Accountability (Annual Measurable Objectives AMOs) Questions and Answers

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1 This document contains the answers to questions that have been asked about how Washington State implements Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs), per the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Request (Waiver), as approved by the U.S. Department of Education. This document is organized into the 16 broad categories shown below. I. ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver) II. Communication III. Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) IV. Appeals Process V. Auto Appeals VI. Lists of Identified Schools VII. Title I Set Asides VIII. Number of Students Required in a Group ( N ) IX. Interventions X. Other Indicator (Graduation Rate/Dropout Rate and Unexcused Absences) XI. Other XII. Participation XIII. Content Areas and Grades Tested XIV. Unusual Circumstances/Schools and Exceptions XV. Non-Title I and Private Schools XVI. OSPI Reporting of Results I. ESEA Flexibility Request (Waiver) Q.1 What are the benefits of being granted a waiver? A.1 States receiving this flexibility are relieved of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) rules, including consequences for Title I schools and districts that do not meet the elementary, middle, and secondary proficiency levels in state testing for math and reading. Consequences for schools failing to meet AYP included (a) sending Public School Choice (PSC) letters and (b) setting aside 20% of their Title I allocation for Supplementary Educational Service (SES) providers and for supporting students who leave the school under PSC. This flexibility will give other relief from certain rules, but the majority of districts will benefit most from PSC and SES flexibility. For additional guidance on ESEA Flexibility, please visit the U.S. Department of Education s Web site at Updated: August 2013 Page 1

2 II. Communication Q.1 How should we communicate with the community regarding our identified (Reward, Priority, Focus, Emerging) schools? Must we send a letter or are other means sufficient? Is posting the notification on the Web site sufficient? A.1 Districts are required to annually report the school s designation as a Reward, Priority, Focus, or Emerging school. The timing and means of that communication are a district prerogative and should meet the reasonableness test, that is, notification should occur well before the start of the school year. OSPI s Office of Student and School Success created a template for schools/districts. To request a copy, call (360) Q.2 Is the community notification letter sent to all district constituents or only the community of the Reward, Priority, Focus, and Emerging school? A.2 The communication is for the community of the Reward, Priority, Focus, or Emerging school. Q.3 Does OSPI have a template we can use to notify the community? Are there specific items which must be included? A.3 Yes, a template has been prepared. To request a copy of the template, please contact the Office of Student and School Success at (360) The letter must identify the school s designation, reason for that designation, and the process the district and school will use to improve the school s performance. III. Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) Q.1 What is AMO? A.1 AMO stands for Annual Measurable Objective. AMOs are unique yearly targets in reading and math for each subgroup, school, and district, as described in Washington s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Request. AMO targets are also established for graduation rates for each subgroup, secondary school that graduates students, and district. AMOs replace the state uniform bar used under AYP as prescribed in ESEA. For more detailed information, please refer to pages in Washington s ESEA Flexibility Request, found at: or visit the AMO Web site at: Q.2 How were the AMO targets established? A.2 The figure below illustrates the AMOs for Sample High School for Reading 10 th Grade for all subgroups through the school Updated: August 2013 Page 2

3 year. The arrows point to the AMO for each year for the all students group for 2011 (baseline), 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 (the year by which proficiency gaps must be cut by half). The steps below describe how the target for each year for the all students group is determined. Note that AMOs are based only on continuously enrolled students. Note: Our goal for ALL Students remains 100% meeting standard! 1. Baseline (red arrow above 2011): 2011 is the baseline for calculating AMOs. In this example, the all students proficiency score for continuously enrolled students for Reading 10 th Grade for Sample High School is 70%. 2. Proficiency Gap: The proficiency gap is the difference between 100% (all students demonstrating proficiency) and the baseline year (2011). So, the proficiency gap for this group is 100% minus 70% or 30%. 3. Half the Proficiency Gap: This represents the growth required to meet the 2017 target. In this example, half the proficiency gap is half of 30% or 15% target (red arrow above 2017): Federal guidance defines the target for 2017 as baseline (70%) plus half the gap (15%). That means the target for 2017 is 85% (70% + 15%) of the all students group demonstrating proficiency in reading on the 10 th grade state assessment. 5. Annual Increments: The school has 6 years (2012 through 2017) to bring students to 85% proficiency. Yearly targets grow by equal increments. In this case, the annual increment is 15% (half the gap) divided into 6 equal parts, or 2.5%. Updated: August 2013 Page 3

