Glossary

for the

Academic Excellence Indicator System

1999-2000 Report

Internet Access to the AEIS
AEIS information for every school and district is available on the internet.
Visit the Division of Performance Reporting's website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport.

 

Accountability Rating: This refers to the district and campus ratings assigned by the 2000 accountability system. Districts and campuses are evaluated on performance on the TAAS, the dropout rate, and the attendance rate. The four levels of ratings are:

Other rating labels:

Alternative Education - Campuses that applied and were identified as eligible to be evaluated under alternative education procedures receive a rating of AE: Commended, AE: Acceptable, AE: Needs Peer Review, or AE: Not Rated.

Charters - At the district level, open-enrollment charters receive the label Charter. At the school level, they are given one of the four rating categories listed above, based on the regular accountability system. They may also be rated under the alternative education procedures if appropriate. Note that the first year of operation for a charter school is a benchmark year and it is not rated; it is labeled NR: Charter (New). If a charter had insufficient data to be evaluated for a rating (typically because of very low enrollment), it will receive a rating label of NR: Charter (Insufficient Data).

NR: PK-K - These campuses are not rated. They include those that do not serve students within the 1st through 12th grade span, such as pre-kindergarten centers and early education through kindergarten schools.

Academically Unacceptable: SAI - These districts have been designated as Academically Unacceptable due to a Special Accreditation Investigation. Special Accreditation Investigations may be conducted when excessive numbers of absences or exemptions of students eligible to be tested on state assessment instruments are determined; in response to complaints related to alleged violations of civil rights or other legal requirements; in response to compliance reviews of financial accounting practices and state and federal program requirements; when extraordinary numbers of students are placed in alternative education programs; and in response to allegations involving conflict between members of the board of trustees or between the board and the district administration.

Suspended: Data Inquiry - These districts and campuses have their ratings Suspended due to serious errors in the reporting of PEIMS data that affect one or more of the base indicators used for assigning accountability ratings. The errors are of such magnitude that the performance results are deemed to be unsuitable for evaluation for standard ratings purposes. The rating will be in effect until such time as an agency investigation determines otherwise. This rating replaces the Unacceptable: Data Quality and Acceptable: Data Issues ratings used in 1999.

For a more detailed explanation of the accountability system, see the 2000 Accountability Manual. A copy of the manual was provided to each superintendent and principal in April 2000. It is also available on the Division of Performance Reporting's website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2000/manual/. For a detailed explanation of the accountability system used for alternative education schools, see the 1999-2000 Accountability Procedures for Alternative Education Manual, available from the TEA Office of Accountability and Accreditation.

Accountability Subset: This refers to the group of students whose performance on the TAAS is used to determine a school and district's accountability rating. While all students in grades 3-8 and 10 are required to take the TAAS, not every student's performance is used for their school or district's accountability rating:

The TAAS Participation Report, included with the AEIS report, shows what percent of a district or school's test takers made up the Accountability Subset. Also see Mobile Subset, TAAS, and TAAS Participation Report.

Additional Acknowledgment: This refers to the school or district's performance on the additional indicators in the accountability system. For 2000, the accountability system includes performance on college admissions tests, the TAAS/TASP equivalency, Recommended High School Program, and Comparable Improvement (campus-level only). Schools and districts may receive a rating of Acknowledged on one or more of these indicators; Does Not Qualify indicates that they did not meet the standards for the indicator(s); Not Eligible indicates that the school or district was not qualified due to Low-Performing or Academically Unacceptable status; Not Applicable indicates there were no data to be evaluated for the indicator, usually due to the grades served by the district or campus. Schools evaluated under the alternative education procedures are not eligible for additional acknowledgment.

Please refer to the 2000 Accountability Manual for detailed information on the standards for additional acknowledgment. A copy of the manual was provided to each superintendent and principal in April 2000. It is also available on the Division of Performance Reporting's website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2000/manual/. See College Admissions Tests, TAAS/TASP Equivalency, and Comparable Improvement.

Advanced Courses: This indicator is based on a count of the number of students who complete and receive credit for at least one advanced academic course in grades 9-12. Appendix C lists all the advanced courses included in this measure. Course completion information is reported by districts through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) at the end of the school year. The values, expressed as a percent, are calculated as follows:

number of students who completed at least one advanced academic course in 1998-99
divided by
number of students who completed at least one course in 1998-99

Special education students are included in the results shown for the campus or district and the individual student groups. For purposes of comparison, advanced course completion rates are shown for both 1997-98 and 1998-99. See Appendix C: List of Advanced Courses. (Source: PEIMS, June 1999, June 1998)

See AP/IB Results.

Annual Dropout Rate: See Dropout Rate (Annual).

AP/IB Results (District Performance only): These refer to the results of the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations and the International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations taken by Texas public school students in a given school year. High school students may take these examinations, ideally upon completion of AP or IB courses, and may receive advanced placement or credit, or both, upon entering college. Generally, colleges will award credit or advanced placement for scores of 3, 4, or 5 on AP examinations and scores of 4, 5, 6, or 7 on IB examinations.

Three values were calculated for this indicator:

(1) The percent of students in grades 11 and 12 taking at least one AP or IB examination:

number of 11th and 12th grade students taking at least one AP or IB examination
divided by
number of 11th and 12th grade students

(2) The percent of AP scores of 3 or above or IB scores of 4 or above:

number of grade 11 & 12 AP examination scores of 3 or above or IB scores of 4 or above
divided by
number of grade 11 and 12 AP & IB examination scores

(3) The percent of examinees with at least one AP score of 3 or above or IB score of 4 or above:

number of grade 11 & 12 examinees with at least one AP score of 3 or above or IB score of 4 or above
divided by
number of grade 11 and 12 AP or IB examinees

Note that "number of 11th and 12th graders" in the denominator of equation (1) does not include 11th and 12th grade students served in special education; however, all students who took at least one AP examination are included in the numerator.

This indicator is provided on district reports only. For purposes of year-to-year comparison, information is provided for students taking examinations in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 school years. (Sources: Educational Testing Service, a College Board contractor; The International Baccalaureate Organization, and PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998)

ARD Exempt: This refers to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal committee that determines the education plan for every student in special education. See Special Education and TAAS Participation Report.

Attendance Rate: Attendance rates reported in AEIS are based on student attendance for the entire school year. Attendance is calculated as follows:

total number of days students were present in 1998-99
divided by
total number of days students were in membership in 1998-99

Attendance rates are shown for 1997-98 and 1998-99. Only students in grades 1-12 are included in the calculations. (Source: PEIMS, June 1999, June 1998)

Auxiliary Staff (District Profile only): This shows the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) count of staff reported without a role but with a PEIMS employment and payroll record. Counts of auxiliary staff are expressed as a percent of total staff. For auxiliary staff, the FTE is simply the value of the percent of day worked expressed as a fraction. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Average Actual Salaries (regular duties only): For each professional staff type, the total salary is divided by the total FTE count of staff who receive that salary. The total actual salary amount is pay for regular duties only and does not include supplemental payments for coaching, band and orchestra assignments, and club sponsorships. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Average Teacher Salary by Years of Experience (regular duties only): Total pay for teachers within each experience group is divided by the total teacher FTE for the group. The total actual salary amount is pay for regular duties only and does not include supplements. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Average Years Experience of Teachers: Weighted averages are obtained by multiplying each teacher's FTE count by years of experience. These amounts are summed for all teachers and divided by the total teacher count, resulting in the averages shown. Average years experience refers to the total number of (completed) years of professional experience for the individual, while average years experience with a district refers to tenure, i.e., the number of years employed in the reporting district, whether or not there has been any interruption in service. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Budgeted Instructional Operating Expenditures by Program: These are budgeted instructional operating expenditures categorized by the individual program for which they were budgeted: Regular Education (Basic Educational Services); Special Education (Services to Students with Disabilities); Compensatory Education (Accelerated); Career and Technology Education; Bilingual/ESL Education (Bilingual and Special Language Programs); and Gifted and Talented Education. Values shown are the percent of total instructional operating expenditures. Instructional operating expenditures include those activities which deal directly with the instruction of pupils (functions 11, 95). Instructional Leadership expenditures (function 21) are not included. See Appendix B. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Campus Group: See Comparable Improvement.

