The method used to group the districts into DFG categories was also the same.Ī number of methodological decisions were made to avoid classifying a school district in an inappropriate DFG category. The same statistical method (principal components analysis) was used to determine districts’ relative SES. Unlike the model used to create the DFGs based on the 1990 census data, this model has omitted population density as a relevant variable. After discussing the measure with representatives from school districts and experimenting with various methods, the DFGs were calculated using the following six variables that are closely related to SES:ġ) Percent of adults with no high school diplomaĢ) Percent of adults with some college education In updating the DFGs using data from the 2000 Decennial Census, some changes were made to improve the methodology from 1990 while preserving the underlying meaning of the DFG classification system. Since the DFGs were designed to provide an approximate measure of a community’s relative socioeconomic status (SES), the classification system provided a useful tool for examining student achievement and comparing similarly-situated school districts. However, parity remedy aid is no longer included in the school funding formula.

Subsequent to the Abbott IV court ruling, the groups were used to define the school districts on which Abbott v Burke parity remedy aid would be based. Historically, the DFGs played a significant role in determining the initial group of districts that were classified as Abbott districts. This webpage describes the origin and methodology used for the current groupings. However, the School Performance Reports no longer compare districts using this measure, and no updates have been made to the DFGs since the groupings were finalized in 2004. The categories were updated twice, using the Census Bureau’s Decennial Census data from 19, respectively. The District Factor Groups (DFGs) were first developed in 1975 for the purpose of comparing students’ performance on statewide assessments across demographically similar school districts. District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts

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