Glossary for the 2012 Texas NCLB School Report Card

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires federal accountability and reporting for all public school districts, campuses, and the state. The Texas NCLB Report Card is a web-based reporting system that will generate the required federal report cards at the state, district, and campus level for easy dissemination by school districts.

Federally Required Data Elements

Each state must prepare annual report cards that include information related to assessments, accountability, and teacher quality, and must include data from all school districts in the state.

Assessment Data

States must provide assessment data from their reading/English language arts, mathematics, and science assessments. For each grade and subject tested, the report card must include 1) Information on the percentage of students tested disaggregated by federally required student groups, 2) Information on student achievement at each proficiency level (e.g., advanced, proficient, basic, below basic) disaggregated by federally required student groups; and 3) The most recent two-year trend data in student performance for each subject and for each grade. The Texas NCLB Report Card provides assessment data consistent with federally reported data definitions for the reading/English language arts, mathematics, and science assessment results and adequate yearly progress (AYP) performance and participation indicator evaluations. As required by regulation, the assessment data must include all students in the grades tested as a whole and all students in the grades tested in each school served by the district, not just those students enrolled for a full academic year. The results are displayed by student groups specified by federal regulation.

Accountability Data

The federal accountability data required on the Texas NCLB Report Card are a comparison between student achievement levels and the State's annual measurable objectives in reading/language arts and mathematics used in evaluating AYP. Data on student performance on the AYP additional academic indicators (graduation and attendance rates) must also be reported. The AYP results are displayed by student groups specified by federal regulation, including additional student groups that are not evaluated for AYP.

Teacher Quality Data

States must provide information for 1) The professional qualifications of all public elementary and secondary school teachers in the State, as defined by the State (e.g., bachelors and advanced degrees, licensure), 2) The percentage of all public elementary and secondary school teachers teaching with emergency or provisional credentials, and 3) The percentage of classes in the state not taught by highly qualified teachers disaggregated by high-poverty compared to low-poverty schools. For this purpose, high-poverty means schools in the top quartile of poverty and low-poverty means the bottom quartile of poverty in the State.

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Data

The State level report cards must include 1) the most recent NAEP reading and mathematics results for the state and 2) the participation rates, both disaggregated by student group as reported by NAEP. The state level NAEP results are also reported on each district level.

Federally Required Student Groups

Each state must include the following student groups in their annual report cards. School districts report student information through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and through test answer documents from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for students in Grades 3-8, and the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for students in Grades 9 and beyond from the test answer documents.

Economically Disadvantaged - If a student is identified as eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or eligible for other public assistance on the STAAR or TAKS answer documents for the subject reported, the student is included in the Economically Disadvantaged student group.

Ethnic Distribution - Students are reported as African American, Hispanic, White, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Two or More Races on the STAAR or TAKS answer documents, and included in the appropriate student group.

The five-year Graduation Rate measures reported in Part II - Student Achievement and State Academic Expectations (AYP) may show "n/a" for both current and prior years for these groups because these measures were collected prior to the transition to the federal definition for the collection of ethnicity and race for both years.

Gender - Results are reported separately for males and females, based on students' reported gender shown on the STAAR or TAKS answer documents.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) - Students are identified as limited English proficient (LEP) by the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) according to criteria established in the Texas Administrative Code. If a student is identified as LEP on the STAAR or TAKS answer documents, the student is included in the LEP student group. The Texas NCLB Report Card results for the LEP student group represents students identified as LEP in the current year only, except for Part II - Accountability Data. The Reading/English Language Arts and Mathematics Percent Met Standard (Includes Proficient Level and Above) columns report AYP performance results for LEP students identified as either 1) a currently identified LEP student, or 2) a former LEP student that has met the criteria for bilingual/ESL program exit, is no longer classified as LEP in PEIMS and is in the first or second year of academic monitoring as required by state statute. Beginning with the 2009-10 accountability data, the Additional Academic Indicator Four-year and Five-year Graduation Rate columns report results for LEP students who are identified as LEP at any time while attending Grades 9-12 in Texas public schools.

