| Information Only |
March 8, 2000
TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ADDRESSED:
Enclosed are various documents pertaining to the results of the Special Education Focus-Based Monitoring (FBM) System analysis applied to the districts in your region. For each of the eight data elements that use PEIMS or TAAS data, a spreadsheet displays the data for every district in your region. In addition, a dictionary of terms for these regional reports is included.
Enclosed are one-page displays of district results for every district in your region and a one-page document on interpreting the findings. These documents have also been sent to the superintendent of each district. For most districts, this is the only communication they will receive about the FBM system. Only the 64 districts that are receiving a site visit in 1999-2000 have received more detailed information. In the event that district staff have questions about the results, please assist us by assisting the districts with their queries.
You will notice that the one-page district results do not contain all of the information in the detailed profiles that are sent for the site visits, nor do they include all of the detail that is included on the regional report for each element. In an effort to share the results in a concise and clear manner, only key pieces of information were included on the district one-page documents and some of the column titles were reworded. The districts have been advised that the Education Service Centers have packets containing more complete information.
Each data element was analyzed independently of the others. Because of the way each element was defined, the data used to analyze the elements were pulled from different PEIMS and TAAS sources, as applicable. Some of the elements use data from Fall Submission enrollment records, others are from Summer Submission attendance and discipline records, and still others are from TAAS Answer Documents. For this reason, the number of students identified and included in the analysis of one element may differ from another element. This is not an error in the calculation; rather, it is a function of the definition and methodology applied to each element.
Please note that as a result of reviewing the FBM findings, some districts have already identified coding problems in their PEIMS submission, particularly for the new discipline record (425 record).
Thank you for your assistance in working with the districts on this system.
Sincerely,
Karen Case, Associate Commissioner
Accountability and School Accreditation