##### **State of Georgia**

**Consolidated State Application**

**Accountability Workbook**

**Revised June 13, 2008**

**for State Grants under Title IX, Part C, Section 9302 of the
Elementary and**

> **Secondary Education Act (Public Law 107-110)**

![](media/image1.png)

### 

**U. S. Department of Education**

**Office of Elementary and Secondary Education**

**Washington, D.C. 20202**

> **Georgia 2008 AYP Amendments Approved by the U.S. Department of
> Education**
>
> 1\) For the 2007-2008 school year, Georgia will be able to again take
> advantage of the interim federal flexibility for the Students with
> Disabilities (SWD) subgroup so that schools and systems that fail to
> make AYP based solely on the performance of their SWD subgroup, will
> receive a "mathematical adjustment (a proxy percent)" to their AMOs.
>
> 2\) As the state did in 2006 and 2007, Georgia will equate the Quality
> Core Curriculum (QCC) to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)
> assessment results in grades and subjects where appropriate, using an
> Equipercentile based statistical adjustment for multi-year averaging,
> safe harbor, and second indicator calculations.
>
> 3\) Georgia has been approved to reset the AMOs for math in grades 3-8
> beginning in 2008 (see element 3.2b, page 24).

![](media/image2.png){width="5.748611111111111in"
height="4.095833333333333in"}

**4)** Like Tennessee, Georgia will use the event dropout rate in place
of graduation rate as the second indicator for those alternative high
schools that do not offer a high school diploma (see Element 1.1, page
8)[.]{.underline}

**5)** Georgia will annually incorporate retest scores from state
assessments into AYP determinations and students' best scores will be
used for final AYP determinations The use of retests will not delay
Georgia's AYP determinations (see element 1.2, page 9).

##### ![](media/image4.jpeg){width="2.448611111111111in" height="2.0416666666666665in"}

##### **State of Georgia**

##### **Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook**

##### 

##### **Introduction to the 2007-08 Edition**

##### 

The following workbook presents Georgia's plan for defining adequate
yearly progress (AYP) as required by the No Child Left Behind Act of
2001 (NCLB) for the 2007-08 school year. Georgia is strongly committed
to the goals of NCLB, which reinforce Georgia's state accountability
system and can help improve education for all of Georgia's students.

Georgia makes annual AYP determinations for all public schools and
districts in the State, as required by federal law. In submitting this
revised AYP workbook for 2007-08, Georgia seeks to build on lessons
learned from the last two years and take full advantage of new NCLB
flexibility to ensure the most valid and reliable AYP determinations.

For 2007-08, AYP will constitute the basis of Georgia's accountability
determinations. Current Georgia law requires that all schools (Title I
and Non-Title I) be held accountable based on either or both absolute
student achievement and progress on improved student achievement on
State assessments. In 2004, the Governor's Office of Student Achievement
(GOSA) and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) worked with a
State Advisory Committee on Accountability and Consequences (including
education stakeholders from across the State) to develop a single
statewide accountability system for Georgia, which was implemented in
the fall of 2005 (see Appendix D).

Finally, Georgia\'s AYP workbook has been approved by the Georgia State
Board of Education at various stages of its development.  To the extent
that any representations that follow regarding Georgia policy require
further board action (or State legislative action), such action will be
pursued in the near term consistent with those representations.

#  

# PART I: Summary of Required Elements for State Accountability Systems 

# Instructions 

# 

# The following chart is an overview of States\' implementation of the critical elements required for approval of their State accountability systems. States must provide detailed implementation information for each of these elements in Part II of this Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook. 

# 

# For each of the elements listed in the following chart, States should indicate the current implementation status in their State using the following legend:

# 

# F: State has a final policy, approved by all the required entities in the State (e.g., State Board of Education, State Legislature), for implementing this element in its accountability system. 

# 

# P: State has a proposed policy for implementing this element in its accountability system, but must still receive approval by required entities in the State (e.g., State Board of Education, State Legislature). 

# 

# W: State is still working on formulating a policy to implement this element in its accountability system. 

#  

# Summary of Implementation Status for Required Elements of

# State Accountability Systems

+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| * |    | **State Accountability System Element**                      |
| * |    |                                                              |
| S |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| * |    |                                                              |
| * |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| * |    |                                                              |
| * |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| 1 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| S |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| h |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
| * |    |                                                              |
| * |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 1  | Accountability system includes *all schools and districts in |
|   | .1 | the state*.                                                  |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 1  | Accountability system holds *all schools to the same         |
|   | .2 | criteria*.                                                   |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 1  | Accountability system incorporates the *academic achievement |
|   | .3 | standards*.                                                  |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 1  | Accountability system provides *information in a timely      |
|   | .4 | manner*.                                                     |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 1  | Accountability system includes *report cards*.               |
|   | .5 |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 1  | Accountability system includes *rewards and sanctions*.      |
|   | .6 |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 2 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| S |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 2  | The accountability system includes *all students.*           |
|   | .1 |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 2  | The accountability system has a consistent definition of     |
|   | .2 | *full academic year*.                                        |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 2  | The accountability system properly includes *mobile          |
|   | .3 | students*.                                                   |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 3 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| M |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| h |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| f |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| Y |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| D |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| m |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 3  | Accountability system expects *all student subgroups, public |
|   | .1 | schools, and LEAs to reach proficiency by 2013-14*.          |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 3  | Accountability system has a method for determining whether   |
|   | .2 | *student subgroups, public schools, and LEAs made adequate   |
|   |    | yearly progress.*                                            |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 3. | Accountability system establishes a *starting point*.        |
|   | 2a |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 3. | Accountability system establishes *statewide annual          |
|   | 2b | measurable objectives*.                                      |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 3. | Accountability system establishes *intermediate goals*.      |
|   | 2c |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 4 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| D |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 4  | The accountability system *determines annually the progress* |
|   | .1 | of schools and districts.                                    |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+

**STATUS Legend:**

**F** -- Final state policy

**P** -- Proposed policy, awaiting State approval

**W** -- Working to formulate policy

+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 5 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| S |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| b |    |                                                              |
| g |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| b |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| y |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 5  | The accountability system *includes all the required student |
|   | .1 | subgroups*.                                                  |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 5  | The accountability system holds *schools and LEAs            |
|   | .2 | accountable for the progress of* *student subgroups*.        |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 5  | The accountability system includes *students with            |
|   | .3 | disabilities*.                                               |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 5  | The accountability system includes *limited English          |
|   | .4 | proficient students.*                                        |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 5  | The State has determined the minimum number of students      |
|   | .5 | sufficient to yield statistically reliable information for   |
|   |    | each purpose for which disaggregated data are used.          |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 5  | The State has strategies to protect the privacy of           |
|   | .6 | individual students in reporting achievement results and in  |
|   |    | determining whether schools and LEAs are making adequate     |
|   |    | yearly progress on the basis of disaggregated subgroups.     |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 6 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| B |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| m |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| m |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 6  | Accountability system is based *primarily on academic        |
|   | .1 | assessments*.                                                |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 7 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| I |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 7  | Accountability system includes *graduation rate for high     |
|   | .1 | school*s.                                                    |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 7  | Accountability system includes an *additional academic       |
|   | .2 | indicator for elementary and middle school*s.                |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 7  | Additional indicators are valid and reliable.                |
|   | .3 |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 8 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| S |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| D |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| f |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| R |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| g |    |                                                              |
| / |    |                                                              |
| L |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| g |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| g |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| A |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| M |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| h |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| m |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 8  | Accountability system holds students, schools and districts  |
|   | .1 | separately accountable for *reading/language arts* and       |
|   |    | *mathematics*.                                               |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 9 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| S |    |                                                              |
| y |    |                                                              |
| s |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| m |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| V |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| y |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| R |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| b |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| y |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 9  | Accountability system produces *reliable decisions*.         |
|   | .1 |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 9  | Accountability system produces *valid decisions*.            |
|   | .2 |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 9  | State has a plan for addressing *changes in assessment and   |
|   | .3 | student population*.                                         |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| # |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| [ |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| 1 |    |                                                              |
| 0 |    |                                                              |
| : |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| P |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| c |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| p |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| o |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
|   |    |                                                              |
| R |    |                                                              |
| a |    |                                                              |
| t |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| ] |    |                                                              |
| { |    |                                                              |
| . |    |                                                              |
| u |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| d |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| r |    |                                                              |
| l |    |                                                              |
| i |    |                                                              |
| n |    |                                                              |
| e |    |                                                              |
| } |    |                                                              |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 10 | Accountability system has a means for calculating the *rate  |
|   | .1 | of participation* in the statewide assessment.               |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| F | 10 | Accountability system has a means for *applying the 95%      |
|   | .2 | assessment criteria to student subgroups* *and small         |
|   |    | schools.*                                                    |
+---+----+--------------------------------------------------------------+

**STATUS Legend:**

F -- Final policy

P -- Proposed Policy, awaiting State approval

W-- Working to formulate policy

**PART II: State Response and Activities for Meeting State
Accountability System Requirements**

Instructions

In Part II of this Workbook, States are to provide detailed information
for each of the critical elements required for State accountability
systems. States should answer the questions asked about each of the
critical elements in the State\'s accountability system. States that do
not have final approval for any of these elements or that have not
finalized a decision on these elements by January 31, 2003, should, when
completing this section of the Workbook, indicate the status of each
element that is not yet official State policy and provide the
anticipated date by which the proposed policy will become effective. In
each of these cases, States must include a timeline of steps to complete
to ensure that such elements are in place by May 1, 2003, and
implemented during the 2002-2003 school year. By no later than May 1,
2003, States must submit to the Department final information for all
sections of the Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook.

***For 2007-08, revisions to state AYP Workbooks had to be submitted to
the Department by February 15, 2008.***

-   Georgia workbook amendments were submitted to the U.S. Department of
    Education on February 14, 2007.

