State and Federal Accountability System Update 2008 TASA Midwinter Conference January 29, 2008 Shannon Housson, Cathy Long, and Ester Regalado TEA, Performance Reporting Division

State Accountability System

Accountability Calendar January - Accountability System Development – February Review 2008, Develop 2009 and beyond March 3 - 4Educator Focus Group Meeting March 26Commissioners Accountability Advisory Committee Meeting Early AprilFinal Decisions for 2008 and beyond announced by Commissioner Late May2008 Accountability Manual posted online August 1Release of 2008 Accountability Ratings September2009 Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) Campus Registration

Preview of 2008 Standard Accountability Procedures

5 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Indicator Beginning in 2008: includes Grade 8 science includes TAKS (Accommodated) o combined with TAKS o limited subjects/grades in 2008 and 2009 o all subjects/grades in 2010

6 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) 2008 (Final Decision) Recommended Recommended 2009* Recommended 2010* Exemplary 90% Recognized 75% 80% 80 %** Academically Acceptable Reading/English Language Arts (ELA) 70% 70% ** Writing, Social Studies 65% 70% Mathematics 50% 55% 60% Science 45% 50% 55% * Standards for 2009 and beyond will be reviewed annually and are subject to change. ** A Reading/ELA Academically Acceptable standard of 75% will be considered for If altered, the Recognized standard will also be reconsidered. TAKS Indicator (continued)

7 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) TAKS (Accommodated) Science (grades 5, 8, 10, & 11) Science (grade 5 Spanish) Social Studies (grades 8, 10, & 11) English Language Arts (grade 11) Mathematics (grade 11) Use Reading/ELA (grades 3 – 10) Reading (grades 3 – 6 Spanish) Mathematics (grades 3 – 10) Mathematics (grades 3 – 6 Spanish) Writing (grades 4 & 7) Writing (grade 4 Spanish) Report in Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) Only Report in AEIS Only Use

8 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) TAKS-Modified Designed to meet the federal requirements mandated under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Will be administered for the first time in spring First possible use in the state accountability system in Options to be discussed with advisory groups in 2008.

9 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt) Designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities Results will be reported for two years beginning with 2008, with the first possible use in the state accountability system in 2010

10 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) School Leaver provision does not apply in 2008 under standard procedures Required Improvement – Available beginning in (Final Decision) Academically Acceptable 1.0%TBD Recognized 0.7%TBD Exemplary 0.2%TBD Annual Dropout Rate (Grades 7-8)

11 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) 2008 (Final Decision) 2009* (Recommended) 2010* (Recommended) Academically Acceptable 75.0% Recognized 85.0% Exemplary 95.0% Completion Rate I Definition of a Completer Graduates + Continued HS Dropout Definition (used in denominator) Phase-in NCES Definition NCES Definition * Standards for 2009 and beyond will be reviewed annually and are subject to change. Completion Rate I (Grade 9-12) Indicator

12 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) School Leaver Provision does not apply. Specific appeals policy for hurricane-displaced students who are non-completers will be considered. Required Improvement - Continues to be used Completion Rate I (Grade 9-12) Indicator (continued)

13 Standard Accountability Decisions for 2008 and Beyond (continued) Underreported Students The School Leaver Provision will no longer apply for underreported students. The number and percent of underreported students that can prevent a district from being rated Exemplary or Recognized will remain at greater than 5.0%, or greater than 200 students. Districts with fewer than 5 underreported students will not be evaluated on this indicator.

Preview of 2008 AEA Procedures

Registered Alternative Education Campuses (AEC) The list of 2008 Registered AECs was posted on the AEA website at in December. Each registered AEC must meet the 75% at-risk registration criterion in order to receive an AEA rating on August 1, 2008.

16 At-Risk Registration Criterion In April 2008, letters will be mailed to the AECs that do not meet the 2008 at-risk registration criterion informing them that the AEC will shift from AEA to standard accountability and that the AEC will be evaluated under 2008 standard accountability procedures. The Final 2008 Registered AEC list will be posted on the AEA website in May This list will contain the AECs that will receive an AEA rating on August 1, A list of the charter operators that will be rated under 2008 AEA procedures will also be posted on the AEA website in May 2008.

AEA Standards TAKS Progress indicator remains 45%. Completion Rate II (includes GED recipients) indicator remains 75.0%. Annual Dropout Rate (Grades 7-12) indicator remains 10.0%.

18 Completion Rate II Indicator Completion Rate II counts graduates, continuing students (students who return to school for a fifth year), and GED recipients in the definition of Completion Rate II for AECs of Choice and charters evaluated under AEA procedures. Residential Facilities are not evaluated on the Completion Rate II indicator. Charters that operate only Residential Facilities are not evaluated on the Completion Rate II indicator.

