Federal Glossary of Terms

Profile Section

 

Profile – Insufficient Data (ID):

Any school/system that does not have sufficient indicator data will not have a letter grade assigned to it. the school/system will receive a label of “ID” for “Insufficient Data”.


Profile – Support:

Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) – Schools identified as being in the bottom 5% (bottom 6% prior to the fall of 2022) of Title I schools (based on the “Total points Earned” within the Federal Accountability System, by the All Students subgroup), and any school (regardless of Title I status) with a graduation rate less than 67% (more than 10 points below the state graduation rate prior to the fall of 2022).

Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) – Prior to the fall of 2022, schools (regardless of Title I status) identified as having a subgroup that on its own would have caused the school to be in the bottom 6% of Title I schools (based on the “Total Points Earned” within the Federal Accountability System by the subgroup). Fall of 2022 ATSI schools will be any school, regardless of Title I status, from among the schools identified as TSI, with a subgroup that performs below the threshold for the All Students group for the schools identified as being in the bottom 5% of Title I schools (CSI) and any school identified as ATSI that fails to exit ATSI status.

Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) – Schools (regardless of Title I status) identified as having a subgroup performing below the 75th percentile of the schools identified as CSI and have not shown improvement over a three (3) year timeframe.


Profile – Title I:

A Title I schoolwide program is a comprehensive reform strategy designed to upgrade the entire educational program in a Title I school; its primary goal is to ensure that all students, particularly those who are low-achieving, demonstrate proficient and advanced levels of achievement on State academic achievement standards.

A Title I targeted assistance (TA) program identifies students experiencing academic difficulties and provide timely instructional assistance to help these students meet the State’s challenging content and achievement standards.


Profile – Poverty:

The poverty for schools is calculated using the following formula: the Free/Reduced Percentage for each school using the Fall Extract data (Free + Reduced/Enrollment). Once the percentages are calculated the schools are ranked by Free/Reduced percentage and divided into quartiles based upon 25%, 50%, 75% method.  Schools in quartile 1 are labeled as low poverty while schools in quartile 4 are labeled as high poverty.


Accountability Section

 

Federal Accountability Indicators – Not Reported:

Subgroup did not meet the minimum n-count of 20 students required to be reported publicly.​


Federal Accountability Indicators – Academic Achievement Indicator:

An Accountability System Indicator determined based on the number of students scoring within each of the achievement levels in the areas of English Language Arts (ELA) (reading/English prior to the fall of 2021) and math utilizing summative and alternate assessments in tested grades.


Federal Accountability Indicators – Academic Growth Indicator:

An Accountability System Indicator determined based on individual students who demonstrate improvement within the growth categories in English Language Arts (ELA) (reading/English prior to the fall of 2021) and math utilizing assessments in tested grades.


Federal Accountability Indicators – Chronic Absenteeism Indicator:

An Accountability System Indicator determined based on the percent of students in grades K-12 who missed a total of 18 or more days (excused or unexcused) of the time enrolled.


Federal Accountability Indicators – College and Career Readiness (CCR) Indicator:

An Accountability System Indicator determined based on the percentage of students enrolled in the 4-year Cohort who met at least one of the CCR indicators.


Federal Accountability Indicators – Graduation Rate Indicator:

An Accountability System Indicator determined based on the percentage of high school students enrolled in the cohort who graduated within 4 years of first entering the 9th grade.


Federal Accountability Indicators – Progress in English Language Proficiency Indicator:

An Accountability System Indicator determined based on the percentage of students who met their growth target utilizing the ACCESS Assessment in grades 3-8 and 11 as measured against progress targets.


Demographic Section

 

Demographics – Student Demographics:

The race/ethnicity, gender, disability, English proficiency, socioeconomic status, and homeless and migrant status of a student.


Demographics – Grade Enrollments:

The grade in which a student is enrolled at either an elementary or secondary school. Grades range from K to 12.


Demographics – Ethnicity – Hispanic/Latino:

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


Demographics – Students with Limited English Proficiency:

‘‘English learner’’, is an individual, (A) who is aged 3 through 21; (B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school; (C) who was not born in the United or whose native language is a language other than English; and (D) who has difficulty in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language.


Demographics – English Learners First Year:

EL student who is in the first academic year in a United States school.


Demographics – Students with Disabilities:

A child aged three through 21 who was identified through an appropriate evaluation, using state criteria, as having one of the 13 disabilities identified in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).


Demographics – Economically Disadvantaged:

A student whose household income is below the poverty rate.