PRINCIPLE 1. A single statewide Accountability System applied to all
public schools and LEAs.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  How does the State Accountability System include every public     |
|     school and LEA in the State?                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) includes every
public school and local education agency (LEA) in the State, including
both Title I and non-Title I schools and LEAs.[^1] All public schools
and LEAs are included in the SSAS as follows:

-   All public schools (including public charter schools) and LEAs are
    required to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in accordance with
    Federal requirements.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Georgia prepares and distributes to each LEA a report card for each
    public school in the State based on the most current data
    disaggregated by student subgroups.[^2]

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Georgia law includes an audit system for reporting findings and
    making recommendations regarding the performance of all public
    schools and LEAs, an awards system for recognizing progress and
    achievement in schools and LEAs, and an intervention system for
    recommending appropriate levels of increasingly severe interventions
    for schools and LEAs based on student achievement (see Appendix C &
    D -- Rules and Guidance).[^3]

Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System includes schools
serving special populations, including alternative schools, Department
of Juvenile Justice institutions, and State schools for the blind and
deaf.

Students in programs and GNET psychoeducational centers will either have
their test scores counted back to their home school or their home system
for AYP purposes. AYP for K-2 schools will be based on State assessment
results for grades 1-2. AYP for Georgia's few K-only schools will be
based on attendance and other relevant data. [^4] [Beginning in 2008,
those Georgia alternative high schools that have high school grades but
do not offer high school diplomas will be allowed to use the event
dropout rate in place of graduation rate as their second
indicator.]{.underline}

Georgia will hold accountable small schools (10-39 FAY students enrolled
in the "All Students" group) in a fair and reliable manner. In examining
the options of how to address extremely small schools, Georgia has two
objectives: (1) include all schools in the accountability system and (2)
make judgments about schools in the fairest and most reliable manner.
For small schools (defined as 10-39 FAY students enrolled in the "All
Students" group) for grades 3-8 or grade 11 configurations, Georgia will
apply a confidence interval[^5] to determine AYP. 

[For AMOs and Second Indicators, subgroup size is]{.underline} N = 40
students or 10% of students enrolled in AYP grades, whichever is greater
(with a 75 student cap), including the "All Students" subgroup. T[he
subgroup size for Participation Rate is]{.underline} always N = 40 or
more students enrolled in AYP grades.

For subgroups not meeting Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs), Georgia
will apply the confidence interval, multi-year averaging, and safe
harbor.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  How are all public schools and LEAs held to the same criteria     |
|     when making an AYP determination?                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia's State Accountability System holds all public schools and LEAs,
both Title I and non-Title I, accountable for AYP based on the same
criteria.

-   Under Georgia law, and consistent with NCLB's AYP requirements,
    schools and LEAs are held accountable based primarily on State
    assessments, including Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency
    Tests (CRCT) in Reading, English Language Arts, and Math; Georgia's
    Enhanced High School Graduation Tests (E-GHSGT) in English/Language
    Arts and Math; and the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) (where
    appropriate).

-   Assessment results for the CRCT in grades 3-8 and the E-GHSGT in
    grade 11, and the GAA as appropriate will be used for AYP purposes
    in the subject areas listed above.

For 2007-08, AYP will constitute the basis of Georgia's accountability
determinations. Georgia merged Federal AYP requirements and current
State law on accountability into Georgia's Single Statewide
Accountability System (SSAS) in 2004. Governor's Office of Student
Achievement (GOSA) and the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) with
State Advisory Committees (including education stakeholders from across
the State) finalized Georgia's SSAS in the fall of 2005. (see Appendix C
& D -- State Board of Education Rules and Guidance).

[Beginning in 2008-2009, Georgia will annually incorporate retest scores
from state assessments into AYP determinations and students' best scores
will be used for final AYP determinations The use of retests will not
delay Georgia's AYP determinations.]{.underline}

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2.  Does the State have, at a minimum, a definition of *basic*,       |
|     *proficient* and *advanced* student achievement levels in         |
|     reading/language arts and mathematics?                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

All students, including students with disabilities, are included in
Georgia's State Accountability System and its definition of AYP.[^6]
Georgia has established definitions of *basic*, *proficient,* and
*advanced* student achievement levels in reading/language arts and in
mathematics for grades 1-8 and 11.

-   For grades 1-8, Georgia has defined three levels of achievement on
    the State's Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), which
    measure achievement in reading, language arts, mathematics, science,
    and social studies, as follows:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) Aligned Assessments

    -   Level 1: Scores below 300 indicate "***Does Not Meet
        Standard,***" which represents the *Basic* student achievement
        level.

    -   Level 2: Scores from 300-349 indicate "***Meets Standard,***"
        which represents the *Proficient* student achievement level.

    -   Level 3: Scores from 350-450 indicate "***Exceeds Standard,***"
        which represents the *Advanced* student achievement level.

-   Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) Aligned Assessments

    -   Level 1: Scores below 800 indicate "***Does Not Meet
        Standard,***" which represents the *Basic* student achievement
        level.

    -   Level 2: Scores from 800-849 indicate "***Meets Standard,***"
        which represents the *Proficient* student achievement level.

    -   Level 3: Scores from 850-950 indicate "***Exceeds Standard,***"
        which represents the *Advanced* student achievement level.

[]{.mark}

-   For grade 11, Georgia will use the Enhanced Georgia High School
    Graduation Tests (E-GHSGT), which has three levels of achievement
    corresponding with Basic, Proficient, and Advanced levels. [^7]

-   Students with disabilities are included in State assessments with
    appropriate accommodations, as determined by each student's
    Individualized Education Program (IEP) team.

-   The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) is administered to the small
    number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
    whose IEP teams determine (based on State criteria) that they should
    participate in the State assessment system based on alternate
    achievement standards in accordance with the US ED regulations.
    Georgia requires annual reporting on use of the GAA and monitors
    those data to ensure that the GAA is not used to an inappropriate
    degree. Per US ED regulations, Georgia will allow scores of
    proficient or above on the GAA to count when making AYP
    determinations, with a cap of 1 percent of student enrollment in
    grades tested at the LEA and State levels. (The State will consider
    local waivers to the 1 percent cap on a case-by-case basis.)

-   The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) measures annual student
    achievement in five domains. The levels of achievement on this
    assessment operate as follows:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   A rating of Initial, Emerging, is given when a student has achieved
    less than 50 percent of the stated criterion for a given domain;

-   A rating of Progressing is given when a student has achieved between
    50 and 99 percent of the stated criteria in a given domain; and

-   A rating of Functional is given when a student has achieved 100
    percent of the stated criteria in a given domain.

> A student receives five ratings, but the assessment was not designed
> for a summative determination of the student's performance level.
> Redevelopment of the GAA is underway in order to be more aligned with
> Georgia's new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards. In the
> interim before the new version is ready for implementation, the
> Georgia Department of Education and the Office of Student Achievement
> have devised a method for taking the five ratings and declaring a
> student's performance level (Basic, Proficient, or Advanced) that will
> be aligned with the regular assessments in reading/language arts and
> mathematics subject areas of the CRCT or the Enhanced GHSGT. These
> achievement levels have been established consistent with nationally
> recognized professional and technical standards to ensure validity.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 4.  How does the State provide accountability and adequate yearly     |
|     progress decisions and information in a timely manner?            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia is committed to providing AYP determinations and information to
schools and LEAs in a timely manner. Results from State assessments will
be analyzed and AYP determinations will be sent to each public school
and LEA before the beginning of the next school year.

-   The results of the Enhanced Georgia High School Graduation Tests
    (E-GHSGT), administered annually in March are scheduled to arrive in
    LEAs and the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) in May.[^8]

-   The results of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT),
    administered annually in April/May, will be returned to schools and
    LEAs two to four weeks after answer documents are received for
    scoring.[^9]

-   Each LEA and school will be informed of its AYP status to allow
    sufficient\` time to notify parents about public school choice or
    supplemental educational service options, time for parents to make
    an informed decision, and time to implement public school choice and
    supplemental educational services before the beginning of the next
    academic year.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 5.  Does the State Accountability System produce an annual State      |
|     Report Card?                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

The Georgia State Accountability System produces an annual State Report
Card, which includes all information required by NCLB.

Under Georgia law, the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA)
has produced a State Report Card since the 1999-2000 academic year.[^10]
The Report Card provides information regarding student achievement on
State assessments and other indicators for each school, district, and
the State, disaggregated by various subgroups. Each year additional
elements have been added to the Report Card.

GOSA receives its data from other education entities that are
responsible for data collecting. The data for K-12 schools is collected
by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). Adjustments to data
collections are being made as part of an overall plan for the
development of an individual student, longitudinal data system in
Georgia, which will promote more accurate and timely accounting of
student data. The data on teacher workforce and highly qualified
teachers is under the purview of the Georgia Professional Standards
Commission (GAPSC). Georgia continues to create stronger links between
teacher data files and student data files in order to provide more
accurate data on teacher qualifications in terms of courses taught and
students enrolled in those courses.

The State Report Card is distributed via the Internet using colorful,
easy to understand graphs. This format lends itself to be interpreted by
speakers whose primary language is other than English. In addition, the
GOSA website ([www.gaosa.org](http://www.gaosa.org/)) offers
user-friendly, printable versions of reports and links to the GaDOE
website ([www.doe.k12.ga.us](http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/)).

The following table details Georgia's progress in including the report
card elements required under NCLB (see Appendix A of NCLB AYP Workbook).

