The purpose of this commissioner’s memo is to provide a tentative timeline for release of the 2010 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports based on the 2009-2010 assessments. Please keep in mind that all dates are tentative and subject to change.
July 30, 2010: District superintendents sent notification by certified mail of the school improvement report postings on ED.STATS. Districts have 30 calendar days from receipt of the notification to file an appeal on behalf of school(s) in the district. Appeals discrepancy reports will be available on ED.STATS.
August 2, 2010: Adequate Yearly Progress reports posted to the NORMES’ password protected reporting site (ED.STATS)
August 2, 2010: District superintendents are notified by certified mail of the district improvement postings on ED.STATS. Data discrepancy appeals data worksheets will also be posted to NORMES’ password protected district/school reporting site (ED.STATS). Districts have 30 days from receipt of the notification to file an appeal.
A Commissioner’s Memo will be released alerting districts and schools that the information has been posted. During the appeals period, schools will be given the opportunity to correct student demographic discrepancies, submit one percent cap changes, and request flexibility for limited English proficienct and special services students who have exited programs in the prior two years.
August 6, 2010: The Arkansas Department of Education will host a compressed interactive videoconference to provide training on the processes used to determine school improvement status, including the growth model and Smart Accountability.
October 4, 2010: District superintendents notified of appeal findings. Final school AYP reports posted to the NORMES’ ED.STATS portal.
October 14, 2010: District superintendents notified of appeal findings. Final district AYP reports posted to the NORMES’ ED.STATS portal.
Additional Information
The following decision rules will be applied during the initial school improvement status process as stated below. If the district wants to adjust the flexibility as applied during the initial status process, the district will address the specific flexibility during the appeal process.
One Percent Cap:
One percent cap on special education: NORMES will apply a process for removing proficiency scores through automatic programming. Alternately assessed student data will be sorted by ID and scores for students will be reclassified systematically in ID order at the district level until the cap is reached.
Districts will have the option to apply for a change in the one percent cap distribution during the appeal process. (See critical element 5.3 of the Accountability Workbook for Determining Adequate Yearly Progress.)
Limited English Proficient:
1. Limited English Proficient, first year in the United States literacy student: The student will automatically be excluded from literacy percent proficient calculations, but will be included in percent tested. Districts must request scores to be included during the appeals process. (See critical element 5.4 of the Accountability Workbook for Determining Adequate Yearly Progress.)
2. Limited English proficient, first year in the United States mathematics student: The student scoring proficient or advanced will be included in the percent proficient. All first year students are required to test and be included in percent tested. Districts must request scores to be excluded during the appeals process. (See critical element 5.4 of the Accountability Workbook for Determining Adequate Yearly Progress.)
3. A Limited English proficient student may continue to be identified as a member of the limited English proficient subgroup for determining accountability for one or two additional years after that student has attained English proficiency as determined by the MAC II or future assessment adopted by the Arkansas State Board of Education for determining English proficiency. During these years, the student is not required to take the English proficiency assessment. Districts must request scores to be included for these students during the appeals process.
Note: Documentation is required on all limited English proficient students during enrollment in English as a second language program and for two years after exiting the program. Each student’s progress should be reviewed and documented on a yearly basis by the school’s language proficiency assessment committee.
Districts will submit evidence that the student is eligible to continue in the limited English proficient subgroup during the appeal process.
(See critical element 5.4 of the Accountability Workbook for Determining Adequate Yearly Progress.)
Students with Disabilities:
A student may continue to be identified in the students with disabilities subgroup for up to two years after exiting the special education program under IDEA. Districts will submit evidence that the student is eligible to continue in the Students with Disabilities subgroup. (See critical element 5.3 of the Accountability Workbook for Determining Adequate Yearly Progress.)
Notification – Choice and Supplemental Service
A school that is in any phase of improvement and will remain in improvement regardless of meeting the annual measureable objective (AMO) this reporting period should notify parents of choice and/or supplemental services in a timely manner prior to the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. A school is required to meet the AMO for two consecutive years in order to be removed from school improvement. The school is required to continue to provide choice and/or supplemental services until removed from school improvement.
For example, a school that is currently in School Improvement Year 1 (Whole School Improvement or Targeted Improvement Year 1) is required to meet the AMO for two consecutive years in order to be removed from school improvement. If the school meets the AMO this reporting period, the school will have met the AMO for the first of two consecutive years but is required to continue providing the choice option. The school should notify parents in a timely manner prior to the beginning of school of the choice option.