Demographics – Homeless:

The McKinney-Vento Act defines “homeless children and youths” as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”


Demographics – Migrant:

A migratory child is (1) 0-21 years of age, (2) entitled to a free public education (through grade 12) under state law or not yet at a grade level at which the LEA provides a free public education, and (3)made a qualifying move in the preceding 36 months as a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher, or did so with, or to join a parent/guardian or spouse who is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher; and (4) moved due to economic necessity from one residence to another residence and from one school district to another.


Demographics – General Education Students:

A typically developing child who has not been identified as a student with a disability.


Demographics – Military Family:

A child of an active-duty service, Reserve or National Guard member.


Demographics – Foster:

A child in foster care has 24-hour substitute care because they have been placed away from their parents or guardians. The child welfare agency has placement and care responsibility. Foster Care includes, but is not limited to, placement in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, childcare institutions, and pre-adoptive homes.


Proficiency Section

 

Proficiency – ELA:

The percentage of students with valid scores on the state assessment of ELA who scored within proficiency levels three or four.


Proficiency – Math:

The percentage of students with valid scores on the state assessment of math who scored within proficiency levels three or four.


Proficiency – Science:

The percentage of students with valid scores on the state assessment of science who scored within proficiency levels three or four.


Proficiency by Subject – ELA:

The percentage of students with valid scores on the state assessment of ELA who scored at each level.


Proficiency by Subject – Math:

The percentage of students with valid scores on the state assessment of math who scored at each level.


Proficiency by Subject – Science:

The percentage of students with valid scores on the state assessment of science who scored at each level.


Participation Rate Section

 

Participation Rate by Subject – ELA:

The percentage of students who were enrolled during the state testing window who received a valid score for the state assessment in ELA.


Participation Rate by Subject – Math:

The percentage of students who were enrolled during the state testing window who received a valid score for the state assessment in math.


Participation Rate by Subject – Science:

The percentage of students who were enrolled during the state testing window who received a valid score for the state assessment in science.


College and Career Readiness Section

 

College & Career Readiness – Graduation Rate:

The Graduation Rate formula is the percentage of students who entered ninth grade and graduated within four years.

The formula equates to the number of on-time graduates in a given year divided by the number of entering first-time ninth graders four years earlier, adjusting for transfers in and out. Students are followed individually from the time they start ninth grade.


College & Career Readiness – College and Career Readiness:

The College and Career Readiness (CCR) rate is determined based on the percentage of students in the four-year cohort who earned, at minimum, one credential. These credentials include a benchmark score on any section of the ACT test, qualifying score on an AP or IB exam, College or postsecondary credit, ACT WorkKeys, military enlistment, or Career Technical Credential, Career Technical Education Completer, or CTE Apprenticeship.


CTE Completer- To determine a CTE completer, a student must earn three (3.0) credits with the grade of a “C” or higher in CTE courses that are part of an approved CTE program of study, including the following additional requirements:

  • Only credits earned by completing coursework listed in the current CTE Program GuidesNew Window will be counted.
  • Each credit earned must have a final grade of “C” or higher.
  • Earn a maximum of one (1.0) credit earned by completing an approved CTE Program Foundation course, where appropriate, may be counted (Career Prep can only be counted as a foundation course in Business Management Administration, Marketing, or Finance).
  • Earn a minimum of one (1.0) credit by completing an approved CTE Program Concentrator course.
  • Earn one (1.0) additional credit by completing of an approved CTE Program Concentrator course or earn one (1.0) credit by completing one of the following approved CTE Program Capstone course(s):
    • A. Earn one credit through completion of an authentic Work-Based Learning (WBL) experience in the field of study or a closely related field of study that meets Alabama State Department of Education WBL requirements. (e.g., Internship, ANFR Supervised Agricultural Experience [SAE], Cooperative Education In-field Placement or closely related field).
    • B. Earn one credit through completion of an approved CTE Cluster Lab Course that meets specific guidelines related to hours and activities.
    • C. Earn one credit through completion of an approved CTE Cluster Pathway Project Course that meets specific guidelines related to hours and activities.

This amendment started with the 2021-22 graduates and will be applicable for the current school year as well as future years.


CTE Apprenticeship-To determine this indicator, the student must complete a Registered Apprenticeship. It will always represent no less than 2,000 hours of on the job learning and 144 seat hours of related technical instruction. A valid certificate will be provided by the Alabama Office of ApprenticeshipNew Window, which is public record.


Educator Certification Section

 

Educator Certification – Credentials:

Determined based on the total number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders, the percentages of the various certificate types held by individuals in those positions.


Educator Certification – Experience:

Based on the total number of individuals serving as teachers, principals, and other school leaders, the percentage of those individuals who have more than 2 years of experience in the position for which they are serving.


Educator Certification – In-Field:

Determined based on the total number of teachers, the percentage of teachers who hold a valid Alabama certificate and are assigned during the school day to teach in an area(s) for which he/she is properly certified.