COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 40

July 22, 2005

ADMINISTRATIVE

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	2005-06 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.

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.

Again for the 2005-06 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.

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 2005-06 will default to the 2004-05 choice that was made for each school or to attendance for the division unless a school division changes the indicator by

Wednesday, August 31, 2005. 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 804-786-0101 no later than August 31, 2005. If you have any questions, please contact Educational Applications at ResultsHelp@doe.virginia.gov or (804) 225-2099.

JLD/smw