TEA, Accountability Research: Publication Abstracts

The following reports from the Division of Accountability Research are listed in reverse chronological order by date of publication. To view the following PDF files, you may need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

2009 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
May 2010. Document Number GE10 601 01, 160 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (4.6 MB)

The 2009 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.332 of the Texas Education Code. This report contains an executive summary and 15 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on state assessments; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; students in disciplinary alternative education settings; secondary school completion and dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; charter schools and waivers; school district expenditures and staff hours used for direct instructional activities; district reporting requirements; TEA funds and expenditures; performance of open-enrollment charters in comparison to school districts; character education programs; and student health and physical activity.

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2008-09
November 2009. Document Number GE10 601 02, 44 pages.
Cost: $9.00; Tax Exempt: $8.00.
Report in PDF (482 KB)

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 1998-99 through 2008-09 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs. Data also are reported by education service center region.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2007-08
July 2009. Document Number GE09 601 08, 108 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (1.1 MB)

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) prepares an annual report on dropouts in Texas public schools. This report includes state summaries of the annual dropout rate, longitudinal secondary school completion rates, and state attrition rates. In addition to statewide statistics, the report provides historical information about dropout policy in Texas and the evolution of the dropout definition used for accountability purposes. Common methods of measuring student progress through school are discussed, along with advantages and disadvantages associated with each measure. Extensive background information on TEA data collection, processing, and reporting is presented, and national requirements for dropout data are described.

County Supplement
July 2009. Document Number GE09 601 09, 72 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.
Report in PDF (509 KB)

District and Campus Supplement
July 2009. Document Number GE09 601 10, 510 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.
Report in PDF (2.3 MB)

District Supplement
July 2009. Document Number GE09 601 11, 376 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.
Report in PDF (1.7 MB)

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2007-08
April 2009. Document Number GE09 601 07, 202 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (1.4 MB)

This report reviews Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examination participation and performance in Texas during the 2007-08 school year. Campus-, district-, and state-level examination results for students in Texas public schools are presented, as well as state-level examination results for students in Texas public and non-public schools combined. The report discusses the use of AP and IB examination results in college admissions and the Academic Excellence Indicator System. It also provides descriptions and brief histories of the AP and IB programs, along with a brief history of state policy and funding related to the AP and IB programs in Texas.

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2007-08
January 2009. Document Number GE09 601 06, 52 pages.
Cost: $9.00; Tax Exempt: $8.00.
Report in PDF (524 KB)

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 1997-98 through 2007-08 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System. Enrollment data are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs. Data also are reported by education service center region and district type.

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, Class of 2007
December 2008. Document Number GE09 601 04, 84 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (1.5 MB)

This annual report examines SAT and ACT participation and performance in Texas for the class of 2007. A total of 146,396 Texas public school graduates took the SAT, the ACT, or both examinations in 2007. The percentage of graduates who took one or both of the examinations increased from 65.8 percent in 2006 to 68.2 percent in 2007. The percentage of examinees achieving the Academic Excellence Indicator System criterion score on either test decreased slightly from 27.1 percent in 2006 to 27.0 percent in 2007. In 2007, the average SAT scores were as follows: critical reading, 487; mathematics, 505; and writing, 478. The average ACT scores were as follows: English, 19.2; mathematics, 20.6; reading, 20.4; science, 20.3; and composite, 20.2. The percentage of public and nonpublic graduates taking the SAT was higher in Texas (52%) than nationally (48%); the percentage of public and nonpublic graduates taking the ACT was lower in Texas (30%) than nationally (42%).

District and Campus Supplement
December 2008. Document Number GE09 601 05, 212 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (1.4 MB)

2008 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
December 2008. Document Number GE09 601 03, 158 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (4.6 MB)

The 2008 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.182 of the Texas Education Code. This report contains an executive summary and 15 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on state assessments; students in disciplinary alternative education settings; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; secondary school completion and dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; deregulation and waivers; school district expenditures and staff hours used for direct instructional activities; district reporting requirements; TEA funds and expenditures; performance of open-enrollment charters in comparison to school districts; character education programs; and student health and physical activity.

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2006-07
October 2008. Document Number GE09 601 01, 144 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (2.3 MB)

This annual report provides information for the 2006-07 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and socioeconomic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are provided by program participation in special education, career and technical education, gifted and talented, and Title I. In addition, student retention and promotion data are reported with data on the performance of students in Grades 3-10 on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II) reading and mathematics tests.

District Supplement
October 2008. Document Number GE09 601 02, 162 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (898 KB)

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2006-07
August 2008. Document Number GE08 601 09, 182 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (1.9 MB)

This report examines Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and performance in Texas during the 2006-07 school year. The percentage of Texas public school 11th and 12th grade students participating in AP and IB examinations was higher than in previous years. In 2006-07, the percentages of AP examinees and examinations with scores of 3-5 and the percentages of IB examinees and examinations with scores of 4-7 decreased from the previous year. Higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students earned AP scores of 3-5 than African American and Hispanic students. A higher percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander students earned IB scores of 4-7 than other student groups. Participation in AP examinations by Texas public and nonpublic school students combined increased more rapidly than participation nationally between 1986-87 and 2006-07. In 2006-07, the percentages of AP examinations with scores of 3-5 in public and nonpublic schools decreased from the previous year in Texas and in the United States.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2006-07
August 2008. Document Number GE08 601 05, 102 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (1.2 MB)

County Supplement
August 2008. Document Number GE08 601 06, 72 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.
Report in PDF (606 KB)

District and Campus Supplement
August 2008. Document Number GE08 601 07, 510 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.
Report in PDF (3.1 MB)

District Supplement
August 2008. Document Number GE08 601 08, 356 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.
Report in PDF (2.1 MB)

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, Class of 2006
November 2007. Document Number GE08 601 02, 78 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (1.4 MB)

This annual report examines SAT and ACT participation and performance in Texas for the graduating class of 2006. A total of 141,188 Texas public school graduates took the SAT, ACT, or both in 2006. The percentage of graduates who took the SAT, ACT, or both increased from 65.5 percent in 2005 to 65.8 percent in 2006. The percentage of examinees achieving the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) criterion score on either test decreased slightly from 27.4 percent in 2005 to 27.1 percent in 2006. In 2006, the average SAT scores were as follows: Critical Reading, 487; Mathematics, 505; and Writing, 483. The average ACT scores were as follows: English, 19.2; Mathematics, 20.5; Reading, 20.2; Science, 20.2; and Composite, 20.1. The percentage of public and nonpublic graduates taking the SAT was higher in Texas (52%) than nationally (48%); the percentage of public and nonpublic graduates taking the ACT was lower in Texas (29%) than nationally (40%).

District and Campus Supplement
November 2007. Document Number GE08 601 03, 200 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (1.3 MB)

2007 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
December 2007. Document Number GE08 601 04, 156 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (5.8 MB)

The 2007 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.182 of the Texas Education Code. This report contains an executive summary and 15 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on the state performance assessments and a study of the correlation between course grades and state assessments; students in alternative education settings; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; student dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; deregulation and waivers; school district expenditures and staff hours used for direct instructional activities; district reporting requirements; TEA funds and expenditures; performance of open-enrollment charters on the academic excellence indicators, accountability measures, and student performance, in comparison to the performance of school districts; character education programs; and student health and physical activity.

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2005-06
October 2007. Document Number GE08 601 01, 302 pages.
Cost: $20.00; Tax Exempt: $19.00.
Report in PDF (3.1 MB)

This annual report provides information for the 2005-06 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and socioeconomic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are provided by program participation in special education, career and technical education, gifted and talented, and Title I. In addition, student retention and promotion data are reported with data on the performance of students in Grades 3-10 on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II) reading and mathematics tests.

Policy Research Report No. 17
Disciplinary Alternative Education Program Practices
August 2007. Document Number GE07 601 11, 14 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $7.00.
Report in PDF (162 KB)

Texas public school districts have been required to provide disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs) since the 1996-97 school year. DAEPs serve two main purposes: to provide temporary disciplinary settings for disruptive students and to meet the basic academic and behavioral needs of students assigned to the programs. This report presents an overview of program characteristics and practices described in selected research as "best practices" in disciplinary alternative education settings. In addition, the report provides a policy history of disciplinary alternative education, a summary of statutory requirements related to DAEPs, and statewide statistics on DAEP assignments.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2005-06
August 2007. Document Number GE07 601 07, 92 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (1.1 MB)

County Supplement
August 2007. Document Number GE07 601 08, 72 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.
Report in PDF (429 KB)

District and Campus Supplement
August 2007. Document Number GE07 601 09, 506 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.
Report in PDF (2.9 MB)

District Supplement
August 2007. Document Number GE07 601 10, 320 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.
Report in PDF (1.9 MB)

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2005-06
June 2007. Document Number GE07 601 06, 176 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (1.6 MB)

This report examines Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and performance in Texas during the 2005-06 school year. The percentages of Texas public school 11th and 12th grade students participating in AP and IB examinations were higher than in previous years. In 2005-06, the percentages of AP examinees and examinations with scores of 3-5 decreased from the previous year. The percentages of IB examinees and examinations with scores of 4-7 increased from the previous year. Higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students earned AP scores of 3-5 and IB scores of 4-7 than African American and Hispanic students. Participation in AP examinations by Texas public and non-public school students combined increased more rapidly than participation nationally between 1986-87 and 2005-06. In 2005-06, the percentages of AP examinations with scores of 3-5 in public and non-public schools decreased from the previous year in Texas and remained the same in the United States.

