2011-12

5/2/12 - Preliminary 11-12 AYP Reports Issued

TO:                  District Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, School Principals, Special Education Directors, School Counselors, Testing Coordinators

 FROM:            Greg Gallagher, Standards and Achievement Director

 SUBJECT:      Preliminary 2011-12 School and District Adequate Yearly Progress Reports Issued

 DATE:             May 2, 2012

 Announcement

 The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) has issued preliminary adequate yearly progress (AYP) reports for all public schools and public school districts for the 2011-12 school year. These preliminary AYP reports have been posted on the NDDPI’s STARS system, under the 2012 AYP Report. Contact your district administrator if you do not have authority to access this report.

 These preliminary school and district AYP reports have been generated according to the rules set forth within the State’s accountability workbook, which was previously approved in 2011 and remains in effect: http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/grants/proposal2011.pdf.

 The NDDPI has prepared the 2011-12 AYP guidance, which presents an overview of the AYP determination process. You can access this guide at the following website: http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/testing/account/AYP1112.pdf. This guidance also specifies any changes that have occurred in this year’s AYP reports, including a change in this year’s graduation subgroup rate determination that was required by federal regulation.

 Request to review AYP related data files

The 2011-12 AYP reports are generated from certain official school reports, including your district’s graduation reports, enrollment files, and the annual assessment report. The 2011-12 assessment report for each school was validated and submitted by school personnel in December 2011. School and district graduation and attendance enrollment data from the 2010-11 school year were previously submitted and validated by districts and can no longer be appealed.

  1.  Assessment Report. Since the 2011-12 assessment reports were completed, validated, and submitted as official reports in December 2011, the NDDPI does not expect a need for schools to make any additional corrections. Nevertheless, the NDDPI does offer the opportunity for school administrators to review the accuracy of their schools’ data and to seek amendment through a prescribed appeal process, which is specified below.
  2.  AYP Statistical Summary. The NDDPI has prepared a two-page AYP statistical summary report for each school and district, which provides a multi-year summary of AYP-relevant student data. This summary report will provide the context for how each school’s and district’s AYP report was generated based on current and historical data. This AYP statistical summary report can be accessed in each school’s STARS AYP report.
  3.  Assessment Results File. The NDDPI has prepared the 2011-12 assessment results file for every school and placed this file in each school’s STARS assessment report. The 2011-12 assessment results file combines the final NDSA results and the assessment report records for each student. This will allow school personnel to review and disaggregate NDSA impact data for administrative and program improvement purposes. The NDDPI will update these files in the event that a school makes corrections to its data through the appeal process. School administrators may review any student record online in the STARS Assessment Report or in the Assessment Result file.

 Possible AYP Appeals of Data Discrepancy

 If you have any questions concerning your AYP reports or if you wish to submit a formal written appeal of data discrepancy, we ask that you follow these steps:

 1.         Assign a district representative who will coordinate all data matters among the schools in your district. The NDDPI requests that any questions and possible appeals be coordinated by one authorized administrator within the district. This coordination will eliminate inefficiencies and facilitate communications.

 2.         Review A Guide to the 2011-12 Annual Adequate Yearly Progress Report, which is available at  http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/testing/account/AYP1112.pdf. This guidance will answer many of the most frequently asked questions surrounding the calculation of adequate yearly progress. This guidance presents any changes that have occurred in this year’s AYP reports, including a change in this year’s graduation subgroup rate determination, as required by federal regulation.

 3.         Forward an email request for assistance to hbergland@nd.gov with the subject line, “Requesting AYP Assistance”; or call the following number: 701-328-2317.

            Confirm your status as the designated district representative, specify your questions or need for assistance, and state your phone number and email address. The NDDPI will answer all requests for assistance in the order received. 

 4.         If an appeal for data discrepancy is sought, then the NDDPI will guide you on the process to submit your request in writing. Any appeal must be submitted by an authorized district representative since this appeal constitutes a change in a previously submitted and validated state report. Any appeals of data discrepancy may result in the NDDPI conducting a school-wide monitoring of data collection and reporting at a later time.

The NDDPI requests that all appeals of data discrepancy be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. 

Final AYP reports

 The NDDPI will not consider any school’s report final until all appeals of data accuracy are resolved for that school. The NDDPI will conduct a final review of all data accuracy appeals and generate final AYP determination reports for appeal sites at the earliest possibility. The NDDPI anticipates releasing final AYP results to the public following the resolution of all appeals in May.

 Federal law requires all public schools and districts to report their annual AYP results to the public. The NDDPI requests that schools not publish any preliminary school AYP results publicly until the official release of final AYP reports. The NDDPI’s Title I unit will forward separate instructions to schools and districts identified for program improvement based on these AYP reports.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. I wish you all the best.

 

Heidi Bergland

Department of Public Instruction

Standards & Achievement Unit

600 E. Blvd. Ave.

Dept. 201

Bismarck, ND 58505-0440

(701) 328-2317 (voice)

(701) 328-0205 (fax)

www.dpi.state.nd.us