Explanation of TAPR Masking Rules

The 2023-24 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.
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.
8
6
133.0%
?
-2

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.

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.


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.



2023-24 TAPR | Performance Reporting