USDE Decisions on 2006 Amendments to the Texas AYP Handbook

1. USDE Decisions on 2006 Amendments to the Texas AYP Handbook

2. Amendments Rejected by USDE • Full Academic Year • Safe Harbor Confidence Intervals • Safe Harbor Improvement on Other Measures • Special Education Student Group

3. Amendments Required by USDE • Phase-in of Student Proficiency Standard • TEA/USDE Flexibility Agreement • Related to the calculation of AYP for students with disabilities

4. Required Amendment #1 of 2 - Phase-in of Student Proficiency Standard • Modify the Texas AYP to clarify the phase-in of the student proficiency standard under Critical Element 1.3. • The SBOE set standards for student achievement in November 2002, as follows: • 2005 – Panel Recommended (PR) • 2004 – One SEM below PR • 2003 – Two SEM below PR

5. Required Amendment #2 of 2 - 2005 Flexibility Agreement between TEA and USDE • Update information in the Texas AYP Workbook for 2006 and 2007 AYP to incorporate provisions of the TEA/USDE agreement related to calculation of AYP for students with disabilities.

6. Flexibility Waiver Issues for Katrina/Rita Student/District/Campus Accountability

7. Flexibility Waiver Option #2 • Texas is exercising Option #2 for a flexibility waiver as described in Secretary Margaret Spellings’ letter to chief state school officers on Sept. 29, 2005 • Option #2 states that displaced students may be counted in a separate student group • Under option #2, displaced students would not appear in any other student group (even All Students)

8. Hurricane Displaced Students • Will be reported as a separate group for performance and participation. • Will NOT be part of All Students or any other group. • Will be evaluated for participation but not performance (report only). • If district/campus misses AYP for displaced student participation ONLY, the USDE will review its AYP Status.

9. Revised AYP Release Schedule • Due to USDE review of schools who miss AYP due to displaced student participation only, the release schedule for AYP is revised as follows: • Preliminary TEASE Release: August 15 • Preliminary Public Release: August 16 • Parental Notification of SIP: no later than August 25 • AYP Appeals Deadline: September 20 • Final Release: mid-December

10. Districts Closed by Hurricane Rita • In addition to flexibility under Option #2, if a district was closed 7 or more days due to Rita: • Determine AYP Status for district and its campuses • If the district/campus meets AYP, their status will be Meets AYP • If the district/campus misses AYP, their status will be changed to Not Evaluated

11. Districts Closed < 7 Days by Rita • Districts who were closed by Hurricane Rita less than 7 days will be considered on a case-by-case basis. • Districts must write an appeal letter in order to be considered. • Districts will be expected to implement SIP requirements regardless of the outcome of appeals.

12. AYP Exceptions Process

13. AYP Exceptions Phase I: Mid-April to Mid-June • Processed via RF Tracker registration • Districts in RF Tracker who miss AYP in Reading/Math performance due to the 3% cap will be granted a total number of exceptions equal to the number of students who: • took SDAA II, • tested below grade level, • met ARD expectations, and •had a code indicating the student lived in either a residential treatment facility or a group foster home.

14. AYP Exceptions Phase II: Mid-August to Mid-September • If state as a whole exceeds 3% after Phase I, State exceptions will be recalculated as exceeders until state is at 3%. • If state is still under 3% after Phase I, other circumstance exceptions will be accepted. • Submit other circumstance exceptions with appeal letter.