Migrant - If a student is identified as a Migrant Student on the STAAR or TAKS answer documents, the student is included in the Migrant student group. "Migrant Student" indicates whether the student (ages 3-21) is, or the student's parent, spouse, or guardian is a migratory agricultural worker.

Special Education - This refers to the population served by programs for students with disabilities. If a student is identified as participating in a special education program on the STAAR or TAKS answer documents, the student is included in the special education student group. The Texas NCLB Report Card results for reading/English language Arts or mathematics special education student group are based on AYP calculations: if a student is tested on STAAR Alternate, STAAR Modified, TAKS-M, TAKS (Accommodated), or Linguistically Accommodated Testing TAKS-Modified (LAT TAKS-M), or is identified as a special education student on any test document, the student is included in the special education student group.

Texas NCLB Report Card

The Texas NCLB Report Card includes the following information:

Assessment Data
Part I - Percent of Students Tested, Student Achievement by Proficiency Level, 2010–11, 2011–12.

Accountability Data
Part II
    a. Comparison Between Student Achievement and the State's Academic Expectations
        as measured by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
    b. Number of Recently Arrived LEP Students Who Are Not Assessed on the State's
        Reading/ELA Test

Part III - Information on Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and School Improvement Program (SIP) for districts and campuses receiving Title I, Part A funds

Teacher Quality Data
Part IV
    a. Professional Qualifications of All Public Elementary and Secondary Teachers, As Defined by the
        State (Teacher Degree)
    b. Percent of Public Elementary and Secondary Teachers With Emergency/Provisional
        Credentials
    c. Percent of Classes Not Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers by High Poverty Compared to
        Low Poverty Campuses

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Data reported at the State Level only (Reported on District and State Reports)
Part V - NAEP-2011 (Based on a Statewide Sample)
    a. State-level Percentages at NAEP Achievement Levels
    b. State-level Participation Rates

Part I - Student Achievement

Percent of Students in State at Each Achievement Level - The percent of students not meeting the standard, meeting the standard, and meeting the commended (advanced) level are shown for reading/English language arts, mathematics, and science assessments for every student tested in Grades 3 - 8 and 10. All STAAR and TAKS test results in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science are processed for federal reporting and the calculation of AYP. STAAR and TAKS are standardized tests for students that measures the extent that a student has learned, understood, and is able to apply the important concepts and skills expected at each tested grade level. Results reported combine all versions of the tests encompassing the STAAR and TAKS assessment instruments. As required by federal regulation, the assessment data reported must include all students in the grades tested as a whole and all students in the grades tested in each school served by the district, not just those students enrolled for a full academic year. The results are displayed by grade level and student group. All students who meet the test passing standard on STAAR Modified, TAKS-M, and STAAR Alternate assessments are included in these results. The federal 1% and 2% caps required for evaluation of AYP performance calculations are not applied.

Percent Not Meeting Standard (Basic) - represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored below the Basic or standard achievement level. Basic achievement (or not meeting the standard) is defined as unsatisfactory performance; below state passing standard; insufficient understanding of the state defined curriculum.

Percent Met Standard (Proficient) - represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored at or above the Proficient achievement level, but below the Commended (Advanced) achievement level. Proficient achievement is defined as satisfactory performance; at or above state passing standard; sufficient understanding of the state defined curriculum.

Percent Commended (Advanced) - represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored at or above the Commended (Advanced) achievement level. Advanced achievement is defined as high academic achievement; considerably above state passing standard; thorough understanding of the state defined curriculum.

Percentages are reported as three mutually exclusive categories:

Percent Not Meeting Standard (Basic)
Percent Met Standard (Proficient)
Percent Commended (Advanced)

The results in these categories will always add to 100%, except in cases where rounding causes the sum of the percentages to round to either 99% or 101%. Note that the sum of Percent Met Standard (Proficient) and Percent Commended (Advanced) is equal to the overall percent of students who met the test passing standard.