19 Annual Dropout Rate Indicator The Annual Dropout Rate indicator is grade 7-12 dropouts as a percent of total students enrolled at the registered AEC or charter in grades 7-12 in a single school year. The dropout definition transitioned from the state definition to the NCES definition in Students dropping out of school in and beyond are reported in accordance with the NCES dropout definition. The School Leaver Provision (SLP) will be utilized in 2008 and will apply only to the Annual Dropout Rate indicator under AEA procedures.

2008 Accountability Development Topics

Accountability Development Topics Standard Procedures: Set 2009 Accountability Standards for TAKS and Annual Dropout Rate (Grade 7-8) Review Implementation of Commended Labels Review Completion/Dropout Issues for 2009 and 2010 Discuss issues related to large/diverse districts Discuss plans for inclusion of TAKS-Accommodated (all grades/subjects) in Review Gold Performance Acknowledgment (GPA) standards for 2009 and 2010

Accountability Development Topics (continued) English Language Learner (ELL) Indicator Reported for 2 nd year on AEIS reports First possible use in state accountability ratings in Options to be discussed with advisory groups in Current plans call for the ELL measure to be a separate indicator evaluated at the All Students level only.

Accountability Development Topics (continued) Commended Label for Ratings 2007 accountability advisory groups endorsed plan to append a label of Commended to state accountability ratings of Academically Acceptable or higher advisory groups will review options on criteria for the Commended label. First possible use in state accountability ratings in 2008.

Accountability Development Topics (continued) AEA Procedures 2009 Accountability Standards for Annual Dropout Rate (Grade 7-12) will be set. The 2008 accountability development process will review options for acknowledgments of AEA campuses and charters. A GPA-type commendation that would recognize the efforts taken to recover dropouts including the identification and accountability for recovered dropouts will be examined.

25 Select Committee on Accountability Senate Bill 1031 established a 15-member committee to review the accountability system and make recommendations regarding how the system should be structured. Statute requires that committee shall provide a report not later than December 1, The Legislature will be required to adopt a new public accountability system by September 1, (Section Section , Education Code). Selection of committee members is complete. Initial meeting date to be determined.

State and Federal Accountability School Year

27 TAKS (Accommodated) StateFederal Reading/ELA (grades 3 – 8 and 10) Reading (grades 3 – 6 Spanish) Mathematics (grades 3 – 8 and 10) Mathematics (grades 3 – 6 Spanish) Report only Indicator in AEIS/ Not used in State Ratings Use in Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Reading (grade 9) Mathematics (grade 9) Writing (grades 4 and 7) Writing (grade 4 Spanish) Report only Indicator in AEIS/ Not used in State Ratings Not used in AYP ELA (grade 11) Mathematics (grade 11) Science (grades 5, 8, 10, and 11) Social Studies (grades 8, 10, and 11) Use in State Ratings Not used in AYP

28 TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M) StateFederal Reading/ELA (grades 3 – 8 and 10) Mathematics (grades 3 – 8 and 10) Report only Indicator in AEIS (TBD)/ Not used in State Ratings Use in AYP Science (grades 5, 8, and 10) Report only Indicator in AEIS(TBD)/ Not used in State Ratings Not used in AYP Field Tests: Reading (grade 9) ELA (grade 11) Mathematics (grades 9 and 11) Science (grade 11) Social Studies (grades 8, 10, and 11) Not Reported in AEIS/ Not Used in State Ratings Not used in AYP

29 TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt) StateFederal Reading/ELA (grades 3 – 8 and 10) Mathematics (grades 3 – 8 and 10) Report only Indicator in AEIS / Not used in State Ratings Use in AYP Reading (grade 9) ELA (grade 11) Mathematics (grades 9 and 11) Writing (grades 4 and 7) Science (grades 5, 8, 10 and 11) Social Studies (grades 8, 10, and 11) Not Reported in AEIS/ Not Used in State Ratings Not used in AYP

Federal Accountability System

AYP Preview Performance standards for will remain the same as for Under the NCLB Act, all states are required to assess students in science during the school year. However, the statute does not require that the science assessment results be used for calculating AYP. Any such changes would require an amendment to the statute which could possibly occur after final reauthorization of NCLB.

AYP Preview: Timeline Timeline for 2008 AYP Release Standard setting for the TAKS-M assessment will not be completed until August Discussions underway with the USDE to modify the 2008 AYP timeline. Texas has requested that the preliminary 2007–2008 AYP status and the corresponding 2008–2009 School Improvement Program (SIP) status be released after the beginning of the 2008–2009 school year.

AYP Preview: Timeline (continued) Proposed 2008 AYP Timeline Spring TAKS-M test administrations Summer TAKS-M Standard Setting Process AugustTexas school districts retain all SIP evaluations from the prior year (based on 2007 AYP results) and continue implementation of SIP requirements

AYP Preview: Timeline (continued) Proposed 2008 AYP Timeline (continued) October 8 th Public release of Preliminary 2008 AYP/SIP October 17 th AYP Appeal Deadline November – December Process AYP Appeals Mid-DecemberIssue Final AYP and SIP Results

AYP Preview: Timeline (continued) Timeline for 2008 AYP Release (continued) The USDE has given tentative approval to a delayed release contingent on the following four actions: a) The prior year AYP status and school and district designations would remain in effect for each school and district until October b) A district or campus with no SIP improvement status as of the beginning of the school year that enters SIP status in October 2008 would be subject to applicable consequences from that point through the end of the school year.

