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Academically Acceptable

Academically Acceptable is the third highest possible rating of the Texas Education Agency's accountability system. See Accountability Rating.

Academically Unacceptable

Academically Unacceptable is the lowest possible rating of the Texas Education Agency’s accountability system. A school or district with this rating is subject to interventions and sanction specified in Chapter 39 of the Texas Education Code. See Accountability Rating.

Accountability

In 1993, the Texas Legislature enacted statutes that mandated the creation of the Texas public school accountability system to rate Texas public school districts and evaluate campuses each year.

Accountability Rating

The state accountability system assigns ratings to every campus and district in the Texas public education system each year. In most cases the system assigns one of four rating labels: Academically Unacceptable, Academically Acceptable, Recognized, and Exemplary. To determine the rating, the system evaluates indicators of performance, including assessment results on the state standardized assessment instruments as well as longitudinal completion rates and annual dropout rates. For detailed information about the accountability standards, refer to the standard and AEA procedures outlined in the state accountability manual applicable to the specific school year.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) was established under the accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, requiring all public school campuses, school districts, and the state to be evaluated for adequate yearly progress. Districts, campuses, and the state are required to meet AYP criteria on three measures including Reading Language Arts, Mathematics, and either Graduation Rate for high schools and districts or Attendance Rate for elementary and middle or junior high schools.

AEA: Academically Acceptable

An alternative education campus (AEC) or charter must satisfy all requirements for each indicator evaluated in order to receive an AEA: Academically Acceptable rating. For detailed information about the accountability standards, refer to the AEA procedures outlined in the state accountability manual applicable to the specific school year.

AEA: Academically Unacceptable

If an alternative education campus (AEC) or charter does not satisfy all requirements for each indicator evaluated, then the AEA: Academically Unacceptable rating is assigned.

AEA: Not Rated-Other

This rating is assigned to registered alternative education campuses (AEC) and Charters with no students enrolled in grades tested or no TAKS data in the accountability subset or exit-level data on which to rate.

Alternative Education Accountability (AEA)

Accountability evaluation of alternative education campuses (AEC) and charter operators that primarily serve students identified as at risk of dropping out of school. The overall design of the AEA procedures is an improvement model that allows AECs and charters to meet either an absolute performance standard or an improvement standard for each accountability measure. The rating labels used include AEA: Academically Acceptable, AEA: Academically Unacceptable, and AEA: Not Rated - Other. To determine the rating label, the system evaluates indicators of performance, including assessment results on the state standardized assessment instruments as well as longitudinal completion rates and annual dropout rates.

Annual Dropout Rate

The annual dropout rate is the percentage of students in a specified grade range who drop out of school during one school year. For information on longitudinal dropout rates, see the LONESTAR Completion reports.

At Risk

Students who are at risk of dropping out of school according to state defined criteria.

Bilingual Education

Bilingual indicates that the student is participating in a state approved bilingual education program. The bilingual program must be a full time program that provides dual language instruction through the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TEKS, in the content areas of mathematics, science, health, and social studies in the primary language of limited English proficient students. Starting in 2009, school districts report Bilingual instructional program participation for the following categories: Transitional Bilingual/Early Exit, Transitional Bilingual/Late Exit, Dual Language Immersion/Two Way, and Dual Language Immersion/One Way. For more information, see the TEA Curriculum Bilingual Education website at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/biling/.

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Career and technical education (CTE) programs offer a sequence of courses that provide individuals with coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current or emerging professions. CTE programs also provide opportunities for students to earn technical skill proficiency, an industry-recognized credential, a certificate, or an associate degree.

Class

A class consists of members of a group of students identified by the starting grade and anticipated year of graduation. Also see Number in Class.

Class Year

Class year is the designated completion year for graduation for a cohort class. For example, class year 2008 is the expected graduation year for students entering grade 9 in the fall of 2004.

Commissioner of Education

The Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education (SBOE) oversee the public education system of Texas in accordance with the Texas Education Code.

Completion

Completion Rate, also known as High School Completion Rate, is the longitudinal representation of the percentage of students from a class of beginning ninth graders who complete their high school education by their anticipated graduation date. Completion may be defined as graduating, continuing in high school in the fall after graduation was expected, or receiving a General Education Development (GED) certificate. See Completion I Rate and Completion II Rate.

Completion I Rate

Completion I rate consists of students who graduated or continued in high school.