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2005-06
January 2007. Document Number GE07 601 05, 48 pages.
Cost: $9.00; Tax Exempt: $8.00.
Report in PDF (1.0 MB)

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 1995-96 through 2005-06 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Enrollment data are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs. Data also are reported by education service center region and district type.

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2004-05
December 2006. Document Number GE07 601 03, 294 pages.
Cost: $20.00; Tax Exempt: $19.00.
Report in PDF (3.0 MB)

This annual report provides information for the 2004-05 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and socioeconomic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are provided by program participation in special education, career and technology, gifted and talented, and Title I. In addition, student retention and promotion data are reported with data on the performance of students in Grades 3-10 on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and State-Developed Alternative Assessment II (SDAA II) reading and mathematics tests.

2006 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
December 2006. Document Number GE07 601 04, 148 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (4.3 MB)

The 2006 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.182 of the Texas Education Code. This report contains an executive summary and 14 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on the state performance assessments and a study of the correlation between course grades and state assessments; students in alternative education settings; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; student dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; deregulation and waivers; school district expenditures and staff hours used for direct instructional activities; district reporting requirements; TEA funds and expenditures; performance of open-enrollment charters on the academic excellence indicators, accountability measures, and student performance, in comparison to the performance of school districts; and character education programs.

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, Class of 2005
October 2006. Document Number GE07 601 01, 72 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (1.1 MB)

This annual report examines SAT and ACT participation and performance in Texas for the graduating class of 2005. A total of 140,003 Texas public school graduates took the SAT, ACT, or both in 2005. The percentage of graduates who took the SAT, ACT, or both increased from 61.9 percent for the class of 2004 to 65.5 percent for the class of 2005. The percentage of examinees achieving the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) criterion score on either test increased slightly from 27.0 percent in 2004 to 27.4 percent in 2005. In addition, the percentage of examinees achieving the AEIS criterion score increased for most student groups from 2004 to 2005. In 2005, the average SAT Verbal and Math scores for Texas public schools were 490 and 502, respectively. The average ACT composite score was 20.0. The percentage of public and non-public graduates taking the SAT was higher in Texas (54%) than nationally (49%); the percentage of public and non-public graduates taking the ACT was lower in Texas (29%) than nationally (40%).

District and Campus Supplement
October 2006. Document Number GE07 601 02, 200 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (1.2 MB)

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2004-05
August 2006. Document Number GE06 601 10, 164 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (512 KB)

This report examines Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and performance in Texas during the 2004-05 school year. The numbers of AP and IB examinees in Texas public schools were higher than in previous years. In 2004-05, the percentage of AP examinees in the public schools scoring in the 3-5 range and the percentage of examinations with scores of 3-5 decreased from the previous year. At the same time, the percentage of IB examinees in the public schools scoring in the 4-7 range and the percentage of IB examinations with scores of 4-7 decreased from the previous year. Higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students received AP scores of 3-5 and IB scores of 4-7 than African American and Hispanic students. AP participation in Texas public and non-public schools combined increased more rapidly than participation nationally between 1986-87 and 2004-05. In 2004-05, the percentages of AP examinations with scores of 3-5 in public and non-public schools decreased from the previous year in Texas and the United States.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2004-05
July 2006. Document Number GE06 601 06, 158 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (608 KB)

County Supplement
July 2006. Document Number GE06 601 07, 76 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.
Report in PDF (269 KB)

District and Campus Supplement
July 2006. Document Number GE06 601 08, 506 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.
Report in PDF (1.4 MB)

District Supplement
July 2006. Document Number GE06 601 09, 466 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.
Report in PDF (1.3 MB)

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, Class of 2004
January 2006. Document Number GE06 601 03, 70 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (274 KB)

This annual report examines SAT I and ACT participation and performance in Texas for the graduating class of 2004. A total of 135,646 Texas public school graduates took either the SAT I or ACT in 2004. Although the number of examinees increased, the percentage of graduates who took the SAT I or ACT decreased from 62.4 percent for the class of 2003 to 61.9 percent for the class of 2004. The percentage of examinees achieving the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) criterion score on either test decreased slightly from 27.2 percent in 2003 to 27.0 percent in 2004. Performance gaps between African American and White examinees and between Hispanic and White examinees on the SAT I decreased in 2004. Similarly, performance gaps between African American and White examinees on the ACT decreased in 2004. Performance gaps between Hispanic and White examinees on the ACT increased in 2004. From 1996 through 2004, Texas scores were superior or equal to national scores among Asian/Pacific Islanders on the SAT I Verbal and ACT Mathematics and Reading tests and among African Americans on the ACT Mathematics and Science tests.

District and Campus Listings
January 2006. Document Number GE06 601 04, 206 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (651 KB)

2005 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
December 2005. Document Number GE06 601 02, 146 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (1.7 MB)

The 2005 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.182 of the Texas Education Code. This report contains an executive summary and 14 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on the state performance assessments and a study of the correlation between course grades and state assessments; students in alternative education settings; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; student dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; deregulation and waivers; school district expenditures and staff hours used for direct instructional activities; district reporting requirements; TEA funds and expenditures; performance of open-enrollment charters on the academic excellence indicators, accountability measures, and student performance, in comparison to the performance of school districts; and character education programs.

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2003-04
October 2005. Document Number GE06 601 01, 262 pages.
Cost: $20.00; Tax Exempt: $19.00.
Report in PDF (808 KB)

This annual report provides information for the 2003-04 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and socioeconomic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are provided by program participation in special education, career and technology, gifted and talented, and Title I. In addition, student retention and promotion data are reported with data on the performance of students in Grades 3-10 on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) reading and mathematics tests.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2003-04 (2nd ed.)
August 2005; updated April 2006. Document Number GE06 601 05, 158 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (495 KB)

This report examines Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and performance in Texas during the 2003-04 school year. The numbers of AP and IB examinees in Texas public schools were higher than in previous years. In 2003-04, the percentage of AP examinees in the public schools scoring in the 3-5 range and the percentage of examinations with scores of 3-5 decreased from the previous year. At the same time, the percentages of IB examinees with scores of 4-7 increased and the percentage of IB examinations with scores of 4-7 decreased. Higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students received AP scores of 3-5 and IB scores of 4-7 than African American and Hispanic students. AP participation in Texas public and non-public schools combined increased more rapidly than participation nationally between 1986-87 and 2003-04. In 2003-04, the percentages of AP examinations with scores of 3-5 in public and non-public schools decreased in Texas and the United States.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2003-04
August 2005. Document Number GE05 601 07, 152 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (592 KB)

District Supplement
August 2005. Document Number GE05 601 10, 450 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.

District and Campus Supplement
August 2005. Document Number GE05 601 09, 500 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.

County Supplement
August 2005. Document Number GE05 601 08, 76 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2003-04
March 2005. Document Number GE05 601 06, 48 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $7.00.
Report in PDF (481 KB)

This report provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 1994-95 through 2003-04 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Enrollment data are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs. Data also are reported by education service center region and district type.

2004 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
January 2005. Document Number GE05 601 04, 158 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (1 MB)

The 2004 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.182 of the Texas Education Code. The report contains an executive summary and 14 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on the state performance assessments and a study of the correlation between course grades and state assessments; students in alternative education settings; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; student dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; deregulation and waivers; school district expenditures and staff hours used for direct instructional activities; district reporting requirements; TEA funds and expenditures; performance of open-enrollment charters on the academic excellence indicators, accountability measures, and student performance, in comparison to the performance of school districts; and character education programs.

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, Class of 2003
November 2004. Document Number GE05 601 02, 62 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (264 KB)

This annual report examines SAT I and ACT participation and performance in Texas for the graduating class of 2003. A total of 133,755 Texas public school graduates, the highest number of examinees ever, took either the SAT I or ACT in 2003. The percentage of graduates who took the SAT I or ACT increased slightly from 61.9 percent for the class of 2002 to 62.4 percent for the class of 2003. The percentage of examinees achieving the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) criterion score on either test increased from 26.6 percent in 2002 to 27.2 percent in 2003. Performance gaps between African American and White examinees and between Hispanic and White examinees on the SAT I increased during the time period 1996 through 2003. Since 1999, similar increases have been seen in ACT performance gaps between African American and White examinees and between Hispanic and White examinees. From 1996 through 2003, Texas scores were superior to national scores among Asian/Pacific Islanders on the SAT I Verbal and ACT Mathematics tests and African Americans on the ACT Mathematics test.

District and Campus Listings
November 2004. Document Number GE05 601 03, 198 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (678 KB)

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2002-03
November 2004. Document Number GE05 601 01, 234 pages.
Cost: $20.00; Tax Exempt: $19.00.
Report in PDF (772 KB)

This annual report provides information for the 2002-03 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and socioeconomic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are provided by program participation in special education, career and technology, gifted and talented, and Title I. In addition, student retention and promotion data are reported with data on the performance of students in Grades 3-10 on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) reading and mathematics tests.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2002-03
August 2004. Document Number GE04 601 07, 146 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (470 KB)

This report examines Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and performance in Texas during the 2002-03 school year. The number of AP and IB examinees in Texas public schools was higher than in previous years, as was the number of public schools participating in the AP program. The percentage of AP examinees in the public schools scoring in the 3-5 range and the percentage of examinations with scores of 3-5 were higher in 2001-02 than 2002-03. At the same time, the percentages of IB examinees and examinations with scores of 4-7 increased. Higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students received AP scores of 3-5 and IB scores of 4-7 than African American and Hispanic students. AP participation in Texas public and non-public schools combined has increased more rapidly than participation nationally between 1986-87 and 2002-03. In 2002-03, the percentages of AP examinations with scores of 3-5 in public and non-public schools decreased in both Texas and the United States.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2002-03
August 2004. Document Number GE04 601 08, 144 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (544 KB)

The longitudinal secondary school series tracks a class of students over five to seven years, from the time they enter Grade 9 or Grade 7 until the fall following their anticipated graduation. Out of 263,571 students in the class of 2003 Grade 9 cohort, 84.2 percent graduated, 3.3 percent received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, and 7.9 percent continued in high school the following school year. The four-year longitudinal dropout rate for this class was 4.5 percent, decreasing from 5.0 percent for the class of 2002.

