II.
Meeting the Annual Measurable Objectives for Proficiency:
To make AYP, schools must meet the Annual Measurable
Objectives set by the state. Schools must meet the AMOs for Math
and
The formula used to
calculate the percentage of students passing is:
Number of students tested
To ensure that the decision
regarding whether a school met the AMOs is statistically reliable and not
overly influenced by random factors, the determination for meeting the AMOs is
made employing a 99 percent (one-tailed) confidence interval.
The formula used to
calculate the confidence interval:
Let p = the percent of
students in a group passing the AIMS and n=number of students in the group.
Even after calculating the
confidence interval the percent of students proficient in a subgroup still
falls short of the AMO, the group may still make AYP if its achievement
indicators meet certain safe harbor
provisions.
To make safe harbor a subgroup
has to meet the following two-part test:
a.) Make 10 percent decrease in the percentage of
students failing to meet the standard (i.e. failing AIMS) from prom the
previous year, and
b.) Meet the performance goal or make a one-percentage
point improvement for the additional indicator: graduation rate for high school
and attendance rate for other grades.
Students are included in the
calculation if they meet the following criteria:
• Have taken
either the AIMS or AIMS-A and received a score of FFB or above;
• Were
enrolled in the school on the testing date (first day of the testing window for
grades 3 through 8) and were matched to
• Did not
take the test with alternate accommodations;
• Were not
recently arrived English language learners. A student was identified as a
recently arrived English language learner if he met the following criteria: a)
was enrolled in SAIS as a member in an English language learner program; b) has
no enrollment in SAIS on year or more before the test date; c) his birthplace
was outside of the United States; and e) the enrollment code for first
enrollment in SAIS indicates that the student was not previously enrolled in
any Arizona school.
• Were
enrolled in the school for the full academic year. A student was considered
enrolled for the full academic year if she enrolled in a school during the
first 10 school days of the school year and remained continuously enrolled up
through the testing date (first day of the testing window for grades 3 through
8). This information was obtained from
Special
Rules
Minimum group size. A group or subgroup is not evaluated if it had less than 40 test scores
that meet the selection criteria.
Concurrently enrolled students. Students enrolled in two schools on the testing date
are only included in the AMO determination of the school in which they were
tested.
English language learners. For AMO determinations, former English language
learners who have become proficient are included in the English language
learner subgroup for two additional years. Former ELL students are not
counted toward the minimum group size of 40.
Reference: Arizona’s School
Accountability System 2007 Technical Manual,