Part II - Accountability Data

A.   Student Achievement and Academic Expectations (AYP)

The Texas NCLB Report Card shows the AYP indicator results for two years by student group. There are seven student groups evaluated for AYP: All Students, African American, Hispanic, White, Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education, and Limited English Proficient. AYP criteria for membership in each of the reported students groups are provided in the Texas Consolidated State Application Workbook (the Texas AYP Workbook) which is submitted to the United States Department of Education (USDE) for approval each year. Federal regulations require states to report additional student groups that are not evaluated for AYP: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Two or More Races, Gender (Male/Female), and Migrant student groups.

Reading/Language Arts Percent Tested - AYP Participation results are displayed by student group summed across AYP grades 3-8 and 10 and represent the number of students participating divided by the Participation count of students enrolled at the time of testing.

    2010–11 and 2011–12 AYP Target: 95% is the participation standard for Reading/Language Arts.

Reading/Language Arts Percent Met Standard (Includes Proficient Level and Above) - AYP Performance results are displayed by student group and represent the number of students in a student group counted as meeting the performance standard divided by the number of students tested (performance number tested) in that student group.

    2010–11 AYP Target: 80% is the 2011 performance standard for Reading/Language Arts.
    2011–12 AYP Target: 87% is the 2012 performance standard for Reading/Language Arts.

Mathematics Percent Tested - AYP Participation results are displayed by student group summed across AYP grades 3-8 and 10 and represent the number of students participating divided by the Participation count of students enrolled at the time of testing.

    2010–11 and 2011–12 AYP Target: 95% is the participation standard for Mathematics.

Mathematics Percent Met Standard (Includes Proficient Level and Above) - AYP Performance results are displayed by student group and represent the number of students in a student group counted as meeting the performance standard divided by the number of students tested (performance number tested) in that student group.

    2010–11 AYP Target: 75% is the 2011 performance standard for Mathematics.
    2011–12 AYP Target: 83% is the 2012 performance standard for Mathematics.

Additional Academic Indicators Graduation Rate - The Graduation Rate is the Other Indicator used in AYP for high schools, combined elementary/secondary campuses offering Grade 12, and districts offering Grade 12. For 2011–12 AYP results, the Graduation Rate is defined as the graduates component of the completion/student status as a percent of all four components (graduates, continuers, GED recipients, dropouts) of the Class of 2011 four-year longitudinal cohort. Due to the timing of the availability of data, the longitudinal completion rate is a prior-year measure. For the 2010–11 AYP results, the Class of 2010 Graduation Rates are used. Districts and campuses are required to meet the AYP graduation rate standards at the all students level only. Additional student groups not evaluated for AYP are reported as required by federal regulation.

2010–11 and 2011–12 AYP Target
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education approved the use of the five-year longitudinal graduation rate for AYP evaluations in addition to the four-year graduation. The AYP standards include a Graduation Rate goal of 90.0 percent and interim annual targets or performance gains designed to demonstrate continuous improvement from the prior year. District and campuses that did not meet the statewide goal may demonstrate continuous improvement through any one of the following alternative graduation rate targets.

• four-year 2012 Annual Graduation Rate Target of 75%
• four-year Graduation Rate Alternatives:
  • Safe Harbor Target of a 10% decrease in difference from the prior year rate and the Goal
  • Improvement Target of 1.0 percent from the prior year four-year Graduation Rate
• five-year Annual Graduation Rate Target of 80%

The four-year Graduation Rate evaluated as part of the 2012 AYP calculations is the rate for the Class of 2011. In accordance with federal regulations, the five-year longitudinal Graduation Rate used for the 2012 AYP calculations is based on the Class of 2010.

Additional Academic Indicators Attendance Rate - The prior year Attendance rates reported in Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) are used for AYP. Attendance rates are based on student attendance for the entire school year. Only students in grades 1–12 are included in the calculations. Additional student groups not evaluated for AYP are reported as required by federal regulation.

