Explanation of Masking Rules

The 2010–11 AEIS reports employ masking of performance data in order to comply with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Generally, the term "masking" refers to the use of special symbols to conceal the performance results. TAKS is masked under the following conditions:

  1. When very few students in a group are assessed. If performance is revealed for a group of very few students, then it is possible that the result for an individual student could be known, which violates that student's right to privacy.

  2. When all students pass or all students fail. Revealing that 100 percent of the students passed or 0 percent passed is considered to be a violation of the privacy of all students, because the result for every student tested is known. In cases where TAKS is 100 percent or rounds to 100 percent, then the expression >99% is shown. In cases where TAKS results are 0 percent or round to 0 percent, then <1% is shown.

The tables below show each of the masking situations that are possible on the 2010–11 AEIS Reports. Different rules apply for the TAKS indicators compared to other performance indicators.

Symbols Used for Masking TAKS

Examples
Numerator
Denominator
Actual Value
What is Shown on Report
What is Stored on Data Download
Meaning
a
4
4
100%
*
-1
  • Denominator is less than five (including 0).
3
4
75%
*
-1
0
4
0%
*
-1
b
24
24
100%

>99%
-4
  • Denominator is five or more; and,
  • Percent is 100 or rounds to 100.
995
1000
100%

>99%
-4
199
200
100%

>99%
-4
c
0
5
0%

<1%
-3
  • Denominator is five or more; and,
  • Percent is 0 or rounds to 0.
1
201
0%

<1%
-3

For there to be no masking of TAKS performance data, both of the following conditions must be met:

  • Results are based on five or more students tested; and,
  • Percent is not 100 or 0 and does not round to either 100 or 0.
 
Numerator
Denominator
Percent
Examples
197
200
99%
3
6
50%
59
62
95%

Symbols Used for Masking Other Performance Indicators (e.g., RPTE, Dropout/Completion, Advanced Courses, RHSP/DAP Graduates, AP/IB, , SAT/ACT, and TAKS Participation)

Examples
Numerator
Denominator
Actual Value
What is Shown on Report
What is Stored on Data Download
Meaning
1
1
4
25.0%
*

-1
  • Denominator is less than five (excluding 0).
0
2
0.0%
*

-1
3
3
100.0%
*

-1
2
0
0
–
–

•
  • Denominator is 0.
3
> 0
0
–
?

-2
  • Denominator is 0.
4

–

–

–

n/a

•
  • Data reporting is not applicable.
5
8
6
133.0%

?

-2
  • Denominator is five or more; and,
  • Percentages are statistically improbable, or were reported outside a reasonable range.
35
30
117.0%

?

-2

For there to be no masking of other performance data, both of the following conditions must be met:

  • Denominator is five or more; and,
  • Percentages are statistically probable, or are reported within a reasonable range.

 
Numerator
Denominator
Percent
Examples
147
147
100%
3
6
50%
0
12
0%

Symbols Used for Masking Attendance

Examples

Numerator

Denominator

Actual Value

What is Shown on Report

What is Stored on Data Download

Meaning

1

100

400

25.0%

*

-1

Denominator is less than 900 (excluding 0).

0

200

0.0%

*

-1

800

800

100.0%

*

-1

2

0

0

–-

–-

•

Denominator is 0.

 

Symbols Used for Masking Vertical Scale Growth (VSG) and Campus Group Values

  • If the campus group median value is based on 16 or fewer campuses, an asterisk (*) is reported and a -1 is stored on the download file.
  • If the campus group value does not exist at all, a dash (-) is reported and a period (.) is stored on the download file.
  • If the average VSG values are based on a denominator of less than 5 (including 0) then an asterisk (*) is reported and a -99 is stored on the download file.

Symbols Used for Masking Profile Values

If values reported on school and district staff, finances, and student demographics are outside a reasonable range, a question mark (?) is printed on the report and a -2 is stored on the download file.