4 target (yellow arrow): The target for 2012 is baseline (70%) plus the annual increment (2.5%) or 72.5% target (yellow arrow): The target for 2013 increases by the annual increment of 2.5%, so it would be 72.5% plus 2.5% or 75% , 2015, and 2016 target (yellow arrows): The targets for each year increase by 2.5%; this leads to a target of 85% in As you may recall 85% also equals baseline (70%) plus half the gap (15%). Q.3 Which students are calculated in the baseline numbers and in the percent met standard each year thereafter? A.3 AMO calculations for reading and math are based on the results on state assessments for continuously enrolled students. AMO calculations for graduation are based on the Adjusted 5-Year Cohort Graduation Rate. Q.4 Will every school in the state be provided AMOs, not just the Focus, Priority, and Emerging schools? A.4 Yes. The AMOs for all public schools are posted to the OSPI AMO webpage at The Annual Measurable Objective Summary for each public school is posted on the Washington State Report Card at: Q.5 Will the AMOs be posted? A.5 OSPI has calculated and posted the AMOs. The AMOs are unique to each subgroup, school, and district, with the target of cutting the gap (between 2011 baseline and 100% of students meeting standard) in half by spring The AMO targets for reading, math, and graduation rates for the state, districts, and schools are posted on the OSPI AMO webpage at: Q.6 Will we have the same AYP subgroups used in AMO calculations for 2013? A.6 Beginning in 2012, the number of subgroups for AMO reporting increased from 9 to 11.The Asian/Pacific Islander subgroup was split into Asian and Pacific Islander, and Two or More Races was added. All subgroups are listed below: 1. All students 2. American Indian students 3. Asian students 4. Pacific Islander students 5. Black students 6. Hispanic students Updated: August 2013 Page 4

5 7. White students 8. Two or More Races students 9. Students with disabilities 10. Students with limited English proficiency (LEP) 11. Students from low-income families Q.7 How do AMOs fit in the Accountability Index? A.7 Currently, AMOs do not fit in the revised Accountability Index approved by the State Board of Education (SBE) in July During the school year, the SBE and OSPI will engage in the process to determine how, if at all, AMOs will fit into the revised Accountability Index. A description of the revised Accountability Index is available in the Accountability Framework document on the SBE Web site: Q.8 What is the N size used in determining the 2011 baseline? A.8 We use an N=20 in setting the 2011 baseline. Q.9 What if there is an insufficient N size in the 2011 year? A.9 The baseline year is the first year that N reaches 20 or more. Q.10 If the school year is determined as the baseline year, how is the annual increment calculated? A.10 The school has five (5) years (2013 through 2017) to cut the proficiency gap by half; this gap is the difference between the baseline ( ) and 100% of students making standard. The calculations for annual targets (AMOs) are similar to those described in Q-2 above. However, the Annual Increments will be determined using a divisor of 5 years, rather than 6 years. IV. Appeals Process Q.1 What is the process for submitting an appeal? A.1 Please go to the OSPI AMO Appeals Web site at: to view the appeals process. V. Auto Appeals Q.1 What appeals will be done automatically? A.1 Individual subgroups, schools, and districts that achieve at the 95% level or greater on state assessments in reading or mathematics for continuously enrolled students or with graduation rates at the 95% level or greater will automatically receive a rating of On/Above for Updated: August 2013 Page 5

6 regardless of whether or not they met their AMO for Note: These subgroups, schools, and districts must have participation rates at the 95% level or above. If the actual proficiency rate is less than the AMO for but is at least 95% the school will automatically receive a rating of On/Above. No additional action will be required on the part of the school or district. For example, if a school s AMO in Reading for for its all students group is 97.8% and the all students group actual proficiency rate is 96.4%, the school will automatically receive a rating of On/Above for its AMO in Reading for the all students group. An auto appeal will be marked with an asterisk (*) on the AMO tab of the report card. Note: Washington has a one-year, conditional waiver and the AMO accountability system, viewed as interim, is currently under review. The automatic appeals described in this paragraph may or may not continue in subsequent years. VI. Lists of Identified Schools Q.1 Is there a site that identifies Priority and Focus schools? A.1 Yes. The lists of Reward, Priority, Focus, and Emerging schools identified based on the calculations described in the ESEA Flexibility Request are available at the following Web site: Q.2 What does the term Emerging mean? What criteria are used to identify Emerging schools with regards to the ESEA Flexibly Request? A.2 Emerging schools are the next 5% of lowest performing schools, just above Priority schools, and the next 10% of schools with lowest performing subgroups, just above the Focus schools. Q.3 One of our schools is identified as a Focus school, but is no longer receiving Title I money. The school did not receive Title I funds in the current year, and it will not for the foreseeable future. Does it still retain the Focus school designation? A.3 Yes. Subsequent Title I status does not alter a school s designation as Priority, Focus, or Emerging. Districts are still responsible to set aside an amount of non-federal funds equivalent to up to 20% of their Title I funds to support the school to implement interventions and address identified needs. Updated: August 2013 Page 6

