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Assessment/Accountability
School and District Accountability

Accountability System Update – 2006 End-of-Cycle IV

Timeline and Preparations for 2006 End-of-Cycle IV Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Reports

Again this year we will issue preliminary 2006 AYP determinations in late August so that Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, and restructuring status can provide parents with timely notice of school choice and supplemental educational services opportunities.

Title I schools that in 2005 had one or more negative AYP determinations must be prepared to implement school choice in September 2006 if they again do not make AYP for that subject in 2006. Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring status must make AYP for two consecutive years to exit that status. The preliminary 2006 AYP determinations issued in late August will be used to determine which schools must implement school choice for the 2006-07 school year.

The 2006 AYP determinations will be based on combined 2005 and 2006 student results as compared to combined student results for the 2003 and 2004 baseline years. We plan to make the preliminary 2006 AYP data available for district review on or around August 28, 2006. A period of 2006 data discrepancy reporting will follow, after which we will issue preliminary 2006 AYP determination reports on or about September 25 for most schools. We will issue final 2006 AYP reports for all schools, including those with special circumstances (e.g., schools with data under review, reconfigured schools, K-2 schools and others that have no MCAS participants) on or about October 12, 2006.

Quick Review of Key Accountability System Information

The State Performance Targets in English language arts and mathematics increase each two-year accountability cycle to maintain a steady trajectory toward the goal of 100 percent proficiency by 2014. The State Performance Targets for 2005 and 2006 (Cycle IV) are:

English Language Arts (ELA):	Composite Performance Index (CPI) of 80.5
Mathematics:	Composite Performance Index (CPI) of 68.7

If a student group does not meet the State Performance Target, the group will make AYP if it meets its own Improvement Target and also meets the Participation Rate and Additional Indicator targets. Each student group's Improvement Target is based on that group's performance in the previous cycle, and indicates whether or not the group is on a trajectory that will bring it to 100 percent proficiency by 2014. We have generated preliminary Improvement Targets for 2006 for all student groups that were large enough to have AYP determinations in 2005. This information is available to you in an Excel workbook that is posted at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/cycleIV/.

Aggregate AYP determinations are issued for all schools and districts that have a minimum of 20 students included in the performance calculations. Subgroup AYP determinations are issued when (a) there are 40 or more subgroup members and (b) the number of subgroup members is at least 5 percent of students whose assessment results are included in the school or district's aggregate performance calculations, or (c) the number of subgroup members is 200 or more.

The formula for determining whether a district, school, or student group has made AYP is as follows:

Most of the rules for calculating AYP in 2006 were the same in 2005, however this year we have made a change in the way districts are identified for improvement. Beginning with the upcoming release of 2006 AYP determinations, districts will only be identified for improvement when they do not make AYP for the same subject and all grade spans (i.e., elementary grades 3-5, middle grades 6-8, and high school grades 9-12) for two consecutive years. Please note that this change may not be applied retroactively to district accountability status determinations. In addition, this year we will again have an opportunity to make some adjustments in determinations for those schools and districts whose special education subgroups do not make AYP. Details regarding the revised method for identifying districts for improvement and for the U.S. Department of Education (USED) "2% rule" and our state's approved plan to take advantage of the USED interim flexibility provision will be posted along with other accountability system and AYP determination information at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/cycleIV/.

If you have questions on matters addressed in this memorandum or regarding the State's accountability system, please write to us via e-mail at ATA@doe.mass.edu.

Last Updated: July 25, 2006