+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| **NCLB Required Element**    | **Georgia Response**                  |
+==============================+=======================================+
| Information, in the          | -   GOSA has produced a report card   |
| aggregate, on student        |     since 1999-2000. The State Report |
| achievement at each          |     Card currently includes test      |
| proficiency level on the     |     results on all state assessments  |
| state academic assessments   |     (not just those used in AYP       |
| (disaggregated by race,      |     determinations) disaggregated by  |
| ethnicity, gender,           |     racial/ethnic categories, gender, |
| disability status, migrant   |     disability, and limited English   |
| status, English proficiency, |     proficiency. Results              |
| and status as economically   |     disaggregated by migrant status   |
| disadvantaged, except that   |     and socioeconomic status were     |
| such disaggregation shall    |     added in the 2002-03 Report Card. |
| not be required in a case in |                                       |
| which the number of students | -   Subgroups with a minimum of 10    |
| in a category is             |     students are reported in the GOSA |
| insufficient to yield        |     Report Card.                      |
| statistically reliable       |                                       |
| information or the results   |                                       |
| would reveal personally      |                                       |
| identifiable information     |                                       |
| about an individual          |                                       |
| student).                    |                                       |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Information that provides a  | -   GOSA and GaDOE jointly published  |
| comparison between the       |     the annual AYP results on both    |
| actual achievement levels of |     the OSA and GDOE websites. These  |
| each student subgroup and    |     results are included in the       |
| the State's annual           |     annual State report card.         |
| measurable objectives for    |                                       |
| each such group of students  |                                       |
| on each of the academic      |                                       |
| assessments.                 |                                       |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| The percentage of students   | -   The AYP Reports include           |
| not tested (disaggregated by |     participation rates for subgroups |
| the student subgroups),      |     with 10 to 39 members, as well as |
| except that such             |     AYP participation rate            |
| disaggregation shall not be  |     determinations for groups with 40 |
| required in a case in which  |     or more students. The purpose in  |
| the number of students in a  |     reporting results for subgroups   |
| category is insufficient to  |     that don't meet the Participation |
| yield statistically reliable |     Rate minimum size is to allow     |
| information or the results   |     schools to see how these groups   |
| would reveal personally      |     are participating/performing so   |
| identifiable information     |     that the schools can be proactive |
| about an individual student. |     as the subgroups grow.            |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| The most recent 2-year trend | -   Student achievement is reported   |
| in student achievement in    |     on the basis of proficiency       |
| each subject area, and for   |     levels, with multiple-years for   |
| each grade level, for the    |     trend purposes, and in comparison |
| required assessments.        |     to district and State levels.     |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Aggregate information on any | -   AYP Reports detail the results    |
| other indicators used by the |     for a school's selected second    |
| state to determine the       |     indicator both in the aggregate   |
| adequate yearly progress of  |     and for each subgroup that meets  |
| students in achieving state  |     the minimum subgroup size of 40   |
| academic achievement         |     or 10% of students enrolled in    |
| standards disaggregated by   |     AYP grades, whichever is greater  |
| student subgroups.           |     (with a 75 student cap).          |
|                              |     Determinations are always made    |
|                              |     for the ALL STUDENT group and any |
|                              |     subgroup that uses Safe Harbor to |
|                              |     demonstrate AMO.                  |
|                              |                                       |
|                              | -   Graduation rates and attendance   |
|                              |     results were used in the 2002-03  |
|                              |     AYP process as the second         |
|                              |     indicators.                       |
|                              |                                       |
|                              | -   Currently, the AYP process allows |
|                              |     elementary and middle schools to  |
|                              |     choose from a menu of other       |
|                              |     indicators. The selected          |
|                              |     indicator(s) are reported in      |
|                              |     detail for each school, LEA, and  |
|                              |     the state.                        |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Graduation rates for         | -   AYP Reports and the GOSA Report   |
| secondary school students    |     Card detail the graduation rates  |
| disaggregated by student     |     for subgroups and display data in |
| subgroups.                   |     a multiyear format.               |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| Information on the           | -   AYP Reports for LEAs show the     |
| performance of local         |     same data aggregated and          |
| educational agencies in the  |     disaggregated for subgroups as is |
| State regarding making       |     shown in the school-level         |
| adequate yearly progress,    |     reports.                          |
| including the number and     |                                       |
| names of each school         | -   The GaDOE website includes an LEA |
| identified for school        |     list of the number of schools and |
| improvement under Section    |     LEAs not making AYP. The list     |
| 1116.                        |     includes the number of years not  |
|                              |     making AYP and the level of       |
|                              |     "needs improvement" and           |
|                              |     interventions.                    |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| The professional             | -   GAPSC is responsible for          |
| qualifications of teachers   |     collecting and producing an       |
| in the state, the percentage |     annual report on the teacher      |
| of such teachers teaching    |     workforce issues.                 |
| with emergency or            |                                       |
| provisional credentials, and | -   The GAPSC's annual *Status        |
| the percentage of classes in |     Report: The Georgia Educator      |
| the state not taught by      |     Workforce* includes data on       |
| highly-qualified teachers,   |     teachers teaching out-of-field at |
| in the aggregate and         |     the state level. This report is   |
| disaggregated by high        |     available on the web at:          |
| poverty compared to          |     http://www.gapsc.com/.            |
| low-poverty schools which    |                                       |
| (for this purpose) means     | -   The GOSA Report Card includes     |
| schools in the top quartile  |     teacher qualification data such   |
| of poverty and the bottom    |     as certificate level, years of    |
| quartile of poverty in the   |     teaching experience, and class    |
| state.                       |     ratio sizes for each school, LEA, |
|                              |     and the State.                    |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 6.  How does the State Accountability System include rewards and      |
|     sanctions for public schools and LEAs?                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia law requires that Georgia's State Accountability System (SSAS)
provide awards and interventions for all public schools based on either
or both absolute student achievement and progress on improved student
achievement on State assessments.

Georgia continues to implement the federal/state required consequences
for all schools and LEAs in the state (see Appendix C & D -- Rules and
Guidance).

PRINCIPLE 2. All students are included in the State Accountability
System.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  How does the State Accountability System include all students in  |
|     the State?                                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

All students in Georgia are included in the State's Single
Accountability System, based primarily on State assessments. [^11]

-   Georgia law requires that all students in grades 1-8 enrolled in
    Georgia's public schools be assessed with the Georgia Criterion
    Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), with or without standard or
    non-standard accommodations as appropriate, or the Georgia Alternate
    Assessment (GAA).

-   State law requires that a curriculum-based assessment be
    administered in grade 11 for graduation purposes. The
    English/Language Arts and Mathematics portions of the Enhanced
    Georgia High School Graduation Tests (E-GHSGT) will be used for AYP
    purposes.

-   Students with disabilities are included in State assessments with
    appropriate accommodations, as determined by each student's
    Individualized Education Program (IEP) team.

-   The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) is administered to the small
    number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
    whose IEP teams determine (based on State criteria) that they should
    participate in the State assessment system based on alternate
    achievement standards in accordance with the U.S. Department of
    Education (US ED) regulations. Georgia requires annual reporting on
    use of the GAA and monitors those data to ensure that the GAA is not
    used to an inappropriate degree. Per US ED regulations, Georgia will
    allow scores of proficient or above on the GAA to count when making
    AYP determinations, with a cap of 1 percent of student enrollment in
    the grades tested at the LEA and State levels. (The State will
    consider exceptions to the 1 percent cap for LEAs on a case-by-case
    basis, and the state will seek an exception from US ED if
    appropriate.)

-   Limited English Proficient (LEP)/English Language Learners (ELL)
    students[^12] are included in State assessments with appropriate
    accommodations, as determined by each student's ELL Testing
    Participation Committee. Per recent USED guidance, Georgia is not
    including in AYP determinations the test scores of LEP/ELL students
    who are enrolled in their first year in a U.S. school. Georgia will
    include the test scores of students who were LEP/ELL within the
    prior 2 years in AYP determinations for the LEP/ELL subgroup. Under
    Georgia State Board rule , all students, including LEP/ELLstudents,
    must participate in State assessments. ACCESS test participation
    will serve as a proxy participation for state assessments for First
    Year in US Students.

-   Students attending public schools that serve special populations
    will be included in the State Accountability System, including
    students in Department of Juvenile Justice institutions and State
    schools for the blind and deaf. Students in alternative schools and
    psychoeducational centers will have their test scores counted back
    to their home schools or their home systems for AYP purposes. Public
    charter schools will also be included in AYP determinations. AYP for
    K-2 and K-1 configured schools will be based on State assessment
    results for grades 1-2, and AYP for K-only and other non-standard
    schools (e.g., 9^th^ grade academies, 9^th^ / 10^th^ grade high
    schools) will be based on indicators such as attendance,
    End-of-Course Tests, and other relevant data.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  How does the State define "full academic year" for identifying    |
|     students in AYP decisions?                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia will define "full academic year" (FAY) for AYP purposes as
follows:

-   For school accountability purposes, "full academic year" will be
    defined as continuous enrollment in the same school from the Fall
    FTE count (which occurs on the first Tuesday in October each year)
    through state's Spring testing window (which occurs in March for the
    E-GHSGT and April/May for the CRCT).

-   For LEA accountability purposes, "full academic year" will be
    defined as continuous enrollment in the same LEA from the Fall FTE
    count through the state's Spring testing window.

-   For State accountability purposes, "full academic year" will be
    defined as continuous enrollment in the State of Georgia's public
    schools from the Fall FTE count through state's Spring testing
    window.

GaDOE has modified the Student Record collection to include data
elements that will allow improved tracking of the "continuous
enrollment" component of the FAY definition. The Fall FTE count, the
Student Record, and the test window dates will be used concurrently to
identify the pool of FAY students upon which a school's AYP
determination will be based.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **CRITICAL ELEMENT**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  How does the State Accountability System determine which students |
|     have attended the same public school and/or LEA for a full        |
|     academic year?                                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia uses information from October and March Full Time Equivalent
(FTE) files, the Student Record, and test records to determine which
students attended the same public school and/or LEA for the "full
academic year." The Student Record, a summative file of all students
enrolled for any duration in any public school in Georgia during the
academic year, is matched with test records in order to obtain student
demographic information for the purposes of disaggregating test results
on the basis of racial/ethnic categories, gender, disability, limited
English proficiency, migrant status, and socioeconomic status.
Withdrawal date will be used to determine if each student was
continuously enrolled at a particular school during the testing window.

Georgia is developing a new, individual student, longitudinal data
system based on unique student identifiers, which will allow for a more
accurate accounting of students throughout the State, including
determining each student's enrollment for the "full academic year."

Student Record information is available at
http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_infosys_data.aspx?PageReq=PEAISDStuRec

PRINCIPLE 3. State definition of AYP is based on expectations for growth
in student achievement that is continuous and substantial, such that all
students are proficient in reading/language arts and mathematics no
later than 2013-2014.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How does the State's definition of adequate yearly progress       |
|     require all students to be proficient in reading/language arts    |
|     and mathematics by the 2013-2014 academic year?                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia has established its endpoint for AYP such that all students
(100%) must achieve proficiency on State assessments in reading/language
arts and mathematics by the end of the 2013-14 school year.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 2.  How does the State Accountability System determine whether each   |
|     student subgroup, public school and LEA makes AYP?                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

To determine whether each school or LEA makes AYP, see Element 4.1 to
determine Georgia's AYP decision-making steps.

For a Georgia public school or LEA to make AYP, each subgroup must have
at least a 95% participation rate on State assessments. Each subgroup
must meet or exceed the State's annual measurable objectives regarding
the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced on State
assessments and the school or LEA must meet the State's requirement for
progress on the second indicator.