7 Q.4 Can we demonstrate up to the 20% set-aside requirement using other non-federal money, as we did when we had to set aside the amount for SES/PSC? A.4 Yes. A comparable amount from an alternative funding source is allowable to support identified Priority, Focus, and Emerging schools. Q.5 As I am reading over the lists of Focus schools, I see that ABC High School is listed. Last year, ABC High School was a LAP school. I am wondering why it would be listed as a Title I school? A.5 Priority, Focus, and Emerging school lists were developed using Title I status (and state assessment and graduation data) from the , , and school years. Title I status subsequent to those years does not alter the school lists. If a school was a Title I school in any of those three years, it is listed as a Title I school. Q.6 How would I go about comparing a particular school in my district to the state average? In other words we don t have any schools currently in the Priority or Focus groups, but I need to know if any of our schools are getting close to the bottom 5% or 10%. A.6 Questions regarding the development of the Priority, Focus, or Emerging schools lists may be directed to OSPI Office of Student and School Success at (360) Q.7 When Spring 2013 results are determined, will the school list be shuffled or will the determination of Priority, Focus and Emerging schools always be one year behind? A.7 Yes. The spring 2013 assessment results will not impact the Priority, Focus, or Emerging school lists for Rather, these data will be used for the lists for The lists are expected to be published in December or January of the school year. Q.8 Will all districts have schools on one of the lists, Priority, Focus, or Emerging? A.8 No. Q.9 We have schools called Emerging-Focus. Are these Focus, or are these Emerging schools? A.9 They are Emerging schools, taken from the extended Focus list. Other schools might be listed as Emerging-Priority because they are taken from the extended Priority list. VII. Title I Set Asides Updated: August 2013 Page 7

8 Q.1 A district is required to set aside up to 20% for its one Title I school identified as Emerging, but is not expected to set aside the full 20% of its district allocation. Is this correct? A.1 Yes. The district is responsible for determining an adequate funding amount to use in support of its one Emerging school. Additionally, the district is not required to set aside up to 20% to support each of its Priority, Focus, or Emerging schools. Rather, the up to 20% set-aside should be used to support all of the districts Title I Priority, Focus, and Emerging identified schools in their improvement efforts. Q.2 Our school is listed on the Priority list due to graduation rate. Will the district be required to use part of the 20% set aside for this program? A.2 Yes, as with any identified Title I Priority, Focus, or Emerging school, such support is required. Q.3 Is there a rule of thumb to determine an appropriate amount of the 20% possible set aside for Priority, Focus, and Emerging schools? A.3 No. Our only guidance, at this point, is whether or not the amount would pass the reasonableness test, that is, funding should be adequate to support the school in its improvement efforts. The amount set-aside should also be adequate to assist the school in meeting the outcome indicators that are set based on their needs assessment. Q.4 How should the amount set aside be used? A.4 To address the areas identified in the school s needs assessment and to support the school s Student and School Success Action Plan uploaded into Indistar. Q.5 If we receive federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds for our Cohort II SIG school, must we still set aside additional Title I, Part A funds to support this school? A.5 No. Federal SIG funding for Cohort II schools should be sufficient to support the school to implement its identified intervention model (i.e., Transformation or Turnaround). Questions concerning SIG funds or funds to support Priority, Focus, or Emerging schools should be directed to the OSPI Office of Student and School Success at (360) Q.6 Will the amount of the required set aside be determined by the activities defined by the OSPI approved Student and School Success Plan submitted on Indistar? A.6 Yes. The district is responsible for determining an adequate funding amount to use in support of its Title I Priority, Focus, and Emerging schools. Updated: August 2013 Page 8

