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Dropout Prevention and Recovery FAQs

Dropout Prevention and Recovery FAQs

Testing Percentages

Student Participation

Specific Student Population

Submitting Data

Department Use of Data

Testing

Student Enrollment Verification

Testing Percentages

    1. We tested X% of students on the MAP assessments. The other X% of students did not test. How will the percentage of students who did not test affect our school?

    The department cannot include a student in the value-added calculation if the student does not have enough data. A student must have test scores from two different test windows to be included in the calculation. If an enrolled student fails to test during a test window, you need to report the appropriate information in EMIS to explain why there is no score.
     

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    2. What does the department consider as an acceptable percentage range for students tested on MAP assessments? What are the consequences for our school if we have a low percentage of students tested on the MAP assessments?

    Schools should strive to test all students enrolled during each of the test windows. For the 2015 report card, there were no consequences for schools that tested a low percentage of students, as long as the school tested enough students to calculate a rating. Schools that tested too few students to calculate a rating received a “Does Not Meet Standards” for their Progress Component. In the 2015-2016 school year, schools had to test at least 50 percent of the grade 9 and higher students enrolled during the fall and spring test windows in order to have a growth rating calculated.  Those not meeting the participation rate received a rating of “Does Not Meet Standards.” In the 2016-2017 school year and beyond, schools must test at least 75 percent of their enrolled grade 9 and higher students or they will receive a Progress rating of “Does Not Meet Standards.” 
     

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    3. How did the department determine the thresholds for acceptable testing percentages for the MAP assessments?

    The requirement of 75 percent originally matched the Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) participation percentage approved in Ohio’s ESEA Flexibility Waiver for dropout prevention and recovery schools. The AMO participation requirement increased to 95 percent as of 2018 per the requirements from the U.S. Department of Education. The department also sought input from SAS, Inc., the vendor that calculates the Progress Component grades, to determine the appropriate expectations for testing these students on required state assessments.
     

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Student Participation

    1. Are schools required to test all students or just students enrolled in English language arts and mathematics courses for the MAP assessments?

    Schools are required to test all students enrolled in a grade of 9 or higher during two test windows thirteen (13) weeks apart, regardless of whether they are taking or will be taking an English language arts or mathematics course during the current school year. The participation rate calculation uses all students, not just those who are recovering credits in the ELA or mathematics subject areas. 
     

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    2. If students are credit deficient in only one area, do they just take the MAP assessment for which they lack credits?

    No, a student must take a complete set of tests (two English language arts and two mathematics tests) for the value-added score calculation. Schools are required to test all students who are in grades 9 and higher. 

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    3. Which students are required to take the MAP assessments? Students in grades 9-12 or students who are ages 16-21?

    All students in grades 9 and higher are required to take the NWEA MAP assessments regardless of their age. If you are an ungraded school, you must test all students enrolled in high school level coursework for which you will award graduation credits. Students in elementary and middle grades through grade 8 are not included in the Progress calculation.  
     

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    4. If students have passed the Ohio Graduation Test in English language arts and/or mathematics, will those students need to take the MAP assessments?

    Yes, the department is using the MAP assessment to calculate a growth rating for the dropout prevention and recovery school. Students must take tests in English language arts and mathematics in two different test windows thirteen (13) weeks apart regardless of the other assessments taken for graduation.
     

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    5. If students are credit deficient in areas for which they have passed the OGT, will those students need to take the MAP assessments?

    Yes, students must take tests in English language arts and mathematics in two different test windows thirteen (13) weeks apart if they are in grades 9 and higher. 
     

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    6. What do we do if students refuse to take the MAP assessments? How do we document students who refuse to test?

    When an enrolled student fails to test, a school should report the appropriate Score Not Reported reason in EMIS. There are several codes that may be appropriate depending on the reason why the student failed to test. For example, there are codes for Parent Refusal (Code B) and Student Refusal (Code C). There also is a code for Truancy (Code E) if a student fails to test for that reason. Schools should determine which reason best explains why the student did not test and report that code during the appropriate reporting window.
     

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    7. What do we do if the parents refuse to have their children take the MAP assessments? How do we document students whose parents refuse to have them test?

    You should report a Score Not Reported reason for a student in this situation. There are several codes you can choose from and among those choices is a code for Parent Refusal (Code B). 
     

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    8. Schools must administer the MAP assessments in English language arts and mathematics. Will students who are not taking English language arts or mathematics courses be required to take the MAP assessments?

    All students who are in grades 9 and higher are required to take the MAP assessments. 

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    9. We have student enrollment throughout the year. If students enroll during the spring MAP assessment window, will those students need to be tested for the MAP assessments?

    Yes, you must test students who enroll throughout the year, including students who enroll during the spring assessment window. You should administer the first test within two to three weeks of when a student enrolls. Please see updated DOPR testing guidance for more information. A student who has at least 13 weeks of enrollment should be tested a second time. Students who are enrolled for less than 13 weeks will have just a single set of tests.
     

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    10. If students cannot test twice in a testing window for the MAP assessments, when will those students be able to test again? How will we count those students for our school?

    A student who enrolls during the spring testing window will have only one score for that school year. A student in this case may or may not have enough data to be included in the calculation. However, you must test the student to provide additional data to SAS, Ohio’s value-added vendor for use in the following year. Please see updated DOPR testing guidance for more information.
     