Georgia will apply the "safe harbor" method to those subgroups not
meeting the state's annual measurable objectives in mathematics and/or
reading/English language arts. Thus, in order for subgroups to meet the
"safe harbor" requirement, the percentage of students not meeting
proficient or advanced levels on state assessments must decrease by 10
percent or more from the preceding school year. In addition, any
subgroup using "safe harbor" must meet the second indicator requirement
(i.e., if in any particular year one or more subgroups does not meet the
annual measurable objective on State assessments, the subgroup, public
school, LEA, or the State may still make AYP if it meets "safe harbor"
requirements. In other words, AYP is met if the percentage of students
in that subgroup not scoring proficient decreases by 10% from the
preceding school year and the subgroup meets the State's requirement for
progress on second indicator.)

All schools will face school improvement consequences if they do not
meet AYP in the same subject for two consecutive years or more. The same
subject includes reading/language arts (either participation rate or
percent proficient), mathematics (either participation rate or percent
proficient) or the second indicator.

All LEAs will face consequences if they do not meet AYP in the same
subject or second indicator for two consecutive years or more at both
the elementary/middle school and the high school levels.

**2007-2008 Interim Federal Flexibility for Students with Disabilities
-- Third Year**

For those schools and LEAs not making AYP based solely on the
proficiency scores of the SWD subgroup, the state will apply the interim
federal flexibility for SWD proficiency scores (Appendix B).

**For AYP determinations in 2005-2006 and subsequent QCC/GPS transition
years**, Georgia will equate QCC to GPS assessment results in grades and
subjects where appropriate using an Equipercentile adjustment for
multi-year averaging, safe harbor, and second indicator calculations
(see Appendix E, page 97).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 3.2a What is the State's starting point for calculating Adequate      |
| Yearly Progress?                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

As required by the NCLB, Georgia's starting points were set at the
percentage of students scoring proficient or above on State assessments
in the public school at the 20^th^ percentile of the State's total
enrollment among all schools ranked by the percentage of students at the
proficient level. Georgia test data indicate that this level is greater
than the proficiency level of the lowest achieving group of students in
the State. Georgia established its starting points based on averaged
data on State assessments from 1999-2000, 2000-01, and 2001-02. The
purpose is to value progress made on State assessment scores over recent
years. Georgia set separate starting points for reading/English language
arts and for mathematics, and separate starting points by grade spans --
one set for elementary and middle schools and one set for high schools.
Georgia set the same starting points for all subgroups. Georgia's
starting points for elementary and middle schools and for high schools
are included in the chart below.[^13]

+-------------+------------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| *           | **Elementary and | **High School   | **Enhanced      |
| *Subjects** | Middle School    | GHSGT Starting  | GHGST Starting  |
|             | CRCT Starting    | Points (Grade   | Points**        |
|             | Points (Grades   | 11)**           |                 |
|             | 3-8)**           |                 |                 |
|             |                  | ***For 2002-03  |                 |
|             |                  | only.\****      |                 |
+-------------+------------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Readi       | 60               | 88              | 81.6%           |
| ng/Language |                  |                 |                 |
| Arts[^14]   |                  |                 |                 |
+-------------+------------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Mathematics | 50               | 81              | 62.3%           |
+-------------+------------------+-----------------+-----------------+

***\*The starting points (i.e., annual measurable objectives) for the
Enhanced Georgia High SchoolGraduation Tests were recalculated following
the March, 2004 administration.***

Finally, Georgia maintains its emphasis on the equal importance of the
Reading and English/ Language Arts portions of the CRCT. Data from these
two assessments are combined to form a single "Reading and
English/Language Arts" factor for AYP determinations. This combined
factor is defined as:

$$\text{RELA}\  = \ \frac{(R_{\text{Met}}\  + \ R_{\text{Exceeded}}\  + \ \text{ELA}_{\text{Met}}\  + \ \text{ELA}_{\text{Exceeded}})}{(R_{\text{Tests}\ \text{Taken}}\  + \ \text{ELA}_{\text{Tests}\ \text{Taken}})}\  \times \ \text{100}$$

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 2.  What are the State's annual measurable objectives for determining |
|     adequate yearly progress?                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia established annual measurable objectives (AMO) for the
percentage of students who must score proficient or above on State
assessments for schools and LEAs to make AYP.

As indicated on the charts below, the annual measurable objectives will
increase from the State starting points to 100% proficiency in 2013-14.
These objectives will rise in equal increments every three years
beginning 2004-05 until 2010-11. Thereafter, the objectives will rise
annually more dramatically than in previous years toward the goal of
100% in 2013-14.

This method of increasing the objectives gradually at first and more
dramatically in the last few years allows schools additional time to
work with those subgroups scoring significantly below proficiency levels
on State assessments. For example, statewide the students with
disabilities subgroup at the 4^th^ through 8^th^ grades scored far below
the State's starting points for both CRCT Math and CRCT Reading/English
Language Arts. Assessment data indicates that for many schools in
Georgia, the proficiency rates for LEP, students with disabilities, and
Hispanic subgroups are far below those of other subgroups.

Annual measurable objectives for high schools were revised following the
March 2004 administration of the Enhanced Georgia High School Graduation
Test (E-GHSGT).

Annual measurable objectives for math in grades 3-8 were revised
following the 2008 spring administration of the CRCT.

**Georgia's Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs)**

+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Reading/Language Arts**     | **Percent of Students\               |
|                               | Proficient or Advanced**             |
| **CRCT Grades 3-8**           |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2002-2003 Target              | 60.00                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2003-2004 Target              | 60.00                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2004-2005 Target              | 66.70                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2005-2006 Target              | 66.70                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2006-2007 Target              | 66.70                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2007-2008 Target              | 73.30                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2008-2009 Target              | 73.30                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2009-2010 Target              | 73.30                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2010-2011 Target              | 80.00                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2011-2012 Target              | 86.70                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2012-2013 Target              | 93.30                                |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2013-2014 Target              | 100.00                               |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **Math**                       | **Percent of Students\              |
|                                | Proficient or Advanced**            |
| **CRCT Grades 3-8**            |                                     |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| 2002-2003 Target               | 50.00                               |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| 2003-2004 Target               | 50.00                               |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| 2004-2005 Target               | 58.30                               |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| 2005-2006 Target               | 58.30                               |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| 2006-2007 Target               | 58.30                               |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2007-2008 Target**           | 59.50                               |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2008-2009 Target**           | **59.50**                           |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2009-2010 Target**           | **65.60**                           |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2010-2011 Target**           | **77.70**                           |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2011-2012 Target**           | **83.80**                           |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2012-2013 Target**           | **91.90**                           |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **2013-2014 Target**           | **100.00**                          |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

  ------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
  **English/Language Arts   **Percent of Students\
  GHSGT\* Grade 11**        Proficient or Advanced**

  2002-2003 Target          88.00

  2003-2004 Target          81.60

  2004-2005 Target          81.60

  2005-2006 Target          84.70

  2006-2007 Target          84.70

  2007-2008 Target          87.70

  2008-2009 Target          87.70

  2009-2010 Target          87.70

  2010-2011 Target          90.80

  2011-2012 Target          93.90

  2012-2013 Target          96.90

  2013-2014 Target          100.00
  ------------------------- ---------------------------------------------

+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| **Math**                     | **Percent of Students\                |
|                              | Proficient or Advanced**              |
| **GHSGT\* Grade 11**         |                                       |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2002-2003 Target             | 81.00                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2003-2004 Target             | 62.30\*                               |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2004-2005 Target             | 62.30                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2005-2006 Target             | 68.60                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2006-2007 Target             | 68.60                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2007-2008 Target             | 74.90                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2008-2009 Target             | 74.90                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2009-2010 Target             | 74.90                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2010-2011 Target             | 81.20                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2011-2012 Target             | 87.40                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2012-2013 Target             | 93.70                                 |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+
| 2013-2014 Target             | 100.00                                |
+------------------------------+---------------------------------------+

Following the March 2005 administration of the Enhanced Georgia High
School Graduation Test (E-GHSGT), Georgia reset its annual measurable
objectives for high schools, maintaining the current trajectory from the
revised "starting point" to 100% proficiency by 2013-14.

Following the spring 2008 administration of the new GPS Math CRCT,
Georgia reset its grades 3-8 math AMOs and trajectory to 100%
proficiency by 2013-2014.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 3.2c What are the State's intermediate goals for determining adequate |
| yearly progress?                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia has established intermediate goals for the percentage of
students who must score proficient or above on State assessments for
schools and LEAs to make AYP. The intermediate goals are equivalent to
Georgia's annual measurable objectives described in 3.2b.

Intermediate goals for high school AYP were revised following the March
2005 administration of the Enhanced Georgia High School Graduation Tests
(E-GHSGT).

PRINCIPLE 4. State makes annual decisions about the achievement of all
public schools and LEAs.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How does the State Accountability System make an annual           |
|     determination of whether each public school and LEA in the State  |
|     made AYP?                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia's State Accountability System includes annual determinations
regarding school performance, and Georgia will make annual
determinations of whether each public school and LEA achieved AYP.

For public schools that miss AYP based on the performance of relatively
small subgroups and to ensure reliability of AYP determinations, Georgia
also uses a confidence interval[^15] approach along with averaging data
across multiple years. See the AYP determination steps listed below and
in the accompanying AYP flow chart on the following page.

**Georgia's AYP Decision-Making Steps**

1.  Determine if each subgroup, including the "all student" subgroup
    meets the minimum number of 40 students or 10% of students enrolled
    in AYP grades, whichever is greater (with a 75 student cap) -- for
    AMO and second indicator calculations.

2.  Determine if "all students" and each subgroup at or above the
    minimum number meet the 95% participation requirement - (N=40 for
    participation).

3.  Determine if AYP is met using State assessment results regarding the
    percent proficient/advanced as compared to the State's annual
    measurable objectives for both Reading/English Language Arts and
    Math.