9 Q.7 May the set aside amount be used for professional development? If so, what type of professional development would be acceptable? Must the professional development be allowable under Title I, Part A or may more general professional development be permitted? A.7 Yes. The set aside may be used for professional development activities; these activities must be allowable under Title I, Part A. Q.8 Will the new accountability system be restricted to schools that receive Title I funds in the future, or will it identify the lowest 5% and 10% in the state regardless of the funding source? A.8 Legislation enacted in 2013 (SB 5329) requires OSPI to use the revised Accountability Index to identify the lowest performing schools in the state, regardless of Title I status. The State Legislature also provided funding through SB5329 over the biennium to provide supports and interventions for persistently lowest achieving schools. Q.9 Can we put any of the up to 20% set aside in our non-title I-funded middle school and high school and instead say that our long term look is to build a stronger foundation at P 5? A.9 The 20% set aside may not be used to support non-title served middle schools, but may be used in some instances for Title I eligible high schools. (See Question Q.11). Q.10 Must we use the set aside in Focus or Emerging schools only for the group(s) that caused the designation as Focus (such as special education or ELL)? Or, may it be used for all students in the school? A.10 District support for its Focus or Emerging schools must be aligned with areas identified in the school s needs assessment, which would include, but is not limited to, support for the subgroup(s) that led to the designation as a Focus or Emerging school. Similarly, district support for Priority schools must be aligned with areas identified in the school s needs assessment. Q.11 May Title I, Part A funds be used in a Title I-eligible high school that has had a graduation rate less than 60 percent over a number of years? A.11 Yes, under certain conditions. Consistent with the definition of priority school, the State may identify a Title I-eligible high school as a priority school if it has had a graduation rate less than 60 percent over a number of years. The State was granted a waiver to include such a high school, even when the school s poverty percentage is not sufficiently high for the school to be served under ESEA section Updated: August 2013 Page 9

10 This enables the district to serve the school with Title I, Part A funds, if it so chooses. In this situation, the district could use Title I, Part A funds to provide interventions in the school. If the district uses Title I, Part A funds to serve the school, the school would become a Title I- participating school. VIII. Number of Students Required in a Group ( N ) Q.1 How many students must be in a group for it to count for AMO purposes? A.1 All groups must have at least 20 students for OSPI to make an AMO determination. The N of 20 applies to the proficiency, participation, and other indicator cells. Q.2 How will schools and districts that have no group with at least 20 students be held accountable? A.2 When a school or district has no cells (i.e., either proficiency, participation, or other indicator ) with 20 students, it must have its school improvement plan approved by the local School Board and reviewed by OSPI for an AMO determination. Q.3 What is the N size based on for the proficiency cells? A.3 The N size for proficiency is based on the number of continuously enrolled students assessed on the state assessments. The total must be at least 20 to count for AMO purposes. Enrollment dates reported in CEDARS are used to determine if a student is continuously enrolled (from October 1 through the testing window). Q.4 Does the N apply to the number of continuously enrolled students participating in the state assessments across all subgroups (required 95% of students must participated in the state assessment)? A.4 Yes, the N for participation is 20 for all the subgroups. Q.5 Are students that are not continuously enrolled since October 1 counted in the participation calculations? A.5 Yes, they are included in the participation calculations. Q.6 How are students who are not continuously enrolled included in the N? A.6 Students who are not continuously enrolled will not be included in the proficiency N, and their results are not included in the proficiency calculations. However, all students (except the first year LEP students in reading and those with a medical emergency) must be assessed, even those not continuously enrolled. Students not continuously enrolled are included in the participation rate calculations, and their Updated: August 2013 Page 10

11 results are included in state assessment data reported on the OSPI School Report Card Web site. Q.7 Is there an N size for the other indicators (graduation rate and unexcused absence rate)? A.7 Yes. The N size is 20. Similar to participation rates, this N size includes all students, not just continuously enrolled students. IX. Interventions Q.8 Do districts still need to create a student learning plan (SLP) for students who do not meet standard on one or more state assessments? A.8 Yes. Districts need to create a student learning plan for any eighth grader who does not meet standard on the eighth grade assessment in reading, math, or science. Student Learning Plans 8 th grade: SLPs must be prepared for all 8 th grade students who were not successful on any or all of the content areas of the MSP during the previous year or who may not be on track to graduate due to credit deficiencies or absences. SLPs are maintained until the student meets standards on the MSP or MSP retakes. As long as the student learning plans include the elements required in the law, districts have the option to either create learning plans for students receiving special education services or to incorporate these learning plans into existing individual education plans (IEP). See for additional information. LAP Plans: Accelerated Learning Plans must be developed for students not meeting standard in any school receiving LAP funds These plans may be incorporated into other student achievement plans, such as the 8th grade SLPs, "High School and Beyond" plans, individual education plans, or achievement plans for groups of students. See for additional information. High School and Beyond Plan: To earn a high school diploma, a student must Earn high school credit; Pass state tests or approved alternatives to those tests; Complete a Culminating Project; and Complete a High School and Beyond Plan. Each school district determines the guidelines for the High School and Beyond Plan. Updated: August 2013 Page 11