Completion II Rate

Completion II rate consists of students who graduated, continued in high school, or received GED certificates.

Continued High School (HS) Students

A student is classified as continued if he or she is not a graduate and is reported as enrolled in the Texas public school system in the fall after his or her anticipated graduation date.

County

A geographically defined unit of local government. There are 254 counties in Texas. When information on charters is presented by county level, the charter schools are shown under the county of the organization that received the charter to operate. Charter school districts may have schools in different counties throughout the state. As a result, data for schools opened subsequently by a charter school district will be shown as part of the county where the charter was first received even though the schools are physically located in different counties.

Distinguished Achievement Graduation Plan

The distinguished achievement plan requires students entering grade 9 in 2007-2008 and thereafter, to successfully complete 26 credits including courses in English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, a language other than English, physical education, health education, speech, technology applications, and fine arts. The advanced or distinguished achievement high school graduation program also requires students to complete any combination of four advanced measures as well as meeting testing requirements.

Dropout

A dropout is defined and counted according to the dropout definition in place the year the student drops out. Beginning with the 2005-06 school year, the state definition was changed to match the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) definition. Under the NCES definition, a dropout is a student who is enrolled in public school in Grades 7-12, does not return to public school the following fall, is not expelled, and does not graduate, receive a GED, continue school outside the public school system, begin college, or die. A longitudinal dropout rate is the percentage of students from the same class who drop out before completing their high school education.

Dropout Rate, Annual

See Annual Dropout Rate.

Dropout Rate, Longitudinal

See Longitudinal Dropout Rate .

Early Childhood Education (EE)

In Texas, Early Childhood Education or EE is a grade level for students between the ages of zero and five years who have not been placed in prekindergarten or kindergarten. This includes students receiving special education services and students in a Head Start program as well as students served by Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities teachers in a licensed childcare facility working in a collaborative partnership with a school district.

Economically Disadvantaged

An economically disadvantaged student is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or eligible for other public assistance, as defined in the Texas Education Agency's Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) Data Standards. Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch or other public assistance is reported for each student at the time of enrollment and is used as a proxy for economically disadvantaged status.

Education Service Center Region

Texas is divided into 20 geographic regions that are served by regional Education Service Centers (ESC). Education service center region denotes the region from which the school district receives educational services. This is not necessarily the service center assignment based upon geographic location, although in most cases they are the same.

Infrequently, a school district will change from one service region to another, usually because the service center is closer or more conveniently located to the school district. In this case, when multiple years of data are presented in a report, all of the school district's data will be presented as part of the region that currently serves the school district.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

ESL students receive specified periods of instruction aimed at the development of English language skills, with a primary focus to learn the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills TEKS for reading and language arts. The ESL Content-Based program serves students by providing a full time certified teacher to provide supplementary instruction for all content area instruction. The ESL Pull-Out program provides a certified teacher to provide English language arts instruction exclusively. For more information, see the TEA Curriculum Bilingual Education website at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/biling/.

English Language Learner (ELL)

A student whose native language is one other than English. This term is often used synonymously with Limited English Proficient (LEP). A student is classified as limited English proficient when a language other than English is used as the primary language in the home and the student's English language proficiency is determined to be limited by a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) or as indicated by a test of English proficiency.

Enrollment

The number of students enrolled in Early Childhood Education through Grade 12 in the Texas public school system as of the Fall Snapshot date (this is usually the last Friday in October) of each year. The student enrollment counts include any student served by a public school district including charter schools but does not include the Texas School for the Deaf, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, or the Texas Youth Commission schools.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity/race is one of the demographic characteristics reported for each student at the time of enrollment. These categories were reported for the last time in 2010. See Race/Ethnicity categories for 2011 forward The categories used in this report are described in the 2009-2010 PEIMS Data Standards as:

African American - A non-Hispanic person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.

Asian/Pacific Islander - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, Polynesian Islands, Micronesian Islands, Melanesian Islands, or Philippine Islands.

Hispanic - A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

Native American - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification through affiliation or community recognition.

White - A non-Hispanic person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.

Exemplary

Exemplary is the highest possible rating of the Texas Education Agency's accountability system. To achieve this rating, at least 90 percent of the tested students must pass each subject area and the district or campus must meet the standards for the Exemplary rating on the completion and dropout indicators. See Accountability Rating.

