The 2004 accountability data tables employ greater masking of assessment
data than has been used in the past, in order to comply with the federal
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Generally speaking,
the term "masking" refers to the use of special symbols
to conceal the performance results. TAKS and SDAA results are masked
under the following conditions:
- When very few students in the group are assessed.
If performance is revealed for a group of very few students, then
it is possible that the result for an individual student could
be known, which violates that student's right to privacy.
- When all students have the same result (for example, either
all passing or all failing).
Revealing that 100 percent of the students passed or 0 percent
passed has been deemed to violate the privacy of all students
tested in that the result for every student tested is known. In
cases where TAKS and SDAA results are 100 percent or round to
100 percent, then the expression >99% is shown. In cases where
TAKS and SDAA results are 0 percent or round to 0 percent, then
<1% is shown.
The tables below show each of the masking situations that are
possible on the 2004 accountability data tables. Note that an asterisk
('*') is used for a number of different conditions. The symbols
in the shaded bars will appear on the reports in place of the data
shown in the examples.
TAKS and SDAA Symbols Used
| Scenarios |
Numerator |
Denominator |
Percent |
Meaning |
| Case 1 |
* |
* |
* |
- Denominator is less than five (including 0).
|
| Examples |
4 |
4 |
100% |
|
3 |
4 |
75% |
0 |
0 |
n/a |
0 |
4 |
0% |
| Case 2 |
* |
* |
>99% |
- Denominator is five or more; and,
- Percent is 100 or rounds to 100.
|
| Examples |
24 |
24 |
100% |
|
995 |
1000 |
100% |
199 |
200 |
100% |
| Case 3 |
* |
* |
<1% |
- Denominator is five or more; and,
- Percent is 0 or rounds to 0.
|
| Example |
0 |
5 |
0% |
|
| Case 4 |
* |
* |
Number |
- Denominator is five or more; and,
- The difference between the numerator and denominator
is one or two; and,
- Percent is not 100 or 0 and does not round to 100 or
0.
|
| Examples |
22 |
23 |
96% |
|
198 |
200 |
99% |
3 |
5 |
60% |
| Case 5 |
* |
* |
Number |
- Denominator is five or more; and,
- The numerator is one or two; and,
- Percent is not 100 or 0 and does not round to 100 or
0.
|
| Examples |
2 |
5 |
40% |
|
1 |
5 |
20% |
For there to be no masking of assessment data, all of the following
conditions must be met:
- Denominator is five or more; and,
- Number passing is more than two; and,
- Number failing is more than two; and,
- Percent is not 100 or 0 and does not round to either 100 or
0.
| |
Numerator |
Denominator |
Percent |
| Examples |
197 |
200 |
99% |
3 |
6 |
50% |
59 |
62 |
95% |
Dropout and Completion Symbols Used
| Scenarios |
Numerator |
Denominator |
Percent |
Meaning |
| Case 1 |
* |
Number |
* |
Denominator is less than five (excluding
0). |
| Examples |
1 |
4 |
25.0% |
|
| |
0 |
2 |
0.0% |
|
| |
3 |
3 |
100.0% |
|
| Case 2 |
0 |
0 |
-- |
Denominator is 0. |
2004 Accountability
| Performance Reporting
|