Out of 1,891,361 students who attended Grades 7-12 in Texas public schools during the 2002-03 school year, 17,151 students, or 0.9 percent, were reported to have dropped out. This was an increase of 3.2 percent in the number of dropouts from the previous year. Dropout rates for African American and Hispanic students remained above that for White students statewide. A new series of dropout rates for Grades 7-8 is introduced. The statewide annual dropout rate for Grades 9-12 was 1.3 percent.

In addition to statewide statistics, the report provides historical information about dropout policy in Texas and the evolution of the dropout definition used for accountability purposes. Common methods of measuring student progress through school are discussed, along with advantages and disadvantages associated with each measure. Extensive background information on TEA data collection, processing, and reporting is presented, and national requirements for dropout data are described. Finally, the report summarizes reasons students were reported to have dropped out of school and outlines the state plan to reduce the dropout rate.

District Supplement
August 2004. Document Number GE04 601 09, 320 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.

District and Campus Supplement
August 2004. Document Number GE04 601 10, 394 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.

County Supplement
August 2004. Document Number GE04 601 11, 60 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, Class of 2002
June 2004. Document Number GE04 601 05, 56 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (254 KB)

Texas SAT I and ACT participation and performance for the graduating class of 2002 were examined. A total of 125,590 Texas public school graduates took either the SAT I or ACT in 2002, the highest number of examinees ever. However, the percentage of total graduates who took the SAT I or ACT decreased slightly from 62.9 percent for the class of 2001 to 61.9 percent for the class of 2002. The most noticeable decreases in participation rates from the class of 2001 to the class of 2002 were for Asian/Pacific Islanders (85.2% to 81.7%) and Whites (70.0% to 67.9%). Less than one-third (26.6%) of all examinees achieved the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) criterion score on either test in 2002, three-tenths of a percentage down from 26.9 percent in 2001. The performance gaps between African American and White examinees and between Hispanic and White examinees on the SAT I Verbal and Mathematics sections increased during the time period 1996 to 2002. Average ACT scores were generally stable within each ethnic group during the same time period, although they were consistently highest for Asian/Pacific Islander and White examinees. Average scores in Texas surpassed scores nationally from the class of 1996 to the class of 2002 for (1) Asian/Pacific Islanders’ SAT I Verbal scores; (2) Asian/Pacific Islanders’ ACT Mathematics scores; and (3) African Americans’ ACT Mathematics and Science Reasoning scores.

District and Campus Listings
June 2004. Document Number GE04 601 06, 184 pages.
Cost: $18.00; Tax Exempt: $17.00.
Report in PDF (657 KB)

Grade-Level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2001-02
March 2004. Document Number GE04 601 03, 230 pages.
Cost: $20.00; Tax Exempt: $19.00.
Report in PDF (759 KB)

This annual report provides information for the 2001-02 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system. Data on retention are provided by student characteristics, including grade level; ethnicity; gender; degree of English proficiency; and socioeconomic, at-risk, immigrant, migrant, and overage statuses. Data also are provided by program participation in special education, career and technology, gifted and talented, and Title I. In addition, student retention and promotion data are examined with data on the performance of students in Grades 3-8 on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills reading and mathematics tests.

Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2001-02
December 2003. Document Number GE04 601 02, 48 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $7.00.
Report in PDF (427 KB)

This report has been prepared as an update to Enrollment Trends in Texas Public Schools: Update 1999-00 (August 2001). It provides information on enrollment in the Texas public school system from the 1992-93 through 2001-02 school years, based on data collected through the Texas Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Enrollment data are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, and economically disadvantaged status, and for special populations and instructional programs. Data also are reported by education service center region and district type.

Policy Research Report No. 16
Texas Assessment of Academic Skills and College Entrance Examination Performance Trends in Texas
December 2003. Document Number GE04 601 01, 13 pages.
Cost: $6.00; Tax Exempt: $5.00.
Report in PDF (241 KB)

Two key measures of high school performance in Texas public schools are performance on the exit-level Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) and performance on the SAT I and ACT. Between 1994 and 2002, TAAS scores increased substantially, whereas SAT I and ACT scores remained essentially stable. This report reviews differences between the TAAS and the SAT I and ACT examinations that contributed to differences in performance trends, namely (1) purpose and type of test; (2) examinee population; and (3) academic proficiency level assessed. Because of these differences, the assessments are valuable, but distinct, measures of high school performance. The gains in exit-level TAAS scores indicate that an increasing percentage of students were mastering the academic skills required to obtain a high school diploma in Texas. The essentially stable SAT I and ACT performance indicates that high school students in Texas maintained a stable level of college readiness, relative to the mean performance of the national norm groups for the SAT I and ACT.

College Admissions Testing of Graduating Seniors in Texas High Schools, 2000-01
August 2003. Document Number GE03 601 03, 226 pages.
Cost: $13.50; Tax Exempt: $12.50.
Report in PDF (914 KB)

Texas SAT I and ACT participation and performance in 2000-01 were examined. The highest number of Texas public school graduates ever--122,417 or 62.9 percent--took either the SAT I or ACT in 2000-01, up slightly from 62.2 percent in 1999-00. Less than one-third (26.9%) of all examinees achieved the AEIS criterion score on either test in 2000-01, down from 27.3 percent in 1999-00. Asian American graduates had the highest participation rate at 85.2 percent, followed by Native American (76.9%) and White graduates (70.0%). Hispanics had the lowest rate, with 46.5 percent of graduates participating in SAT I or ACT testing. A larger proportion of Asian American examinees (42.8%) met the criterion score than did any other group, while African Americans had the smallest proportion of examinees (7.4%) who met the criterion score. The percentages of White and African American SAT I and ACT examinees in public and non-public schools combined were generally similar in Texas and the nation from 1996 through 2001. During this same time period, the percentages of Texas Hispanic examinees were about three to four times larger than the percentages of Hispanic test takers nationally. Mean scores for Texas and the nation remained relatively stable.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2001-02
August 2003. Document Number GE03 601 08, 150 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (740 KB)

This report examines Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and performance in Texas during the 2001-02 school year. The number of AP and IB examinees in Texas public schools was higher than in previous years, as was the number of public schools participating in the AP program. The percentage of AP examinees in the public schools scoring in the 3-5 range and the percentage of examinations with scores of 3-5 increased in 2002, after decreasing from 1996 to 2001. The percentages of IB examinees and examinations with scores of 4-7 decreased from 2001 to 2002. Higher percentages of Asian/Pacific Islander and White students received AP scores of 3-5 and IB scores of 4-7 than African American and Hispanic students. AP participation in public and non-public schools combined has increased more rapidly than participation nationally. The percentage of AP examinations with scores of 3-5 in public and non-public schools in both Texas and the nation increased in 2002 after decreasing between 1996 and 2001.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2001-02
August 2003. Document Number GE03 601 04, 134 pages.
Cost: $16.00; Tax Exempt: $15.00.
Report in PDF (735 KB)

Out of 1,849,680 students who attended Grades 7-12 in Texas public schools during the 2001-02 school year, 16,622 students, or 0.9 percent, were reported to have dropped out. This was a decrease of 5.4 percent in the number of dropouts since 2000-01. Dropout rates for African American and Hispanic students remained above that for White students statewide. The statewide annual dropout rate for Grades 9-12 was 1.3 percent.

The longitudinal secondary school series tracks a class of students over five to seven years, from the time they enter Grade 9 or Grade 7 until the fall following their anticipated graduation. Out of 254,040 students in the class of 2002 Grade 9 cohort, 82.8 percent graduated, 4.1 percent received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, and 8.0 percent continued in high school the following school year. The four-year longitudinal dropout rate for this class was 5.0 percent.

Supplemental District Data
August 2003. Document Number GE03 601 05, 248 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.

District and Campus Listings
August 2003. Document Number GE03 601 06, 252 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.

County Listings
August 2003. Document Number GE03 601 07, 38 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.

National Center for Education Statistics State and District Dropout Counts and Rates
February 2005. Document Number GE05 601 05, 66 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.

2002 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
December 2002. Document Number GE03-601-01, 152 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (1.2 MB)

The 2002 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by section 39.182 of the Texas Education Code. This report contains an executive summary and 14 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; a summary compilation of overall student performance on the state performance assessments and a study of the correlation of course grades with state assessments; a summary report on students in alternative education settings; a summary compilation of overall performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; student dropouts; grade level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; waivers and deregulation; administrative cost ratios of school districts; district reporting requirements; funds and expenditures of the Texas Education Agency; a comparison of open-enrollment charter schools and school districts on the academic excellence indicators, accountability measures, and student performance; and a status report on character education programs.

