News Release

November 27, 2019

NEBRASKA SCHOOLS IMPROVE AQUESTT CLASSIFICATIONS

The Nebraska Department of Education announced today that 50 Nebraska schools have improved their 2019 AQuESTT classification.

Accountability for a Quality Education System Today and Tomorrow, or AQuESTT, helps to ensure all students across backgrounds and circumstances have access and opportunities for success. AQuESTT annually classifies schools and districts as Excellent, Great, Good, or Needs Improvement.

AQuESTT values growth, improvement, and best practices in schools and districts – not just assessment scores. One of the ways the NDE recognizes broader educational experiences is through the Evidence-based Analysis (EBA). Eighty-four schools were eligible for an EBA review this year with the possibility of an upward adjustment to their AQuESTT classification. The EBA is a survey used to determine practices, policies, and procedures in place aligned to the six AQuESTT tenets of Positive Partnerships, Relationships, and Success; Transitions; Educational Opportunities and Access; College, Career, and Civic Readiness; Assessment; and Educator Effectiveness.

To be eligible for an EBA review, schools must have one of the top total EBA scores in their classification level. All eligible schools may submit evidence to a panel for review and determination. Sixty-four schools submitted evidence for review and fifty schools received the upward adjustment to their AQuESTT classification.

The final AQuESTT classifications are as follows: 135 schools (12 percent) are classified as Excellent, 484 schools (44 percent) are Great, 371 schools (34 percent) are Good, and 116 schools (10 percent) are designated as Needs Improvement.

Detailed information on the AQuESTT system is available at https://aquestt.com/.

The final classification of all schools and districts as well as support designations are available at: https://nep.education.ne.gov/.

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