Explanation of 2021-22 TAPR Masking Rules

The 2021-22 Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR) and Downloads 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. The tables below show each of the masking rules that are possible on the reports and downloads.

Symbols Used for Masking STAAR

Examples	Numerator	Denominator	Rate	What is Shown on Report - Rate	What is Stored on Data Download - Rate	Meaning
Small Group	4	4	100%	*	-1	Denominator is 1, 2, 3, or 4
No Students	0	0	0%	–	•	Denominator is 0.

Symbols Used for Masking Attendance Rate

Examples	Numerator	Denominator	Rate	What is Shown on Report - Rate	What is Stored on Data Download - Rate	Meaning
Small Group	100	400	25.0%	*	-1	Denominator (days membership) is less than 900 (excluding 0).
	0	200	0.0%	*	-1
	800	800	100.0%	*	-1
No Students	0	0	•	–	•	Denominator is 0.

Symbols Used for Masking Graduation, Dropout Rates, Chronic Absenteeism, and Postsecondary Readiness Indicators

Examples	Numerator	Denominator	Rate	What is Shown on Report - Rate	What is Stored on Data Download - Rate	Meaning
Small Group	1	4	25.0%	*	-1	Denominator is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
	0	2	0.0%	*	-1
	3	3	100.0%	*	-1
No Students	0	0	•	–	•	Denominator is 0.
No Students	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Data reporting is not applicable.
Abnormal Data	> 0	0	•	?	-2	Numerator is greater than denominator.
Abnormal Data	8	6	133.0%	?	-2	Numerator is greater than denominator.

Graduates Enrolled in TX Higher Education is provided to TEA by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). For questions regarding these data, please contact the THECB at (512) 427-6153.

Symbols Used for Masking Profile Values

Staff and Class Size

If values reported for staff and class size are outside a reasonable range, a question mark (?) is printed on the report and a -2 is stored on the download file.

Students with Disabilities by Type of Primary Disability

Examples
Student
Count

Student
Percent

What is Shown on
Report
Count / Percent

What is Stored on
Data Download
Count / Percent

Meaning

Small Group

4

15.0%

* / *

-1 / -1
Student count is 1, 2, 3, or 4.

0

0.0%

0 / 0.0%

0 / 0
Zero count is not masked.

Next Smallest Group

10

35.0%

** / **

-3 / -3
When only one student disability group is masked, the second smallest student disability group is masked regardless of size.

Examples	Student Count	Student Percent	What is Shown on Report Count / Percent	What is Stored on Data Download Count / Percent	Meaning
Small Group	4	15.0%	* / *	-1 / -1	Student count is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
0	0.0%	0 / 0.0%	0 / 0	Zero count is not masked.
Next Smallest Group	10	35.0%	/	-3 / -3	When only one student disability group is masked, the second smallest student disability group is masked regardless of size.

Student Attrition

Examples
Student
Count

Student
Denominator

Student
Percent

What is Shown on
Report
Count / Percent

What is Stored on
Data Download
Count / Denom / Percent

Meaning

Small Group

4

20

20.0%

* / 20.0%

-1 / -1 / 20
Numerator is > 0 and < 10.

2

199

1.0%

* / 1.0%

-1 / -1 / 1
Rate and denominator reveals the numerator.

Examples	Student Count	Student Denominator	Student Percent	What is Shown on Report Count / Percent	What is Stored on Data Download Count / Denom / Percent	Meaning
Small Group	4	20	20.0%	* / 20.0%	-1 / -1 / 20	Numerator is > 0 and < 10.
2	199	1.0%	* / 1.0%	-1 / -1 / 1	Rate and denominator reveals the numerator.

Advanced TAPR Download

Additional Masking Symbols for Numerator and Denominator

Masking Symbol in Download

What is Masked

-1

Denominator is 1, 2, 3, or 4.

-2

Denominator is 0 and numerator is > 0; or
Denominator is => 5 and rate is > 100%.
Percentages are statistically improbable.

-3

Next smallest group: When only one racial/ethnic group is masked, then the second smallest racial/ethnic group's numerator and denominator are masked regardless of size. The rate remains unmasked.

•

Data are not available.

2021-22 TAPR | Performance Reporting

Masking Symbol in Download	What is Masked
-1	Denominator is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
-2	Denominator is 0 and numerator is > 0; or Denominator is => 5 and rate is > 100%. Percentages are statistically improbable.
-3	Next smallest group: When only one racial/ethnic group is masked, then the second smallest racial/ethnic group's numerator and denominator are masked regardless of size. The rate remains unmasked.
•	Data are not available.