Class Size Averages by Grade and Subject: These values show the average class size for elementary classes (by grade) and for secondary classes by subject for selected subjects. Beginning this year, classes identified as serving regular, as well as compensatory/remedial, gifted and talented, career & technology, and honors students are included in these averages. The method for calculating the number of classes differs depending on whether the class is elementary or secondary due to different reporting practices. For secondary classes, each unique combination of teacher and class time is counted as a class. Averages are determined by summing the number of students served and dividing by a calculated count of classes. For elementary classes, the teacher's FTE value is considered when determining class size. Districts do not report actual class size averages; these values are derived from Staff Responsibility records. Also, beginning this year, class averages are reported on both the campus and district reports. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

College Admissions Tests: These include the College Board's SAT I and ACT, Inc.'s ACT Assessment. Both testing companies provide the agency with testing information annually on test participation and performance of the most recent graduating seniors at all Texas public schools. Only one record is sent per student. If a student takes an ACT or SAT I test more than once, the agency receives the record for the most recent SAT and ACT taken.

Three values are calculated for this indicator:

(1) The percent of examinees who scored at or above the criterion score on either test (1110 on the SAT I, or 24 on the ACT):

number of examinees who scored at or above criterion
divided by
number of examinees

(2) The percent of graduates who took either college admissions test:

number of graduates who took either the SAT I or the ACT
divided by
number of graduates

(3) The average score for each (SAT I total and ACT composite), calculated as follows:

total score for all students who took the SAT I
divided by
number of students who took the SAT I

and

total score for all students who took the ACT
divided by
number of students who took the ACT

Note that "graduates" in the denominator of equation (2) does not include special education graduates; however, special education graduates who took either the SAT I or ACT are included in the numerator. (See Graduates.) For purposes of year-to-year comparison, results are reported for graduating seniors in the class of 1998 and the class of 1999.

In order to qualify for Additional Acknowledgment for performance on college admissions tests, the school or district must have at least 70.0% of its graduates taking either the SAT I or the ACT, and 50.0% of examinees meeting or exceeding the criterion score on either test. (Source: Educational Testing Service, a College Board contractor (SAT I); ACT, Inc. (ACT); and PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998)

Comparable Improvement: Comparable Improvement (CI) is a measure that shows how student performance on the TAAS test has changed (or grown) from one year to the next, and then compares that growth to that of the 40 schools that are demographically most similar to the target school.

Campus Group - The first step to determining a school's comparable improvement is to create the school's comparison group. Each school (also referred to as campus) has a unique comparison group of 40 other public schools (from anywhere in the state), that closely matches that school on six characteristics. (Note that only schools that carry a rating of Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable, or Low-Performing are included in comparison groups. Also, schools that were initially not rated but were later granted a rating as a result of an appeal are not included in the comparison groups and are not eligible for additional acknowledgment for CI.)

The demographic characteristics used to construct the campus comparison groups include those defined in statute as well as others found to be statistically related to performance. They are:

All schools are first grouped by type (elementary, middle, high school, or multi-level). Then the group is determined on the basis of the most predominant features at the target school. In the attached example (Appendix D, page 1) the target school (Sample H S) has 7.6% African American, 36.8% Hispanic, 53.9% White, 28.2% economically disadvantaged, 10.7% limited English proficient, and 23.7% mobile students. Of these features, the most predominant (i.e., the largest percentage) is the percent of White students, followed by the percent of Hispanic students, the percent of economically disadvantaged students, the percent of mobile students, the percent of limited English proficient students, and finally, the percent of African American students. The following steps illustrate the group identification process:

Step 1: 100 high school campuses having percentages closest to 53.9% White students are identified;
Step 2: 10 schools from the initial group of 100 are eliminated on the basis of being most distant from the value of 36.8% Hispanic;
Step 3: 10 of the remaining 90 schools which are most distant from 28.2% economically disadvantaged students are eliminated;
Step 4: 10 of the remaining 80 schools which are most distant from 23.7% mobile students are eliminated;
Step 5: 10 of the remaining 70 schools which are most distant from 10.7% limited English proficient students are eliminated;
Step 6: 10 of the remaining 60 schools which are most distant from 7.6% African American students are eliminated; and
Step 7: 10 of the remaining 50 schools which are most distant from 7.6% African American and/or 28.2% economically disadvantaged students are eliminated. (This last reduction step is based on the least predominant characteristics among the four student groups evaluated in the accountability system: African American, Hispanic, White, and economically disadvantaged.)

The final group size is 40 schools. This methodology creates a unique comparison group for every campus. Please note the following:

In the performance section of a campus AEIS report, the value given in the Campus Group column is the median of the values from the 40-school group for that campus. (The median is defined as that point in the distribution of values, above and below which one-half of the values fall.) However, on the profile section of the report, the value given in the Campus Group column is the mean, or average value. If a report contains question marks (?) in the Campus Group column, this means there were too few schools in the comparison group (specifically, fewer than 25 schools) to have confidence in the median values. Such small numbers are considered too unstable to provide an adequate comparison group value.

Texas Learning Index (TLI) - The TLI is a score that describes a student's performance on the TAAS reading or mathematics test. It can be used to tell how far a student is above or below the passing standard. For example, the passing standard is a TLI of 70. If a student's TLI is 72, then we know that while the student passed, he did not pass by as great a margin as a classmate whose TLI was 90. The TLI is available only for the TAAS (English version) reading and mathematics tests at grades 3 through 8 and 10.

TLI Average Growth (TAG) - Calculation of Comparable Improvement for a particular school is based on the growth in the students' Texas Learning Index (TLI) scores on the TAAS reading and mathematics tests given from one year to the next.

Students included in a school's CI are those who:

CI is calculated separately for TAAS reading and TAAS mathematics. For each matched student and each subject, TLI growth is determined by subtracting the prior year TLI value from the current year TLI value. The student-level TLI growth values are then aggregated to the campus level to create a TLI Average Growth (TAG) for each campus. The TAG values, rounded to two decimal places, are calculated as follows:

TAG (reading) =
sum of matched student TLI growth values for reading
divided by
total number of matched students in reading

TAG (mathematics) =
sum of matched student TLI growth values for mathematics
divided by
total number of matched students in mathematics

Interpretation of Comparable Improvement - Comparable Improvement is expressed as the quartile position of a school within its comparison group. For example, if a school is in the top quartile for reading, that means that the average growth in reading of the students tested at that school is better than that of at least three-quarters of the schools in its comparison group.

