COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 46
August 27, 2004
ADMINISTRATIVE
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
2004-05
NCLB Other Academic Indicator Selection |
The
Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook under the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 was amended in May, 2004, to allow school divisions to
choose either the attendance rate or performance on the science Standards of
Learning assessments as the other academic indicator of adequate yearly
progress (AYP) for elementary and middle schools. The U.S. Department of Education (USED) found this amendment
acceptable if the choice is made prior to the start of the school year so that
schools will have a clear objective to pursue.
In order for
a school to make AYP under NCLB, all schools without a graduating class must
meet the participation rate and the annual measurable objectives for reading
and mathematics, plus either attendance or science. A school that chooses attendance must meet the 94 percent
attendance rate or make progress from the preceding year. If a school chooses science proficiency
rather than the attendance rate, then the school must meet the 70 percent
science pass rate on the science Standards of Learning test or make progress
from the preceding year. The choice of
using either attendance or performance on state science assessments as the
other indicator also will apply to the safe harbor AYP calculation.
Beginning
with the 2004-05 school year, each school division will also have the option of
choosing either the attendance rate or performance on the science Standards of
Learning assessments as the other academic indicator for the division.
School
divisions may declare their choice of other academic indicator for the
2004-05 school year through the End-of-Year Miscellaneous
Statistics Web-based form. Staff
members responsible for selecting the indicator should contact the Single
Sign-On Account Manager to gain access to this form. The Other Academic Indicator page includes a drop-down box to
select the indicator for each of the elementary and middle schools and the
division. The indicator for 2004-05
will default to the 2003-04 choice that was made for each school or to
attendance for the division unless a school division changes the indicator by
Friday, September 10, 2004. The link to
the indicator selection page will not be available for changes to be made past
this date.
Please make
your choice of ATTENDANCE or SCIENCE on the Web-based
form and fax the signed verification to 804-371-8978 no later than
September 10, 2004. If you have any
questions, please contact Janet Christopher at DataAdm@mail.vak12ed.edu or
804-225-2099.