NCLB SCHOOL PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT

The School Public Accountability Report contains several types of data (indicators) designed to inform parents and the general public about the progress of Florida's public schools. This report meets the public reporting requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and includes certain additional information of interest on the status of Florida's schools.

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

October Member

The following table provides information on the composition of the student population at the school, district, and state levels.

READINESS TO START SCHOOL

Florida requires that communities and schools collaborate to prepare children and families for children's success in school.

Kindergarten screening for school readiness

Kindergarten students were screened during the first 45 calendar days of the beginning of school using a developmental screening instrument: the Early Screening Inventory--Kindergarten (ESI-K). Percentages show the proportion of children scoring across the three results categories titled "Ready Now," "Getting Ready," and "Not Ready Yet."

"Ready Now" means that the development and abilities of the student were within the range of what is expected for children of this age level. "Getting Ready" indicates that the student did not attain expected levels of readiness but scored close enough to readiness that his or her placement could have been affected by external factors influencing performance on the day of screening. Some schools may have elected to re-administer the screening at a later date. "Not Ready Yet" means that age-appropriate development was not evidenced during the screening.

The following table shows results of the early screening inventory for kindergarten students.

GRADUATION RATE AND READINESS FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Florida high schools strive to ensure that students graduate and are prepared to enter the workforce and postsecondary education.

Graduation rate (with special diploma recipients counted as non-graduates)

The graduation rate shows the percentage of students who graduated within four years of initial entry into ninth grade. Graduates include students who received a standard high school diploma, or a State of Florida diploma (GED) earned through a GED Exit Option program.

High school dropout rate

Dropouts are students who leave school before graduation and do not enroll in another institution or educational program before the end of the school year. Percentages show by race and gender the proportion of students from the total 9-12 enrollment who dropped out of school.

Postsecondary readiness--graduates who passed college entry-level placement tests (reading, writing, and mathematics)

Shown in the tables are the reported numbers of 2001 (calendar year) graduates who enrolled in Florida public community colleges or universities between May 2001 and April 2002, who entered a degree program, and who took college preparatory placement tests. Also shown are the number and percentage of students who passed these placement tests and who are considered ready for college courses in each academic area. Students who did not attend a Florida public community college or state university, such as those who attended out-of-state or private colleges and universities, are not included.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Florida's students are expected to compete at the highest levels nationally and internationally and become prepared to make well-reasoned, thoughtful, and healthy lifelong decisions.

Standardized Tests

Although test scores should not be used to draw absolute conclusions about student learning and performance, they provide measured results of student progress toward educational goals. The tests administered to Florida students are described below.

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)

The FCAT measures student performance in writing, reading, and mathematics. The FCAT has two main parts: one part consisting of tests that measure skills prescribed by the Sunshine State Standards, and the other part consisting of norm-referenced tests that rank student performance on a percentile basis.

Alternate Assessments for Students with Disabilities

An alternate assessment for students with disabilities is a performance-based assessment designed to evaluate the progress of students with disabilities on the Sunshine State Standards for Special Diploma measures. Alternate assessments are used with students who are functioning at a cognitive level such that they would not be expected to participate in FCAT, would not be expected to graduate from school with a standard diploma, and for whom the traditional state and district assessment program is not an appropriate measure of performance. Alternate assessments for students with disabilities are given for writing/communication, reading, and math.

Alternate Assessments for Students who are Limited English Proficient

Students who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) and who have been in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program for less than one year may be individually exempted from the FCAT. In these limited circumstances, locally developed alternate assessments are used to evaluate the academic performance of the student. Alternate assessments for LEP students are given for writing, reading, and math.

I . FCAT Sunshine State Standards Tests

The FCAT Sunshine State Standards (SSS) tests measure student performance on selected benchmarks defined by the Sunshine State Standards. Students who take an alternate assessment have their results reported in categorical classifications that include the designation of "Proficient," so that their performance is counted with those of other students.

Note: Assessment results on the following tables reflect FCAT Sunshine State Standards data combined with alternate assessment data. Results show proficiency attainment for students who were in attendance during both semesters of the school year.

Writing Assessment

For this assessment, students are given 45 minutes to read their assigned topic, plan what to write, and then write their responses. Scores range from 1.0 (lowest) to 6.0 (highest). Alternate assessments have been merged with the FCAT scores for reporting purposes.

*Indicates subgroups not included as separate sub-populations in the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculation.

Note: An "N" indicates that no test results were reported.

Reading and Mathematics Assessments

On the FCAT SSS reading and mathematics tests, students can attain one of five possible achievement levels, ranging from Level 1 (lowest) to Level 5 (highest).

Student Achievement Level Descriptions

Level 5: Performance at this level indicates that the student has success with the most challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards. A Level 5 student answers most of the test questions correctly, including the most challenging questions.
Level 4: Performance at this level indicates that the student has success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards. A Level 4 student answers most of the test questions correctly, but may only have some success with questions that reflect the most challenging content.
Level 3: Performance at this level indicates that the student has partial success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards, but performance is inconsistent. A Level 3 student answers many of the test questions correctly, but is generally less successful with questions that are most challenging.
Level 2: Performance at this level indicates that the student has limited success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards.
Level 1: Performance at this level indicates that the student has little success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards.

Results of alternate assessments have been merged with the FCAT scores for reporting purposes.

* Indicates subgroups not included as separate sub-populations in the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculation.

Note: An "N" indicates that no test results were reported.

* Indicates subgroups not included as separate sub-populations in the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculation.

Note: An "N" indicates that no test results were reported.