Quartile positions are determined separately for reading and mathematics. First, the TAG values for the schools in the comparison group are arranged in order from highest to lowest, and then they are divided into four quartiles, with each quartile containing one-fourth of the schools:

Note the following points:

In order to qualify for Additional Acknowledgment for performance on Comparable Improvement, the school must be in Q1, and have at least 50.0% of their (matched) test takers scoring a TLI of 85 or greater in the prior year.

For a description of each aspect of the Comparable Improvement Report, see Appendix D. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, and June 1999; TEA Division of Student Assessment)

Completion Rate / Student Status: This year, TEA has introduced a new set of longitudinal rates which expand the Completion Rate indicator reported last year. These rates show the high school outcomes for the cohort of grade 9 students. The outcomes are determined for the year graduation is expected (four years after entering grade 9). For the class of 1999, the indicator summarizes the outcomes for the grade nine cohort of 1995-96. This new indicator is shown for districts as well as for high schools that have had continuous enrollment in grades 9-12 since at least the 1995-96 school year. The four final outcomes are:

(1) Percent Graduated: Of the 1995-96 cohort, this shows what percentage received a High School diploma by the end of the 1998-99 school year. It is calculated as follows:

Number of on-time graduates from the 1995-96 cohort plus early graduates
divided by
Number of 9th graders in 1995-96 plus transfers in minus transfers out

(2) Percent Received GED: Of the 1995-96 cohort, this shows what percentage received a General Educational Development certificate by the end of the 1998-99 school year. It is calculated as follows:

Number of GED recipients from the 1995-96 cohort
divided by
Number of 9th graders in 1995-96 plus transfers in minus transfers out

(3) Percent Continued High School: Of the 1995-96 cohort, this shows what percentage were enrolled as students for the 1999-2000 school year. It is calculated as follows:

Number of students from the 1995-96 cohort who were enrolled for the 1999-2000 school year
divided by
Number of 9th graders in 1995-96 plus transfers in minus transfers out

(4) Percent Dropped Out: Of the 1995-96 cohort, this shows what percentage dropped out and did not return by the end of the 1998-99 school year. (This four-year longitudinal rate replaces the six-year longitudinal dropout rate reported in the 1998-99 AEIS report.) It is calculated as follows:

Number of students from the 1995-96 cohort who dropped out before their on-time graduation date
divided by
Number of 9th grade cohort plus transfers in minus transfers out

These four outcomes sum to 100%.

Students are taken out of the counts if during those four years:

For purposes of comparison, the completion rate / student status for the class of 1998 is also provided. For further information on these rates, see the Report on Secondary School Completion and Dropouts 1998-99. The rate is referred to as the Combined Longitudinal Rate in that report. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, June 1999, Oct. 1998, June 1998, Oct. 1997, June 1997, Oct. 1996, June 1996, Oct. 1995, Oct. 1994)

Criterion Score: This refers to the scores on SAT I and ACT college admissions tests and the AP and IB tests. For college admissions tests, the criterion scores are at least 24 on the ACT (composite) and at least 1110 on the SAT I (total). For AP and IB tests, the criterion scores are at least 3 on AP tests, and at least 4 on IB tests. See College Admissions Tests and AP/IB Results.

Dropout: A student is identified as a dropout if he or she is absent without an approved excuse or documented transfer and does not return to school by the fall of the following year, or if he or she completes the school year but fails to re-enroll the following school year.

Dropout counts are obtained from PEIMS records. Districts report the status of all students who were enrolled in grades 7 - 12 in the district during the prior school year in one of two ways: as being currently in school (Enrollment record) or as having left school (Leaver record). The Leaver record provides 41 possible reasons for leaving school. Generally, a school leaver can be put into one of four categories:

(1) The student graduated or received a GED.

(2) The student died.

(3) The student left school with appropriate documentation of continuing education elsewhere.

(4) The student left school for other reasons.

Students coded with one of the many reasons under the fourth category are considered dropouts. However, before the dropout rate is finalized, a statewide recovery system is run in which information about these students is merged with statewide enrollment and attendance records, graduation records, and GED records. Those students who are found in these files are excluded from the dropout rate for the school and district. See Dropout Rate (Annual).

(Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, June 1999, Oct. 1998, June 1998, Oct. 1997, and Oct. 1997; and General Educational Development Information File;)

Dropout Rate (Annual): The annual dropout rate is the count of dropouts summed across all grades, 7-12, divided by the number of students summed across all grades 7-12. It is calculated as follows:

number of students who dropped out during the school year
divided by
number of students who were in attendance at any time during the school year

Annual dropout rates are shown for 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Note that a cumulative count of students is used in the denominator as well as the numerator. This method for calculating the dropout rate neutralizes the effects of mobility by including in the denominator every student who enrolled at the school throughout the school year. See Dropout and Leaver Record. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, June 1999, Oct. 1998, and June 1998)

Dropout Rate (Actual Longitudinal): The six-year longitudinal dropout rate is no longer reported on the AEIS report. See Completion Rate / Student Status for the four-year longitudinal dropout rate.

Economically Disadvantaged: The percent of economically disadvantaged students is calculated as the sum of the students coded as eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or eligible for other public assistance, divided by the total number of students:

number of students coded as eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or other public assistance
divided by
total number of students

See Comparable Improvement. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998; and TEA Division of Student Assessment)

Educational Aides: Educational aides are staff who are reported with a role of 033 (Educational Aide) or 035(Interpreter for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing). These aides are referred to as paraprofessional staff. FTE counts of educational aides are expressed as a percent of the total staff FTE. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

End-of-Course Examination: Students completing an Algebra I, Biology, English II, or U.S. History class must take an end-of-course (EOC) examination. The 1999-2000 AEIS report shows two values for this indicator:

(1) The percent of students who passed each end-of-course examination:

number of students who passed the EOC examination
divided by
number of students who took the EOC examination

(2) The percent of students who took each end-of-course examination:

number of students who took the EOC examination
divided by
number of students enrolled in the grades taking the EOC examination

The grades included for reporting each examination are:

Students may take end-of-course examinations at different times of the year. The passing and taking rates include the following test administrations:

The performance of special education students is included in all groups for this measure.

Preview of 2003 Exit Level - For planning purposes, the passing rates for each of the four end-of-course examinations can be used as a preview of the 2003 exit-level exam, and are labeled as such on the AEIS report. These tests are considered the best currently available predictor of performance on the new exit-level examinations which will be administered in 2003.

(Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment and PEIMS, Oct. 1999, and Oct. 1998)

End-of-Course Examination Credit for Graduation: Students eligible to take the spring 2000 exit-level TAAS at grade 10 may have chosen not to take the test if they had already met their testing requirements for graduation by passing end-of-course examinations. In order to be eligible for this credit, the student must have passed (by fall 1999) the end-of-course examinations for both Algebra I and Biology, and either U.S. History or English II. Students in this category were credited as passers in calculating the school and district's TAAS passing rate for the accountability ratings.

If a student met the end-of-course testing requirement for graduation but still chose to take the TAAS, his or her performance on the TAAS was used in calculating the school and district's accountability ratings.

