Special Education Reports

Technical Manual

2006-2007

Reports Available April 2008

Oregon Department of Education

Office of Student Learning & Partnerships

255 Capitol St. NE

Salem, OR97310-0203

Phone: (503) 947-5600

Fax: (503) 378-5156


Special Education Reports Technical Manual Table of Contents

I. Preface

II. Introduction

III. Graduation and Dropout Rates

IV. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

V. Calculating Academic Achievement: Performance

VI. Calculating Academic Achievement: Participation

VII. Adequate Yearly Progress

VIII. Parent Survey Results

IX. Students Receiving Special Education Services

X. Timeline for Eligibility

XI. IEP Goals and Transition Services

XII. Suspension / Expulsion

XIII. Local Information Provided By Your District

I. Preface

The Technical Manual provides detailed information about how the data are collected and calculated for the Oregon 2006-2007 Special Education Reports to be released in April 2008.

In Oregon, Special Education reports were first issued in March 2007. Based on requirements of the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the special education reports were developed to inform parents and the community about the special education programs and services provided by Oregon school districts and Oregon EI/ECSE county programs.

In December 2005, the Oregon Department of Education submitted the State Performance Plan (SPP) to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, D.C. The Annual Performance Report (APR), which reports Oregon’s progress on the thirty-four required indicators in the SPP, is submitted to OSEP in February each year.

For 2006-2007, information about eighteen of the thirty-four indicators are required to be reported to the public. Oregon has developed two reports: a school district report and an EI/ECSE county program report. Reports for all school districts and county programs are posted on the Oregon Department of Education website at

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), in collaboration with Oregon stakeholders, set the state targets which were approved by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, D.C. Data provided by each school district and program are displayed with the state targets on the Oregon Special Education Reports.

Federal Law

The 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):

Public report.--The State shall report annually to the public on the performance of each local educational agency located in the State on the targets in the State's performance plan. The State shall make the State's performance plan available through public means, including by posting on the website of the State educational agency, distribution to the media, and distribution through public agencies.

34 CFR §300.616(b)(2)(C)(ii)(I)

For more information, please visit:

II. Introduction

This Technical Manual describes the displays for the 2006-2007 School District Special EducationReports issued in April 2008. This manual also provides detailed information about the specific definitions and calculations that lead to the data that are displayed in the reports. The Technical Manual describes in detail the following major topics:

  • Required elements for the 2006-2007 Special Education Report
  • Special Education Report format
  • State targets
  • Data collection
  • Definitions of data elements
  • Calculation details

Elements included in the 2006-2007 School District Special Education Reports

  • Students Graduating 2006-2007
  • High School Dropout 2006-2007
  • Least Restrictive Environment
  • Academic Achievement: Percentage of Students Meeting Standards
  • Academic Achievement: Participation by Students with IEPs
  • Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
  • Parent Survey Results
  • Students Receiving Special Education Services
  • Timeline for Eligibility
  • IEP Goals and Transition Services
  • Suspension / Expulsion
  • Local Information Provided by Your District

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III. Graduation and Dropout Rates

Displays

  1. Students Graduating 2006-2007

This table shows the percentage of students graduating with a regular diploma during the 2006-2007 school year.

  1. High School Dropout 2006-2007

This table shows the percentage of students in grades 9 – 12 that dropped out of school during the 2006-2007 school year.

Public Report Format

State Targets

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), in collaboration with Oregon stakeholders, set the state targets which were approved by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, D.C.

Graduation

FFY / Measurable and Rigorous Target
2005
(2005-2006) / The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 69%.
2006
(2006-2007) / The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 72%.
2007
(2007-2008) / The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 75%.
2008
(2008-2009) / The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 78%.
2009
(2009-2010) / The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 81%.
2010
(2010-2011) / The graduation rate for students with disabilities will increase to 84%.

Dropout

FFY / Measurable and Rigorous Target
2005
(2005-2006) / The dropout rate for students with disabilities will decrease to 5.5%.
2006
(2006-2007) / The dropout rate for students with disabilities will decrease to 5.4%.
2007
(2007-2008) / The dropout rate for students with disabilities will decrease to 4.9%.
2008
(2008-2009) / The dropout rate for students with disabilities will decrease to 4.6%.
2009
(2009-2010) / The dropout rate for students with disabilities will decrease to 4.3%.
2010
(2010-2011) / The dropout rate for students with disabilities will decrease to 4.1%.

Please note: For the 2006-2007 Special Education Reports, the “All Graduates” and “All Dropouts” comparisons are not displayed. (Comparisons were displayed on the 2005-2006 Special Education Reports.) However, the 2006-2007 state targets that are displayed this year were based on “All Graduates” and “All Dropouts” comparisons. In order to provide districts with background information about the critical differences between the regular education and special education definitions, ODE has provided the “All Graduates” and “All Dropouts” sections in this year’s Technical Manual. ODE has submitted updated proposed Oregon targets to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, D.C., for subsequent Oregon Special Education Reports.

