How Do you Meet AYP?
In general your school must meet the following:
- Student performance on state reading assessment is not significantly less than the state set Annual Measurable Objective (AMO).
- Student performance on the state math assessment is not significantly less than the state set Annual Measurable Objective (AMO).
- Student participation on the state reading assessment is at least 95%.
- Student participation on the state math assessment is at least 95%.
- School attendance rate is not significantly less than 94%. *
* USDE approved a lower attendance rate of 90% to compensate for H1N1 for the '09-'10 school year only.
What state assessments are used for AYP?
The Maryland School Assessment (MSA) is used for all students tested except those students with severe cognitive disabilities in accordance with their IEP. Those students take ALT-MSA. Student performance on ALT-MSA counts for your AYP results in reading and mathematics.
What do the state assessments measure?
The Maryland School Assessments used for AYP status measures the Maryland state content standards in reading and mathematics. These state content standards can be found at What does MSA test? ALT-MSA measures a different but related set of content standards in reading and mathematics.
How did Maryland determine what was proficient performance?
A large number of educators and stakeholders were involved in setting standards through a structured process described by Gary Heath, Former Assistant Superintendent of Planning, Results, and Information Management in these audio - visual presentations.
A large number of educators and stakeholders were involved in setting standards through a structured process. Gary Heath, Former Assistant Superintendent of Planning, Results, and Information Management describes
All presentations
Why did we need to set new standards?
What was the standards setting process?
Who participated in the standards setting process?
How did the process work?
Who reviewed the work?
Who approved the standards?
in these audio - visual presentations.
Which students are counted in your AYP results?
No students are exempt from taking MSA or ALT-MSA. However, some students may not count toward your results. All students enrolled for a full academic year (from September 30 through testing) count for school, system, and state AYP. Students moving among schools in the same system count for system and state AYP. Students moving among systems count for state AYP.
If your school has more than one tested grade, then your score reflects the weighted average of the tested grades. That is to say, the score has been weighted according to the number of students in each grade in your school.
AMO’s or Annual Measurable Objectives are state established performance targets that assess the progress of student subgroups, schools, school districts, and the state annually. Your 2008 Annual Measurable Objectives or AMOs are 71.1% for reading, 57.2% for mathematics, and 94.0% for attendance.
This annual measurement ensures that schools are on track to meet the NCLB goal of having 100% of the students achieve proficiency in reading/language arts and mathematics by the end of the school year in 2013-2014. Between the 2002-2003 baseline and the 2013-2014 goal of 100% proficiency, the state established annual performance targets. These targets, or annual measurable objectives, are set for reading, mathematics, attendance and graduation rate. Every school and school system is held to the same annual measurable objectives, although those objectives are adjusted to each school’s grade-level enrollment and structure (e.g., K-5, 6-8, K-8, K-12).
How are AMO’s calculated?
Annual measurable objectives are determined separately for reading, mathematics, and attendance at each grade level using baseline data at the state level. Each measure (reading, mathematics, and attendance) has a single value for each grade that is the same for all schools. However, the annual measurable objectives for each school are computed by averaging the grade specific annual measurable objectives across the grades assessed in that school. The averages are unweighted.
How do AMO’s change over time?
| Year | Reading 6, 7 and 8 AMO |
Mathematics 6, 7 and 8 AMO |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 66.3 | 50.0 |
| 2008 | 71.1 | 57.2 |
| 2009 | 75.9 | 64.3 |
| 2010 | 80.8 | 71.4 |
| 2011 | 85.6 | 78.6 |
| 2012 | 90.4 | 85.7 |
| 2013 | 95.2 | 92.9 |
| 2014 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Why does the state apply a confidence interval to the AMO?
The state uses a statistical test based on the confidence interval to determine if the AYP target was met. The state has identified the annual target for all schools, districts, and the state. However, the numbers of students differ greatly among subgroups and from school to school. The more students in a group, the more valid the score. Therefore, in order to make a statistically valid decision that is fair for all groups, the state has applied a statistical test to address the following question, "Is the school's performance significantly below the AYP target?" The confidence interval ensures that the state has used sound statistical procedures to make decisions.
