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Alternative Methods

Description of alternative methods used to calculate and report the 2005 Accountability Progress Report (APR).
Schools or Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) with Limited Results

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires that all schools be included in Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reporting. Not all schools contain grades for which AYP data are collected. A number of alternative methodologies to combine and report data, therefore, were required for the 2005 Accountability Progress Reports (APR).

Only schools and LEAs with 2005 STAR Program results in grades two through eight or CAHSEE results in grade ten were processed for participation rates, percent proficient, and API according to the standard procedures. Other schools and LEAs were evaluated using alternative methodologies.

Only schools and LEAs with 2005 graduation rates (Class of 2003–2004) had the graduation rates calculated using standard procedures. High schools without 2005 graduation rates or high schools with the primary mission of returning students to the regular classroom in a comprehensive high school were evaluated using alternative methodologies.

Standard calculations were used for most schools, LEAs, and subgroups in the 2005 Accountability Progress Reports, indicated by a blank in the “Alternative Method” column(s) on the reports. Alternative methodologies are listed below.

Alternative Methods

AJ = Adjustment for students with disabilities: If a school or LEA does not make AYP in 2005 solely due to its students with disabilities subgroup not making AMOs, 20 percentage points were added to the school’s or LEA’s percent proficient for this subgroup.

CA = County average: For schools with no results on tests used in AYP calculations or no graduation rate (if applicable), calculations were based on the school district averages. If no school district values are available, county-wide averages are used.

CI = Passed using confidence intervals: Small schools and LEAs with fewer than 100 valid scores have adjusted AMOs to account for the small number of test scores. These schools and LEAs met the adjusted percent proficient criteria using a confidence interval methodology. Very small schools and LEAs with fewer than 11 valid scores have adjusted API criteria to account for the very small number of test scores. These schools and LEAs met the adjusted API criteria using confidence interval methodology.

CK = CAPA and CAHSEE only: Schools with CAPA and CAHSEE but no CST results have participation rates, percent proficient, and APIs based only on CAPA and CAHSEE.

CP = CAPA only: Schools with only CAPA results have participation rates, percent proficient, and APIs based only on CAPA.

DA = District average: For schools with no results on tests used in AYP calculations or no graduation rate (if applicable), calculations were based on the school district averages. If no school district values are available, county-wide averages are used.

EN = Enrollment less than 50: Schools or LEAs with less than 50 students enrolled do not have participation rate criteria, and "Yes" is shown for school-wide or LEA-wide in the "Met 2005 AYP Criteria" column on the report.

ER = Enrollment 50 to 99: Small schools and LEAs with 50 to 99 enrollment have slightly adjusted participation rate criteria to account for the small numbers. Schools or LEAs with 50 students enrolled met participation rate criteria by having at least 47 students tested. Schools or LEAs with between 51 and 99 students enrolled met participation rate criteria by having a schoolwide or LEA-wide participation rate of at least 95 percent, but the rate is rounded up to the nearest whole number (unlike the standard criteria in which standard rounding is applied to the rate).

G1 = Grade 11 only: High schools without grade ten CAHSEE results and no grade nine CST results but with grade eleven CST results that include at least 95 percent tested on CST Math have participation rates, percent proficient, and APIs based on grade eleven CST results.

G9 = Grade 9 only: High schools without grade ten CAHSEE results but with grade nine CST results have participation rates, percent proficient, and APIs based on grade nine CST results.

KC = CAHSEE only: Schools with CAHSEE but no STAR or CAPA results have participation rates, percent proficient, and APIs based only on CAHSEE.

OT = Other: In very rare cases, special calculations may have been required due to unique situations.

PS = Pair and share: California testing begins in grade two. For schools with only kindergarten and/or grade one, the scores for the schools to which these students matriculate were used. This is also referred to as “pairing and sharing.” For schools that do not supply pair and share data, the school district or county values are used (CA or DA).

SH = Passed by Safe Harbor: The school, LEA, or subgroup met the criteria for Safe Harbor, which is an alternate method of meeting the AMO if a school, LEA, or subgroup shows progress in moving students from scoring at the below proficient level to the proficient level or above on STAR, CAHSEE, and/or CAPA.

Y2 = Passed by using 2-year average: Schools, LEAs, and subgroups that have not met 2005 AYP participation rate or percent proficient (AMO) criteria using a one-year formula met the participation rate or AMO using a two-year formula.

Y3 = Passed by using 3-year average: Schools, LEAs, and subgroups that have not met 2005 AYP participation rate or percent proficient (AMO) criteria using a one- or two-year formula met the participation rate or AMO using a three-year formula.

Note: The original data for the school, LEA, or subgroup are shown on the 2005 Accountability Progress Report, even though the alternative method is used as the criterion, unless the school, LEA, or subgroup had no results for enrollment, valid scores, and/or graduation rate. In those cases, the alternative data are shown on the report.

Questions: Academic Accountability Team | aau@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0863 
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