12 Note that IEPs/504 Plans take precedence over all learning plans. Q.9 Will Emerging schools be held to the same turnaround principles as Priority and Focus schools? A.9 Yes. All Priority, Focus, and Emerging schools are required to address the seven Student and School Success Principles; these align with federal turnaround principles. Q.10 The Focus schools for my district list their focus area as special education. Will this mean increased professional development for special education instructional staff or all staff at the building around instructional practice to include special education identified students? Could it also be additional support for students beyond the core and their required IEP minutes for goal areas? A.10 District support for Focus, Priority, and Emerging schools must be aligned with (a) the reasons the school was designated and (b) areas that surfaced in the school s needs assessment. These include, but are not limited to, addressing the needs and causes for low achievement in the subgroup(s) for which the Focus or Emerging-Focus school was identified. Q.11 Our district has created School Improvement (SI) plans for all of our sites, following the Title I expectations. We plan for support in a like manner, whether LAP or Title I, supporting specific innovations or best practice included in the individual SI plans. We know we will never have enough funds to implement all of the ideas/needs for a school, but our work to date has showed steady progress, and I would like to continue our system approach, while adhering to the expectations set forth in the Flexibility Waiver. What are our options? A.11 Please contact the OSPI Office of Student and School Success at (360) to discuss the specific details of your intended approach. X. Other Indicator (Graduation Rate/Dropout Rate and Unexcused Absences) Q.1 Will we use the estimated extended graduation rate in accountability calculations for 2013? A.1 No, the federal non-regulatory guidance of 2008 requires states to use the adjusted cohort rates starting with 2012 accountability reporting. The state will use the 5-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, subject to official approval by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Graduation rate annual targets can be found at: gets-allgroups.xls Updated: August 2013 Page 12

13 Q.2 How was graduation rate calculated for alternative schools? A.2 The same methodology is used to determine graduation rates for all secondary schools that graduate students, regardless of designation as an alternative setting. Q.3 What is the unexcused absences target on the Washington State School Report Card? A.3 OSPI will indicate that a school met target for unexcused absences, if the school had a 1% or less unexcused absence rate in Q.4 Are graduation rate calculations one year behind the assessment results? A.4 Yes. Graduation rate calculations posted on the OSPI School Report Card Web site are always one or two years behind. For example, the Adjusted 4-Year Cohort Graduation Rates (Class of 2012) and Adjusted 5-Year Cohort Graduation Rates (Class of 2011) will accompany the 2013 results on state assessments on the OSPI School Report Card for The Adjusted 4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate is always one year behind, and the Adjusted 5-Year Cohort Graduation Rate is always two years behind the state assessment results. Q.5 What graduation rate will be reported and used for AMO? A.5 The adjusted 5-year cohort graduation rate is used to determine the High School Other Indicator status for Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs). Q.6 How is the adjusted 5-year cohort graduation rate calculated? A.6 Students in a cohort are tracked, or followed, over five years. A cohort begins with all first time 9 th graders in a given year. The cohort is adjusted by adding in students who transfer in at any time during the five years and by subtracting students who transfer out (or die) at any time during the five years. To calculate the adjusted 5-year cohort graduation rate, we use the adjusted cohort as the denominator and the number of students in the cohort identified as graduating during the 5-year cohort period as the numerator. Per federal regulations, the adjusted cohort calculation makes no modification for students whose expected graduation timeframe is longer than five years. That is, it does not allow for cohort reassignment for special education or limited English proficient students. Q.7 How are students placed in a cohort? Updated: August 2013 Page 13