Assessment Results by Grade: Percent Scoring at Level 3 or Above
(FCAT Sunshine State Standards and Alternate Assessments)*

Note: An "N" indicates that no test results were reported.

II. FCAT Norm-Referenced Test (NRT)

The FCAT NRT measures student achievement on a test that was given to a national sample of students. Percentile scores on a norm-referenced test show a student's performance in relation to the performance of students in the national sample. For example, a score in the 60th percentile means the student has scored higher than 60% of the students in the national sample.

NRT Reading, Mathematics

The median national percentile rank (NPR) represents the middle percentile score of the students for whom results are presented. A median NPR of 50 equals the national average.

NRT Results

*A pound sign(#) in a cell indicates suppressed data where fewer than 10 students were tested.

SCHOOL SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

Schools and communities must provide an environment that is drug free and protects the health, safety, and civil rights of everyone in the school.

School environmental safety: reported incidents*

The information displayed in the table should be used to assess school safety needs and to develop plans for improvement.

*THIS DATA WILL BE REPORTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR 2002-03.

Number of Incidents Reported

School evaluation for "Unsafe School Choice Option" Requirements

The No Child Left Behind Act provides for an Unsafe School Choice Option, which ensures that students who attend a school that has been identified as persistently dangerous are allowed the option of attending another school within the same district.

For the 2002-03 school year, no Florida public school was identified as persistently dangerous.

TEACHERS AND STAFF

Schools, districts, and the state ensure that teachers and staff are professionally qualified. School boards must provide a learning environment conducive to teaching and learning.

New staff

The table shows the number and percentage of instructional staff and school-based administrators who were newly hired at this school in 2002-03.

The Professional Qualifications of Teachers

Degree Level

This table shows the number and percentage of teachers at each degree level.

In-Field and Out-of-Field Teachers

The following chart shows the percentage of core academic classes taught by teachers teaching in-field compared to the percentage of classes taught by teachers teaching out-of-field. When a teacher in a district school system is assigned teaching duties in a class dealing with subject matter that is outside the field in which the teacher is certified, outside the field that was the applicant's minor field of study, or outside the field in which the applicant has demonstrated sufficient subject area expertise, as determined by district school board policy in the subject area to be taught, that teacher is teaching "out-of-field." Core academic subjects are English, reading, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics, government, economics, arts, history, and geography.

Classes Not Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers

The chart below shows the percentage of classes not taught by "Highly Qualified Teachers" in core academic subjects as defined in federal statute. A "highly qualified teacher" has earned at least a bachelor's degree and holds a Florida teaching certificate with appropriate certification for each assignment. Federal law requires that all public elementary, middle, and secondary teachers of core academic subjects meet the federal definition of "highly qualified" no later than the 2005-06 school year. Core academic subjects are English, reading, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics, government, economics, arts, history, and geography.

*High poverty schools are schools ranking in the top 25% of schools based on the percentage of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch. Low poverty schools rank in bottom quartile of schools based on free/reduced-price lunch enrollment. That is, low poverty schools have the lowest enrollment in free/reduced-price lunch as a percentage of total membership.

FLORIDA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE GRADE AND ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS (AYP)

School Performance Grade

Public schools in Florida are graded annually based on student performance on the FCAT and the percentage of students making learning gains. Schools are assigned a letter grade (A through F) corresponding with their rated performance, with grade A representing the highest performance rating and grade F representing a failed rating. A rating of "I" indicates that grading is incomplete. A grade of N indicates that the school is not graded. While the vast majority of Florida's schools receive a performance grade, certain types of schools are exempt from grading, including exceptional student education (ESE) centers and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities.

2002-03 School Performance Grade:

For more information on school grades and grading procedures, contact your principal's office or your local school board, or visit the web page at schoolgrades.fldoe.org.

NCLB Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report

Federal NCLB legislation requires schools to report Adequate Yearly Progress based on annual objectives for students in reading, mathematics, and writing, as well as the high school graduation rate. A separate report that presents and explains AYP results for your school, your school district, and the state is distributed in conjunction with this document and is also available from the office of your school's principal and/or your local school board. The AYP report includes information on the number and percentage of schools identified for school improvement and how parents can participate in improving the quality of their children's schools.

REQUIRED LOCALLY ADDED INDICATORS

The following information shall be added locally to the School Public Accountability Report:

• number and percent of teachers, administrators, and staff who received satisfactory annual evaluations;
• number and percent of School Advisory Council members by membership type and by racial/ethnic category;
• summary of school lottery budget;
• results of a locally administered school learning environment survey;
• summary of school improvement plan results.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL NCLB LEGISLATION

School districts are responsible for identifying Title I schools that fail to make AYP in consecutive years as schools in need of improvement. School districts must notify parents when their child's school has been identified for school improvement, for corrective action, or for restructuring. The school district must also include an explanation of the parents' option to transfer their child to another public school, with transportation provided when required, or to obtain supplemental educational services. Sec. 1116(b)(6).

School improvement status is indicated by the school performance grade included herein and AYP status.

The Department of Education shall ensure that each school district collects appropriate data and includes in each school's annual report the information included in the state annual report card as well as the number and percentage of schools identified for school improvement and how long the schools have been so identified. Sec. 1111(h)(2)(B).

Parents of students attending a school in a district identified for improvement are entitled to know why the school district was identified for improvement. The state is responsible for providing an explanation to parents in an easily understood format. The explanation must include information on how parents can assist in the improvement efforts. Sec. 1116(c)(6).

Additional required information is included in the accompanying Adequate Yearly Progress Report.

Additional statistics and information of interest may be found in the Florida School Indicators Report on the department's website at www.fldoe.org or at http://info.doe.state.fl.us/fsir .