> 3a. If AYP is not met using step 3; determine if AYP is met by using a
> confidence interval application. A confidence interval method will be
> used for schools with 10 to 39 FAY students.
>
> 3b. If AYP is not met using a confidence interval, then apply a
> \*multi-year averaging method.
>
> 3c. If AYP is not met using the multi-year averaging method, then
> determine if AYP is met using the \*safe-harbor method -- decreasing
> the percent not meeting proficiency/advanced levels by 10%.
>
> 3d. For those schools and LEAs not making AYP based solely on the
> proficiency scores of the SWD subgroup, state will apply the interim
> federal flexibility for SWD proficiency scores (Appendix B).
>
> 4\. To meet AYP, Georgia will require that each elementary and middle
> school meet State standards regarding progress on its second
> indicator, which will include performance above a statewide preset
> level or improved performance from the prior school year. Progress on
> the \*second indicator will be required at the subgroup level where
> "safe harbor" is used (See element 7.2).

\***For AYP determinations in 2005-2006 and subsequent QCC/GPS
transition years**, Georgia will equate QCC to GPS assessment results in
grades and subjects where appropriate using an Equipercentile adjustment
for multi-year averaging, safe harbor, and second indicator calculations
(see Appendix E, page 97).

**4.1 With Interim Federal Flexibility for Students with Disabilities**

![](media/image5.png){width="7.191666666666666in"
height="5.759722222222222in"}

PRINCIPLE 5. All public schools and LEAs are held accountable for the
achievement of individual subgroups.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How does the definition of adequate yearly progress include all   |
|     the required student subgroups?                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| # STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia's definition of AYP includes all of the required student
subgroups, disaggregated by racial/ethnic categories, disability,
limited English proficiency, and socio-economic status. Georgia law
requires the reporting and/or grading of schools in the aggregate and by
these subgroups.

For AYP purposes, Georgia will use the student demographic information
that is available from the Student Record to disaggregate test results.
Tests will be matched to the Student Record using school code, system
code, grade level, and student identifier. Georgia's racial/ethnic
categories include Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, American
Indian/Alaskan Native, White, and Multiracial.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 2.  How are public schools and LEAs held accountable for the progress |
|     of student subgroups in the determination of adequate yearly      |
|     progress?                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia\'s State Accountability System holds public schools and LEAs
accountable for the progress of students overall and in each required
subgroup, disaggregated by racial/ethnic categories, disability, limited
English proficiency, and socio-economic status, in determining AYP. See
Georgia's AYP Workbook 1.2, 3.2, and 5.1.

For each public school, LEA, and the State to make AYP:

-   The "all" student category and each AYP required student subgroup
    (at or above the minimum number of 40 students) must have a
    participation rate of 95 percent or above on State assessments.

-   The "all" student category and each AYP required student subgroup
    (at or above the minimum number of 40 students or 10% of students
    enrolled in AYP grades, whichever is greater (with a 75 student cap)
    must meet the State's annual measurable objective regarding percent
    proficient or advanced on State assessments (or meet "confidence
    interval,[^16] multi-year average, or safe harbor").

-   Each school, LEA, and the State must meet the State standard
    regarding progress on its " second indicator" (subgroups using "safe
    harbor" must also show progress on the second indicator). The
    minimum number for the second indicator equals 40 students or 10% of
    students enrolled in AYP grades , whichever is greater (with 75
    student cap).

-   **For AYP determinations in 2005-2006 and subsequent QCC/GPS
    transition years**, Georgia will equate QCC to GPS assessment
    results in grades and subjects where appropriate using an
    Equipercentile adjustment for multi-year averaging, safe harbor, and
    second indicator calculations (see Appendix E, page 97).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How are students with disabilities included in the State's        |
|     definition of adequate yearly progress?                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

-   Students with disabilities are included in State assessments with
    appropriate accommodations, as determined by each student's
    Individualized Education Program (IEP) team.

-   The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) is administered to the small
    number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
    whose IEP teams determine (based on State criteria) that they should
    participate in the State assessment system based on alternate
    achievement standards in accordance with the US ED regulations.
    Georgia requires annual reporting on use of the GAA and monitors
    those data to ensure that the GAA is not used to an inappropriate
    degree. Per US ED regulations, Georgia will allow scores of
    proficient or above on the GAA to count when making AYP
    determinations, with a cap of 1 percent of student enrollment at the
    LEA and State levels. (The State will consider exceptions to the 1
    percent cap on a case-by-case basis.)

-   The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) measures annual student
    achievement in five domains. The levels of achievement on this
    assessment operate as follows:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   A rating of Initial or Emerging, is given when a student has
    achieved less than 50 percent of the stated criterion for a given
    domain;

-   A rating of Progressing is given when a student has achieved between
    50 and 99 percent of the stated criteria in a given domain; and

-   A rating of Functional is given when a student has achieved 100
    percent of the stated criteria in a given domain.

> A student receives five ratings, but the assessment was not designed
> for a summative determination of the student's performance level.
> Redevelopment of the GAA is underway in order to be aligned with
> Georgia's new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards. In the
> interim before the new version is ready for implementation, the
> Georgia Department of Education and the Office of Student Achievement
> have devised a method for taking the five ratings and declaring a
> student's performance level (Basic, Proficient, or Advanced) that will
> be in line with the regular assessments in reading/language arts and
> mathematics subject areas of the CRCT or the Enhanced GHSGT.

-   For 2006-2007, those schools and LEAs not making AYP based solely on
    the proficiency scores of the SWD subgroup, apply the interim
    federal flexibility for SWD proficiency scores (Appendix B).

**Note: For specifics regarding the administration of the Georgia
Alternate Assessment (GAA), please refer to the [Georgia Alternate
Assessment Administrator's Manual]{.underline} published by the Georgia
Department of Education Testing Division at:
<http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/testing/gaa.asp>**

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How are students with limited English proficiency included in the |
|     State's definition of adequate yearly progress?                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

All students, including limited English proficient (LEP) students, are
included in Georgia's State Accountability System and its definition of
AYP.

-   LEP students are included in State assessments with appropriate
    accommodations, as determined by each student's ELL Testing
    Participation Committee. [^17]

-   Per recent USED guidance, Georgia does not include in AYP
    determinations the test scores of LEP/ELL students who are enrolled
    in their first year in a U.S. school. ACCESS test participation will
    serve as a proxy participation for state assessments for First Year
    in US Students.

-   Under Georgia State Board of Education rule, all students, including
    LEP/ELL students, must participate in State assessments. As of June
    9, 2005, the State Board of Education initiated amendments for
    Testing Rule (160-3-1.07), so that the Department can take advantage
    of the greater flexibility for first-year LEP students as it relates
    to subject matter assessments.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  What is the State\'s definition of the minimum number of students |
|     in a subgroup required for reporting purposes? For accountability |
|     purposes?                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia has established minimum numbers for subgroup reporting and
accountability purposes as follows:

-   A minimum number of 10 students is used for subgroup AYP reporting
    purposes. This rule is intended to protect student privacy and
    prevent disclosure of individually identifiable information.
    Additional rules may apply consistent with the Family Education
    Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See Georgia's AYP Workbook 5.6.

-   A minimum number of 40 students or 10% of students enrolled in AYP
    grades, whichever is greater (with a 75 student cap) is used for
    subgroup AYP accountability purposes regarding the state's AMO and
    second indicator calculations. This rule is intended to ensure that
    subgroup AYP determinations are reliable.

-   The minimum number of 40 will be used with regard to 95%
    participation determinations.

-   The minimum number will be applied consistently across the State in
    all public schools and LEAs.

As stated in workbook element 1.1, for small schools, those identified
as having only 10 to 39 Full Academic Year (FAY) students with test
scores enrolled in the grades 3-8 or grade 11 configurations, Georgia
uses a confidence interval[^18] methodology to make AYP determinations.
In other words, for schools with a total eligible enrollment of 10 to 39
FAY students with test scores, Georgia will apply a test of statistical
significance to determine whether such schools\' total group passing
rate is significantly below the state AYP annual objective passing rate
in each appropriate subject area. This proportion (*z*) test is the same
as cited in *Making Valid and Reliable Decisions in Determining Adequate
Yearly Progress* (CCSSO, 2002, pp. 65-68).

With the implementation of Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability
System, the state will continue to analyze data regarding the minimum
number and will consider changes in future years to ensure the most
valid and reliable AYP determinations..

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How does the State Accountability System protect the privacy of   |
|     students when reporting results and when determining AYP?         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

A minimum number of 10 students will be used for subgroup AYP reporting
purposes. School and LEA data regarding AYP will not be reported
separately for subgroups below this minimum number. This rule is
intended to protect student privacy and prevent disclosure of
individually identifiable information. Additional rules are applied
consistent with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See
Georgia's AYP Workbook 5.5.

For more information on FERPA, please visit the U.S. Department of
Education's website at:
<http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html>.

PRINCIPLE 6. State definition of AYP is based primarily on the State's
academic assessments.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How is the State's definition of adequate yearly progress based   |
|     primarily on academic assessments?^27^                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Under Georgia law, school accountability determinations, including AYP
determinations, are based primarily on annual State assessments as
follows:[^19]

-   Elementary and middle schools are held accountable based primarily
    on student test scores on Georgia's Criterion Referenced Competency
    Tests (CRCT), including reading and English language arts (combined)
    and mathematics in grades 3-8 for AYP purposes.

-   High schools will be held accountable based primarily on student
    test scores on the Enhanced Georgia High School Graduation Tests
    (E-GHSGT), including English/language arts and mathematics. The
    E-GHSGT builds on the Georgia High School Graduation Tests by
    including additional, more rigorous items for purposes of school
    accountability.

-   The Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) is administered to the small
    number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
    whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams determine (based
    on State criteria) that they should participate in the State
    assessment system based on alternate achievement standards in
    accordance with the USED regulations. Georgia requires annual
    reporting on use of the GAA and monitors those data to ensure that
    the GAA is not used to an inappropriate degree. Per USED
    regulations, Georgia will allow scores of proficient or above on the
    GAA to count when making AYP determinations, with a cap of 1 percent
    of student enrollment at the LEA and State levels. (The State will
    consider exceptions to the 1 percent cap on a case-by-case basis.)

-   Georgia's overall Student Assessment Program includes End of Course
    Tests (EOCT). The EOCT is used to provide student level diagnostic
    information and will be linked to the fully revised GHSGT.

Georgia has created the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which are
replacing the Quality Core Curriculum. As the GPS is phased in, current
state assessments will be revised as necessary to ensure alignment with
new standards.