AYP Preview: Timeline (continued) Timeline for 2008 AYP Release (continued) c) Schools that missed AYP for the first time in the previous year and will potentially be identified as in need of improvement will be required to begin offering public school choice immediately upon receiving preliminary results in October d) In the event that a school in improvement status at the beginning of the school year is removed from that status in October 2008, the school would continue to receive school improvement fund and would be required to continue to provide for the transportation costs of public school choice through the end of the school year.

AYP Preview: Timeline (continued) Timeline for 2008 AYP Release (continued) Due to the compressed timeline, there will be limited opportunity for appeals to the 2008 AYP status. As with state accountability, appeals that require extensive student-level research will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but in general, are not favorable for appeal. The AYP Guide will be available on the Texas Education Agency website in late spring 2008 and will include timeline and the details of the federal cap process.

Assessments and AYP TAKS Same as 2007 LAT TAKS Same as 2007 TAKS-Accommodated Included in AYP for Reading and Math

Assessments and AYP (continued) TAKS-Modified Included in AYP for Reading and Math Students taking TAKS-M are ­ included in Participation, ­ included in Performance subject to a 2% cap on proficient results TAKS-Alternate Included in AYP for Reading and Math Students taking TAKS-Alt are ­ included in Participation, ­ included in Performance subject to a 1% cap on proficient results

Assessments and AYP (continued) Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Reading Same as 2007 Students in their First Year in US Schools are ­ Included in Participation ­ Excluded from Performance Students in their Second or Third year (or more) of enrollment in U.S. schools are ­ Not counted as participants (Non-Participants) ­ Excluded from Performance

AYP Preview: Federal Cap In general, the federal cap process has been applied to Texas schools in the following steps: Determine the districts total participation count, based on the school districts total participation denominator for the Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics. This count is based on students identified as enrolled on the day of testing in grades 3 – 8 and 10 only. Apply the percentage to the total participation count for the cap limit on 1% or 2% proficient results. District Participation Denominator x.01 = TAKS-Alt Limit District Participation Denominator x.02 = TAKS-M Limit

2008 AYP Preview: Federal Cap (continued) An Important Note about Alternate Test Administration It should be emphasized that the federal cap relates to counting students as proficient for AYP purposes only and does not provide direction to ARD committees regarding how students with disabilities should be assessed. For guidance, please see the TEA publication titled Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee Decision-Making Process for the Texas Assessment Program. It is important that local school districts ensure that appropriate assessments are selected and administered to students with disabilities. 42

AYP Preview: Federal Cap (continued) Reclassified Exceeders are for AYP Purposes Only Students that exceed the federal cap limit are reclassified from proficient to non-proficient for AYP purposes only. The reclassified non-proficient status is only used for AYP performance results and does not apply to the AYP participation calculations. State accountability results and ratings are not affected by the federal cap, and there are no student level consequences (for graduation or other assessment requirements) for exceeding the cap limit.

AYP Preview: Federal Cap (continued) The USDE federal regulation released in April 2007 provides specific guidelines on the implementation of the federal cap: Districts cannot exceed the 1% cap for TAKS- Alt. However, if they do not fully use the 1% cap, then they can exceed the 2% cap (up to 3%). In other words, TAKS-M proficient scores may spill over beyond the cap, but the TAKS-Alt may not.

2008 AYP Preview: Federal Cap (continued) A summary of options presented in mid-January to the Title I Committee of Practitioners, along with additional detail including advantages and disadvantages, will be available in early February for educator review and input on the AYP website at School districts may provide comments on the options presented by ing the Division of Performance Reporting at 45

AYP Preview: Amendments Amendments to the 2008 Texas AYP Workbook Final amendments are due to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) no later than February 15, On November 19, 2007, the USDE issued guidance to all states to limit the submission of amendment requests to those (1) necessary to comply with current law, or (2) address changes to accurately reflect current practice. No major amendments to the 2008 accountability workbook and 2008 AYP process will be submitted.

AYP Preview: Amendments (continued) Amendments to the 2008 Texas AYP Workbook (continued) Discussions are continuing with the USDE concerning the current AYP process meeting the final federal regulations issued April 9, 2007, regarding modified academic achievement standards and consistent student group sizes. The agency is in discussions with USDE to determine if the approval of its alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (TAKS-M) will be required prior to its use in 2008 AYP.

48 Accountability Resources Education Service Center (ESC) Accountability Contacts TEA Division of Performance Reporting – Phone: (512) – Online: – Accountability: – AEA: – AYP: