See SAT History

Many graduates have saved on college tuition by doing so well on AP and IB tests that colleges have awarded them credits. And what matters most is that students who have not seen themselves as “college material” in the past are signing up for AP, working harder in school than they ever expected and are gaining the confidence they need to pursue further education. They have learned that the most important lesson is that “effort” is the key to success.

Are students prepared to be successful in college?

The answer to the question of whether graduates have the tools they need to finish college comes from both district data on student completion of challenging high school courses and information from the state and our own graduates on remedial course enrollments in college. We know from research by the federal government that taking two or more AP classes increases students' chances of earning a college degree. 

A large body of research has stressed the importance of high school math course-taking as an indicator of college success.  Ninety percent of the Class of 2008 completed an advanced math course -- either AP or IB calculus, AP statistics or Pre-Calculus - and 88% took math during their senior year.  Science participation is on the rise.  Sixty-four percent of our 2008 grads took four years of science, and over 60% earned AP or IB credit in science.

Students also earn college credits through Tech-Prep courses in accounting, auto technology, careers in education, computer networking and programming, culinary arts, graphics production, health occupations, horticulture and welding. The state's Running Start program offers an additional way for students to earn college credit while still in high school.