Enrollment: See Total Students.

Ethnic Distribution: Students are reported as White, African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native American. In the profile section, both counts and percentages of the total number of students are shown. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998; Educational Testing Service; American College Testing Program; and TEA Division of Student Assessment)

Exclusions: These are staff who serve public school students, but are not included in the FTE totals for any of the other staff statistics. There are two types of these entries: individuals participating in a shared services arrangement and individuals on contract with the district to provide instructional services. Shared Services Arrangement (SSA) Staff (District Profile only) work in schools located in districts other than their employing district, or their payroll shows an organization code of "751" indicating they are employed by the fiscal agent of an SSA. Only the portion of a person's total FTE amount associated with the school in another district (or with the 751 organization code) is counted as SSA. SSA staff are grouped into three categories: Professional Staff (which includes teachers, administrators, and professional support), Educational Aides, and Auxiliary Staff. Note that SSA Auxiliary Staff are identified by the type of fund from which they are paid. Contracted Instructional Staff refers to counts of instructors hired on contract by the district to provide services to students. For example, a district that contracted with a company to provide advanced mathematics instruction in its gifted and talented program would report FTEs in this category. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

FTE: Full-Time Equivalent.

Fund Balance Information (from District Profile Section): The amount of unencumbered surplus fund balance that existed at the end of the 1998-99 school year is reported for each district. The percent of the total budgeted expenditures (for the general fund) for the current year (1999-2000) is also shown. (Source: Financial Audit Report, Dec. 1999)

Graduates (Class of 1999): In the profile section, this is the total number of graduates (including summer graduates) for the 1998-99 school year, reported in the fall of 1999. The value includes 12th graders who graduated as well as graduates from other grades. Students in special education who graduate are included in the totals and reported as a separate group; counts of students graduating under the advanced, advanced with honors diplomas, recommended high school, or distinguished achievement program are also shown.

Students graduating with the class of 1999 can be coded with one of the following types:

Graduates are calculated slightly differently for three of the indicators on the performance section of the AEIS report:

See also Completion Rate / Student Status and Recommended High School Program. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

International Baccalaureate (IB): See AP/IB Results.

Leaver Records: In the fall of each year, districts report all 7th through 12th grade students who were enrolled or in attendance at any point during the prior year but who did not re-enroll that fall. This group of "Leavers" includes students such as those who graduated or received a GED, moved to another district, state, or country, died, or dropped out. This information is sent to TEA in Submission 1 of the annual PEIMS data collection.

After the data submission process is complete, PEIMS and several other statewide databases are searched to determine if any of the leaver records can appropriately be excluded from consideration as dropouts for the accountability system. Students' leaver records are excluded from the district and campus list of dropouts if the students:

(Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, June 1999, Oct. 1998, June 1998, Oct. 1997, and Oct. 1997; General Educational Development Information File; and TEA, 1998-99 Report on Public School Dropouts, Texas Education Agency)

Limited English Proficient (LEP): These are counts of students identified as limited English proficient by the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) according to criteria established in the Texas Administrative Code. Pupils identified as LEP do not necessarily receive bilingual or English as a second language instruction, though most do. Percentages are calculated by dividing the number of LEP pupils by the total number of students in the school or district. See Comparable Improvement and TAAS Participation Report. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Longitudinal Dropout Rate: See Completion Rate / Student Status.

Mobile Subset: This refers to the group of TAAS test takers whose performance is excluded when determining a school or district's accountability rating. Students may take the test but be excluded for accountability ratings purposes if they were not enrolled in that district by the last Friday in the previous October. Note that this calculation is different from that used to determine Mobility (below). See Accountability Subset, TAAS Participation Report, and Appendix E.

Mobility (from Campus Profile Section): A student is considered to be mobile if he or she has been in membership at the school for less than 83% of the school year (i.e., has missed six or more weeks at a particular school).

number of mobile students in 1998-99
divided by
number of students who were in membership at any time during the 1998-99 school year

This rate is calculated at the campus level. The district mobility rate shown in the profile section of campus reports is also calculated at the campus level. That is, the rate reflects school-to-school mobility, even within the same district. See Comparable Improvement. (Source: PEIMS, June 1999)

n/a: This indicates data that are not available or are not applicable.

Number of Students per Teacher: This shows the total number of students divided by the total teacher FTE count. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Paired Schools: Schools that reported enrollment but do not have grades in which the TAAS test is given (e.g., 9th grade centers, K-2 schools, etc.) are paired with schools with which they have a "feeder" relationship to determine accountability ratings. For example, Travis 9th Grade Center feeds its students into Navarro High School, a 10th-12th grade high school, so the district pairs these two schools for accountability purposes. The accountability ratings for these two schools are determined as follows: Travis' attendance rate and dropout rate are used along with Navarro's TAAS pass rates to determine Travis' rating. Navarro High School, on the other hand, has its own attendance rate, dropout rate, and TAAS pass rates to determine its rating. For this reason, two schools that are paired can receive different ratings.

Permits by Type (from District Profile Section): This indicates the number of permits issued by permit type. Individuals may be issued more than one permit; for that reason only counts are shown, not percentages. Permit types are emergency for certified personnel, emergency for non-certified personnel, nonrenewable, temporary classroom assignment, district teaching, and temporary exemption. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Per Pupil Expenditures: Budgeted expenditures for groups of functions divided by the total number of students in the district or school. Note that the number shown is not the amount actually spent per pupil, but rather a per-pupil average of the total budget. Per pupil expenditures are shown for total expenditures and for various groupings of operating categories. See Total Operating Expenditures by Function for definitions of each functional group. See Total Campus Budget by Function for definitions of each functional group shown on the campus report. In the "per pupil" sections on both the district and campus reports, instructional leadership is combined with the instruction category in order to comply with legislative mandates that instructional costs per pupil and administrative costs per pupil be reported. Please note that when comparing averages for school-level expenditures, the state and district averages include all types of schools. To illustrate, a high school's per pupil expenditures may not be comparable to the state average because the state value is the average per pupil expenditure of all schools in the state, including elementary and middle schools, which typically have lower per pupil expenditures than high schools. Other variables may include the experience level of teachers and administrators, types of instructional programs offered, and student characteristics. See Appendix B. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Professional Staff: This is a full-time equivalent (FTE) count of teachers, professional support staff, campus administrators, and, on the district profile, central administrators. Staff are grouped according to the PEIMS roles reported. Each type of professional staff is shown as a percentage of the total staff FTE. See Appendix A. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Progress of Prior Year TAAS Failers: The progress, or growth, shown with this measure is determined by comparing the performance of students who failed the TAAS in the prior year with their subsequent performance the following year.

