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Overview Under the Texas Public School Accountability System, distinction designations are awarded to recognize school districts and campuses for outstanding achievement in specified academic areas (Texas Education Code, Chapter 39, Subchapter G, 2013). The distinction designations are based on results across a number of indicators. To be eligible to earn a distinction designation, a district or campus must receive an accountability rating of Met Standard.
Academic Achievement Distinction Designations For the 2014 and 2015 accountability ratings cycles, academic achievement distinction designations (AADDs) were available at the campus level in four subject areas: English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies. Each AADD included two AP/IB indicators: participation in, and performance on, AP/IB examinations in the specified subject area. Results for a campus were evaluated in relation to results for a comparison group of similar campuses. The AP/IB indicators for AADDs were evaluated based on data for the previous school year. For example, the AP/IB indicators for 2015 distinction designations were evaluated based on data for the 2013-14 school year. AADDs were not available for districts.
Following are examples of AP/IB indicator calculations for AADDs, using ELA as the subject area.
Postsecondary Readiness Distinction Designations For the 2014 and 2015 accountability ratings cycles, one postsecondary readiness distinction designation (PRDD) was available at the campus level, and one was available at the district level. In each case, the PRDD included one AP/IB indicator: performance on AP/IB examinations in any subject area. Results for a campus were evaluated in relation to results for a comparison group of similar campuses. Results for a district were evaluated based on results for campus-level indicators aggregated across all campuses in the district. The AP/IB indicator for PRDDs was evaluated based on data for the previous school year. For example, the AP/IB indicator for 2015 distinction designations was evaluated based on data for the 2013-14 school year.
At the campus level, performance on AP/IB examinations in any subject, which measures the campus-wide percentage of examinees in Grades 11 and 12 who scored at or above criterion on at least one AP or IB examination in any subject, was calculated as follows:
Additional Resources For more information about the AP/IB indicators, see Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate General Information, 2012-13 and 2013-14. For more information about distinction designations, see the 2014 Accountability Manual and 2015 Accountability Manual. See also Criterion Score.
At-Risk A student identified as at-risk of dropping out of school is one who is under age 21 and who meets one or more of the following criteria:
Bilingual Bilingual indicates that the student is participating in a state-approved bilingual education program. The program must be a full-time program that provides dual-language instruction through the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in the content areas (mathematics, science, health, and social studies) in the primary language of English language learners. In addition, the program must provide for a carefully structured and sequenced mastery of English cognitive academic language development.
[Source: 2013-2014 PEIMS Data Standards]
Career and Technical Education A student may be enrolled in a state-approved career and technical education (CTE) program either as a participant in the district's (CTE) coherent sequence of courses program, or as a participant in the district's tech prep program.
Criterion Score For purposes of awarding distinction designations under the Texas public school accountability system, AP/IB examination performance indicators measure the percentages of examinees in Grades 11 and 12 who scored at or above a criterion score on at least one examination. The criterion scores are defined as 3 or higher on an AP examination and 4 or higher on an IB examination. Many colleges and universities award credit or advanced placement to students who meet these scores. See also Distinction Designations.
Economically Disadvantaged A student identified as economically disadvantaged is one who is eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Program.
English as a Second Language English as a second language (ESL) indicates that a student is participating in a state-approved ESL program. An ESL program in Grade 8 and below is a program of intensive instruction in English from teachers either certified or endorsed in ESL who use second language acquisition information to teach English language learners (ELLs) the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). An ESL program in Grades 9-12 is a program of intensive instruction in English from teachers trained in recognizing and dealing with language differences who use secondary language acquisition information to teach ELLs the ELPS.
English Language Learner A student is classified as an English language learner (ELL) when: (a) a language other than English is used as the primary language in the home, and (b) the student's English language proficiency is determined to be limited by a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee or as indicated by a test of English proficiency. Most students identified as ELLs receive bilingual or English as a second language instruction.
[Source: 2013-2014 PEIMS Data Standards; 19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1225, 2014]
Gifted and Talented A student identified as gifted and talented is one who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment, and who:
Immigrant A student identified as an immigrant is one who:
Mean Score A mean score is the average score for a given group on a given examination. As an example, the mean AP Psychology score for Texas is calculated as follows:
Mean AP scores for students in public and nonpublic schools combined in Texas, other states, and the United States are calculated based on data obtained from the College Board.
Migrant A student identified as a migrant is one who is aged 3 through 21 and is a migratory agricultural worker (or whose parent, spouse, or guardian is a migratory agricultural worker) and who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain temporary employment in agriculture or fishing, or to accompany a parent, spouse, or guardian to obtain such employment: (a) has moved from one school district to another, or (b) resides in a school district of more than 15,000 square miles, and migrates a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence in order to engage in a fishing activity.