14 A.7 Students are placed in a cohort based strictly upon when they are identified as first entering grade 9 in Washington. Students who transfer into a Washington public high school for the first time after grade nine are identified as belonging to the cohort associated with when they were first in 9 th grade. Q.8 Does a student s expected year of graduation influence AMOs? A.8 No, a student s expected year of graduation no longer plays a role in the graduation rates used in AMOs. XI. Other Q.1 Since the state of Washington is out of the SES business and the school districts will follow suit, what do we do with the records that have been collecting for several years? A.1 The retention period for federal programs is found in 34 CFR (code of federal regulations) Generally speaking, three years is the retention period, but there are notable exceptions. For the complete text, follow this link: w=text&node=34: &idno=34. Q.2 Will the state uniform bar be used in the 2013 AYP calculations? A.2 No. AYP is no longer calculated. Unique AMO targets for each subgroup, school, district, and the state replace the state uniform bars. Q.3 Is there a list of schools in school improvement that will be generated from the assessment results of spring 2013? A.3 No. However, OSPI will use 2013 (in combination with 2012 and 2011) assessment data and graduation rates to identify Priority, Focus, and Emerging schools for The lists will be announced in December or January of the school year. Q.4 Will the list of schools in school improvement be replaced by the list of Focus, Priority, and Emerging schools? A.4 Yes. Q.5 How about a list of districts in improvement (for school year )? A.5 A list of districts in improvement will not be generated. Refer to E2SSB 6696 for specific information about Required Action Districts (RADs) at Q.6 Are districts required to publish annual performance reports? Updated: August 2013 Page 14

15 A.6 Districts are required under ESEA (NCLB) to provide district- and school-level achievement data to their public. In most cases, districts have sent a newsletter or other paper announcement so that all of their parents are aware that Report Card information is available through the district Web site and/or may be accessed through OSPI s Report Card. There are specific requirements regarding the data that must be included, and that is why we have so much information on the Report Card. If you want to learn more, go to tput=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=default_frontend. XII. Participation Q.1 How are the participation numbers on the AMO tab on the OSPI School Report Card (see Other Indicator Detail) calculated? Two numbers are reported, what does each represent? A.1 The column titled participants, shown by grade level, is the number of students whose attempt status is tested, not tested, or absent excused. The column to the right, titled total, is the number of participants tested (the sum of all grades). The number of participants (numerator) is divided by the total (denominator) in order to calculate the participation rate. Your district data can be located within the Participation/Other Indicator Detail on the AMO tab, within the OSPI Report Card ( Q.2 What percentage of students is required to participate in the assessment? A.2 At least 95% of the students must participate. We round the rate to the nearest tenth. Q.3 Does the participation rate apply to all students or just continuously enrolled students? A.3 It applies to all students who are enrolled during the testing window and are required to take the test-regardless of when and how long a student was enrolled. If the attempt code results in partially enrolled (PE), then he/she is not counted towards participation. Q.4 Which students are calculated in the baseline numbers and in the percent met standard each year thereafter? A.4 AMO calculations are based on the assessment results for continuously enrolled students. Updated: August 2013 Page 15

16 Q.5 Are students who test at a Basic Level for Measurement of Student Progress (MSP) or High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) or who participate in the state s alternative testing Washington Alternate Assessment System-Developmentally Appropriate Proficiency Exams (WAAS- DAPE) considered as meeting standard? A.5 In order for a student s score to be considered as meeting standard for AMO purposes, it must be at Level 3 or higher. Basic is Level 2. Level 3 or higher is a federal requirement for meeting standard. A student who meets standard on the WAAS-Portfolio counts as meeting standard for AMO calculations. DAPE is only administered to 11 th and 12 th graders, and results are not incorporated into AMO calculations. Q.6 Who are the students who will be included in the 5% not participating in the test? A.6 Two groups of students are considered non-participants : first-year LEP students who do not take the math test and students who could not take or complete a test because of an excused absence. These students do not receive a score, and not taking the test does not count against any school or district proficiency results. We count all other students as having participated. Q.7 Is there any exemption for LEP students? If not, how will their scores be counted? A.7 The US Department of Education (ED) allows LEP students to be exempted from the reading test in their first year of living in the United States. These students are not required to take the reading test. However, they must still take the math test; their math results are not counted toward proficiency at the school or district level if they do not meet standard. Should these students meet standard in either subject, the scores will count toward proficiency. Q.8 How do we indicate that a student should be counted as a nonparticipant? A.8 For both first-year LEP students and students missing the tests because of an excused absence, mark the applicable bubble on the demographic sheet of the student s test booklet. An additional opportunity to identify these students is available during the Records Reconciliation windows during late summer. Q.9 Are special education students exempted from taking the MSP/HSPE/EOC or WAAS? Updated: August 2013 Page 16

