November 22, 1999

TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:

Although it is my intention to transmit a complete set of accountability ratings standards for 2000 next month, this letter provides information on a change not previously published in the 1999 Accountability Manual.  This is information that superintendents and principals need to know as soon as possible and it pertains to the determination of which student groups will be evaluated to assign ratings.  The minimum size criteria for inclusion in the ratings evaluation has been modified to include additional students.

Minimum Size Criteria for 2000 and Beyond

For 2000 and beyond, student group performance — African-American, Hispanic, White, and Economically Disadvantaged — will be evaluated for purposes of assigning accountability ratings as follows:

¨      For TAAS, when a district or campus tests at least 30 students within a student group (summed across all grades) for any subject area.

¨      For dropout rates, when a district or campus has:

Ø      at least 10 dropouts; and

Ø      at least 30 7^th-12^th graders in membership during the school year.

A minimum group percent of 10%, used in years past, either of test takers or grade 7-12 membership, will no longer be a factor in determining which student groups are evaluated.  From 1994 through 1999, the minimum size criteria included this “10% rule,” which meant that the student group represented at least 10 percent of either all test takers or of secondary students in membership in order to be evaluated for accountability ratings purposes.  This is detailed in the 1999 Accountability Manual, page 17.

Background for This Change

When student groups do not meet the minimum size criteria, the students involved are not excluded from the accountability system; they are all part of the "all students" results.  Although most Texas schools are ethnically diverse, there are many that are not.  Over one thousand schools serve only one student group and so necessarily cannot be evaluated on the groups for which they have no enrollment.  Most schools do not meet the minimum size requirements of some student group, often in TAAS writing since that subject usually represents results for only one grade at the school level.

Concern regarding the exclusion of students from the accountability evaluation was expressed during the last legislative session.  Groups of test takers ranging in size from 31 to over 120 were being excluded from the ratings evaluation because of the “10% rule.”  Former commissioner Mike Moses agreed to modify the criteria for use in the 2000 rating system.  Further legislative conversations this fall have confirmed a continued concern about use of the 10% rule.  Therefore, this change in the small numbers criteria is being implemented this rating cycle.

Consequences

The result of this change will be that more student groups will meet the minimum size requirements.  Therefore, a district or school rating could be based on the evaluation of more student groups than in the past.  Impact analysis using 1999 performance data shows that, had these new criteria been in effect last year, 37 districts and 132 campuses would have received a lower rating.

I encourage educators, particularly at the campus level, to examine their 1999 accountability data tables received in August to ascertain whether this policy change could affect the 2000 rating.  At the elementary level, recall that additional students tested in Spanish at grade 4 in writing and at grades 5 and 6 in reading and mathematics will be included in the accountability subset if they were enrolled in the district on the PEIMS Submission 1 “as of” date of October 29, 1999.  The 2000 Preview Indicator published on the 1998-99 AEIS reports sent this month will also be helpful in this process.  There are still several months to focus instructional improvement strategies in areas of identified weaknesses.

Relevant Dates

The following dates are important for the 2000 rating system:

I apologize for the short notice regarding this change in the minimum size criteria standards.  However, I know that Texas educators will once again rise to the challenge of improving learning for all our students; you have a proven record of student performance growth, particularly over the past six years.  Additional information regarding all rating and acknowledgment standards for 2000 will follow next month.  This information will also be posted to the TEA website, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/, as soon as it is available.

Questions concerning the accountability rating process should be directed to Dr. Criss Cloudt, Associate Commissioner for Policy Planning and Research at (512) 463-9701, or the Division of Performance Reporting at (512) 463-9704.  Questions regarding PEIMS reporting should be directed to the PEIMS Coordinator at your local education service center.

Sincerely,
Jim Nelson
Commissioner of Education

cc/mms

Division of Performance Reporting Website: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/

For further information on this topic, contact the Division of Performance Reporting at (512) 463-9704.

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