PRINCIPLE 7. State definition of AYP includes graduation rates for
public High schools and an additional indicator selected by the State
for public Middle and public Elementary schools (such as attendance
rates).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  What is the State definition for the public high school           |
|     graduation rate?                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia will define and calculate graduation rates as the percentage of
students who graduate in the standard number of years (4 years and a
summer for a 9-12 school) from a Georgia public high school with a
regular diploma (not including a GED or certificate not fully aligned
with the state's academic standards and not including Special Education
diplomas). This process will not delay AYP determinations made before
the beginning of each school year.

Students receiving GEDs are counted as dropouts and are included in the
denominator for calculating graduation rates. (Prior to 2002, Georgia
calculated a completion rate similar to that of the NCLB graduation rate
except that certificates of attendance and Special Education Diplomas
were included. This previous definition of completion rate has been
replaced with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
graduation rate in compliance with NCLB.) In doing so, the "standard"
number of high school years for students with disabilities will be
determined by each student's IEP team, even if such number exceeds the
"standard" number of years for non-disabled students.

To meet AYP, Georgia will require that each secondary school meet State
standards regarding progress on its "graduation rate," which will
include performance above a statewide preset level or improved
performance from the prior school year. (Progress on "graduation rate"
will be required at the subgroup level where "safe harbor" is used.) See
the following page.

Georgia is developing a new, individual student, longitudinal data
system based on unique student identifiers, which will allow for a more
accurate accounting of students throughout the State.

Since 2002, Georgia has calculated its high school graduation rate using
an NCES "Lever Rate" formula -- one of the three federally allowed high
school graduation rate formulas since the enactment of the No Child Left

Behind Act of 2001.

**Formula Defined**

Regular diploma recipients as a percent of students leaving high school
over a four-year period estimated as the sum of diploma recipients and
dropouts during the past four years in grades 9 through 12
respectively). Graduation Rate = \# of regular diplomas divided by ( \#
of regular diplomas + \# of special education diplomas + \# of
certificates of attendance + \# of dropouts in 12^th^ grade (current
year), 11th grade (current year -1), 10th grade (current year -2) and
9th grade (current year -3))

![](media/image6.png){width="6.896527777777778in" height="2.1625in"}

ELL Graduation Rates

The standard number of years for graduation rate for LEP/ELL students
will be four years and a summer. Beginning in the 2005-2006 school year,
this could be extended on a case by case basis with documentation for
newly arriving individual LEP/ELL students to a maximum of five years
and a summer.

Including summer graduates in the graduation rate calculations will not
delay the state's AYP determinations.

# 7.1

# High School Additional Indicator

Section: Workbook Element 7.1

Purpose: This document provides the standard for determining progress on
the high school additional indicator - graduation rate.

Background Information:

-   Prior to 2002, Georgia reported a completion rate using the National
    Center for Education Statistics (NCES) proxy formula.

-   The completion rate for Georgia's high school graduating class of
    2002 was 72.7%. However, this rate included certificates of
    attendance and Special Education Diplomas. A total of 3,867 students
    (5.3%) received Certificates of Attendance and 2,714 (3.9%) received
    Special Education Diplomas in 2002.

-   In order to produce a graduation rate aligned with NCLB, Georgia
    altered its completion rate formula by removing Certificates of
    Attendance and Special Education Diplomas from the numerator. After
    removing certificates of attendance and Special Education Diplomas
    from the 2002 completion rate, Georgia's calculation for the NCLB
    definition of graduation rate for the graduating class of 2002 is
    approximately 61.8%.

-   Georgia used this impact data to set the state's 2002-2006
    graduation rate standard of 60%

-   Beginning in 2006-2007 school year, Georgia's high school graduation
    rate will be based on the following annual graduation rate targets.

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| > **School | > **High School AYP Second Indicator**                  |
| > Year**   |                                                         |
|            | **Graduation Rate Standard**                            |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **65% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2006-2007 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 65%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 50%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **70% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2007-2008 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 70%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 50%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **75% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2008-2009 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 75%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 55%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **80% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2009-2010 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 80%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 60%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **85% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2010-2011 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 85%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 60%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **90% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2011-2012 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 90%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 70%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **95% or greater**; or Second Looks:                  |
|  2012-2013 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 95%; or       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 70%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| >          | > **100%**; or Second Looks:                            |
|  2013-2014 | >                                                       |
|            | > 1\) apply multi-year average to achieve 100%; or      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 2\) increase by 10% from the preceding year from a      |
|            | minimum threshold of 80%                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

**Graduation Rate Determination Steps**

Schools can achieve the graduation rate standard in one of three ways:

> Step 1: Did the Graduation Rate meet the Absolute Bar? If yes,
> Graduation Rate requirement was met. If no, proceed to Step 2.
>
> Step 2: Apply the first Second Look - Multi-Year Average (three
> years). Did the averaged Graduation Rate meet the Absolute Bar? If
> yes, Graduation Rate requirement was met. If no, proceed to Step 3.
>
> Step 3: Apply the "Safe Harbor-like" Second Look -- 10% Progress
> (prior year Graduation Rate must meet a minimum threshold). Did the
> current Graduation Rate increase by at least 10% from the prior year's
> Graduation Rate? If yes, Graduation Rate requirement was met. If no,
> Graduation Rate requirement was not met.

-   **2007-2008 Absolute graduation bar = [70%]{.underline}**

-   **2007-2008 Minimum threshold for graduation rate =
    [50%]{.underline}**

+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| **Step  | **2007 | *    | **Inc | **2008 | *    | **              |
| 1**     | Grad   | *10% | rease | Grad   | *Met | Determination** |
|         | uation | of   | Goal  | uation | /**  |                 |
|         | Rate** | 2006 | (10%  | Rate** |      |                 |
|         |        | Grad | I     |        | *    |                 |
|         |        | Ra   | ncrea |        | *Not |                 |
|         |        | te** | se)** |        | M    |                 |
|         |        |      |       |        | et** |                 |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| A       | 66.0%  | N/A  | N/A   | 71.0%  | Met  | Met the         |
| bsolute |        |      |       |        |      | Absolute Bar of |
| Bar     |        |      |       |        |      | 70%.            |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
|         |        |      |       |        |      |                 |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| **Step  | **     | **20 | **2   | **Ave  | *    | **              |
| 2**     | 2006** | 07** | 008** | rage** | *Met | Determination** |
|         |        |      |       |        | /    |                 |
|         |        |      |       |        | Not  |                 |
|         |        |      |       |        | M    |                 |
|         |        |      |       |        | et** |                 |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| Mul     | 69%    | 72%  | 69%   | 70%    | Met  | The average of  |
| ti-year |        |      |       |        |      | the current     |
| Average |        |      |       |        |      | year and two    |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | previous years  |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | must be equal   |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | to or greater   |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | than the        |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | current year's  |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | absolute bar of |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | 70%.            |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
|         |        |      |       |        |      |                 |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| **Step  | **2007 | *    | **Inc | **2008 | *    | **              |
| 3**     | Grad   | *10% | rease | Grad   | *Met | Determination** |
|         | uation | of   | Goal  | uation | /**  |                 |
|         | Rate** | 2006 | (10%  | Rate** |      |                 |
|         |        | Grad | I     |        | *    |                 |
|         |        | Ra   | ncrea |        | *Not |                 |
|         |        | te** | se)** |        | M    |                 |
|         |        |      |       |        | et** |                 |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| "Safe   | 57.0%  | 5.7% | 62.7% | 63.0%  | Met  | Met Increased   |
| Harbo   |        |      |       |        |      | Percentage      |
| r-like" |        |      |       |        |      | (63.0% is 10%   |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | or greater than |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | 57.0%).         |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+
| "Safe   | 58.0%  | 5.8% | 63.8% | 60.0%  | Not  | Did Not Meet    |
| Harbo   |        |      |       |        | Met  | Increase Goal   |
| r-like" |        |      |       |        |      | (60.0% is not   |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | greater than    |
|         |        |      |       |        |      | 63.8%)          |
+---------+--------+------+-------+--------+------+-----------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **Critical Element**                                                  |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  What is the State's additional \[second\] academic indicator for  |
|     public elementary schools for the definition of AYP? For public   |
|     middle schools for the definition of AYP? For alternative high    |
|     schools?                                                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Alternative High Schools - Beginning in 2008, those Georgia alternative
schools that have high school grades but do not offer high school
diplomas will be allowed to use the event dropout rate in place of
graduation rate as their second indicator.

For elementary and middle schools, Georgia will define "second
indicators" as a menu from which each LEA must choose. The options are
described in the table below. The purpose is to make AYP determinations
as relevant and valuable as possible at the local level. Georgia law
requires each school and LEA to report annually on several academic
indicators, and different indicators are of primary significance in
different LEAs. Each LEA will select its second indicator for AYP at the
beginning of the academic year and will maintain that indicator for this
year and for at least three years beginning in 2004-05 -- in conjunction
with scheduled changes in the State's intermediate goals/annual
measurable objectives for AYP. To meet AYP, Georgia will require that
each elementary and middle school meet State standards regarding
progress on its \*second indicator, which will include performance above
a statewide preset level or improved performance from the prior school
year. (Progress on the second indicator will be required at the subgroup
level where "safe harbor" is used.)