Grade-level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 2000-01
October 2002. Document Number GE02-601-09, 214 pages.
Cost: $19.00; Tax Exempt: $18.00.
Report in PDF (931 KB)

This report provides annual information for the 2000-01 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system, based on the Public Education Information Management System. Data on retention are provided by grade, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, participation in special education, degree of English proficiency, and performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS).

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 2000-01
August 2002. Document Number GE02-601-05, 123 pages.
Cost: $16.00; Tax Exempt: $15.00.
Report in PDF (695 KB)

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) prepares an annual report on dropouts in Texas public schools. This report includes state summaries of the annual dropout rate used in the accountability system, along with state attrition rates. It also includes a series of longitudinal secondary school completion/student status rates.

Out of 1,818,940 students who attended Grades 7-12 in Texas public schools during the 2000-01 school year, 17,563 students, or 1.0 percent, were reported to have dropped out. This was a decrease of 25.1 percent in the number of dropouts, and the second consecutive large decline in the dropout rate. After remaining stable for three years at 1.6 percent, the rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points in 1999-00 and again in 2000-01. Dropout rates for African American and Hispanic students remained above that for White students statewide. The statewide annual dropout rate for Grades 9-12 was 1.4 percent.

The longitudinal secondary school series tracks a class of students over five to seven years, from the time they enter Grade 9 or Grade 7 until the fall following their anticipated graduation. Out of 249,161 students in the class of 2001 Grade 9 cohort, 81.1 percent graduated, 4.8 percent received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, and 7.9 percent continued school the following school year. The four-year longitudinal dropout rate for this class was 6.2 percent.

Supplemental District Data
August 2002. Document Number GE02-601-06, 231 pages.
Cost: $32.00; Tax Exempt: $30.00.

District and Campus Listings
August 2002. Document Number GE02-601-07, 249 pages.
Cost: $49.00; Tax Exempt: $46.00.

County Listings
August 2002. Document Number GE02-601-08, 37 pages.
Cost: $24.00; Tax Exempt: $22.00.

National Center for Education Statistics State and District Dropout Counts and Rates
March 2004. Document Number GE04-601-04, 64 pages.
Cost: $14.00; Tax Exempt: $13.00.

Grade-level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 1999-00
July 2002. Document Number GE02-601-03, 207 pages.
Cost: $19.00; Tax Exempt: $18.00.
Report in PDF (1.1 MB)

This report provides annual information for the 1999-00 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system, based on the Public Education Information Management System. Data on retention are provided by grade, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, participation in special education, degree of English proficiency, and performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS).

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas, 2000-01
June 2002. Document Number GE02-601-04, 104 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.
Report in PDF (618 KB)

This report examines Texas public school student participation and performance in the Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs during the 2000-01 school year. The number of Texas AP and IB examinees was higher than in previous years, as well as the number of schools with AP examinees. Participation rates for African Americans and Hispanics continued to climb but still lagged behind those for Whites and Asian/Pacific Islanders. The female rate of participation in AP and IB examinations continued rising faster than the male participation rate. Performance as measured by number of AP examinations in the 3-5 score range and number of IB examinations in the 4-7 range was highest in 2001, consistent with the trend of steady increases since the mid-1990s. Asian/Pacific Islander and White students continued to outscore African Americans and Hispanics on AP and IB examinations. The report also compares AP results for Texas public and non-public school students with results for students in other states and the nation.

Policy Research Report No. 15
Program Participation and Academic Progress of Second Language Learners: Texas Middle School Update
May 2002. Document Number GE02-600-01, 28 pages.
Cost: $5.00; Tax Exempt: $4.50.
Report in PDF (1.2 MB)

This report has been prepared as an update to Policy Research Report No. 10, Academic Achievement of Elementary Students With Limited English Proficiency in Texas Public Schools (1998). The purpose of this study is to examine program participation and academic progress of second language learners over time. The study followed a cohort of Texas public school students from 1992-93 to 1999-00 as they progressed through the elementary and middle grades. An overview of Texas policy related to students with limited English proficiency (LEP) describes policy changes that took place during this time. Demographic characteristics of middle school students once identified as limited English proficient and their classmates who were not LEP were examined. Special language program participation patterns were examined from a longitudinal perspective. Participation in the assessment program and progress of students in the cohort toward passing the exit-level test required for graduation were also examined.

By the time they reach middle school, most LEP students in Texas public schools are receiving all of their instruction in the regular, all-English, instructional program. In this study, we looked back at the patterns of special language services one cohort of students received in elementary and middle school. The data suggest that many factors influence the patterns of special language services student receive and the number of years they receive those services.

In addition to looking back at the patterns of special language services students received in elementary and middle school, this study looked forward to progress of students at Grade 8 toward passing the Grade 10 exit-level test required for graduation. There were gaps between the LEP and non-LEP students in the study cohort in progress toward meeting the exit-level testing requirement. Most LEP students are economically disadvantaged, and performance differences between LEP and non-LEP students reflected, in part, performance differences between students who are economically disadvantaged and students who are not economically disadvantaged. Among LEP students, there were also performance differences by pattern of special language services.

Working Paper No. 7
Profiles of Starting Cohort Members and Transfer Students in a Texas Public High School Cohort
January 2002. Seven pages.
Cost: no charge; PDF only.
Report in PDF (204 KB)

The quantitative measure for each indicator in the Texas accountability system is a product of extensive development by Texas Education Agency staff, guided by educators, legislators, and business leaders, and grounded in the accountability system principles. One principle is accountability for all students, but because the indicators differ, the counts and groups of students included in the measures differ somewhat. For example, the indicators related to passing the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills include all students enrolled on the last Friday in October, whereas the annual dropout rates are based on all students in attendance during the year. In the course of developing the longitudinal student status rates as measures of the high school completion rate indicator, agency staff analyzed the counts and characteristics of students included in the measures. In this paper, comparisons of starting cohort members and transfer students are reported.

Working Paper No. 6
Three-Year Follow-up of a Texas Public High School Cohort
January 2002. Seven pages.
Cost: no charge; PDF only.
Report in PDF (225 KB)

Most students finish high school within four years, so many high school completion rates are designed to show the number who graduate within that period. Some believe that, in addition to graduates, students who earn a General Educational Development (GED) certificate can be considered high school completers. Further, some methods for calculating completion rates also consider students who are still continuing their high school education at the end of four years to be completers; continuing students have not dropped out and may eventually earn their diplomas.

Since 2000, TEA has reported all three of these groups of students-graduates, GED recipients, and continuing students-in the longitudinal completion/student status rate for the district and state Academic Excellence Indicator System reports. Beginning in 2004, a longitudinal completion rate will be an indicator used to rate Texas public school and district performance. This report is intended to provide information about students who are still continuing high school after their expected graduation year and to inform the decision whether to include this student group in the definition of "high school completion" for Texas public school accountability purposes.

2001 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools
December 2001. Document Number GE02-601-01, 149 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.
Report in PDF (6.2 MB)

The 2001 Comprehensive Annual Report on Texas Public Schools describes the status of Texas public education, as required by Sections 39.182 and 39.185 of the Texas Education Code and as modified by SB 702 and HB 946. This report contains an executive summary and 14 chapters on the following topics: state performance on the academic excellence indicators; student performance on state assessments and correlation of course grades with state assessments; students in alternative education settings; performance of students at risk of dropping out of school; student dropouts; grade-level retention of students; district and campus performance in meeting state accountability standards; status of the curriculum; waivers and deregulation; administrative cost ratios of school districts; district reporting requirements; funds and expenditures of the Texas Education Agency; comparison of open-enrollment charter schools and school districts on the academic excellence indicators, accountability measures, and student performance; and character education programs.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1999-00 Graduating Seniors
October 2001. Document Number GE02-601-02, 108 pages.
Cost: $14.50; Tax Exempt: $13.00.
Report in PDF (1.3 MB)

The participation and performance of Texas' 1999-00 public school graduates on the College Board's SAT I: Reasoning Test and the ACT, Inc., ACT Assessment was investigated, along with results from other states and the nation. The highest combined number of Texas public school graduates ever--120,077 or 62.2 percent--took either the SAT I or ACT before or during 1999-00. That is, a greater number of Texas graduates than ever before received feedback, via SAT I or ACT examination results, about their academic readiness for college. Performance as measured by the combined number of tested graduates achieving either SAT I Total scores of 1110-1600 or ACT Composite scores of 24-36--32,747--was highest in 2000. The percentage of SAT I- and ACT-tested graduates scoring within these higher ranges on either test was 27.3 percent in 2000--a 2.3 percentage point gain since 1991. African Americans, Hispanics, Whites, males, and females also showed similar trends in overall improvement since 1991. Most encouraging for all 2000 Texas graduates is that, while the numbers tested increased since 1999, the state's mean performance held steady at 20.3 on the ACT Composite and at 993 for the SAT Total. The percentage of all Texas SAT takers completing 20 or more academic course credits continued to increase, as did the percentage of ACT takers completing an ACT-defined core set of academic courses. Thus, the most general suggestion for strengthening SAT I and ACT test performance overall, or students' academic readiness for college, is to focus on improving the academic preparation of all students while also encouraging testing participation.