Data Collection

2006-2007 All Graduates and All Dropouts

Data are collected annually from each school district on the High School Completers and the Early Leavers collections. Data from Fall Membership are also collected annually from school districts and used in calculating the dropout rates.

  • The High School Completers collection provides data for students who completed 4 or more years of high school and/or received a diploma between September 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007, and the types of diplomas they earned.
  • The Early Leavers collection provides dropout data for students who dropped out of grades 7-12 between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. Data for studentsin grades 9-12 are used in the dropout calculation.
  • Fall Membershipis a count of the number of students enrolled in Oregon school districts as of October 1, 2006. All students in public schools and programs are included. Data for studentsin grades 9-12 are used in the dropout calculation.

2006-2007 Special Education Graduates and Dropouts

Data are collected annually from each school district on the Special Education Child Count (SECC) and the June Special Education Exit collections.

SECC: The 2006 SECC is used to identify special education students who are reported as eligible for special education services on December 1, 2006. The SECC collects data on students ages birth to 22. However, only data for students aged 14-21 as of December 1, 2006, who are reported as eligible on the 2006 December SECC, are used in calculating the 2006-2007 graduation and dropout rates.

June Special Education Exit: The 2006-2007 June Special Education Exit collection collects data on students who exited special education services from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. Only data for students who exited as dropouts or graduates with a regular diploma and were ages 14-21 on the December SECC prior to their exit date are used in calculating the 2006-2007 graduation and dropout rates.

Per federal guidance, “The age of the student should reflect his/her age in years on the date of the most recent child count prior to the child’s exiting, not at time of exit.” Thus, if a student exited special education services between July 1, 2006, and November 30, 2006, the student’s age will be reflective of the 2005 SECC. However, if a child exited special education services between December 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007, the student’s age will be reflective of the 2006 Special Education Child Count.

The Special Education Exit Date is defined as the date that the student exited the special education program, such as the date the student graduated with a regular diploma or dropped out. For the 2006-2007 Special Education Report, this date will fall between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. Note: This is the date the student exited special education services, which may or may not be the same as the date the student exited school.

Definitions

2006-2007 All Graduates

Only two types of diplomas are used in calculating the graduation rate: regular diploma without Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM) and Regular Diploma with Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM). The diplomas must have been awarded between September 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007, to be counted in the 2006-2007 graduation rate:

  • Regular Diploma without Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM): Diploma earned when the student has fulfilled all school district requirements and state requirements (22 credits, plus competencies) as described in OAR 581-022-0316, but has not earned a Certificate of Initial Mastery.
  • Regular Diploma with Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM): Diploma earned when the student has earned a 22-credit diploma (as described above), and met all the Certificate of Initial Mastery standards.

Recipients of a Modified Diploma, No Diploma or Alternative Credential, Honorary Diploma, and GED are not included in the count of Regular Diplomas.

2006-2007 Special Education Graduates

For the 2006-2007 June Special Education Exit Collection, students reported as exiting special education services with a code ofgraduate with regular diploma are counted as graduates. All other students with different reasons for exiting special education services are not counted as special education graduates.

Graduation with Regular Diploma: Individuals who exited an educational program through receipt of a high school diploma identical to that for which non-disabled students are eligible. These are students who met the same standards for graduation as those students without disabilities.

The following are not considered Graduates with a Regular Diploma:

  • Received a Modified Diploma
  • Received a Certificate
  • Reached Maximum Age
  • Deceased
  • Moved, Continuing in Education
  • Returned to Regular Education
  • Dropped Out

2006-2007 All Dropouts

A dropout is a student who withdrew from school and did not graduate or transfer to another school. The early leaverswho are considered dropouts include the following:

  • School-year withdrawals: Students who withdrew from school between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007, and who did not return to school by October 1, 2007, or who did not receive a high school diploma or a GED by October 1, 2007, or the school did not receive a request for records for the student by October 15, 2007. Data for students in grades 9-12 are used in the dropout calculation.
  • Non-graduates: Students who finished the 2005-2006 school year as 12th-graders but did not receive a high school diploma, a modified diploma, or did not complete a prescribed course of study, such as an IEP. These students are reported as dropouts if they failed to show up for school at any time during the 2006-2007 school year unless they received a diploma or a GED by August 31, 2007, or the school received a request for records by June 30, 2007.
  • No-shows: Students who finished the 2005-2006 school year in grades 6-11, but did not show up for school at any time in the 2006-2007 school year. These students are reported as dropouts unless they received a diploma or GED by August 31, 2007, or the school received a request for records by June 30, 2007. They are considered to be dropouts for the grade from which they failedto return. Note:A student who is reported as a no-show has missed the entire school year. A student who missed the entire school year is a dropout for that year, even if the student returned the following fall. Data for students in grades 9-12 are used in the dropout calculation.