+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| # St       |         |                                               |
| ate Approv |         |                                               |
| ed Menu of |         |                                               |
|  "Second"  |         |                                               |
| Indicators |         |                                               |
|            |         |                                               |
| ## E       |         |                                               |
| ffective f |         |                                               |
| or the 200 |         |                                               |
| 3-2004 Aca |         |                                               |
| demic Year |         |                                               |
|            |         |                                               |
| ## Note: L |         |                                               |
| EAs made t |         |                                               |
| heir selec |         |                                               |
| tion again |         |                                               |
|  in 2005-2 |         |                                               |
| 006. It wi |         |                                               |
| ll remain  |         |                                               |
| in place f |         |                                               |
| or at leas |         |                                               |
| t 3 years. |         |                                               |
+============+=========+===============================================+
| **I        | **Grade | **Standard**                                  |
| ndicator** | Level** |                                               |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Attendance | 3-8,    | Schools, school districts, subgroups using    |
| Rate       |         | the safe harbor method, and the State as a    |
|            | High    | whole must have no more than 15% of students  |
|            | 9-11    | absent more than 15 days in one school year   |
|            |         | or show progress from the preceding year.     |
|            | High 9, |                                               |
|            | 9-10    |                                               |
|            |         |                                               |
|            | K-only  |                                               |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Middle     | 8       | Beginning school year 2003-04, schools,       |
| Grades     |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| Writing    |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
| Assessment |         | be required to score at or above 80% on the   |
| (MGWA)     |         | MGWA or show progress from the preceding      |
|            |         | year.                                         |
|            |         |                                               |
|            |         | This indicator was not available for the      |
|            |         | 2004-2005 school year, 2005-2006 or           |
|            |         | 2006-2007.                                    |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Science    | 3-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| CRCT       |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
|            |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
|            |         | be required to score at or above 80% meeting  |
|            |         | or exceeding standards in Science or show     |
|            |         | progress from the preceding year. (Progress   |
|            |         | for 2003-04 will compare 2003-04 data with    |
|            |         | available 2001-02 data.)                      |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Social     | 3-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| Studies    |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| CRCT       |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
|            |         | be required to score at or above 80% meeting  |
|            |         | or exceeding standards in Social Studies or   |
|            |         | show progress from the preceding year.        |
|            |         | (Progress for 2003-04 will compare 2003-04    |
|            |         | data with available 2001-02 data.)            |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Percent    | 1-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| Exceeding  |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| Reading    |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
| CRCT       |         | be required to score at or above 35%          |
| Standards  |         | exceeding standards in Reading or show        |
|            |         | progress from the preceding year.             |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Percent    | 1-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| Exceeding  |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| Englis     |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
| h/Language |         | be required to score at or above 15%          |
| Arts CRCT  |         | exceeding standards in English/Language Arts  |
| Standards  |         | or show progress from the preceding year.     |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Percent    | 1-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| Exceeding  |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| Math CRCT  |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
| Standards  |         | be required to score at or above 15%          |
|            |         | exceeding standards in Math or show progress  |
|            |         | from the preceding year.                      |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Percent    | 3-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| Exceeding  |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| Science    |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
| CRCT       |         | be required to score at or above 15%          |
| Standards  |         | exceeding standards in Science or show        |
|            |         | progress from the preceding year. (Progress   |
|            |         | for 2003-04 will compare 2003-04 data with    |
|            |         | available 2001-02 data.)                      |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Percent    | 3-8     | Beginning with school year 2003-04, schools,  |
| Exceeding  |         | school districts, subgroups using the safe    |
| Social     |         | harbor method, and the State as a whole will  |
| Studies    |         | be required to score at or above 15%          |
| CRCT       |         | exceeding standards in Social Studies or show |
|            |         | progress from the preceding year. (Progress   |
| Standards  |         | for 2003-04 will compare 2003-04 data with    |
|            |         | available 2001-02 data.)                      |
+------------+---------+-----------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2.  Are the State's academic \[second\] indicators valid and          |
|     reliable?                                                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

All of Georgia's second indicators are valid and reliable for AYP
purposes and supported by evidence to that effect.

Second indicators such as graduation rates, attendance rates, and
achievement on other State assessments are recognized as potential
indicators in the NCLB Act and have strong correlations to overall
academic success. Georgia's CRCT assessments have been developed
consistent with nationally recognized professional and technical
standards and are supported by validity evidence. Georgia has systems in
place to ensure the accurate collection of data regarding second
indicators (i.e., graduation rates, attendance rates).

-   **For AYP determinations in 2005-2006 and subsequent QCC/GPS
    transition years**, Georgia will equate QCC to GPS assessment
    results in grades and subjects where appropriate using an
    Equipercentile adjustment for multi-year averaging, safe harbor, and
    second indicator calculations (See Appendix E, page 97).

PRINCIPLE 8. AYP is based on reading/language arts and mathematics
achievement objectives.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  Does the state measure achievement in reading/language arts and   |
|     mathematics separately for determining AYP?                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| # STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia's AYP determinations for student subgroups, public schools, and
LEAs are made separately for reading/English language arts and for
mathematics. Georgia combines reading and English/language arts (two
separate State CRCT assessments) into a single indicator for AYP
purposes with regard to elementary and middle schools. Thus, for grades
3-8, AYP determinations are based separately on reading/ English
language arts and on mathematics. For grade 11, AYP determinations are
based separately on English/Language Arts and on Mathematics.

See Element 3.2a for combining Reading with English/Language Arts
assessment results and more regarding Georgia's Starting Points.

PRINCIPLE 9. State Accountability System is statistically valid and
reliable.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  How do AYP determinations meet the State's standard for           |
|     acceptable reliability?                                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia includes several features to ensure the reliability of State AYP
determinations. For example:

-   AYP determinations will be based primarily on State assessments that
    have been developed consistent with nationally recognized
    professional and technical standards and are supported by evidence
    regarding validity and reliability for AYP purposes.

-   Georgia's minimum number is 40 students or 10% of students enrolled
    in AYP grades, whichever is greater (with a 75 student cap) for
    subgroup AYP AMO and Second Indicator accountability purposes
    (including confidence interval,[^20] multi-year average, and safe
    harbor).

-   All schools face school improvement consequences when they miss AYP
    for two consecutive years or more in the same subject or the second
    indicator. See element 3.2 for additional information.

-   All LEAs face consequences if they do not meet AYP in the same
    subject or \*second indicator for two consecutive years or more at
    both the elementary/middle school and the high school levels.

-   Annually, Georgia requires all subgroups, LEAs, and the State to
    demonstrate 95 percent participation in state assessments (subgroup
    size N = 40 or more students, enrolled in AYP grades).

-   Georgia has an appeals process for AYP determinations through which
    any LEA may appeal a State determination regarding a school or LEA
    that is found not to have made AYP.

-   Georgia's curriculum-based assessment system is aligned to its
    Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) and/or Georgia Performance Standards
    (GPS) which are aligned with NAEP and the state required
    norm-referenced tests.

**For AYP determinations in 2005-2006 and subsequent QCC/GPS transition
years**, Georgia will equate QCC to GPS assessment results in grades and
subjects where appropriate using an Equipercentile adjustment for
multi-year averaging, safe harbor, and second indicator calculations
(See Appendix E, page 97).

Georgia will annually review its system and processes for making AYP
determinations to ensure maximum reliability of AYP judgments.

Finally, Georgia has an AYP ***Appeals Process*** for LEAs and schools.
Before identifying Georgia's schools for improvement, corrective action,
or restructuring, the following procedures are followed:

1)  For the Appeals Process, Georgia has designed an interactive student
    record collection process that will allow LEAs to review
    school-level data that will ultimately contribute to AYP
    determinations.

2)  Preliminary AYP Reports are released on an internal review site.
    These reports do not reflect a final determination; LEAs can drill
    down and review student level data for each component. Upon the
    approval of the LEA superintendent, school principals have access to
    their individual school's data.

3)  Superintendents sign-off on the data verification process certifying
    that the Student Record and the AYP data are accurate.

4)  This improved AYP process diminishes the number of appeals. Only
    special circumstances form the basis for appeals.

5)  An application process has been developed by GaDOE and GOSA and
    provides guidance for appeals.

6)  An appeals committee has been established with members from GaDOE
    and GOSA. Consulting membership reflects personnel from Title I,
    Curriculum and Instruction, School Improvement, Testing, Technology,
    Policy, and Accountability.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  What is the State\'s process for making valid AYP determinations? |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia includes several features to ensure the validity of State AYP
determinations, including those listed in 9.1.

Georgia has an appeals process, described in 9.1 for AYP determinations
through which any LEA may appeal a State determination regarding a
school or LEA that does not make AYP.

Finally, Georgia has developed several methods to evaluate the validity
and reliability of its AYP determinations over time. Options include the
following:

-   First, decisions concerning school AYP performance are compared to
    accountability decisions that would have resulted had a conceptually
    different computational method been used. The GaDOE uses a purely
    statistical analysis as a second measure of AYP for each school. The
    department will then compute the association between the two
    comparisons. The GaDOE works with various experts, including its
    testing Technical Advisory Committee, to establish appropriate
    reliability standards.

-   Second, the State identifies a random geographically and
    demographically stratified sample of schools, and will investigate
    the validity of the AYP process by attempting to discern
    instructional and administrative patterns in schools that did and
    did not meet AYP. In addition to providing feedback on the AYP
    process, this investigation informs subsequent school improvement
    efforts statewide.

.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 3.  How has the State planned for incorporating into its definition   |
|     of AYP anticipated changes in assessments?                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia's plan maintains continuity in AYP decisions through any
assessment changes or similar actions. For example:

-   Georgia includes new public schools in the State Accountability
    System if the new public school has been in existence for a "full
    academic year" (i.e., from Fall FTE count through the state's Spring
    testing window).

-   Georgia is in the process of revising the State's Quality Core
    Curriculum (QCC). Upon completion of the new curriculum, Georgia
    Performance Standards (GPS) are currently being phased-in. Current
    State assessments will be aligned with the GPS.

-   **For AYP determinations in 2005-2006 and subsequent QCC/GPS
    transition years**, Georgia will equate QCC to GPS assessment
    results in grades and subjects where appropriate using an
    Equipercentile adjustment for multi-year averaging, safe harbor, and
    second indicator calculations (See Appendix E, page 97).

-   Georgia periodically reviews and monitors its State Accountability
    System, so that issues and changes can be quickly addressed.

-   Following the March 2004 administration of the Enhanced Georgia High
    School Graduation Test (E-GHSGT), Georgia set achievement levels and
    established revised starting points.

    The revision of Georgia's QCC has profound implications for the
    statewide assessment program. The validity of test results and
    subsequent AYP decisions depends on the alignment of Georgia's tests
    with its curriculum. The following preliminary steps are set forth
    realizing that the final procedures for "maintaining continuity in
    AYP decisions through assessment changes" will be constructed by the
    GaDOE in conjunction with its Technical Advisory Panel (TAC) and
    contractors.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Compare QCC with GPS and note additions, deletions, and
    modifications in content and process for each tested course/grade
    level combination.

-   Modify content domain specifications, content weighting and test
    blueprints as warranted.

-   Revise item specifications and review all banked items for
    curricular relevance.

-   Build (write, review, pilot, field test, etc.) additional test items
    to ensure full content coverage of domains.

-   Review, revise, and update all test materials (e.g., Content
    Description Guides).

-   Conduct review of cut-scores derived from standard setting for
    continued alignment with content standards and revised performance
    level descriptions.

-   Equate test forms to maintain constant levels of test difficulty, if
    advisable.