2000 Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas
August 2001. Document Number GE01-601-13, 92 pages.
Cost: $16.00; Tax Exempt: $15.00.
Report in PDF (1.4 MB)

The participation and performance of 11th- and 12th-grade Texas public school district students in the College Entrance Examination Board's Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Organisation's programs during the 1999-00 school year was investigated. Results showed the largest one-year gains yet in the number of Texas Advanced Placement (AP) examinees, examinations taken, and examinations earning scores in the 3-5 range. The number of students participating in the International Baccalaureate (IB) examination also was higher in 2000 than in previous years. Participation rates for African Americans and Hispanics in both programs continued to climb but still lagged behind those for Whites and Asian Americans, while the rate for females continued rising faster than that for males. Performance as measured by number of AP examinations scoring in the 3-5 range and number of IB examinations scoring in the 4-7 range was higher in 2000 than in previous years‹consistent with the trend of steady increases since 1995 for AP and since 1996 for IB. Performance as measured by the percentage of AP examinations scoring in the high range, however, continued a moderate but steady decline, likely due in part to the rapid increase in the number of AP examinees. Asian American and White students continued to outscore African Americans and Hispanics on AP and IB examinations. Comparisons of AP results to other states and the nation were also drawn for all Texas public and non-public school students. The dramatic increase in state funding for the Texas AP/IB Incentive Program in the 2000-01 biennium, as well as funding available through federal and local incentive programs, helped provide many necessary supports for substantially increasing the numbers of Texas high school students taking AP and IB courses and examinations during the past year.

Policy Research Report No. 14
Enrollment Trends in Texas Public Schools: Update 1999-00
August 2001. Document Number GE01-601-08, 14 pages.
Cost: $3.50; Tax Exempt: $3.00.
Report in PDF (1.2 KB)

This report has been prepared as an update to Policy Research Report No. 11, Enrollment Trends in Texas Public Schools (July 1998). It provides an overview of Texas enrollment trends, growth of special instructional programs, and the diversity of the student population by grade, district type, and education service center region. Enrollment in Texas public schools in 1999-00 is compared to enrollment in 1987-88, and changes are discussed. National and Texas enrollment trends are also compared.

There were 3,991,783 students enrolled in Texas public schools in 1999-00. The student population reflected the state's ethnic diversity: 14 percent were African American; 3 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander; 40 percent were Hispanic; 0.3 percent were Native American; and 43 percent were White.

In the 12 years from 1987-88 to 1999-00, enrollment grew by 766,867 students, a 24 percent increase. Hispanic students, with an increase in enrollment of 562,958, accounted for 73 percent of the statewide increase. There was a 71 percent increase in the enrollment of economically disadvantaged students over the same time period.

In 1999-00, major suburban districts enrolled nearly one-fourth of students in the state; major urban districts enrolled 22 percent of the students. Between 1987-88 and 1999-00, most types of districts experienced increases in both numbers and percentages of African American and Hispanic students, resulting in greater overall ethnic diversity. The number of African American students attending major suburban districts increased by 72 percent, and the number of Hispanic students increased by 81 percent.

Enrollment across U.S. public schools increased 17 percent between 1987-88 and 1999-00, lower than the 24 percent increase experienced by Texas public schools over the same time period. Texas had a much higher percentage of Hispanic students and a lower percentage of White students than did the nation as a whole. In both Texas and the nation, increases in enrollment were largest for Hispanic students and smallest for White students.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 1999-00
August 2001. Document Number GE01-601-09, 98 pages.
Cost: $14.50; Tax Exempt: $13.00.

Out of 1,794,521 students who attended Grades 7-12 in Texas public schools during the 1999-00 school year, 23,457 students, or 1.3 percent, were reported to have dropped out. This was a decrease of 15.0 percent in the number of dropouts, and the first decline in the dropout rate in three years. Dropout rates for African American and Hispanic students remained above that for White students statewide. The statewide annual dropout rate for Grades 9-12 was 1.8 percent.

The longitudinal secondary school series tracks a class of students over five to seven years, from the time they enter Grade 9 or Grade 7 until the fall following their anticipated graduation. Out of 244,777 students in the class of 2000 Grade 9 cohort, 80.7 percent graduated, 4.8 percent received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, and 7.3 percent continued school the following school year. The four-year longitudinal dropout rate was 7.2 percent.

In addition to statewide statistics, the report provides historical information about dropout policy in Texas and the evolution of the dropout definition used for accountability purposes. Common methods of measuring student progress through school are discussed, along with potential advantages and disadvantages associated with each measure. Extensive background on TEA data collection, processing, and reporting is presented, and national requirements for dropout data are described. Finally, the report summarizes reported reasons students drop out of school and outlines effective dropout prevention strategies.

Supplemental District Data
August 2001. Document Number GE01-601-10, 288 pages.
Cost: $30.00; Tax Exempt: $28.00.

District and Campus Listings
August 2001. Document Number GE01-601-11, 429 pages.
Cost: $47.50; Tax Exempt: $44.00.

County Listings
August 2001. Document Number GE01-601-12, 53 pages.
Cost: $22.50; Tax Exempt: $21.00.

National Center for Education Statistics State and District Dropout Counts and Rates
November 2002. Document Number GE03-601-02, 62 pages.
Cost: $24.00; Tax Exempt: $22.50.

Grade-level Retention in Texas Public Schools, 1998-99
May 2001. Document Number GE01-601-07, 145 pages.
Cost: $17.00; Tax Exempt: $16.00.

This report provides annual information for the 1998-99 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system, based on the Public Education Information Management System. Data on retention are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, participation in special education, degree of English proficiency, and socioeconomic status.

Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools, 1998-99
January 2001. Document Number GE01-601-02, 81 pages.
Cost: $12.50; Tax Exempt: $11.50.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) prepares an annual report on dropouts in Texas public schools. This report includes state summaries of the annual dropout rate used in the accountability system, along with state attrition rates. This year, it also introduces a series of longitudinal secondary school completion/ student status rates.

Out of 1,773,117 students who attended Grades 7-12 in Texas public schools during the 1998-99 school year, 27,592 students, or 1.6 percent, were reported to have dropped out. The statewide annual dropout rate has held steady at 1.6 percent for the last three school years. Dropout rates for African American and Hispanic students remained above that for White students statewide. The statewide annual dropout rate for Grades 9- 12 was 2.2 percent.

The new longitudinal secondary school series tracks a class of students over five to seven years, from the time they enter Grade 9 or Grade 7 until the fall following their anticipated graduation. Out of 238,280 students in the class of 1999 Grade 9 cohort, 79.5 percent graduated, 4.0 percent received a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, and 8.0 percent continued school the following school year. The four-year longitudinal dropout rate was 8.5 percent.

In addition to statewide statistics, the report provides historical information about dropout policy in Texas and the evolution of the dropout definition used for accountability purposes. Common methods of measuring student progress through school are discussed, along with potential advantages and disadvantages associated with each measure. Extensive background on TEA data collection, processing, and reporting is presented, and national requirements for dropout data are described. Finally, the report summarizes reported reasons students drop out of school and outlines effective dropout prevention strategies.

Supplemental District Data
January 2001. Document Number GE01-601-03, 231 pages.
Cost: $26.50; Tax Exempt: $24.50.

District and Campus Listings
January 2001. Document Number GE01-601-04, 337 pages.
Cost: $34.00; Tax Exempt: $31.00.

County, District and Campus Listings
January 2001. Document Number GE01-601-05, 383 pages.
Cost: $43.50; Tax Exempt: $40.00.

Dropout Study: A Report to the 77th Texas Legislature
December 2000. Document Number GE1-600-02, 50 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.

Dropout rates published by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), a key component of the state's Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS), have been criticized in recent years for not presenting an accurate picture of the dropout phenomenon in Texas public schools. TEA Rider 71 of the General Appropriations Act (House Bill 1, 76th Texas Legislature, Regular Session) directed the Legislative Budget Board, State Auditor's Office, and TEA to conduct a study of the current system used to identify and report students who do not graduate from high school or those who drop out of school before enrolling in high school. Also, the study must determine the actual number and percentage of students who do not complete high school within four years of enrolling in 9th grade. This report presents the findings and recommendations from that study. The recommendations address three areas in which the current annual dropout rate has been criticized: dropout definition; dropout rate calculation; and data quality.

1999 and 1998 Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas
August 2000. Document Number GE00-601-05, 116 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $8.50.

The participation and performance of 11th and 12th grade Texas public school district students in the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Organisation's IB courses and examinations through the 1998-99 school year was investigated. Both the number of Texas AP and IB examinees was higher than in previous years, as well as the number of schools with AP examinees. Participation rates for African Americans and especially for Hispanics in the past two years continued to climb but still lagged behind those for Whites and Asian Americans, while the rate for females continued rising faster than that for males. Performance as measured by number of AP examinations in the 3-5 score range and number of IB examinations in the 4-7 range was highest in 1999, improving steadily since 1995 for AP and since 1996 for IB. Performance as measured by the percentage of AP examinations in the 3-5 score range declined from 60.6 percent in 1996 to 55.0 percent in 1999, partly due to the rapid increase in the number of AP examinees. Asian American and White students continued to outscore African Americans and Hispanics on AP and IB examinations. Comparisons of AP results to other states and the nation were also drawn for all Texas public and non-public school students. The dramatic increase in state funding for the Texas AP/IB Incentive Program in the 2000-01 biennium, as well as funding available through federal and local incentive programs, should provide many necessary supports for substantially increasing the number of Texas high school students taking AP and IB courses and examinations.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1998-99 Graduating Seniors
August 2000. Document Number GE00-601-04, 108 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $8.50.