Specifically, for the 2000 measure, students included are those who:

The growth is calculated separately for TAAS reading and TAAS mathematics. For each matched student, a growth value is determined by subtracting the prior year TLI value from the current year TLI value. The TAAS failer student-level growth values are then aggregated to the campus level to create average TLI growth measures for each campus. The reported measures, rounded to two decimal places, are calculated as follows:

TAG (reading) =
sum of growth values for reading
divided by
total number of matched students who failed reading

TAG (mathematics) =
sum of growth values for mathematics
divided by
total number of matched students who failed mathematics

Note that reports of Progress of Prior Year TAAS Failers by grade are available for each district and campus on the internet, within the AEIS report that appears on the Division of Performance Reporting's website. Simply call up a campus or district report from the AEIS site (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2000/). A link below the line showing the Progress of Prior Year TAAS Failers will produce a separate report, by grade. (Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment)

Recommended High School Program: This indicator reports the percent of graduates who were reported as having satisfied the course requirements for the Texas State Board of Education Recommended High School Program or Distinguished Achievement Program. It is calculated as follows:

number of graduates reported with graduation codes for "Recommended High School Program," or "Distinguished Achievement Program"
divided by
number of graduates

Note that all special education students are included in this calculation. In August 2000, districts and campuses were eligible to receive Additional Acknowledgment for participation in the Recommended High School Program. In order to qualify for Additional Acknowledgment for this indicator, at least 30.0% of the school or district's graduates must have met or exceeded the requirements for the SBOE's Recommended High School Program or Distinguished Achievement Program. See Graduates. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998)

Retention Rates by Grade: The retention rate, which is reported in the profile section, shows the percent of students in Texas public schools who enrolled in 1999-2000 in the same grade as their grade in the last reported six-week period of the prior year (1998-99). It is calculated as follows:

number of students not advanced to the next grade
divided by
number of students advanced to the next grade + number of students not advanced to the next grade

Note that all special education retention rates are calculated and reported separately from the rates of non-special education students because local retention practices appear to differ greatly between these two populations of students. Also, the AEIS report only shows retention rates for grades K-8. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, June 1999)

Revenues by Source (District Profile only): Budgeted revenues for groups of object categories are expressed as a percent of total revenue. Beginning with 1996-97, amounts budgeted in certain fund categories previously collected by the TEA are no longer collected. These are the Special Revenue Funds (including Shared Services Arrangements) and the Capital Projects Funds. Therefore amounts budgeted by districts in these funds stopped appearing on the AEIS reports with the 1996-97 school year. The amounts appearing as revenue in any of the categories shown are the amounts that were budgeted by districts in the general fund (fund 199, including state food services), the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program (240, 701), and the debt service funds (599). Local Tax (5710 & 5761, less function 91 & 96 expenditures): district income from local real and personal property taxes. Other Local and Intermediate (5720-5745, 5747-5750, 5769): payments for services to other districts, tuition and fees from students, transfers from within the state, revenue from cocurricular and enterprising activities, all other local sources, and revenues from intermediate sources (county). Amounts budgeted in object 5746, TIF (Tax Increment Fund), appear as a footnote where appropriate and are not included in the Other Local and Intermediate total. State (5800): per capita and foundation program entitlements, revenue from other state-funded programs, and revenue from other state agencies. State revenue also includes Teacher Retirement System benefits paid by the State of Texas on behalf of employees in the district. For both the revenue and expenditures sections of the AEIS report, a footnote indicates the amount budgeted by each district for this particular object code. This footnote does not apply to Charter Schools. Federal (5900): revenue received by the district directly from the federal government or distributed by the TEA or other state entities for programs such as career and technology education, programs for educationally disadvantaged children (Education Consolidation and Improvement Act, and Elementary and Secondary Education Act), food service programs, and other federal programs. See Appendix B. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

SAT/ACT Results: See College Admissions Tests.

School Type: For purposes of demographic grouping, schools are placed into one of four classifications based on lowest and highest grades in which students are enrolled at the school: Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and both Elementary/Secondary (K-12).

Special Education: This refers to the population served by programs for students with disabilities. Students are placed in special education by their Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee, made up of their parent(s) or guardian, teacher, administrator, and other concerned parties. A student in special education may take the TAAS tests or be exempted from one or all of them; however, the performance of any special education student who takes the TAAS will be included in the performance of his or her school or district for accountability ratings evaluation purposes.

Other indicators that include the performance of students in special education are: advanced course completion, attendance rate, dropout rate, end-of-course examinations, completion rate, recommended high school program, TAAS cumulative pass rate, and TAAS/TASP equivalency. Information on the performance of special education students on college admissions tests and on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations is not available. Note that in the profile section of the report, retention rates are shown separately for special education and non-special education students. See TAAS Participation Report. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998, and TEA Division of Student Assessment)

Special Education Compliance Status: Beginning this year, the Texas Education Agency is required to report the special education compliance status (SpECS) of each district and charter in the state on the AEIS reports. Districts and charters may receive a status of:

For a description of each status, refer to Appendix F. If you have questions about this item, contact the Division of Accountability, Development , and Support at (512) 463-9716. (Source: Division of Accountability, Development, and Support)

Standardized Local Tax Base (Comptroller Valuation) (District Profile only): Sometimes school district property values are not judged equivalently across appraisal districts. For this reason the Comptroller conducts a study each year that re-evaluates the property values within school districts. The Local Tax Base or taxable property values are standardized in that they are comparable across the state as certified by the Comptroller's Property Tax Division (Comptroller Valuation). This is the value that was shown as the Local Tax Base in past years. In 1999, SB 4 required the Comptroller to certify an alternative measure of school district wealth. The value shown here is the alternative measure used for calculating state aid which represents the school district's taxable property value after the loss to the additional $10,000 Homestead Exemption and after removing 50% of the loss to the Local Optional Percentage Homestead Exemption. Please note that the values shown are final for tax year 1999.

Value per Pupil: school district property value, or Standardized Local Tax Base, divided by the total number of students. This per pupil figure is one definition of "wealth." Please note that the values shown are final for tax year 1999.

Value by Category: shows aggregates of individual property tax categories expressed as a percent of the re-evaluated taxable property value before the exemptions are applied. Please note that the values shown are final for tax year 1999.

(Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, July 2000)

Standardized Tax Rates (Comptroller Valuation) (District Profile only): Standardized, or equalized, tax rates are the result of dividing the district's tax levies by the Comptroller's re-evaluated property values. Standardized rates are more comparable across districts than the locally adopted rates because the standardized rates are based on property values that have been adjusted by the Comptroller to reflect consistent valuation practices. The total standardized rate is the sum of the school district rates for maintenance and operation rate (M&O) and debt service payments (sometimes referred to as the Interest & Sinking fund rate). Rates are expressed per $100 of taxable value. (Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, July 2000)

Student Enrollment by Program: Students are identified as served through the special education, career and technology education, bilingual/ESL education, or gifted and talented education programs. The percentages may reflect duplicate counts, as a student may be enrolled in more than one program. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Students by Grade: Percentages are calculated by dividing the number of students in each grade by the total number of students. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Students with Disciplinary Placements: This year, for the first time, counts and percents of students placed in alternative education programs under Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code (Discipline Law and Order) are shown (for the 1998-99 school year) in the AEIS reports. Disciplinary placement counts are obtained from PEIMS records. Districts report the disciplinary actions taken toward students who are removed for the classroom for at least one day. Although students can have multiple removals throughout the year, this measure counts students only once and includes only those whose removal results in a placement in a disciplinary alternative education program or juvenile justice alternative education program. It is calculated as follows:

number of students with one or more disciplinary placements
divided by
number of students who were in attendance at any time during the school year

(Source: PEIMS, June 1999)

TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills): Students in Texas public schools in grades 3 through 8 and 10 take this criterion-referenced test during the spring semester of each school year. It measures student achievement in the following subjects:

The AEIS report shows TAAS passing rates in two ways:

number of students who passed the reading test in grades 3, 4, & 5
divided by
number of students who took the reading test in grades 3, 4, & 5

Please note the following changes for the spring 2000 tests:

Other important information:

For an explanation of TAAS participation see TAAS Participation Report and Appendix E. (Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment)

TAAS Exit-level Cumulative Pass Rate (from District Performance Section): The TAAS cumulative pass rate for the class of 2000 shows the percent of students who first took the exit-level test in spring 1998, and eventually passed all tests taken (in the same district) by spring 2000. This measure is intended to show the relative success of districts in their efforts to help all their students pass the exit-level TAAS, which is a requirement for graduation from Texas public schools.

