This is a listing of the highest performing 203 of the 593 Ohio school districts used in this study on the 1997 Ohio Proficiency Tests when economic, social, and environmental variables of the Presage Factor are controlled. In other words, there are school variables and non-school variables affecting district performance on these tests. When we control for non-school variables of advantage/disadvantage (as defined by the Presage Factor), we are better able to compare the actual performance of districts based upon the actual operation of the school district.
      The ratings are based upon the fact that the Presage Factor predicts district performance with a correlation coefficient of r=0.80. Knowing this, we can compare predicted performance with actual performance by quantifying the degree of difference between the two and rating that difference using z-score residual transformations (Performance Score). A graph of the distribution of the performance scores controlling for the Presage Factor for the 593 districts can be viewed HERE.
      The graph of the Presage Factor regression analysis using z-scores may be viewed HERE. The Presage Factor is a derived calculation that combines several measures of social-economic-environmental advantage/disadvantage derived from EMIS data. The formula for this derivation will be presented and discussed in class, but is not given here for reasons of copyright and because the results of the research will not be publicly released until April, 2000.
      The Presage score should be read as higher numbers representing more conditions of district pupils being advantaged as in mean income and similar social-economic life factors. The lower the Presage score, the greater the environmental disadvantage to be found in the lives of those living in the school district.
      Only the top 1/3 are given because I do not wish to have these data used against any Ohio school district performance. Though we are now able to view district performance free of Presage Factor effects, this study does not in anyway wish to imply that OPT should be used as any measure of district, teacher, or pupil accountability whatsoever. In other words, the findings of this study show clearly that the OPT is not a valid measure of either school or teacher effectiveness and should not be used for accountability assessment of any kind. Likewise, because the test is invalid (it has now been shown that it does not measure what it claims to measure), individual student performance is at best, meaningless aside from having a connection to Presage effects.

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These data are for use only by students enrolled in the graduate classes of Randy L. Hoover, Ph.D. Any use by others is strictly forbidden without explicit written permission of the author.

©R.L. Hoover, 1999

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NOTE: Presage Z-Scores represent the level of advantagement-disadvantagement. Higher, positive numbers mean wealthier, more advantaged student populations and lower, negative numbers mean poorer, more disadvantaged student populations such that:

• Presage Z-Scores close to zero, those between 1.0 and -1.0, are basically the range of upper and lower ends of the middle class respectively.
• Presage Z-Scores of 1.0 or higher are progressively more upper class (advantaged) and scores of -1.0 or lower are progressively more underclass (disadvantaged).