The participation and performance of Texas' 1998-99 public school graduates on the College Board's SAT I: Reasoning Test and the ACT, Inc., ACT Assessment was investigated, along with results from other states and the nation. The highest combined number of Texas public school graduates ever‹113,807 or 61.8 percent‹took either the SAT I or ACT before or during 1998-99. That is, a greater number of Texas graduates than ever before sought external feedback, via SAT I or ACT examination results, about their academic readiness for college. Performance as measured by the combined number of tested graduates achieving either SAT I Total scores of 1110-1600 or ACT Composite scores of 24-36‹30,901‹was highest in 1999. The percentage of SAT I- and ACT-tested graduates scoring within these higher ranges on either test was 27.2 percent in 1999‹a 2.2 percentage point gain since 1991. African Americans, Hispanics, Whites, males, and females also showed similar trends in overall improvement since 1991. Most encouraging for all 1999 Texas graduates is that while the numbers tested increased since 1998, the state's mean performance held steady at 20.3 on the ACT Composite and was virtually the same at 993 for the SAT Total. The percentage of all Texas SAT takers completing 20 or more academic course credits continued to increase, as did the percentage of ACT takers completing an ACT-defined core set of academic courses. Thus, the most general suggestion for strengthening SAT I and ACT test performance overall, or students' academic readiness for college, is to focus on improving the academic preparation of all students while also encouraging testing participation.

Working Paper No. 2
1997-98 and 1998-99 Returning and Non-Returning Students in Grades 7-12
June 2000. 57 pages.
Cost: no charge; PDF only.
Report in PDF (341 KB)

Prior to the 1997-98 school year, districts were required to report which students in Grades 7-12 had graduated, dropped out, or returned to school. Beginning with the PEIMS Submission 1 in fall 1998, districts were required to report on all students enrolled in the district at any time during the previous school year in Grades 7-12. This report details the returning statuses of students for school years 1997-98 to 1998-99.

1996-97 Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Results in Texas
February 2000. Document Number GE00-601-03, 78 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $7.50.

The participation and performance of eleventh and twelfth grade Texas public school district students in the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate Organisation's (IBO) courses and examinations during the 1996-1997 school year was investigated. Both the number of Texas AP and IB examinees was higher than in previous years, as well as the number of schools with AP examinees. Participation rates for Hispanics and African Americans continued to climb but still lagged behind those for Whites and Asian Americans, while the rate for females continued rising faster than that for males. Performance as measured by number of AP exams in the 3-5 score range and number of IB exams in the 4-7 range was highest in 1997, improving steadily since 1995. Performance as measured by the percentage of AP examinations in the 3-5 score range declined from 60.6 percent in 1996 to 58.7 percent in 1997, partly due to the rapid increase in the number of AP examinees. Asian American, Native American, and White students continued to outscore African Americans and Hispanics on AP and IB examinations. Comparisons of AP results to other states and the nation were also drawn for all Texas public and non-public school students. The dramatic increase in state funding for the Texas AP/IB Incentive Program in the 2000-2001 biennium, as well as funding available through federal and local incentive programs, should provide many necessary supports for substantially increasing the number of Texas high school students taking AP and IB courses and examinations.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 6B
A Longitudinal Study of Primary School Classrooms and Grade 3 Performance in Texas Public Schools
December 1999. Document Number GE00-601-02, 36 pages.
Cost: $4.00; Tax Exempt: $3.50.

Student performance in Grade 3 was evaluated based on instructional practices, classroom materials, and computer use in Grades 1 and 3. This longitudinal study of primary education in Texas was initiated in the 1995-96 school year, when data were collected from first-grade teachers. Teachers provided information not only on teaching practices and materials, but also on student preparedness and mastery of the curriculum in core subject areas. The survey was repeated, for the same students, with third-grade teachers in 1997-98, and supplemented with annual data available in the Public Education Information Management System and student performance data on a standardized, state-wide performance test. Almost all first- and third-grade teachers were found to be using a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional practices in their classrooms. The teachers reported that the instructional materials available to them provided very good coverage of state-mandated curriculum elements. More than 80 percent of primary-age students were using computers once a week. Differences in student performance were not strongly associated with any of these factors, perhaps because so few differences in the factors themselves were found. The student performance measures, based on teacher assessment and standardized testing, were highly correlated with one another. Student performance was strongly related to student readiness to learn and self-help skills. In some cases, poorer student performance appeared to be associated with the absence of relatively specialized instructional materials.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 6A
Grade 3 Classrooms and Student Performance in Texas Public Schools
December 1999. Document Number GE00-601-01, 44 pages.
Cost: $4.50; Tax Exempt: $4.00.

This research was undertaken to more fully understand Grade 3 students and teachers in Texas, and to explore the relationships between student characteristics, teaching practices, and materials in Grade 3 classrooms and student performance in Grade 3. As a follow-up to the work that began during the 1995-96 school year with Grade 1, this study focuses on survey information provided by Grade 3 teachers from selected schools statewide during the 1997-98 school year. Survey data was received for 7,216 students from 93 campuses and 72 districts around the state. This report looks at characteristics of Texas third graders, such as gender, ethnicity, English proficiency, economic status, and performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Third-grade teachers are also profiled. In addition, the report presents teacher assessments of students' academic readiness, classroom behaviors, academic growth, and performance. Program services, instructional methods, and classroom practices are detailed, as well as teaching materials and computer use. Findings indicate that the majority of third graders began the year ready for the academic demands of third grade. Most teachers use a diverse set of teaching practices. Teachers reported that the majority of students mastered most or all of the Essential Elements in seven subject areas, and the majority of students with high perceived mastery passed the TAAS reading and mathematics tests.

1997-98 Report on Grade-level Retention of Texas Students
November 1999. Document Number GE9-601-02, 148 pages.
Cost: $9.50; Tax Exempt: $8.75.

This report provides annual information for the 1997-98 school year on grade-level retention in the Texas public school system, based on the Public Education Information Management System. Data on retention are provided by grade, ethnicity, gender, participation in special education, degree of English proficiency, and socioeconomic status. For purposes of comparison, data on retention for 1994-95 through 1996-97 are included.

Policy Research Report No. 13
Block Scheduling in Texas Public High Schools
September 1999. Document Number GE9-601-05, 54 pages.
Cost: $5.25; Tax Exempt: $4.75.

The study presented in this report examines the relationships between different types of schedules and overall student performance in Texas public high schools. Overall performance was measured in terms of dropout rates, grade-level retention rates, campus-level results for the TAAS, and participation and performance on college admissions tests (SAT and ACT) and AP examinations.

1997-98 Report on Public School Dropouts
September 1999. Document Number GE9-601-03, 173 pages.
Cost: $10.75; Tax Exempt: $10.00.

This report provides an annual update on dropout information for the 1997-98 school year. Included in the report are: historical dropout information; a summary of dropout rates based on school district characteristics; a listing of dropout rates broken down by county, district, and campus; and, national comparative data.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1997-98 Graduating Seniors
August 1999. Document Number GE9-601-04, 114 pages.
Cost: $7.50; Tax Exempt: $7.00.

In this report, Texas statewide, district, and campus results are displayed along with aggregate results of the nation and other states. Report purposes are to promote understanding of the diversity existing among tested graduates and to suggest areas for educational action in the schools.

1996-97 Report on High School Completion Rates
August 1999. Document Number GE9-601-01, 58 pages.
Cost: $5.50; Tax Exempt: $5.00.

This study examines enrollment patterns for four cohorts of students from 1993-94 to 1996-97. The 1996-97 cohort, for example, which began with students who were enrolled in ninth grade for the first time in 1993-94, was followed for four years through expected graduation in 1996-97. The 1993-94 cohort includes first-time ninth-graders in 1990-91 who were expected to graduate in 1993-94.

Policy Research Report No. 12
School Size and Class Size in Texas Public Schools
January 1999. Document Number GE9-600-03, 36 pages.
Cost: 3.50; Tax Exempt: $3.25.

This research report focuses on current national school size and class size research, Texas school size trends, and the relationship between school size in Texas and student achievement. The overview of national research includes the affects of school size on school involvement and participation; student achievement; attendance, dropout, and graduation rates; economies of scale; and the curriculum.

Incentive Grant Programs: A Report to the 76th Texas Legislature
December 1998. Document Number GE9-600-01, 30 pages.
Cost: $5.00; Tax Exempt: $4.75.

This report provides background information on the development of state-sponsored incentive grant programs directed toward schools and/or individual educators nationwide and provides an update on the status of performance incentive programs in other states. The report also presents an overview of Texas policy related to performance incentives directed toward individuals and schools.

1996-97 Report on Grade Level Retention of Texas Students
October 1998. Document Number GE8-601-07, 144 pages.
Cost: $10.00; Tax Exempt: $9.25.

This report looks at retention in Texas based on data collected over a four-year period, beginning with the 1993-94 school year. A total of 147,202 students were retained in grade in 1996-97, representing a statewide grade level retention rate of 4.2%. The information is analyzed by grade, ethnicity, and gender, as well as other student characteristics.

1996-97 Report on Public School Dropouts
August 1998. Document Number GE8-601-05, 116 pages.
Cost: $9.50; Tax Exempt: $8.50.

This report provides an annual update on dropout information for the 1996-97 school year. Included in the report are: historical dropout information; a summary of dropout rates based on school district characteristics; a listing of dropout rates broken down by county, district, and campus; and, national comparative data.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1996-97 Graduating Seniors
August 1998. Document Number GE8-601-06, 104 pages.
Cost: $7.50; Tax Exempt: $7.00.

Policy Research Report No. 11
Enrollment Trends in Texas Public Schools
July 1998. Document Number GE8-600-05, 12 pages.
Cost: $2.50; Tax Exempt: $2.25.

