This Week in Performance Reporting: February 7, 2020

Good afternoon, Performance Reporting bulletin members.

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What’s New in Performance Reporting

A–F Accountability

After providing an opportunity for public comment, the agency submitted an Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan amendment to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) on January 31, 2020. The following sections summarize the amendment as submitted to the USDE:

Graduation Rate

Currently, Texas evaluates the four-year graduation rate under ESSA for high schools, K–12s, and districts and requires student groups that are at or above 90 percent to exceed that rate by at least a tenth of a percent in the following year(s). In order to recognize the challenges faced by alternative education campuses and the potential negative implications for campuses and districts with small numbers, TEA is proposing to update the methodology for the graduation rate indicator to evaluate campuses against the four-year long-term target, the interim target, and against expected growth toward the long-term target. The evaluation of the six-year rate as step four was removed in response to preliminary discussions with the USDE, which indicated that the inclusion of the six-year graduation rate would be unfavorable for approval.

Federal School Improvement Identification

In order to allow additional time for campuses to capture graduates, rather than using a four- year federal graduation rate to identify any Title I or non-Title I campus that does not attain at least a 67 percent graduation rate, TEA is proposing the use of the six-year federal graduation rate to identify these campuses for comprehensive support and improvement.

 Additionally, to align with the intent of ESSA, TEA is proposing the escalation of Title I additional targeted support campuses to comprehensive support and improvement after three consecutive years, rather than escalating Title I targeted support and improvement campuses. In response to public comments, the amendment includes a delay in implementation—an additional targeted support identification in 2020, 2021, and 2022 for a Title I campus would result in comprehensive support and improvement implementation in the 2022–2023 school year.

Eighth Grade Math Exception

Language was updated in this section to clarify that Texas requires students who take the Algebra I end-of-course assessment in middle school to take the SAT or ACT at least once in grades 9–12. The results of these assessments will be included in the accountability performance and participation calculations beginning in August 2021.

To learn more about the amendment visit the agency’s ESSA webpage.

Local Accountability System

TEA is offering region-specific webinars beginning in February through early March. The hour-long webinar will introduce district responsibilities, statute requirements, local accountability system plan development, how to get started, and more! Time will also be allotted for participant questions.

Interested participants need to attend only a single webinar. Multiple dates and times are offered to allow participants flexibility and choice when registering for a region-specific webinar. Districts are encouraged to register for a webinar associated with their education service center to facilitate communication among districts within a region.

District timelines, including plan submission deadlines, are now posted on the local accountability website.

Please reach out to the local accountability system team at LAS@tea.texas.gov, call (512) 463-9704, or check the website if you have questions.

Assessment Scoring and Reporting

Raw score to scale score conversion tables for all state assessments are posted here. 

Parents can access their child’s assessment results in the Student Portal. Teachers and other authorized personnel can access student-level assessment results in the Teacher Portal. Assessment results at the campus/district/region/state level can be viewed in the Analytic Portal.

For questions or help with accessing and interpreting STAAR, STAAR Alternate 2, TELPAS, and TELPAS Alternate results, please email assessment.reporting@tea.texas.gov or call (512) 463-9704.

This Week’s FAQ

What does the accountability system development process look like?

The 2020 Accountability Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and the Accountability Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC), which include representatives from legislative offices, the business community, parents of children attending Texas public schools, and educators from school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and education service centers meet multiple times each year to make suggestions and recommendations on key components of the academic accountability system. The commissioner considers all proposals and makes final decisions.

Our final advisory group meeting for 2020 accountability was held earlier this week. To learn more about the topics discussed during committee meetings visit the 2020 Accountability Development webpage. 

Accountability Winter/Spring Learning Webinars

Performance Reporting is happy to announce the continuation of our learning webinar series beginning in February. These presentations will review the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) data download, the identification of schools for improvement, and the College, Career, or Military Readiness Outcomes Bonus. This series is designed for audiences who are not familiar with the topics or need training on the most crucial components.

All webinars are offered through Zoom, a free video conference service. You can sign up using a Zoom, Google, or Facebook login. If you don't have an account, you can sign up for free.

If you were unable to participate in a webinar, you can view archived recordings at this link.

Accountability Winter/Spring Learning Webinar Dates

Understanding the Identification of Schools for Improvement—March 10, 2020 at 1:00 pm 

Understanding the College, Career, or Military Readiness (CCMR) Outcomes Bonus —May 8, 2020 at 1:00 pm 

Employment Opportunity

The Student Assessment Division is looking for someone to join their team. Interested and qualified candidates can apply for the following position:

Manager of TELPAS and TELPAS Alternate (Manager III)

Student Assessment is hiring a manager of TELPAS and TELPAS Alternate to provide leadership for the Assessment Administration and Test Development team. This position oversees the development, production, and administration of the TELPAS and TELPAS Alternate. 

Performance Reporting Calendar

February 17—TEA closed for Presidents’ Day

Late March—2020 alternative education accountability registration 

 

Contact Information
Texas Education Agency
Performance Reporting Division
(512) 463-9704
performance.reporting@tea.texas.gov