The following are not considered dropouts:

  • are being home schooled and are registered with an ESD
  • are deceased
  • are enrolled in an alternative school or hospital education program
  • are enrolled in a juvenile detention facility
  • are enrolled in a foreign exchange program
  • are temporarily absent because of suspension, a family emergency, or severe health problems that prevent attendance at school
  • received a GED certificate
  • received an adult high school diploma from a community college

2006-2007Special Education Dropouts

Students who were enrolled during the 2006-2007 school year, have withdrawn from schoolor were enrolled in the 2005-2006 school year but not in the 2006-2007 school year, and did not meet any of the following conditions are considered dropouts:

  • Transferred to another school that leads to graduation.
  • Moved and enrollment is verified by contact with the student’s new school.
  • Received a high school diploma issued by a school district.
  • Received a modified diploma based on completion of an IEP.
  • Received home instruction paid for by the district.
  • Temporarily absent because of suspension, long-term illness, or family emergency.
  • Enrolled in an approved, district-sponsored alternative education program.
  • Enrolled in a foreign exchange program.
  • Moved out of the United States and enrollment status is unknown.
  • Enrolled in an adult high school diploma program sponsored by the district.
  • In protective custody and the location of the student is not legally available.
  • Placed in a corrections facility, substance abuse facility, or mental health facility, or a CSD certified shelter care program, or legally deported.
  • Deceased.
  • Withdrew to be taught at home by a parent or private tutor and registered with the ESD.
  • Received a GED certificate, while jointly enrolled.

Note: A student who left school to enter either a GED program or a Job Corps program isconsidered a dropout. In rare instances, a student may continue to be jointly enrolled in school and the GED or Jobs Corp program and continue to receive special education services. If the special education services continue, thestudent may be considered a graduate with an alternate document upon completion of the GED or Job Corps program, and then would not be considered a dropout.

The following is a list of the most common circumstances that lead to the student’s being included as a dropout. This list does not include every possible circumstance of dropping out.

  • Left school without notice and cannot be located
  • Withdrew from a district-sponsored alternative program
  • Moved with a migrant family and is not known to be in school
  • Moved to another district or state and is not known to be in school
  • Suspended or expelled and did not return to school when scheduled to return
  • Expelled and did not enroll in the alternative education program that was offered
  • Reported for active duty in military service before receiving a high school diploma or GED
  • Withdrew for home schooling and did not register with the ESD
  • Was sent back from home schooling by the ESD and did not re-enroll
  • Withdrew near the end of the school year before full credit for classes was awarded
  • Withdrew from a GED program without earning a GED
  • Received a certificate of completion based on completion of an IEP
  • Enrolled independently in an alternative education program
  • Enrolled independently in a community college without having received a high school diploma
  • Was released from compulsory attendance and did not stay in school

The following exit codes are not considered dropouts:

  • Graduated with a Regular Diploma
  • Received a Modified Diploma
  • Received a Certificate
  • Reached Maximum Age
  • Deceased
  • Moved, Continuing in Education
  • Returned to Regular Education

Calculation Details

Please note: For the 2006-2007 Special Education Reports, the “All Graduates” and “All Dropouts” comparisons are not displayed. (Comparisons were displayed on the 2005-2006 Special Education Reports.) However, the state targets that are displayed this year were based on “All Graduates” and “All Dropouts” comparisons. In order to provide districts with background information about the critical differences between the regular education and special education definitions, ODE has provided the “All Graduates” and “All Dropouts” sections in this year’s manual. Updated proposed Oregon targets have been submitted to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, D.C., for next year’s Special Education Reports.

2006-2007 All Graduates

The formula used to calculate the NationalCenter for Education Statistics (NCES) Graduation Rate was adopted by the Oregon Department of Education. The graduation rate is calculated by dividing the number of graduates in the school year by the number of students who dropped out from all grades in that year plus the number of graduates.

The 2006-2007 All Graduate formula is shown below.

Number of Regular Diplomas (CIM and Non-CIM)

[Number of Regular Diplomas (CIM and Non-CIM)+Number of Dropouts in Grades 9-12*]

*This method uses one year’s data to approximate 4 years of dropouts for one class, beginning in grade 9 and ending in grade 12.

2006-2007 Special Education Graduates

The formula used to calculate the 2006-2007 special education graduation rate uses the 2006-2007 June Special Education Exit data. The numerator is the number of special education students reported on the June Special Education Exit Collection as having graduated with a regular diploma and who were aged 14-21 on the SECC prior to their exit date. The denominator is the number of special education students reported on the June Special Education Exit Collection as having graduated with a regular diploma and who were aged 14-21 on the Special Education Child Count prior to their exit dateplus the number of special education students reported on the June Special Education Exit Collectionas a dropout and who were aged 14-21 on the SECC prior to their exit date.