Test takers included in the TAAS Exit-level Cumulative Pass Rate:

Test takers NOT included in the TAAS Exit-level Cumulative Pass Rate:

The information is available by sex and ethnicity but not by economic status. The performance of special education students are included in all the values and are not reported separately. Results of the TAAS Exit-level Cumulative Pass Rate are also shown for the class of 1999. (Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment)

TAAS Participation Report: Every student enrolled in a Texas public school in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 must be given the opportunity to take the TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) test. Although it is the intention to test every student in these grades, there are circumstances under which some students are not tested. Also, of the students who are tested, not all students' test performance is considered for a school or district's accountability ratings. The reasons for exclusion are as follows:

The TAAS Participation Report included in the AEIS report (Appendix E) provides a breakdown of who was included and who was excluded. The percentages are based on the number of answer documents submitted for the tests. Districts submit an answer document for each student enrolled at the time of the spring TAAS administration in the grades tested.

For a description of each component of the TAAS Participation Report, see Appendix E. (Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment)

TAAS Passing Standard: The standard for passing (or meeting minimum expectations on) the exit-level TAAS test is equivalent to correctly answering 70% of the items based on the October 1990 exit-level test. In the spring of 1994 the passing standards in reading and mathematics at grades 3-8 were aligned with the exit-level standard in order to measure student achievement across time. Students in grades 3-8 and 10 achieving a Texas Learning Index (TLI) score of 70 or higher meet minimum expectations in reading and mathematics. On the writing test, students must achieve a scale score of 1500 or higher to meet minimum expectations. The passing standard for the Spanish TAAS (reading, mathematics, and writing) also requires a scale score of 1500 or higher. (Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment)

TAAS/TASP Equivalency: This indicator shows the percent of graduates from the class of 1999 who did well enough on the exit-level TAAS to have a 75% likelihood of passing the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test. To be counted for this indicator a student must have achieved a TLI of X-81 or higher on the TAAS reading test, a TLI of X-77 or higher on the TAAS mathematics test, and a scale score of 1540 or higher on the TAAS writing test.

Test takers included in the TAAS/TASP Equivalency:

Test takers NOT included in the TAAS/TASP Equivalency:

Results of the TAAS/TASP Equivalency are also shown for the class of 1998. Note that the Accountability Subset does not apply to this indicator.

In order to qualify for Additional Acknowledgment for performance on the TAAS/TASP Equivalency, at least 80.0% of the school or district's graduates must have met or exceeded the TAAS/TASP equivalency standard. See TAAS, TASP, and Graduates. (Source: TEA Division of Student Assessment; PEIMS, Oct. 1999, and Oct. 1998)

TASP: The Texas Academic Skills Program measures reading, writing, and mathematics proficiency. It is required of all persons entering Texas public institutions of higher education for the first time.

Teachers by Ethnicity and Sex: These are counts of teacher FTEs by the major ethnic groups and by sex. Counts are also expressed as a percent of the total teacher FTE. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Teachers by Highest Degree Held (District Profile only): This shows the distribution of degrees attained by teachers in the district. The FTE counts of teachers with no degree, bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees are expressed as a percent of the total teacher FTEs. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Teachers by Program (population served): Teacher FTE counts are categorized by the type of student populations served. Regular education, special education, compensatory education, career and technology education, bilingual/ESL education, gifted and talented education, and miscellaneous other populations served are shown. Teacher FTE values are allocated across population types for teachers who serve multiple population types. Percentages are expressed as a percent of total teacher FTEs. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Teachers by Years of Experience (District Profile only): This is the FTE count of teachers with years of professional experience that fall into the ranges shown. Experience in these categories is the total years of experience for the individual, not years of experience in the reporting district or campus. Teacher counts within each range of experience are expressed as a percent of total teacher FTEs. A beginning teacher is a teacher reported with zero years of experience. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Adopted Tax Rate (calendar year 1999) (District Profile only): This is the locally adopted total tax rate set for the 1999-2000 school year. Taxes based on this rate were to be paid by taxpayers in early 2000. (Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, July 2000)

