Federal and State Education Initiatives

The Federal Accountability System

Adequate Yearly Progress

The federal rating system is called AYP – Adequate Yearly Progress. AYP measures student performance and student participation on TAKS and SDAA (State Developed Alternative Assessment) II, reading and mathematics tests. Based on an annual phase-in ending in 2014, the federal government expects schools in Texas to have 100% of their students pass the state assessment exams.

AYP vs. AEIS

The federal AYP system measures 30 indicators for campuses and districts whereas, the state AEIS (Academic Excellence Indicator System) measures 36 standards for campuses and districts (see pamphlet: ‘A Summary and Overview of the State and Federal Accountability Systems’). Grade levels assessed in AYP are 3-8 graders and 11 th graders. The AEIS system assesses students in grades 3-11. AYP uses a dual rating system - campuses and districts either ‘Meet AYP’ or ‘Miss AYP’. In the AEIS system, campuses and districts can receive one of four possible ratings – Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable or Academically Unacceptable.

Performance Areas

The federal AYP system measures student performance in math and reading/ELA, where as the AEIS system measures performance in reading/ELA, math, writing, social studies, science and the SDAA for certain special education students.

Participation and Student Subgroups

AYP requires 95% participation on the assessment instrument in each student group. AEIS has no participation requirement, although anything below 90% may trigger an investigation by the Texas Education Agency. AYP assesses seven student subgroups – all students, African American, Hispanic, white, economically disadvantaged, special education and limited English proficient students. AEIS measures five student subgroups - all students, African American, Hispanic, white and economically disadvantaged students. Failure to meet passing standards in any of these subgroups in either the AYP system or the AEIS system is reflected in the overall rating for a campus or district.

Completion Rates

In the AEIS system, high schools are evaluated on completion rates. Completion rates are determined through a longitudinal analysis of students who enter the 9 th grade and who either, graduate in four years, receive a GED, or who return to high school for a fifth year. The same five student subgroups and four accountability ratings are used in this category. The AYP standard applies to graduates only and the ‘All Students’ group only, not subpopulations.

Attendance and Dropouts

The AEIS system calculates dropout rates for grades 7 and 8 based on a percent of total students in attendance on a particular campus. There is no dropout rate indicator for AYP. The AYP system measures attendance rates. The attendance rates apply to grades 1-12 and to meet the AYP standard, districts must have at least 90% attendance throughout the year. Only the ‘All Students’ group is measured in the AYP system, there are no subpopulations considered. The AEIS system does not have an attendance component.

Consequences of Not Meeting the Standard

There are no direct consequences associated with the AEIS system, other than a low rating label. With the AYP system, schools receiving Title I funds from the federal government, who miss the AYP standard for two consecutive years, must allow students to transfer, at district expense to schools rated as ‘Meeting AYP’. The school must also develop a plan to improve AYP performance within the next two years.

• examining the success of high-performing schools,
  studying effective teaching methods, evaluating student performance, and
  
• changes in teacher instructional practices following professional development training.

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/math/ParentInt.htm

Texas Reading Initiative (TRI)
The Texas Reading Initiative (TRI) is a scientific, research based educational movement that promotes student success in reading. The TRI provides focused instructional leadership through administrator and teacher professional development academies. It is a multi-pronged effort aimed at providing information, resources, and knowledge to assist parents, educators, school board members, administrators, public officials and business and community leaders as they seek to support this goal of literacy for all children.

The Initiative has built on years of demonstrated leadership and commitment of the Texas State Board of Education in the area of reading instruction. The TRI relies on the findings from scientifically based research in reading instruction, a body of knowledge that will continue to grow over time.

Standing firmly in "Best Practices" and research based instructional techniques, the initiative focuses on the most basic of educational goals - teaching children to read well. The six major elements of the Texas Reading Initiative include Leadership Development, Diagnostic Assessment, Comprehensive Research-based Programs, Intermediate Intervention, Progress Monitoring, and End-of-Year Performance Analysis.

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/reading/readingfirst/readingfirst.html

Standardized Testing in Texas

Standardized testing in Texas began over 20 years ago. Through a succession of assessment instruments, first TABS and then TEAMS, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills or TAAS in 1990 and finally in 1999, the new Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Texas is now in its fourth generation of standardized testing.

The new TAKS test is based on state-developed curriculum standards called TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills). These curriculum standards are in place for each area of instruction in Texas public schools. The TAKS exam assesses student learning in six core curriculum areas: reading, writing, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The TAKS exams are much more rigorous than the former TAAS exams.

Student Success Initiative

These new testing standards possess greater significance at certain grade levels. A new program called the Student Success Initiative (SSI) now requires students in grades 3, 5 and 11 to pass certain components of the TAKS exam to promote to the next grade level or graduate from high school. In school year 2007 – 2008, 8 th grade students will also come under the guidelines of the SSI.

The Student Success Initiative requires all Texas 3 rd graders to pass TAKS reading before advancing to 4 th grade and all 5 th graders must pass TAKS reading and mathematics before promotion to 6 th grade. Beginning in 2007 - 2008, 8 th grade students will be required to pass TAKS reading and mathematics before promoting to the 9 th grade.

Students who fail to meet the minimum TAKS standard in these grades will have the opportunity to retake the test following accelerated instruction. They may also advance to the next grade if it is agreed upon by a Grade Placement Committee that the student is likely to succeed in the following grade.

Other examinations including the SDAA II and the RPTE test the proficiency of students in special education and second language learners respectively.

School Report Cards

Each year, campuses within any given school district in Texas conduct public meetings to inform parents and interested parties of the progress being made by students at their school on the standardized assessment process. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s campus to learn more about AEIS (the Academic Excellence Indicator System) and the information available regarding school performance.

Commended Performance

Another way to measure how well students are performing on TAKS is the Commended Performance standard. This standard is based on a scale score of 2400 on any TAKS exam. The 2400 scale score correlates to a percent passing standard of 84% to 91% depending on the subject area being tested (i.e. the Exit Level ELA TAKS Exam requires an 84% passing standard to achieve Commended Performance, whereas a 91% passing standard is required to achieve Commended Performance on the EXIT Level Science Exam). Students receiving Commended Performance are demonstrating a comprehensive knowledge of the required curriculum.

Further Information

Standardized testing poses many challenges to parents, students and school personnel. It is essential that all stakeholders are well informed regarding the standardized testing program in Texas. Parents seeking more information on the TAKS and other standardized tests are encouraged to access the TEA website:

Student Assessment Division: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment

Student Success Initiative: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/ssi/

Parent and Student Site: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/parents.html

Frequently Asked Questions: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/faq/

TAKS Study Guides: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/guides/study/index.html

School Report Cards:
www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/src/2004/campus.srch.html