17 A.9 No. ED requires all students in special education to be assessed. These students must be assessed via the MSP/HSPE/EOC (with or without accommodations) or the WAAS Portfolio. Q.10 If students are retained in grade and take the test again because they did not meet the standard the first time, how are their results used and reported? A.10 All students in a tested grade must take the test if the student has not yet met standard (with the exception of certain LEP students). The results are counted just like any other results on the OSPI Report Card. So, if the student does not take the test and is not coded with an excused absence, the student will be considered not meeting standard. A retained student s results (i.e., second attempt) are included in AMO results. However, a district may appeal and ask for retained students second attempts to be removed from AMO calculations. Q.11 How do students who are absent for testing get figured in, whether they are excused or unexcused? A.11 Two groups of students do not receive a score, and their not taking the test does not count against any school or district proficiency results: First-year LEP students who do not take the math test; and Students who could not take or complete a test because of an excused absence. We count all other continuously enrolled students when calculating proficiency rates, since they do receive a score. We also count continuously enrolled students with an unexcused absence as not meeting standard. Q.12 What assessment results are included in the Special Education AMO calculations for a high school? It appears that these students only are assessed on their attempts at the HSPE reading or EOC math (if they are enrolled in an algebra or geometry class). What other assessments are available to these students? Do their AMO passage rates include any other scores? A.12 The HSPE Reading, EOC math, and WAAS-Portfolio (reading and math) results are included in Special Education AMO calculations. Q.13 The high school math calculations are for 10 th grade students only. If students take the Math EOC as a 9 th grader, are their scores banked? If they take the geometry EOC as a 10 th grader, are they counted twice if they passed both? A.13 Yes, the scores are banked. No. They are not counted twice; they are counted just once. Updated: August 2013 Page 17

18 Q.14 Is the 10 th grade AMO passing rate a sum of the number of students passing the EOC1 and EOC2 divided by the number who attempted each or is it only the rate of students passing the EOC1? A.14 The 10 th grade AMO passing rate is the number of continuously enrolled students meeting standard, or previously passed, in any of the EOC math tests, or portfolio, divided by the number who were tested, coded as not tested, or had previously passed. When determining the AMO passing rate, students passing both the EOC1 and EOC2 are only counted once. XIII. Content Areas and Grades Tested Q.1 In what content areas are AMO targets set? A.1 Currently, annual targets are established for reading and math. Note that AMOs are also established for graduation rates. Q.2 Will science be included in AMO determinations? A.2 Not at this time. State assessments in Science have been required since the school year; they are given in Grades 5, 8, and 10. Science is not included in the AMO determinations. Q.3 What is the definition of proficiency? A.3 Students who achieve Level 3 or 4 on the MSP/HSPE/EOC or WAAS- Portfolio are considered to be meeting standard and are counted as proficient. Scoring at Level 2 on the MSP/HSPE/EOC (referred to as MSP Basic, HSPE Basic, and EOC Basic) is not considered meeting standard for AMO (federal accountability) purposes, but is considered meeting standard for state graduation requirements. Federal guidelines require students to score at least Level 3 to be considered proficient for AMO purposes. Q.4 Is the state s language proficiency test (WLPT-II or WELPA) included in this system in any way? A.4 This test is not included in system for AMO determinations at the present time. This test relates to the state bilingual and federal Title III accountability requirements. Q.5 Students in our school are not assigned to a particular grade. How do we know if they should take the MSP/HSPE? A.5 Grade assignment is a local decision that is usually based on a student s age, length of time in school, number of credits, or achievement level. Students need to be assigned a grade in CEDARS and take the tests given in that grade. Districts should have grade Updated: August 2013 Page 18

19 designations in CEDARS agree with grade designations used for apportionment reporting. XIV. Unusual Circumstances/Schools and Exceptions Q.1 How will a school that does not have a tested grade (e.g., K 2, 11 12) be held accountable? Will they be exempted from AMO calculations until tests for those grades are established? A.1 The other indicators (unexcused absence and graduation rates) would still apply in these cases. In addition, the school must have its school improvement plan approved on an annual basis by the local school board. All schools must have an AMO status. Q.2 Are new schools subject to AMO? A.2 Yes, the first year is the baseline year. Q.3 How does AMO apply to alternative schools and skill centers? A.3 They will be held accountable to meet the same targets as other schools. If the N size falls below 20, they need to submit a school improvement plan to OSPI. Q.4 In which school are scores for magnet school students included-the school attended or the home school? A.4 The school of record is a local decision. The results will be assigned to the school where the student is assessed or officially enrolled and reported. Q.5 How are students in institutions counted? A.5 Results for students in institutions and schools not administered by a district will be counted in building and state totals but not in district totals. In 2007, a new institutions category was created that serves as the district for all institutions. For example, through 2006 an institution would have been listed under the district in which it was physically located. However, since 2007, the institution has been listed under the institutions group under the unaffiliated tab. Q.6 Are institutions held to the same graduation rate as other high schools? A.6 AMOs for mathematics, reading, and graduation rates are calculated for institutions just as they are for comprehensive high schools and alternative high schools. Rates are based on their baseline data, so they will be unique to each comprehensive high school, alternative high school, and institution. Updated: August 2013 Page 19