Exit Level Assessment

See TAKS Glossary

Full Time Equivalent (FTE)

Full Time Equivalent is the measure of the extent to which a person occupies a full-time position, or the portion of time spent in that role by part-time staff.

Gender

Gender refers to the categories of males and females being reported for each student at the time of enrollment.

General Educational Development (GED)

General Educational Development (GED) tests measure the outcome of a high school education. The GED consists of five tests, one in each of these subjects: Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Writing Skills, and Interpreting Literature and the Arts. Eligible candidates may have an opportunity to earn high school equivalency credentials (GED certificate) based on successful completion of the GED tests.

General Fund

The general fund is a governmental fund to account for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in another fund.

Geographic Region

Texas is divided into 20 geographic regions that are served by regional Education Service Centers (ESC).

Gifted / Talented (GT) Education

All school districts are mandated by the Texas Legislature to formally identify and serve gifted students in compliance with the requirements of the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students at all grade levels. A Gifted/Talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area; possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or who excels in a specific academic field.

Graduates

Graduates refers to the total number of graduates for a school year, including summer graduates, as reported by districts in the fall of the following school year. Students in special education who graduate are included in the totals. A student is classified as a graduate in the school year in which he or she is reported through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) as a graduate.

Graduation Plan

To receive a high school diploma, a student must complete the requirements of one of the graduation plans set forth in the Texas Administrative Code. Plans currently include the minimum high school program, the recommended high school program, and the advanced/distinguished program. These plans include testing requirements for graduation as specified by state law. Also see See Individualized Education Program.

High School Completion

See Completion.

Immigrant

Under Title III of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, the terms 'immigrant children and youth' are defined as individuals who are aged 3 through 21, were not born in any state, and have not been attending one or more schools in any one or more states for more than 3 full academic years.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

An Individualized Education Program is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and requires public schools to develop an IEP for every student with a disability who is found to meet the federal and state requirements for special education. A student receiving special education services, who successfully completes the requirements of his or her individualized education program, shall receive a high school diploma.

ISD/CSD

ISD/CSD refers to Independent School Districts (ISD) and Common School Districts (CSD).

Legislative Districts

The Texas Legislative Council provides a list of school districts within each legislative district. Some school districts may have campuses within multiple legislative districts. LONESTAR provides legislative district information for the State Board of Education (SBOE), Texas House of Representatives, Texas Senate, and U.S. Congressional (U.S. House of Representatives) districts.

Limited English Proficient (LEP)

Limited English Proficient or LEP refers to students who have limited English language skills. LEP is often used synonymously with English Language Learners (ELL). A student is classified as limited English proficient when a language other than English is used as the primary language in the home and the student's English language proficiency is determined to be limited by a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) or as indicated by a test of English proficiency. Students are classified as being Not LEP or LEP. Starting in 2009, school districts also report students who have exited the LEP program and are in the first or second year of monitoring as Student Exit LEP Monitored M1 or Student Exit LEP Monitored M2. These exited students are no longer classifed as LEP and are not eligible for funding. For more information, see the TEA Curriculum Bilingual Education website at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/biling/.

Longitudinal Completion Rate

See Completion.

Longitudinal Dropout Rate

A longitudinal dropout rate is the percentage of students from the same class who drop out before completing their high school education.

Masked Data

Data is hidden (or masked) when necessary to protect the confidentiality of student records. Data may be masked using categories such as "Other" or by displaying an asterisk (*) in place of data. Student anonymity may also be protected using the less than (<) symbol.

Membership

The total number of public school students who were reported in membership as of the October snapshot date (this is usually the last Friday in October) at any grade, from Early Childhood Education through Grade 12. Membership is a slightly different number from enrollment, because it does not include those students who are served in the district for fewer than 2 hours per day. For example, the count of Total Students excludes students who attend a nonpublic school but receive some services, such as speech therapy—for fewer than 2 hours per day—from their local public school district.

For Lonestar reports, membership does not include the Texas School for the Deaf, Texas School for the Blind or Visually Impaired, or the Texas Youth Commission schools.

Met AYP

Designates a district or campus that meets Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards on all indicators for which it is evaluated.

Met Commended for TAKS

See TAKS Glossary

Met Standard for TAKS

See TAKS Glossary

Migrant

A migrant student is one who is a migratory agricultural worker or whose parent, spouse, or guardian is a migratory agricultural worker and who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain temporary employment in agriculture or fishing, or to accompany a parent, spouse, or guardian to obtain such employment, has moved from one school district to another, or resides in a school district of more than 15,000 square miles, and migrates a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence in order to engage in a fishing activity.