For 2012 AYP, Attendance is calculated as follows:

total number of days students were present in 2010–11
divided by
total number of days students were in membership in 2010–11

        For the 2010–11 AYP results, the Attendance rates for the school year 2009-10 are used.

        2010–11 and 2011–12 AYP Target: 90% is the Attendance Rate standard.

B.   Number of Recently Arrived LEP Students Who Are Not Assessed on the State's Reading/ELA Test

Number - The number of recent immigrant Limited English Proficient (LEP) students in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools assessed on the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) and not on STAAR or TAKS Reading/Language Arts. Federal regulations require this information for the district and state level reports only. Information shown for school year 2010–11 are based on the TAKS results for students tested in grades 3 - 8 and 10. Due to changes in the participation requirements for the new STAAR assessment program, recent immigrant LEP students in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools were assessed on the STAAR Reading/ELA test. Information shown for school year 2011–12 represents students tested on TAKS at grade 10 only.

Part III - Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and School Improvement Program (SIP)

Met AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) - Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) refers to the federally mandated accountability system required by the NCLB Act of 2001 and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). AYP reports three indicators for each district and campus in the state: Reading/English Language Arts, Mathematics, and an Other Measure. The Reading ELA and Mathematics indicators consist of the performance and participation components, taken from assessments in Reading/ELA and Mathematics for all students in Grades 3-8 and 10. In addition to Reading/ELA and Mathematics, AYP evaluates one Other Measure, either Graduation Rate or Attendance Rate. Graduation rate is the other measure for high schools, combined elementary/secondary schools offering Grade 12, and districts offering Grade 12. Attendance Rate is used for elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, combined elementary/secondary schools not offering Grade 12, and districts not offering Grade 12.

School Improvement Program (SIP) - Districts and campuses receiving Title I, Part A funds are subject to School Improvement requirements if they do not meet the AYP standard for the same indicator (Reading/English Language Arts, Mathematics, Graduation or Attendance) for two or more consecutive years.

Part IV - Teacher Data

A. Professional Qualifications of All Public Elementary and Secondary Teachers, As Defined by the State (Teacher Degree): The distribution of degrees attained by teachers in the state, school district, or campus. The Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) count of staff is reported by districts through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) for the school year shown. The percent of teachers with bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees are expressed as a percent of the total teacher FTEs.

B. Percent of Public Elementary and Secondary Teachers With Emergency/Provisional Credentials: This is the percentage of elementary and secondary teachers teaching a core academic subject with an emergency or provisional credential.

C. Percent of Classes Not Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers by High Poverty Compared to Low Poverty Campuses: This is the percentage of core academic classes taught without a highly qualified teacher, comparing data for campuses in the highest and lowest poverty quartiles in the state.

Part V - National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2012

A. State-level Percentages at NAEP Achievement Levels: Texas NAEP performance results are shown only on the state level report. Performance standards set by the National Assessment Governing Board that provide a context for interpreting student performance on NAEP, based on recommendations from panels of educators and members of the public. The levels, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced, measure what students should know and be able to do at each grade assessed.

- Basic denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade assessed. NAEP also reports the proportion of students whose scores place them below the Basic achievement level.

- Proficient represents solid academic performance for each grade assessed. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter, including subject-matter knowledge, application of such knowledge to real-world situations, and analytical skills appropriate to the subject matter.

- Advanced denotes superior performance at each grade assessed.

Percent Below Basic represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored below NAEP's Basic achievement level.

Percent At or Above Basic represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored at or above NAEP's Basic achievement level.

Percent At or Above Proficient represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored at or above NAEP's Proficient achievement level.

Percent At or Above Advanced represents the percentage of students, by grade level and student group, that scored at or above NAEP's Advanced achievement level.

B. State-level Participation Rates: Texas NAEP participation results are shown only on the state level report. The National Center for Education Statistics and the National Assessment Governing Board have established participation rate standards that states and jurisdictions are required to meet in order to have their results published.