The Value-Added metric is the district measure of growth on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). The metric provides valuable information on the impact of schools on the academic growth of students. CPS has collaborated with academic experts from the University of Wisconsin to produce this metric, which is based on rigorous statistical analysis.

The development of this metric provides the CPS community with an accurate measure of growth which, in turn, provides a fuller picture of school performance. This metric allows CPS to identify high-growth schools where effective strategies for improving student growth can be shared district-wide. Also, school leaders can use this additional piece of information to help identify areas in their schools which are areas of strong practice or areas needing targeted support.

The resources below are to help principals, school leadership teams, and other interested stakeholders understand the Value-Added metric, its calculation, and the ways in which it is used.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Value-Added

 PowerPoint Presentation (10 slides)

 Frequently Asked Questions (1 page)

Lesson 2: How Value-Added Works

 Part 1: PowerPoint Presentation (27 slides) |  printable version

 Part 2: "Oak Tree Analogy" (19 slides)

 Frequently Asked Questions (1 page)

 Overview of Standardization (1 slide)

Lesson 3: Technical Specifications

 PowerPoint Presentation (20 slides)