If deep structural changes are made in the development of the GPS, it
may be necessary to recalculate the appropriate starting point(s) (i.e.,
annual measurable objectives) while maintaining the 2013-14 endpoint for
100% proficiency.

PRINCIPLE 10. In order for a public school or LEA to make AYP, the State
ensures that it assessed at least 95% of the students enrolled in each
subgroup.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 1.  What is the State\'s method for calculating participation rates   |
|     in the State assessments for use in AYP determinations?           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS**      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Georgia calculates participation rates on State assessments for AYP
purposes by dividing the total number of assessments administered by the
total enrollment for each subgroup, public school, and LEA (at or above
the minimum number of 40 students). Georgia uses information from Full
Time Equivalent (FTE) files, the Student Record, and test records to
make these determinations.

Invalid Test scores are counted for participation rates but are not
counted for annual measurable objectives and second indicators.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## CRITICAL ELEMENT                                                   |
+=======================================================================+
| 2.  What is the State's policy for determining when the 95% assessed  |
|     requirement should be applied?                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| # STATE RESPONSE AND STATE ACTIVITIES FOR MEETING REQUIREMENTS        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

To demonstrate AYP, Georgia requires that all subgroups, schools, LEAs
and the State at or above the minimum number for enrollment demonstrate
95 percent participation on State assessments. A minimum number of 40
students is used with regard to 95 percent participation rate
determinations.

Invalid Test scores are counted for participation rates but are not
counted for annual measurable objectives and second indicators.

# AYP Workbook Appendix A

Required Data Elements for State Report Card

**1111(h)(1)(C)**

1\. Information, in the aggregate, on student achievement at each
proficiency level on the State academic assessments (disaggregated by
race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English
proficiency, and status as economically disadvantaged), except that such
disaggregation shall not be required in a case in which the number of
students in a category is insufficient to yield statistically reliable
information or the results would reveal personally identifiable
information about an individual student.

2\. Information that provides a comparison between the actual
achievement levels of each student subgroup and the State's annual
measurable objectives for each such group of students on each of the
academic assessments.

3\. The percentage of students not tested (disaggregated by the student
subgroups), except that such disaggregation shall not be required in a
case in which the number of students in a category is insufficient to
yield statistically reliable information or the results would reveal
personally identifiable information about an individual student.

4\. The most recent 3-year trend in student achievement in each subject
area, and for each grade level, for the required assessments.

5\. Aggregate information on any other indicators used by the State to
determine the adequate yearly progress of students in achieving State
academic achievement standards disaggregated by student subgroups.

6\. Graduation rates for secondary school students disaggregated by
student subgroups.

7\. Information on the performance of local educational agencies in the
State regarding making adequate yearly progress, including the number
and names of each school identified for school improvement under section
1116.

8\. The professional qualifications of teachers in the State, the
percentage of such teachers teaching with emergency or provisional
credentials, and the percentage of classes in the State not taught by
highly qualified teachers, in the aggregate and disaggregated by
high-poverty compared to low-poverty schools which (for this purpose)
means schools in the top quartile of poverty and the bottom quartile of
poverty in the State.

# AYP Workbook Appendix B

# Interim Federal Flexibility for Students with Disabilities

NCLB 2007-2008 Flexibility for Schools and School Systems Not Making AYO
Based Solely on the Students with Disabilities (SWD) Group Proficiency
Rates:

-   Applies to schools and LEAs not making AYP based [solely on SWD
    group scores;]{.underline}

-   Provides a mathematical adjustment to the proficiency rates for the
    SWD group in both subjects reading/English language arts (R/ELA) and
    math;

-   Provides Federal calculation steps:

> 1\. Determine the percent of SWD students assessed within the State
> (124,100 divided by 1,091,678 = 11.37% for Georgia)
>
> 2\. Divide 2% by the percentage of SWD assessed (2% divided by 11.37%
> = 17.59% rounded to 18%)
>
> 3\. Add the proxy percent to the actual percent proficient for each
> subject -R/ELA and/or math. (add 18% for Georgia for 2007-2008)
>
> 4\. Determine if the proxy percent is equal to or greater than the
> State AMO.

NOTE: This interim flexibility is applied after the Safe Harbor step to
the SWD group's original proficiency rate. (Add the Federal adjustment
to the original SWD proficiency rate without Confidence Interval[^21]
and Multi-Year Average.)

Georgia Example Table for 2007-2008

+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **E         |            |         |            |                  |
| lem./Middle |            |         |            |                  |
| School      |            |         |            |                  |
| Examples:   |            |         |            |                  |
| State       |            |         |            |                  |
| 2007-2008   |            |         |            |                  |
| CRCT Math   |            |         |            |                  |
| AMO =       |            |         |            |                  |
| 59.5%**     |            |         |            |                  |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| Example     | Original   | Federal | Adjusted   | Adjusted SWD     |
|             | SWD        | Adj     | SWD        | Proficiency Rate |
| Schools     | P          | ustment |            |                  |
|             | roficiency |         | P          | Determination    |
|             | Rate       |         | roficiency |                  |
|             |            |         | Rate       |                  |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| Elem.       | 54%        | \+ 18%  | 70%        | Yes              |
| School      |            |         |            | (Met/exceeded    |
|             |            |         |            | the AMO absolute |
|             |            |         |            | bar of 59.5%)    |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| Middle      | 49%        | \+ 18%  | 65%        | Yes              |
| School      |            |         |            | (Met/exceeded    |
|             |            |         |            | the AMO absolute |
|             |            |         |            | bar of 59.5%)    |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **E         |            |         |            |                  |
| lem./Middle |            |         |            |                  |
| School      |            |         |            |                  |
| Examples:   |            |         |            |                  |
| State       |            |         |            |                  |
| 2007-2008   |            |         |            |                  |
| CRCT R/ELA  |            |         |            |                  |
| AMO =       |            |         |            |                  |
| 73.3%**     |            |         |            |                  |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| Elem.       | 56%        | \+ 18%  | 74%        | Yes              |
| School      |            |         |            | (Met/exceeded    |
|             |            |         |            | the AMO absolute |
|             |            |         |            | bar of 73.3%)    |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| Middle      | 61%        | \+ 18%  | 79%        | Yes              |
| School      |            |         |            | (Met/exceeded    |
|             |            |         |            | the AMO absolute |
|             |            |         |            | bar of 73.3%)    |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **High      |            |         |            |                  |
| School      |            |         |            |                  |
| Example:    |            |         |            |                  |
| State       |            |         |            |                  |
| 2007-2008   |            |         |            |                  |
| Enhanced    |            |         |            |                  |
| GHSGT Math  |            |         |            |                  |
| AMO =       |            |         |            |                  |
| 74.90%**    |            |         |            |                  |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| High School | 59%        | \+ 18%  | 77%        | Yes              |
|             |            |         |            | (Met/exceeded    |
|             |            |         |            | the AMO absolute |
|             |            |         |            | bar of 74.9%)    |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| **High      |            |         |            |                  |
| School      |            |         |            |                  |
| Example:    |            |         |            |                  |
| State       |            |         |            |                  |
| 2007-2008   |            |         |            |                  |
| Enhanced    |            |         |            |                  |
| GHSGT ELA   |            |         |            |                  |
| AMO =       |            |         |            |                  |
| 87.7%**     |            |         |            |                  |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+
| High School | 70%        | \+ 18%  | 88%        | Yes              |
|             |            |         |            | (Met/exceeded    |
|             |            |         |            | the AMO absolute |
|             |            |         |            | bar of 87.7%)    |
+-------------+------------+---------+------------+------------------+

[^1]: Since all of Georgia's LEAs receive Title I funds, they are all
    considered Title I LEAs.

[^2]: Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) § 20-14-34

[^3]: OCGA § 20-14-37; 20-14-41

[^4]: In years where new high schools are being established, school
    systems may temporarily have schools configured with only grade 9 or
    grades 9-10 in which State assessments are not administered. During
    these transition periods, AYP will be determined based on attendance
    and other relevant data. Once the first cohort in the new high
    school reaches the 11^th^ grade, AYP results will be based on State
    assessments.

[^5]: This proportion (*z*) test is the same as cited in *Making Valid
    and Reliable Decisions in Determining Adequate Yearly Progress*
    (CCSSO, 2002, pp. 65-68,
    <http://www.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/AYPpaper.pdf>). The critical z is
    1.645 for a population proportion, which means the programs are
    running a one-tail test at the 95% level of significance.

[^6]: OCGA § 20-2-281; State Board Rule 160-3-1-.07

[^7]: Georgia's Enhanced High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) has three
    achievement levels that measure achievement in Mathematics and
    English/language arts:

    Basic: Math = 400-515; Reading/ELA = 400-510

    Proficient: Math = 516-524; Reading/ELA = 511-537

    Advanced Math = 525-600; Reading/ELA = 538-600.

[^8]: State Testing Dates are listed on the Georgia Department of
    Education web site at:

    www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/testing/index.asp.

[^9]: State Testing Dates, as listed in footnote above.

[^10]: OCGA § 20-14-34

[^11]: OCGA § 20-2-281; State Board Rule 160-3-1-.07

[^12]: Throughout this AYP Workbook, the terms "limited English
    proficient (LEP) student" and "English language learner (ELL)" are
    used interchangeably.

[^13]: See Attachment 3 regarding the establishment of state starting
    points (2002-2003).

[^14]: In elementary and middle schools, AYP is based on Reading and
    Language Arts combined; in high schools, AYP is based on
    English/Language Arts.

[^15]: The critical z is 1.645 for a population proportion, which means
    the programs are running a one-tail test at the 95% level of
    significance.

[^16]: The critical z is 1.645 for a population proportion, which means
    the programs are running a one-tail test at the 95% level of
    significance.

[^17]: Georgia has established a State LEP Panel that will examine the
    need and practicability of establishing alternative assessments for
    LEP students.

[^18]: The critical z is 1.645 for a population proportion, which means
    the programs are running a one-tail test at the 95% level of
    significance.

[^19]: OCGA § 20-2-281, 20-14-31; State Board Rule 160-3-2-.07

[^20]: The critical z is 1.645 for a population proportion, which means
    the programs are running a one-tail test at the 95% level of
    significance.

[^21]: The critical z is 1.645 for a population proportion, which means
    the programs are running a one-tail test at the 95% level of
    significance.