Minimum Graduation Plan

The minimum high school graduation plan requires students entering grade 9 in 2007-2008 and thereafter, to successfully complete 22 credits including courses in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, technology applications, health education, and speech. To receive a diploma, students must pass the minimum course requirements for the plan and satisfy testing requirements.

Missed AYP

Designates a district or campus that does not meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards on one or more indicator components. The Missed AYP label may also be assigned to a district or campus in the rare situation where the accuracy and/or integrity of performance results have been compromised.

N/A

Not applicable. This can apply to AYP or accountability ratings for a district or school. In general, ratings are not applicable if the district or school was not open or active during the year. N/A may also display in High School Completion Rate reports if the district did not have students from a class enrolled during a school year. Annual Dropout Rate reports will display N/A if the district did not have students enrolled in a grade range during the school year or if the district did not report PEIMS data for a grade range during a specific year.

Not Evaluated AYP

Designates a district or campus that is not evaluated for Adequate Yearly Progress for a variety of reasons. State-administered school districts, new districts, and districts with no students enrolled in Grades 3-8 and 10 are not evaluated for AYP. Campuses are not evaluated if they are new, if they do not serve students in grades above kindergarten, do not have students in attendance for the full academic year, do not have students in grades tested, or if they close mid-year. Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) and Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) campuses are not evaluated.

Not Rated: Data

The Not Rated: Data Integrity Issues rating label is used in the rare situation where the accuracy and/or integrity of performance results are compromised and it is not possible to assign a rating label based on the evaluation of performance. This label may be assigned temporarily pending an on-site investigation or may be assigned as the final rating label for the year. See Accountability Rating.

Not Rated: Other

Used for districts and charters in the unlikely event that there is insufficient data to rate due to no TAKS results in the accountability subset. Schools are not rated if the campus has no students enrolled in grades higher than kindergarten, has insufficient data to rate due to no TAKS results in the accountability subset, or is a designated Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) or a designated Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP). See Accountability Rating.

Number in Class

A class consists of members of a group of students identified by the starting grade and anticipated year of graduation, less those who leave the Texas public school system for reasons other than graduating, receiving a GED, dropping out, or who cannot be tracked. The number in class includes a count of only students in the group to whom final statuses are assigned; final status categories are graduate, continuer, GED recipient, and dropout. Students who leave the Texas public school system for reasons other than graduating, receiving a GED, or dropping out or who cannot be tracked are removed from the count of students in the class.

When necessary, data are not reported to protect student anonymity. When the number of students represented by a final status is not reported, the class size is presented in intervals of 50 to provide an approximate or general idea of the number of students in the class while maintaining student anonymity. In a class of <150, for example, the number of students is between 100 and 149.

Number of Districts

The number of school districts displayed is based on the number of school districts reporting enrolled students as of the Fall Snapshot date (this is usually the last Friday in October) of each year. The Texas School for the Deaf, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Texas Youth Commission Schools are not included in this number.

Number of Schools

The number of schools displayed is based on the number of schools within the school district reporting enrolled students as of the Fall Snapshot date (this is usually the last Friday in October) of each year. The Texas School for the Deaf, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Texas Youth Commission schools are not included in this number.

Number of Students

The number of students enrolled as of the Fall Snapshot date. See Enrollment.

Open Enroll Charter Schl Dist

An open enrollment charter school district is a Texas public school operated by a charter holder under an open-enrollment charter granted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) pursuant to TEC, §12.101. Charter schools are subject to fewer state laws than other public schools with the idea of ensuring fiscal and academic accountability without undue regulation of instructional methods or pedagogical innovation. Like school districts, charter schools are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system.

Operating Expenditures – Program

Sum of all expenditures for the operation specifically identified with a major instructional program. These programs include Regular, Gifted and Talented, Career and Technology, Students with Disabilities, Accelerated Education, Bilingual, Non-disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (AEP Basic Services), Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP Basic Services), Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP State Compensatory Education Supplemental), Title I, Part A Schoolwide Activities Related to State Compensatory Education (SCE) and Other Costs on Campuses with 50% or More Educationally Disadvantaged, and Athletics and Related Activities. Operating expenses include payroll, professional and contracted services, and supplies and materials. Operating expenditures of programs are a subset of total expenditures and cannot be compared to total expenditures. See PEIMS Actual Financial Data Report criteria for additional information.