Total Campus Budget by Function (Campus Profile only): Operating expenditures by function are expressed as a percent of the total campus operating budget. Function codes appear in parentheses. Instruction: all activities dealing directly with the interaction between teachers and students, including instruction aided with computers (11); and, expenditures to provide resources for Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (95). Instructional Leadership: managing, directing, supervising, and providing leadership for staff who provide instructional services (21). School Leadership: directing and managing a school (23). Other Campus Costs: resource centers and libraries (12); curriculum and instructional staff development (13); support services, including guidance and counseling (31), social work (32) and health services (33); food services (35); cocurricular/extracurricular activities (36); plant maintenance and operations (51); security and monitoring services (52), and data processing services (53). The information in the campus group, district, and state columns show the total costs of these expenditures for campuses in the group, campuses in the district, and all campuses in the state, respectively. Other costs not found in campuses-such as central office administrative expenditures-are not included. See Appendix B. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Exclusions (District Profile only): These expenditure amounts are omitted from the other financial information presented, in order to provide a more equalized financial picture. Function codes are shown in parentheses following each item. Tuition Transfers for Grades/Services Not Offered is the amount budgeted for the cost of obtaining instructional services from another district for grade levels not served (91) or services not offered. This category also includes payments to other school districts under the Public Education Grant Program (94). Wealth Equalization Transfers is the amount budgeted by districts for the cost of reducing their property wealth to the required equalized wealth level (91). Payments to Charter Schools (96) are also included in this category. Payments to Fiscal Agents/Members of Shared Services Arrangements (SSA) is the amount budgeted for payments to a fiscal agent from a member district (or vice versa) for services provided (93). The portion of SSA payments budgeted in the Special Revenue Funds are no longer collected by TEA, and so do not appear in this amount. See Appendix B. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Expenditures by Object (District Profile only): Total budgeted expenditures are grouped into operating and non-operating categories by object of expense. The operating categories are Payroll Costs (6100): gross salaries or wages and benefit costs for all employees. Professional and Contracted Services (6200): services rendered to school districts by firms, individuals and other organizations. Supplies and Materials (6300): supplies and materials including fuel for vehicles, other reading materials (not including the cost of state-adopted textbooks), and food service supplies. Other Operating Costs (6400): other expenses necessary for the operation of the school district. The non-operating categories are: Debt Service (6500): all expenditures for debt service including the retirement of debt and bond principal, and all interest expenses. Capital Outlay (6600): expenditures for fixed assets, such as land, buildings, and equipment. Beginning with 1996-97, amounts budgeted in certain fund categories which were previously collected by the TEA are no longer collected. These are the Special Revenue Funds (including Shared Services Arrangements) and the Capital Projects Funds. Therefore amounts budgeted by districts in these funds stopped appearing on the AEIS reports with the 1996-97 school year. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Expenditures for Athletic Programs (District Profile only): Budgeted expenditures for the costs of competitive athletic activities such as football, basketball, golf, swimming, baseball, etc. (program intent code 91). This includes costs associated with coaching as well as sponsors for drill team, cheerleaders, or any other organized activity to support athletics. However, this does not include band. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Expenditures for Community Services (District Profile only): Budgeted expenditures for activities or purposes other than regular public education. These are activities relating to the whole community, such as the operation of a school library, swimming pool, and playgrounds for the public (function 61). (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Operating Expenditures by Function (District Profile only): Operating expenditures by function are expressed as a percent of total operating expenditures. Function codes appear in parentheses. Instruction: all activities dealing directly with the interaction between teachers and students, including instruction aided with computers (11); and, expenditures to provide resources for Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (95). Instructional Related Services: expenditures for educational resources and media, such as resource centers and libraries (12); and, curriculum development and instructional staff development (13). Instructional Leadership: managing, directing, supervising, and providing leadership for staff who provide instructional services (21). School Leadership: directing and managing a school (23). Support Services - Student: guidance, counseling, and evaluation services (31); social work services (32); and, health services (33). Student Transportation: transporting students to and from school (34). Food Services: food service operation, including cost of food and labor (35). Cocurricular/Extracurricular Activities: school-sponsored activities during or after the school day that are not essential to the delivery of instructional services (36). Central Administration: managing or governing the school district as an overall entity (41); costs associated with the purchase or sale of attendance credits either from the state or from other school district(s) (92); and for Charter Schools only, fund raising (81). Plant Maintenance and Operations: keeping the physical plant and grounds in effective working condition (51). Security and Monitoring Services: keeping student and staff surroundings safe (52). Data Processing Services: data processing services, whether in-house or contracted (53). (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Revenues (District Profile only): The total for all revenues budgeted in the General Fund (199, including Food Services), the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program (240, 701), and the Debt Service Funds (599). Beginning with 1996-97, amounts budgeted in certain fund categories which were previously collected by the TEA are no longer collected. These are the Special Revenue Funds (including Shared Services Arrangements) and the Capital Projects Funds. Therefore amounts budgeted by districts in these funds stopped appearing on the AEIS reports with the 1996-97 school year. Total Revenues per Pupil is total revenue divided by the total number of students. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Staff: Total staff includes professional staff (teachers, professional support, administrators), educational aides, and (on the district profile), auxiliary staff. Minority staff is the sum of the FTE counts for all non-white staff groups (African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native American). This FTE count is expressed as a percent of the total staff FTE. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

Total Students: This is the total number of public school students who were reported in membership as of October 29, 1999 at any grade, from early childhood education through grade 12. Membership is a slightly different number from enrollment, because it does not include those students who are served in the district for less than two hours per day. For example, the count of Total Students excludes students who attend a nonpublic school but receive some services, such as speech therapy-for less than two hours per day-from their local public school district. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999)

TSSAS (Texas Successful Schools Award System): TSSAS was created by the Texas Legislature for schools that exhibit the highest levels of sustained success or the greatest improvement in achieving education goals. The legislature allocated $2,500,000 for the Successful Schools Award Program in 2000-2001. A portion of that amount is awarded to schools based upon criteria designed to recognize effective and innovative approaches to increasing the number of parents or guardians attending parent-teacher conferences. For more information on TSSAS, contact the Division of Accountability Development and Support at (512) 463-9737.

Turnover Rate for Teachers (District Profile only): This shows the total FTE count of teachers not employed in the district in the fall of 1999-2000 who were employed as teachers in the district in the fall of 1998-99, divided by the total teacher FTE count for the fall of 1998-99. Social security numbers of reported teachers are compared from the two semesters to develop this information. Staff who remain employed in the district but not as teachers are counted as teacher turnover. (Source: PEIMS, Oct. 1999, Oct. 1998)

Who to Call

Information about the calculation of all Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) data elements is provided in this Glossary. Information on the calculation of accountability ratings and comparable improvement is included in the 2000 Accountability Manual. If, after reading these documents, you have questions about the calculation of AEIS indicators, accountability ratings, or comparable improvement, contact the Division of Performance Reporting at (512) 463-9704. Questions related to programs and policies for the following subjects should be directed to the contacts listed below. All telephone numbers are in the (512) area code.

Subject

Contact

Number

Alternative Education Accountability

Accountability, Development & Support

463-9642

Advanced Placement (AP) Programs

Advanced Academic Services

463-9455

ARD Exemptions

School Governance, EEO, & Compliance

463-9297

Charter Schools

Charter Schools

463-9575

College Admissions Tests

Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT I)

College Board, Southwestern Regional Office

472-0231

American College Testing (ACT)

ACT Regional Office

345-1949

Copies of AEIS reports

On the internet

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport

On paper or CD

Communications and Public Information

463-9000

DEC Visits

Accountability Evaluations

463-9495

Distinguished Achievement Program

Advanced Academic Services

463-9455

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Advanced Academic Services

463-9455

Performance Objectives

Accountability Evaluations

463-9495

Public Education Grant (PEG) Program

State Funding

463-9238

Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS)

PEIMS Data Standards HelpLine

936-7346

Public Hearings

Accountability Evaluations

463-9667

Recommended High School Program

Curriculum

463-9581

Retention Policies

Curriculum

463-9581

Special Education

Special Education

463-9414

Special Education Compliance Status

Accountability Development & Support

463-9716

TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills)

Student Assessment

463-9536

TAAS Testing Contractor

National Computer Systems

(800) 252-9186

TASP (Texas Academic Skills Program)

State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC)

469-3000

Texas Learning Index

Student Assessment

463-9536

TSSAS (Texas Successful Schools Award System)

Accountability Development & Support

463-9637

 

Accountability information provided at the agency website includes: 2000 Accountability Manual, 2000 Accountability Ratings and Data Tables; 2000 district and campus AEIS data (posted in late November); and Campus Comparison Groups (under Comparable Improvement) based on 1999-2000 characteristics (posted in late November).

