2004-05 Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (Amaos)

Attachment A 2004-05 Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) Related to English Language Proficiency

In spring 2005, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) accountability measures called annual measurable achievement objectives (AMAOs) will be implemented to evaluate the services that local education agencies (LEAs) and the state provide to limited English proficient (LEP) students.

This attachment describes the annual measurable achievement objectives and performance targets that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will implement.

Background

NCLB requires Title III-funded LEAs and the state to meet annual performance targets for three AMAOs, the first two of which relate specifically to English language proficiency. . AMAO 1 measures the percent of LEP students who make progress in learning English in – o Kindergarten through Grade 2 o Grades 3 through 12 . AMAO 2 measures the percent of LEP students who attain English language proficiency in – o Kindergarten through Grade 2 o Grades 3 through 12 . AMAO 3 measures the adequate yearly progress of LEP students as described in section 1111(b)(2)(B) of NCLB. The performance targets for AMAO 3 are the AYP targets already in place.

Under NCLB, each state’s English language proficiency tests must assess K–12 LEP students in the language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) will be used to fulfill this testing requirement. Beginning in spring 2005, TELPAS will consist of the Reading Proficiency Tests in English (RPTE) and the Texas Observation Protocols (TOP). In each language domain, a student will receive one of four proficiency ratings—Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, or Advanced High.

Grades K–2 Grades 3–12 Listeni TOP TOP ng Speaki TOP TOP ng Readin TOP RPTE g Writing TOP TOP

The TELPAS district and campus summary reports for 2003 and 2004 included only the English reading proficiency ratings of LEP students in Grades 3–12. The beginning,

1 intermediate, and advanced proficiency levels were assessed through RPTE. The advanced high proficiency level was determined from a passing score on the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) or, if applicable, the exit level Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Beginning in spring 2005, RPTE results will include all four reading proficiency ratings. In addition, TOP and RPTE results will be combined to generate TELPAS composite ratings, which will be the basis for AMAO progress and attainment calculations. TAKS and TAAS will not be used in the TELPAS composite ratings.

2 Goals for Establishing the AMAOs

TEA has developed the annual measurable achievement objectives and performance targets in conjunction with educational measurement experts, second language acquisition consultants, an advisory group of Texas educators, and other Texas stakeholders. The development process also included a review of several other states’ AMAOs. The principles that guided the Texas AMAO development process were that the AMAOs should . be easy to understand and make sense to Texas practitioners and parents; . set rigorous, yet achievable annual performance targets; . take into account the length of time second language learners have been in U.S. schools; . lead naturally to a focus on improved instruction; . minimize unintended consequences related to identifying, serving, and exiting LEP students; and . be accurate indicators of the extent to which the state and districts are improving instructional services.

The 2004-05 performance targets were established using the TELPAS summary data from the past two school years. In establishing the performance targets, the goal has been to set lower starting points and gradually increase the rigor of the targets over time. Targets for the 2004- 05 school year are provided in this document. Annual performance targets through 2007-08 will be provided at a later time. The AMAO definitions and performance targets for the 2004-05 school year are found on the following two pages.

3 2004-05 AMAO Performance Targets and Definitions for Grades 3–12

AMAO 2: AMAO 1: Attainment by Either of the Following Progress Methods 40% 25% 40% Method 1 Method 2 Definition Definition Definition Percent of current Percent of current Percent of current and monitored LEP LEP students LEP students students demonstrating attainment progressing by at reaching Advanced based on time in U.S. least one proficiency High on TELPAS Time in U.S. level a year on Grade 3: 3 or more years TELPAS Grades 4–12: 4 or more years Attainment Current LEP: Advanced High on TELPAS Monitored LEP: Passing TAKS reading/ELA

PROGRESS, GRADES 3–12

The progress objective is to increase the percent of LEP students who make progress in learning English annually, as determined by progress of at least one proficiency level a year on TELPAS.

Students need to have two years of results to show progress from one proficiency level to the next.

The progress target for Grades 3–12 is 40%. At the state level, 55% of the LEP students made progress from the 2002-03 school year to the 2003-04 school year, based on the TELPAS assessments in place at the time.

ATTAINMENT, GRADES 3–12

The attainment objective for Grades 3–12 is to increase the percent of LEP students who meet the attainment goal for English language proficiency annually, as determined by a TELPAS rating of Advanced High.

There are two methods for meeting the attainment AMAO. The first method evaluates the percent of current LEP students who reach Advanced High on TELPAS. This method does not consider how long the students have been in U.S. schools. The second method takes time in U.S. variables into account, which addresses the effect that varying influxes of immigrants may have within and across districts. Districts that do not meet the target under Method 1 but do meet it under Method 2 will meet this AMAO.

4 Method 1: The attainment target for Method 1 is 25%. In the past two school years, the state percent of LEP students demonstrating attainment with an Advanced High TELPAS reading rating has been approximately 35%.

Method 2: The attainment target for Method 2 is 40%. The state percent of students demonstrating attainment under this method was approximately 50%.

5 2004-05 AMAO Performance Targets and Definitions for Kindergarten–Grade 2

AMAO 1: AMAO 2: Progress Attainment n/a 1.5% Definition Definition Percent of current LEP students Percent of current LEP students reaching progressing by at least one proficiency Advanced High on TELPAS level a year on TELPAS

PROGRESS, K–2

As with Grades 3–12, the progress objective is to increase the percent of LEP students in K–2 who make progress in learning English annually, as determined by progress of at least one proficiency level a year on TELPAS.

In 2004-05, progress for K–2 will not be measured because two years of test results are required to show progress from one proficiency level to the next.

ATTAINMENT, K–2

As with Grades 3–12, the attainment objective is to increase the percent of LEP students in K– 2 who meet the attainment goal for English language proficiency annually, as determined by a TELPAS rating of Advanced High.

There is not yet a state assessment of English language proficiency to use for setting K–2 attainment targets. However, the bilingual/ESL program exit rate is estimated to be no higher than 6% for the K–2 student group based on PEIMS data. The 2004-05 target of 1.5% was established in keeping with the approach used with all of the AMAOs, which is to set lower starting targets and increase the rigor of the targets over time.

It is important to note that reaching Advanced High on TELPAS is not a state criterion for program exit. The program exit criteria, which are delineated in Chapter 89 of the Texas Administrative Code, have not changed.