Operating Expenditures Per Student – Program

Total operating expenditures for programs divided by total students in membership per school year.

Prekindergarten (PK)

Prekindergarten or PK is available for children who are unable to speak and comprehend the English language, are educationally disadvantaged, are homeless, or are children of an active duty member of the U.S. armed forces.

Primary Plus First Retest (for TAKS)

See TAKS Glossary

Primary Test Administration (for TAKS)

See TAKS Glossary

Race/Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity is one of the demographic characteristics reported for each student at the time of enrollment. These categories were reported for the first time in 2011. See Ethnicity/Race categories for 2010 back. The categories used in this report for school year 2011 and beyond are described in the 2010 - 2011 PEIMS Data Standards as:

Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Hispanic/Latino - A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

American Indian or Alaska Native - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains a tribal affiliation or community attachment.

White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander (Native Hawaiian/Other Pac. Is.) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

Two or more races – A person having origins in any two, or more than two, racial categories, i.e. Black or African American and White.

Recognized

Recognized is the second highest possible rating of the Texas Education Agency's accountability system. Districts and campuses must have at least 75 percent of the students tested pass each subject or demonstrate sufficient Required Improvement. The district or campus must also meet the standards for the Recognized rating on the completion and dropout indicators. See Accountability Rating.

Recommended Graduation Plan

The recommended high school graduation plan requires students entering grade 9 in 2007-2008 and thereafter, to successfully complete 26 credits, including courses in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, a language other than English, physical education, health education, speech, technology applications, and fine arts in addition to meeting testing requirements.

Retest (for TAKS)

See TAKS Glossary

School District Type

Texas public school district types include Independent School Districts (ISD), Common School Districts (CSD), and Open Enrollment Charter School Districts. A charter school operator is treated like a school district for reporting purposes. The charter operator may administer instruction at one or more campuses.

School Type

In LONESTAR reports, counts of schools are provided by type. Schools are divided into types according to the range of grades offered. The types include elementary, middle, junior high, elementary/secondary, and high schools. For reporting purposes, middle schools and junior high schools may be grouped together as one category.

School Year or Scholastic Year

Each school district must, by state law, operate so that the district provides for at least 180 days of instruction for students during the school or scholastic year, generally from September to June.

Special Education

Special education is a program that serves students with disabilities. It offers instructional and related services for eligible students with cognitive, physical, and or emotional disabilities.

State Board of Education (SBOE)

The Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education or SBOE, an elected 15 member board, oversee the public education system of Texas in accordance with the Texas Education Code.

TAKS Glossary

See TAKS Glossary

TAKS Language Versions

See TAKS Glossary

Teacher FTE

The FTE count of personnel categorized as teachers, including special duty and permanent substitute teachers. See Full Time Equivalent.

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)

The primary statewide testing program implemented in 2003 designed to measure the extent to which a student in grades 3-11 has learned and is able to apply the defined knowledge and skills at each tested grade level. A student must meet the standard on the four Grade 11 exit level TAKS tests to receive a high school diploma from a Texas public high school.

Title I

A federal program authorized under ESEA, Title I, Part A of the Improving America's School Act. The program provides supplemental funding to state and local education agencies. The funding is for resources to help schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families provide a high-quality education that will enable all children to meet the state's student performance standards.

Total Expenditures

Total outlays of money for all functions and objects, excluding actual expenditures used for the following: tuition transfers for grades or services not offered; the cost of reducing property wealth; Shared Services Arrangement Funds (SSA) used for payments from fiscal agents to member districts for services provided; and the Tax Increment Fund. Expenditures include Teacher Retirement System benefits paid by the state of Texas on behalf of employees in the districts.

Total Expenditures Per Student

Total expenditures divided by total students in membership per school year.

Total Revenue

Sum of local, intermediate, state taxes and federal program revenues.

Total Revenue Per Student

Total Revenue divided by total students in membership per school year.

Total Students (Annual Dropout Rate)

Total number of students (used for annual dropout rate calculation) enrolled during the school year is a cumulative enrollment number based on attendance records. When the number of dropouts is not reported, the total number of students is presented in intervals of 15 to provide a general idea of the number of students in the group while maintaining student anonymity. In a group of < 150, for example, the number of students is between 135 and 149.

Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, 2011