Appendix A & B

Appendix C

Advanced Academic Courses

1999-2000 Academic Excellence Indicator System

English Language Arts

A3220100

English Language And Composition

A3220200

English Literature And Composition

A3220300

International English Language

I3220300

English III

I3220400

English IV

03221100

Research/Technical Writing

03221200

Creative/Imaginative Writing

03221800

Independent Study In English

03231000

Independent Study/Journalism

03240400

Oral Interpretation III

03240800

Debate III

03241100

Public Speaking III

03241200

Independent Study/Speech

Social Studies/Humanities/History

A3310100

Micro Economics

A3310200

Macro Economics

A3330100

United States Government And Politics

A3330200

Comparative Government And Politics

A3340100

United States History

A3340200

European History

A3350100

Psychology

I3301100

History, Standard Level

I3301200

History: Africa, Higher Level

I3301300

History: Americas, Higher Level

I3301400

History: East And Southeast Asia, Higher Level

I3301500

History: Europe, Higher Level

I3302100

Geography, Standard Level

I3302200

Geography, Higher Level

I3303100

Economics, Standard Level

I3303200

Economics, Higher Level

I3304100

Psychology, Standard Level

I3304200

Psychology, Higher Level

I3366010

Philosophy

I3000100

Theory Of Knowledge

03221600

Humanities

Mathematics

A3100101

Calculus AB

A3100102

Calculus BC

A3100200

AP Statistics

I3100100

Mathematical Methods

I3100200

Mathematical Studies

I3100300

Mathematics Higher Level

I3100400

Advanced Mathematics Subsidiary Level

03101100

Pre-Calculus

Fine Arts

A3150200

Music Theory

A3500100

History Of Art

A3500200

Art/General Portfolio

A3500300

Art/Drawing

I3250200

Music SL

I3250300

Music HL

I3600100

Art/Design HL

I3600200

Art/Design SL-A

I3600300

Art/Design SL-B

I3750200

Theatre Arts SL

I3750300

Theatre Arts HL

03150400

Music IV Band

03150800

Music IV Orchestra

03151200

Music IV Choir

03151600

Music IV Jazz Band

03152000

Music IV Instrumental Ensemble

03152400

Music IV Vocal Ensemble

03250400

Theatre IV

03251000

Theatre Production IV

03251200

Technical Theatre IV

03502300

Art IV Drawing

03502400

Art IV Painting

03502500

Art IV Printmaking

03502600

Art IV Fibers

03502700

Art IV Ceramics

03502800

Art IV Sculpture

03502900

Art IV Jewelry

03503100

Art IV Photography

03503200

Art IV Graphic Design

03503500

Art IV Electronic Media

03830400

Dance IV

Science

A3010200

Biology

A3020000

Environmental Science

A3040000

Chemistry

A3050001

Physics B

A3050002

Physics C

I3010200

Biology

I3020000

Environmental Systems

I3040001

Chemistry I

I3040002

Chemistry II

I3050001

Physics I

I3050002

Physics II

Computer Science

A3580100

Computer Science I

A3580200

Computer Science II

I3580200

Computer Science I

I3580300

Computer Science II

03580200

Computer Science I

03580300

Computer Science II

Advanced Languages (Modern or Classical)

A3410100

French IV Language

A3410200

French V Literature

A3420100

German IV Language

A3430100

Latin IV (Vergil)

A3430200

Latin V (Catullus-Horace)

A3440100

Spanish IV Lang

A3440200

Spanish V Literature

I3120400

Japanese IV

I3120500

Japanese V

I3410400

French IV

I3410500

French V

I3420400

German IV

I3420500

German V

I3430400

Latin IV

I3430500

Latin V

I3440400

Spanish IV

I3440500

Spanish V

I3450400

Russian IV

I3450500

Russian V

I3480400

Hebrew IV

I3480500

Hebrew V

I3490400

Chinese IV

I3490500

Chinese V

03110400

Arabic IV

03110500

Arabic V

03110600

Arabic VI

03120400

Japanese IV

03120500

Japanese V

03120600

Japanese VI

03400400

Italian IV

03400500

Italian V

03400600

Italian VI

03410400

French IV

03410500

French V

03410600

French VI

03410700

French VII

03420400

German IV

03420500

German V

03420600

German VI

03420700

German VII

03430400

Latin IV

03430500

Latin V

03430600

Latin VI

03430777

Latin VII

03440400

Spanish IV

03440500

Spanish V

03440600

Spanish VI

03440700

Spanish VII

03450400

Russian IV

03450500

Russian V

03450600

Russian VI

03460400

Czech IV

03460500

Czech V

03460600

Czech VI

03470400

Portuguese IV

03470500

Portuguese V

03470600

Portuguese VI

03480400

Hebrew IV

03480500

Hebrew V

03480600

Hebrew VI

03490400

Chinese IV

03490500

Chinese V

03490600

Chinese VI

03996000

Other Foreign Language IV

03996100

Other Foreign Language V

03996200

Other Foreign Language VI

Appendix D (page 1)

Appendix D (page 2)

Appendix E

Appendix F

Special Education Compliance Status

Beginning with 1999-2000 school year, the Texas Education Agency is required to determine the special education compliance status (SpECS) of each school district and charter school in the state. For the 1999-2000 school year, the Agency determined the SpECS of each school district and charter school in accordance with the methodology described below. The SpECS of each school district and charter school is based upon information available to the Agency as of August 31, 2000.

1. Desk Audit: Compliant

Based on the Agency's analysis of the special education program data of every eligible school district and charter school (i.e., a "desk audit"), the Agency selected certain school districts and charter schools for either an on-site monitoring visit or a self-evaluation review. All school districts and charter schools not selected for either an on-site monitoring visit or a self-evaluation review were assigned the status Desk Audit: Compliant, unless the school district or charter school received an on-site review of its special education program during the 1999-2000 school year or was required, during the 1999-2000 school year, to implement corrective actions relating to outstanding compliance discrepancies resulting from an on-site monitoring review conducted prior to the 1999-2000 school year. The special education compliance status (SpECS) of each such school district and charter school was determined in accordance with the descriptions below.

2. Desk Audit: Self-Evaluation Required

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school for which the Agency's analysis of special education program data resulted in the school district or charter school being required to conduct a self-evaluation review during the 1999-2000 school year.

3. Desk Audit: Site Visit Pending

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school for which the Agency's analysis of special education program data resulted in a decision to conduct an on-site monitoring visit to the school district or charter school and, as of the end of the 1999-2000 school year, the visit had not been completed.

4. Site-Visit: Compliant

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school which received an on-site monitoring visit of its special education program during the 1999-2000 school year (whether the result of the Agency's analysis of special education program data or for other reasons) and no compliance discrepancies were cited by the Agency.

5. Site-Visit: Corrective Action Compliant

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school involved in the implementation of corrective actions during the 1999-2000 school year (based on compliance discrepancies noted during an on-site monitoring visit by the Agency) which resulted in a finding by the Agency that the corrective actions were sufficient to bring the school district or charter school into compliance with federal and state laws relating to special education.

6. Site-Visit: Corrective Action Required (Under Review by TEA)

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school involved in the implementation of corrective actions during the 1999-2000 school year (based on compliance discrepancies noted during an on-site monitoring visit by the Agency), and the corrective actions are still being reviewed for sufficiency by the Agency as of August 31, 2000.

7. Site-Visit: Corrective Action Required (Unresolved)

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school involved in the implementation of corrective actions during the 1999-2000 school year (based on compliance discrepancies noted during an on-site monitoring visit by the Agency), and the Agency has responded to the corrective actions and discrepancies continue to be unresolved.

8. Sanctions Imposed: Unresolved Corrective Actions

This is the SpECS assigned to each school district and charter school involved in the implementation of corrective actions during the 1999-2000 school year (based on compliance discrepancies noted during an on-site monitoring visit by the Agency), and the failure of the school district or charter school to adequately address outstanding discrepancies has resulted in the imposition of one or more sanctions by the Agency.

If you have questions about Special Education Compliance Status, please contact the Division of Accountability, Development , and Support at (512) 463-9716. (Source: Division of Accountability, Development, and Support)