Participation Rate Participation rates for Texas public school students are presented for AP and IB examinations separately, as well as for the two combined. When combined results are presented, data for an individual who took both types of examinations are counted only once. For example, the AP/IB participation rate for students in Grades 11 and 12 is calculated as follows:
Calculation of Texas public school AP and IB participation rates changed beginning with the 2011-12 school year. For 2010-11 and previous years, students served in special education programs were included in the numerators but excluded from the denominators in such calculations. Beginning with 2011-12, special education students were included in both numerators and denominators. Consequently, results for 2011-12 and later school years are not comparable to results for 2010-11 and earlier school years. AP participation rates for students in public and nonpublic schools combined in Texas, other states, and the United States are calculated based on data obtained from the College Board. For information about calculations for distinction designations, see Distinction Designations.
Performance: Examinations With Scores At or Above Criterion (3 or higher on an AP examination and 4 or higher on an IB examination) Performance results for all examinations taken by Texas public school students are presented for AP and IB examinations separately, as well as for the two combined. Counts of examinations are based on the number of examinations taken in the current school year that received valid scores. Examination counts are higher than examinee counts because some examinees take more than one subject examination. As an example, the percentage of AP/IB examinations taken by students in Grades 11 and 12 that received scores at or above criterion is calculated as follows:
See also Criterion Score. AP performance results for examinees in public and nonpublic schools combined in Texas, other states, and the United States are calculated based on data obtained from the College Board.
Performance: Examinees Scoring At or Above Criterion (3 or higher on an AP examination and 4 or higher on an IB examination) Performance results for Texas public school examinees are presented for AP and IB examinations separately, as well as for the two combined. Students who have valid AP scores in the range of 1 to 5 or valid IB scores in the range of 1 to 7 for at least one examination taken in the current school year are counted as examinees that year. When combined results are presented, data for an individual who took both types of examinations are counted only once. As an example, the percentage of AP/IB examinees in Grades 11 and 12 who scored at or above criterion is calculated as follows:
See also Criterion Score. For information about calculations for distinction designations, see Distinction Designations. AP performance results for examinees in public and nonpublic schools combined in Texas, other states, and the United States are calculated based on data obtained from the College Board.
Performance: Students Qualifying for College Credit Based on AP or IB Examination Performance Students in Grades 11 and 12 who have valid AP scores in the range of 3 to 5 or valid IB scores in the range of 4 to 7 for at least one examination taken in the current school year are counted as qualifying for college credit. Data for an individual who took both types of examinations are counted only once. The percentage of students qualifying for college credit is calculated as follows:
Calculation of percentages of Texas public school students qualifying for college credit based on AP or IB examination performance changed beginning with the 2011-12 school year. For 2010-11 and previous years, students served in special education programs were included in the numerators but excluded from the denominators in such calculations. Beginning with 2011-12, special education students were included in both numerators and denominators. Consequently, results for 2011-12 and later school years are not comparable to results for 2010-11 and earlier school years.
College Board The College Board collects self-reported demographic information, such as race/ethnicity, when examinees take each examination. Although the Texas Education Agency (TEA) racial/ethnic categories have recently changed, the College Board's categories have remained the same. Following are the racial/ethnic categories reported by the College Board:
International Baccalaureate TEA does not receive data on race/ethnicity from IB.
Texas Education Agency School districts submit student demographic information to TEA through the Public Education Information Management System. Prior to the 2009-10 school year, TEA required that districts submit one of five racial/ethnic categories for each student: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian or Pacific Islander; Black or African American (not of Hispanic origin); Hispanic/Latino; or White (not of Hispanic origin).
In 2009-10, TEA began collecting data on race and ethnicity in compliance with a new federal standard. For that year only, as a transitional measure, the data also were collected using the old standard. The new standard requires that race and ethnicity be collected separately using a specific two-part question, presented in a specific order, and that both parts of the question be answered.
The racial/ethnic categories are defined as follows. Hispanic includes students of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. American Indian or Alaska Native includes students having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintain a tribal affiliation or community attachment. Asian includes students having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. Black or African American includes students having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander includes students having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. White includes students having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
The new standard resulted in several important changes: (a) the combined racial category Asian/Pacific Islander is now separated into two categories; (b) students once identified exclusively as "Hispanic/Latino" must now report their race; (c) students may report more than one race; and (d) the definition for one of the racial categories—American Indian or Alaska Native—differs from that used in years past. Prior to 2009-10, American Indian or Alaska Native included students having origins in any of the original peoples of North America only.
For purposes of reporting Texas public school AP and IB data, TEA combines the answers to the two-part question to create seven mutually exclusive racial/ethnic categories. A student identified as Hispanic is included only in the count for Hispanics. A student not identified as Hispanic is included in the count for only one of the following six racial categories: African American, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, White, or multiracial. A student identified as having two or more races is included only in the count for multiracial students, not in the count for any single racial category.
[Source: 2009-2010 PEIMS Data Standards; 2013-2014 PEIMS Data Standards]
Special Education A student enrolled in a special education program is one who is participating in a special education instructional and related services program or a general education program using special education support services, supplementary aids, or other special arrangements.
Title I A Title I student is one participating in a program authorized under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is designed to improve the academic achievement of disadvantaged students.
Copyright Information AP® is a trademark of the College Board, and International Baccalaureate® is a trademark of International Baccalaureate. Other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners. Contact Information For questions or comments, please e-mail the Division of Research and Analysis, or contact the division by phone at 512-475-3523. This page last updated January 6, 2016.