This report provides an overview of Texas enrollment trends and growth of special instructional programs, and redistribution of the student population geographically and by community type. National enrollment trends are also presented.

Policy Research Report No. 10
Academic Achievement of Elementary Students With Limited English Proficiency in Texas Public Schools
January 1998. Document Number GE8-600-03, 40 pages.
Cost: $3.50; Tax Exempt: $3.25.
Report in PDF (490 KB)
Report in HTML

This report presents a longitudinal overview of academic performance of limited English proficient (LEP) students entering first grade in Texas public schools in 1992-93. The report provides a demographic profile of Grade 1 students in 1992-93 and follows those students through the 1996-97 school year. Five-year patterns of student enrollment, campus mobility, participation in special programs, and grade-level promotion are examined. Also, Texas policy related to LEP students is reviewed.

1995-96 Report on Grade Level Retention of Texas Students
September 1997. Document Number GE8-601-01, 150 pages.
Cost: $11.00; Tax Exempt: $10.00.

This report provides an annual update on grade level retention information for the 1995-96 school year. A total of 144,683 students were retained in grade in 1995-96, representing a statewide grade level retention rate of 4.3 percent. The information is analyzed by grade, ethnicity, and gender, as well as other student characteristics.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 5
Systemwide Elementary Reform (SER): Grade 2 Interim Report
August 1997. Document Number GE7-601-10, 44 pages.
Cost: $5.00; Tax Exempt: $4.00.

This report is a follow-up to First Steps in School: An Examination of Grade 1 in Texas Public Schools (August 1997). This interim report focuses on context, input, and process factors (based on PEIMS and survey data) that are most related to actual end-of-year status, in terms of Texas public school students' promotion to or placement in Grade 2, or retention in Grade 1.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 4A
First Steps in School: An Examination of Grade 1 in Texas Public Schools
Technical Report
August 1997. Document Number GE7-601-12, 114 pages.
Cost: $9.00; Tax Exempt: $8.00.

This technical report provides more extended information about the project examining first grade that supplemented the on-going Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS). The project was supported by Title VI federal funds.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 4
First Steps in School: An Examination of Grade 1 in Texas Public Schools
Summary Report
August 1997. Document Number GE7-601-06, 56 pages.
Cost: $6.00; Tax Exempt: $5.00.

This report summarizes efforts completed to supplement the on-going Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) by focusing on Grade 1. The findings describe: What first grade looks like in Texas public schools; how teachers describe students' readiness, behavior, and academic growth; and how student progress related to sets of context, input, and process variables. This project was supported with Title VI federal funds.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1995-96 Graduating Seniors
August 1997. Document Number GE7-601-11, 96 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $7.00.

Since 1989 the Texas Education Agency has reported selected results of college admissions tests for graduating seniors. In this ninth annual report, results are presented from the College Board's SAT I: Reasoning Test (formerly the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT) and the ACT, Inc., (Enhanced) ACT Assessment for 1995-96 graduating seniors.

1995-96 Report on Public School Dropouts
August 1997. Document Number GE7-601-08, 118 pages.
Cost: $9.00; Tax Exempt: $8.00.

This report provides an annual update on dropout information for the 1995-96 school year. Included in the report are: historical dropout information; a summary of dropout rates based on school district characteristics; a listing of dropout rates broken down by county, district, and campus; and, national comparative data.

Policy Research Report No. 9
Expanding the Scope of the Texas Public School Accountability System
June 1997. Document Number GE7-601-07, 30 pages.
Cost: $5.00; Tax Exempt: $4.00.
Report in PDF (250 KB)
Report in HTML

This report describes the evolution of the statewide assessment program and development of the accountability rating system for Texas public schools and school districts. Since the report was prepared during the state legislative session, it concludes with an update of changes in state statute related to student assessment and school accountability.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 3A
A Study of Student Mobility in Texas Public Schools
Supplementary Data Report
March 1997. Document Number RE7-601-02, 126 pages.
Cost: $12.00; Tax Exempt: $11.00.

This data listing is a supplement to STEPS Report No. 3: A Study of Student Mobility in Texas Public Schools (March 1997).

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 3
A Study of Student Mobility in Texas Public Schools
March 1997. Document Number RE7-601-03, 64 pages.
Cost: $6.00; Tax Exempt: $5.00.

The purposes of this study were to examine the magnitude of student mobility in Texas public schools by reporting how many students are moving, when and where they are moving, and who is moving; and to clarify the relationships between mobility and academic performance at the individual student, campus, and district levels.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1994-95 Graduating Seniors
January 1997. Document Number GE7-601-04, 92 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $7.00.

Since 1989 the Texas Education Agency has reported selected results of college admissions tests for graduating seniors. In this eighth annual report, results are presented from the College Board's new SAT I: Reasoning Test (formerly the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT) and the American College Testing Program's (Enhanced) ACT Assessment for 1994-95 graduating seniors.

Policy Research Report No. 8
High School Completion Rates: Investigating a Longitudinal Performance Measure for Texas Schools
October 1996. Document Number RE7-601-05, 20 pages.
Cost: $4.00; Tax Exempt: $3.00.

This report investigates issues surrounding the use of a longitudinal performance measure in the Texas integrated accountability system. A detailed discussion of a high school completion rate is presented, along with an overview of other school performance measures.

Results of College Admissions Testing in Texas for 1993-94 Graduating Seniors
September 1996. Document Number GE6-601-05, 82 pages.
Cost: $7.00; Tax Exempt: $7.00.

Since 1989 the Texas Education Agency has reported selected results from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) of the College Board's Admissions Testing Program and the American College Testing Program's original and enhanced ACT Assessment for prior year graduating seniors. This seventh annual report presents these data for the 1993-94 graduating class.

1994-95 Report on Grade Level Retention of Texas Students
September 1996. Document Number GE7-601-01, 162 pages.
Cost: $6.00; Tax Exempt: $6.00.

This report presents a summary of the literature on the effects of grade level retention on the academic, social, and psychological development of students, along with an overview of student retention policy in Texas. A discussion of the new methodology for calculating grade level retention is also presented. In order to investigate trends in grade level retention under the new methodology, data are presented over a three-year period since the 1992-93 school year. Changes in retention rates were investigated across grades, ethnicity, gender, and other student characteristics.

1994-95 Report on Public School Dropouts
August 1996. Document Number GE6-601-08, 113 pages.
Cost: $6.00; Tax Exempt: $6.00.
Report in HTML

This report provides an annual update on dropout information for the 1994-95 school year. Included in the report are historical dropout information, an analysis of dropout rates based on school district characteristics, and dropout data for Texas school districts and campuses.

Texas School Counseling and Guidance Programs
Final Study Report Summary
August 1996. Document Number GE6-601-10, 16 pages.
Cost: $4.00; Tax Exempt: $4.00.

This is a summary of Final Study Report: Texas School Counseling and Guidance Programs (August 1996), which describes findings about counseling and guidance services in Texas public schools and outlines a professional identity for the school counselor that addresses students' needs.

Texas School Counseling and Guidance Programs
Final Study Report
August 1996. Document Number GE6-601-09, 94 pages.
Cost: $8.00; Tax Exempt: $8.00.

The primary purpose of this study was to assess the availability and quality of counseling and guidance in Texas public schools, in an effort to define a professional identity for the school counselor that effectively addresses student needs.

Texas School Counseling and Guidance Programs
Case Studies Report
July 1996. Document Number GE6-601-06, 170 pages.
Cost: $11.00; Tax Exempt: $10.00.

This report presents results from case studies, summarizing or including specific data on actual counseling and guidance programs and practices, and on the needs of students, counselors, other school staff, parents, and community members at 21 school campuses across the state.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 2
Case Studies of Successful Campuses: Responses to a High-Stakes State Accountability System
May 1996. Document Number GE6-600-04, 48 pages.
Cost: $4.00; Tax Exempt: $4.00.

The Texas public school accountability system, established by statute in 1993, focuses attention on performance expectations for campuses and districts measured by standardized test scores, dropout rates, and attendance rates. For the first time, the state accountability system clearly states what schools are expected to achieve in measurable terms, and projects increasingly higher standards through the year 2000. This report presents case studies of three schools and their response to implementation of the accountability system, emphasizing the features associated with effective school-wide improvement in each case.

Statewide Texas Educational Progress Study (STEPS) Report No. 1
The Development of Accountability Systems Nationwide and in Texas
April 1996. Document Number GE6-601-07, 48 pages.
Cost: $2.00; Tax Exempt: $2.00.

This is the first in a series of reports on the educational progress of Texas public schools. It reviews the history of concerns that led to the current emphasis, nationally and in Texas, on campus- and district-level accountability. Research on the use of campus- and district-level accountability systems is presented, and the development of the integrated accountability system now used in Texas is described.

Texas Teacher Preparation Study
Final Report: The Preparation and 'Staying Power' of New Texas Teachers
January 1996. Document Number RE6-601-04, 248 pages.
Cost: $6.00; Tax Exempt: $6.00.

This report presents full results of a two-year investigation of the relative effectiveness of the main types of teacher preparation in Texas that addressed three broad goals: to determine who is entering the teacher workforce and where they are teaching; to examine novice teachers' experiences in the classroom with regard to their types of preparation; and, to analyze the relative retention over time of these teachers in the workforce.

Texas Teacher Preparation Study
Final Summary Report: The Preparation and 'Staying Power' of New Texas Teachers
December 1995. Document Number RE6-601-02, 16 pages.
Cost: $2.00; Tax Exempt: $2.00.

