2004-05 Massachusetts State Report Card
PART VI - Data Definitions

Enrollment - This information reflects the public school enrollment on October 1, 2004.

Race/Ethnicity:

African-American - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups in Africa.
Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands and Samoa.
Hispanic - A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
Native American - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment.
White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.

 

Selected Populations:

Limited English Proficient: A student whose first language is a language other than English who is unable to perform ordinary classroom work in English is identified as limited English proficient.

Low Income: An indication of whether a student meets ANY ONE of the following definitions of low income:

1. The student is eligible for free or reduced price lunch; or
2. The student receives Transitional Aid to Families benefits; or
3. The student is eligible for food stamps

Special Education: Students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Migrant: An indication of whether an individual or a parent/guardian accompanying an individual maintains primary employment in one or more agricultural or fishing activities on a seasonal or other temporary basis and establishes a temporary residence for the purposes of such employment.

Educator Quality - Educator information is as of October 1, 2004.

Percent of teachers licensed in the area in which teaching: The percentage of teachers with Preliminary, Initial, or Professional licensure (all teaching staff, including long-term substitutes) in the area in which they are teaching. Charter schools are not required to hire licensed teachers.
Percentage of core academic classes taught by highly-qualified teachers: The percentage of staff, measured in "full-time equivalency", teaching in core academic areas, that meet the NCLB definition of highly-qualified. To meet the definition, teachers must possess a valid Massachusetts teaching license at the Preliminary, Initial, or Professional level AND demonstrate subject matter competency in the areas they teach. The core academic areas are defined as English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography. NCLB subject matter competence requirements are applied differently to those who teach at different levels. For more information on the definition and requirements of highly-qualified, please see http://www.doe.mass.edu/nclb/hq/hq_memo.html.
High-Poverty Schools: Schools in the bottom quartile statewide by low-income percentage.
Low-Poverty Schools: Schools in the top quartile statewide by low-income percentage.

MCAS Results

Performance Level Definitions

(A) Advanced - Students demonstrate a superior understanding of challenging subject matter, and solve a wide variety of problems.
(P) Proficient - Students demonstrate a solid understanding of challenging subject matter, and solve a wide variety of problems.
(NI) Needs Improvement - Students demonstrate partial understanding of subject matter, and solve some simple problems.
(W/F) Warning/Failing - Students demonstrate minimal understanding of subject matter, and do not solve simple problems.

 

Student Subgroup Definitions

Regular - Students who do not meet the definition for Students with Disabilities or for Limited English Proficient.
Students with Disabilities - Students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a plan of instructional accommodations provided under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Limited English Proficient, Race/Ethnicity, Low income, Migrant - See definitions under Enrollment.

 

*2003 MCAS results may differ slightly from earlier published figures because Alternately Assessed students whose portfolios were incomplete have now been included.

Adequate Yearly Progress - According to federal law, a measure of the extent to which students in a school, taken as a whole and certain groups within the school, demonstrate proficiency in English language arts and mathematics. All schools are rated, and AYP determinations are made, based on an analysis of the performance and improvement schools and districts demonstrate toward achieving this goal. Detailed information on AYP determinations can be found on the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website at http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/cycleIII/.

Accountability Status Labels:

II-S Identified for Improvement - Subgroups only
II-A Identified for Improvement
CA-A Identified for Corrective Action
RST Identified for Restructuring
UR Status Under Review