20 Q.7 How are detention centers included in the system? A.7 Detention centers do not receive AMO determinations and do not need to file a school improvement plan, because tests for students in detention centers are to be administered in their home school and district. Since 2007, detention centers have been listed under the institutions heading under the unaffiliated tab for AMO results, rather than listed under the district in which they are physically located. Q.8 Our district serves only K 6 students and sends students to another district for middle and high school. How will our students be included in AMO calculations? A.8 Results for such students are counted in the school and district where the student is served. Q.9 Some of our students are home-schooled, but receive some services from a public school system. Are these students included in the AMO system? A.9 No. Home-based students are not included in the AMO system, and their results are not included when reporting MSP/HSPE results. However, students enrolled in a parent partnered program or other alternative learning program that are claimed for full-time enrollment purposes by the district must be included in the AMO system. Q.10 We have a cooperative agreement with another district to serve our students. How are our scores reported? A.10 The results are counted in the school and district where students are primarily served. In CEDARS, students served by more than one school have a single primary school, and this indicator is used to determine the school and district in which the student is counted. Q.11 We subcontract with a privately-run organization to provide services to some of our students with special needs. How will their results be counted? A.11 Privately contracted schools do not have a school AMO determination. The students in these types of schools are a district responsibility and are counted at the district-level. However, these students are not counted at the school-level. Q.12 More than 50% of our students come from outside the district. How are we held accountable? A.12 Results for schools with more than half of their students living outside the district can be exempted from district totals. If a school falls into this category and the district wants the results excluded from district Updated: August 2013 Page 20

21 totals, contact the Special Programs and Federal Accountability Office at (360) The school is still held accountable for its results. Q.13 We are closing a school after this year; how do the results for this school count? A.13 We will report the results and make an AMO determination for the school in the year it exists, and its results will be counted at the district level. However, the school will not be included in the consideration pool for Priority, Focus, or Emerging schools the following year because it no longer exists. XV. Non-Title I and Private Schools Q.1 What are the consequences for non-title I schools not meeting their AMOs? A.1 All components of the accountability system (data collection, reporting, calculation of AMOs, etc.) apply to all schools and districts, and their results will be made public. The Accountability Index will be used to rate and place all schools regardless of Title status - in one of six tiers (Exemplary, Very Good, Good, Fair, Under-performing, and Priority-Bottom 5%). The Index will also be used to identify schools as Reward, Priority, Focus, or Emerging. Note. AMOs are not currently used in calculations for the revised Achievement Index, so there are no consequences attached for failure to meet AMOs. Q.2 Do the assessment results of non-title I schools impact the district? A.2 Yes, results from all schools within the district - even those not receiving Title I funds - are used for district AMO determinations. Q.3 Are private schools subject to AMOs? A.3 No. XVI. OSPI Reporting of Results Q.1 Do we need to calculate AMO results ourselves? If not, when will we get the results? A.1 OSPI provides each school and district with preliminary AMO results for review in August. After appeals and corrections are made, complete AMO results are posted on the OSPI Web site in the fall and are available in downloadable spreadsheets. See the following Web site for additional information and school/district level AMOs and to download Updated: August 2013 Page 21

22 the State Assessment and AMO Release Timeline: Q.2 Will we still get the same results we received in the past? A.2 Yes. All the same reports are provided to schools and districts, and assessment results are posted on the web when there are at least 10 students in a group. The AMO results are in addition to these reports. AMO results reflect various adjustments (e.g., removing those not continually enrolled, including WAAS results). Thus, the AMO results and the MSP/HSPE/EOC results will be different. Q.3 Why are the AMO and MSP/HSPE/EOC proficiency (meeting standard) results different? A.3 The AMO results count only continuously enrolled students and include the WAAS results. The results posted on the OSPI School Report Card count all tested students. If you have questions that are not indicated on this document, please contact the Special Programs and Federal Accountability Office at (360) or Dr. Gil Mendoza, Assistant Superintendent of Special Programs and Federal Accountability at gil.mendoza@k12.wa.us. Updated: August 2013 Page 22