This report summarizes results of a two-year investigation of the relative effectiveness of the main types of teacher preparation in Texas that addressed three broad goals: to determine who is entering the teacher workforce and where they are teaching; to examine novice teachers' experiences in the classroom with regard to their types of preparation; and, to analyze the relative retention over time of these teachers in the workforce.

Policy Research Report No. 7
Reporting Texas Advanced Placement Examination Performance: Promoting a Head Start on the Transition to College
December 1995. Document Number RE6-601-03, 26 pages.
Cost: $2.00; Tax Exempt: $2.00.

Advanced Placement (AP) participation and examination performance data are important in understanding the extent to which Texas students have completed courses that may qualify them for a "head start"--advanced standing, course credit, or both standing and credit--upon beginning college or university course work. A brief history and overview of the College Board AP program is presented in this report, along with a general description of AP courses and examinations, AP benefits and costs, Texas high school graduation requirements with AP components, and college and university AP policies.

1993-94 Report on Public School Dropouts
September 1995. Document Number GE6-601-01, 116 pages.
Cost: $2.00; Tax Exempt: $2.00.

This report provides an annual update on dropout information for the 1993-94 school year. Included in the report are historical dropout information, an analysis of dropout rates based on school district characteristics, and national comparative data.

Texas Evaluation Study of Prekindergarten Programs
Final Report
July 1995. Document Number GE5-170-02, 190 pages.
Cost: $5.00; Tax Exempt: $5.00.

This report describes the final status of classroom practice in prekindergarten programs in comparison to initial study findings, and findings from a self-study component implemented in 1993 with prekindergarten staffs participating in the study. It also reports on the progress of a group of students who participated in prekindergarten during the 1989-90 school year, in relationship to a comparison group of students who were eligible for prekindergarten but did not attend.

Policy Research Report No. 6
Texas Teacher Retention, Mobility, and Attrition
May 1995. Document Number GE5-601-14, 24 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

This report focuses on issues related to teacher supply including teacher retention, mobility, and attrition. The characteristics of teachers who stay in the teaching profession and those who leave are examined by gender, age, ethnicity, years of teaching experience, salary, degree held, subject area taught, and teacher test scores. School conditions of teachers who stay, move, and leave are also examined, including school level, school size, diversity, and community type.

Texas Independent School District Crime Report
April 1995. Document Number GE5-601-13, 54 pages.
Cost: $3.00; Tax Exempt: $3.00.

Senate Resolution 879, 73rd Texas Legislature, directed the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) "to determine underreported areas of the state and conduct a random sampling of incidents of crime on public school campuses in those areas." The resolution further directed that the TEA and DPS collaborate on "develop[ing] a statewide uniform crime reporting system for use by school districts to uniformly report incident-based campus crime." This report summarizes results of that preliminary collaboration, and observes that much of campus-based crime occurs on a student-to-student basis. That is, students most often are both the victims and the perpetrators of campus-based crimes.

Texas Teacher Preparation Study
1993-94 Interim Report: How Well Prepared to Teach Are New Teachers Entering Texas Classrooms?
March 1995. Document Number GE5-601-10, 60 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

Ever since the alarm generated by such reports as A Nation at Risk (1983) and A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century (1986), the public education system has been under scrutiny for its shortcomings and for ways to improve the system and its results. In particular, A Nation Prepared voiced great concern over the academic caliber of individuals entering the teaching profession and over how (and how well) these individuals have been prepared for their jobs. This report, on the first year of a two-year research effort, describes multiple methods used to examine questions such as these: Who is entering the Texas teaching workforce and where are they teaching? What are the experiences of these teachers in the classroom? What is the relative retention of these teachers in the workforce?

Report on Grade Level Retention of Texas Students, 1992-93 and 1993-94
February 1995. Document Number GE5-601-12, 24 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

Grade level retention can include the practices of having a student repeat a given grade, or of delaying a child's entry to kindergarten or first grade who is of the appropriate chronological age. In 1992-93, 174,133 students were determined to have been retained in grade. This adjusted retention estimate resulted in a statewide retention rate of 5.1 percent.

1992-93 Report on Public School Dropouts
January 1995. Document Number GE5-601-09, 68 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

The number of dropouts has declined significantly since 1987-88, the first year of dropout reporting. The dropout rate over this period has also reflected dramatic declines. The dropout rate was 6.7 percent in 1987-88. The dropout rate for the 1992-93 school year may be reflected in two methods of dropout calculation. The previous or old method of calculating dropouts, which is comparable to prior years, produced a dropout rate of 3.3 percent. The current or revised dropout methodology, which is less comparable to prior years but provides a more accurate reflection of dropouts, yielded a dropout rate of 2.8 percent for the 1992-93 school year.

Innovative Education Grant Program, 1992-93 Through 1993-94
Part II: Program Descriptions
November 1994. Document Number GE-601-04, 330 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.

Part II of this report provides a description of each grant program, followed by the AEIS performance report for each campus.

Innovative Education Grant Program, 1992-93 Through 1993-94
Part I: Program Evaluation
November 1994. Document Number GE-601-03, 48 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

Part I of this report presents information about the structure of the Innovative Education Grant Program, funding levels and sites, degree of project implementation and indications of project effectiveness.

Transition Outcomes and Issues for Students Receiving Special Education Services
Technical Report
September 1994. Document Number GE5-170-02, 264 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.

This technical report summarizes findings to date from all four components (longitudinal, two-cohort transition, retrospective, and family-community case study) of the Special Education Effectiveness Studies. Spanning the 1990-91 through 1993-94 school years, the components assess experiences of students with disabilities in each of the following functional life skill areas: employment; independent living; recreational, social, and leisure skill acquisition; and post-secondary education.

Transition Outcomes and Issues for Students Receiving Special Education Services
Summary Report
September 1994. Document Number GE4-170-14, 54 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.

This report summarizes findings to date from all four components (longitudinal, two-cohort transition, retrospective, and family-community case study) of the Special Education Effectiveness Studies. Spanning the 1990-91 through 1993-94 school years, the components assess experiences of students with disabilities in each of the following functional life skill areas: employment; independent living; recreational, social, and leisure skill acquisition; and post-secondary education.

Policy Research Report No. 5
Counselors in Texas Public Schools
August 1994. Document Number GE4-170-13, 22 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

This report introduces a two-year study of counseling and guidance programs in Texas public schools and provides a cross-section of information currently available about Texas counselors. The report provides a summary of demographic and employment data about Texas school counselors. National and state models of guidance programs are presented along with an overview of issues related to those models.

Policy Research Report No. 4
Texas Teacher Diversity and Recruitment
May 1994. Document Number GE4-170-12, 28 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

Teacher demand is the number of teachers school districts are able to fund and willing to employ at a given time. Traditional models of teacher supply and demand are based primarily on trends in student/teacher ratios and projections of student enrollment. This report focuses on one facet of teacher quality in the supply and demand interchange--teacher diversity.

Policy Research Report No. 3
Safe Texas Schools: Policy Initiatives and Programs
April 1994. Document Number GE4-170-10, 26 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

School safety and violence prevention in and around schools are serious concerns. Yet, defining the scope of the problem and the extent to which effective programs are available to respond to the problem has been difficult for a number of reasons.

Study of the Impact of Educational Reform on Students At Risk in Texas
Final Report
March 1994. Document Number GE4-170-11, 26 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.

This report presents findings from a five-year study of the impact of educational reform on students who are in situations that put them at risk of school failure or dropping out. The study consisted of three components: (1) a statewide survey of high school principals, (2) a longitudinal component that tracked 1,800 at-risk high school students for four years, and (3) case studies of eight high schools.

Case Studies of Family and Community Experiences in Transition From School to Post-School Life for Students Receiving Special Education Services
January 1994. Document Number GE4-170-06, 176 pages.
Cost: no charge; limited supply available.

The case studies of family and community experiences in transition from school to post-school life for students receiving special education services was conducted in April-May, 1992. Six school districts volunteered to participate in the study, which featured 27 students. The districts varied in their geographic location, urban-suburban-rural characteristics, size, and composition of the student population enrolled in special education. The students included in the study varied in their ethnic background, age, disability, and level of disability.

Policy Research Report No. 2
Working Conditions of Texas Teachers
July 1993. Document Number GE3-410-11, 24 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

This presentation is the first of a series of research papers in the area of teacher supply, demand, quality, and policy that will provide a cross-sectional analysis of the current teaching force. Teacher supply is defined as the total number of eligible individuals available from all sources who are willing to supply their services to teaching under prevailing conditions. These conditions include salaries, benefits, the teaching workplace, the work day, the work load, and the work atmosphere.

Policy Research Report No. 1
Professional Educator Preparation Policy Development in Texas
January 1993. Document Number GE3-410-05, 24 pages.
Cost: $1.00; Tax Exempt: $1.00.

The Texas system for approving professional educator preparation programs and certifying teachers targets procedural components of the programs. Performance of graduates may influence an institution's reputation, but the current program approval process does not hold the institution of higher education accountable for the performance of graduates. Data on Texas teachers underscore the need for teacher education programs to prepare increasing numbers of teachers, and for those teachers to be better prepared with strong subject content knowledge and skills to address the diverse student needs they will encounter in the classroom.

Contact the Division of Accountability Research with questions or comments
by e-mail, by phone at 512-475-3523, or by fax at 512-463-0028.
This page last updated May 7, 2010