Measuring Quality from Inputs to Outcomes: Creating Student Learning Performance Metrics and Quality Assurance for Online Schools

This report provides outcomes-based assurance frameworks, with associated course-level and school-level learning performance metrics, as well as implementation recommendations.

Viewed from the perspectives of online schools, courses, and students, this report suggests principles for reform that will help provide outcomes-based quality assurance to better identify successful schools, address needs of the student populations they serve, and may apply broadly to the ongoing debates about how best to evaluate physical schools as well. This report suggests multiple outcomes-based performance indicators and supporting metrics for quality assurance and effectiveness of online programs and courses.

This paper identifies the following key performance metrics for student learning outcomes:

• Proficiency
• Individual student growth
• Graduation rate
• College and career readiness
• Closing the achievement gap