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    11. Is the department only counting students who attended for a full year as a measure on our school’s report card? How will students who only attend for part of a school year affect our school’s report card?


    For the purposes of calculating growth, SAS will include as many students as possible. Schools should test all students within two to three weeks of when they enroll. Students who plan to leave before the end of the school year, such as students who have completed their education and are graduating, should test before withdrawing as long as there are 13 weeks between tests. 
     

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    12. How will students who test during one test window of the MAP assessments and withdraw within the same test window affect our school’s report card?

    A school should use a Score Not Reported reason for a student in this situation. There are numerous codes for that element including a code for “Moved” (Code J). Schools also would report a withdrawal date and reason so the department can perform a cross-check on the data. The instructions in the EMIS manual say the following about using the “moved” code: “You may use the 'J' option for students who enroll at the beginning of the test administration window but move out of the district before the student has a chance to take the 'subject' test. You may also use the 'J' option for students who move into the district at the very end of the administration window and will not have enough time to test in all required areas.” 

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Specific Student Population

    1. How will the MAP assessments affect dropout prevention and recovery e-schools? What do we do if we tried multiple attempts to get students to test, but they still choose not to test? How do we report those students? What documentation do we report to the department?

    Schools should report those students with a Score Not Reported reason. The EMIS manual includes several codes from which you may choose. Schools should choose the best option from the list. 

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    2. Will students who attend our school and are not dropout prevention and recovery status be required to take the MAP assessments? How do we report these students?

    All students in grades 9 and higher are required to take the NWEA MAP assessments regardless of whether the students have a “dropout” status or not. If you are an ungraded school, you must test all students enrolled in high school level coursework for which your school will award graduation credits. Students enrolled in elementary or middle grade courses through grade 8 are not required to test.
     

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    3. Are students in online credit recovery courses required to take the MAP assessments? How will the department count students enrolled in online credit recovery courses for growth on the MAP assessments?

    Yes, students in online courses fall under the same testing requirements as students in traditional dropout prevention and recovery schools. The department uses student scores from the MAP assessments to generate a growth rating for the school’s report card. The calculation measures the impact the school has on the students’ growth throughout the school year. The calculation is identical for online and brick and mortar schools. 

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    4. Will students who are on alternate assessment be required to take the MAP assessments?

    No, students are not required to take the NWEA MAP assessment if they have severe cognitive disabilities of such magnitude that their IEP teams have deemed it appropriate for them to take the alternate assessment for students with cognitive disabilities. Schools should report a Score Not Reported Reason in EMIS for these students. Code “L” is the appropriate code to use, (“Student has a disability condition for which no vendor accommodation exists”). ODE staff will use this code to identify which students to cross-check for an alternate assessment record from the current or a prior school year.
     

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    5. How will the department count special education students with IEPs for our school?

    Students who are not taking the alternate assessment are required to take the NWEA MAP assessment and their scores will be included in the calculation.

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    6. What accommodations are we allowed to offer to special needs students who are taking the MAP assessments?

    NWEA has a list of accommodations here. Schools must document accommodations on the IEP of a student with disabilities based on the individual needs of the student as determined by his or her IEP team. Accommodations outside the scope of allowable accommodations of the MAP assessments may invalidate the results of the assessment. If you have questions about the accommodations offered to students, please contact rick.weber@nwea.org. 

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    7. How do we document the accommodations provided for special needs students? What documentation do we need to report to the department?

    Schools must document all accommodations provided to students on each student’s IEP record. The district will report the student’s required testing accommodations pursuant to that student’s IEP as part of the special education event record and as part of the student’s assessment record in EMIS. If you have questions regarding EMIS reporting, please contact your Information Technology Center (ITC). For a complete list of the ITCs and the counties they serve, please click here and then click on Show/Hide ITC Contact Information. For a map of ITC locations, click here. 
     

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    8. If a student has an IEP and the IEP exempts the student from taking state tests, will the student be required to take the MAP assessment?

    There is no exemption that allows a student to opt out of the required state assessments. You may exempt a student from PASSAGE for the purpose of graduation, but the student must take the assessments at least one time. The NWEA MAP test is required to be administered twice annually to all grade 9 or higher students, even those students who are exempt from having to pass the state’s assessments for graduation. 
     

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Submitting Data

    1. What process do I follow for entering data into EMIS? What data am I responsible for submitting to the department? How do I submit the data?

    The NWEA MAP assessment is just one of many assessments reported using the Student Assessment (FA) Record. Each school uses an Information Technology Center (ITC) to report data to EMIS. Your ITC can assist you if you have questions about what data to report. You also can submit an EMIS help desk ticket. 
     

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    2. When does my school need to submit data through EMIS after testing during the required test window?

    Schools must submit the NWEA MAP data through EMIS during the appropriate EMIS student assessment collection. Your EMIS coordinator will receive additional information from EMIS when the department’s reporting window opens.
     

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Department Use of Data

    1. What formula is the state using to calculate a Progress Rating for a school?

    SAS, Ohio’s value-added vendor, has created a document to describe the calculation. Click here for more information. 
     

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    2. What specifically is the department looking for in the MAP assessment data?

    Schools must report a reading and math RIT score for the first administration taken soon after enrolling in the school and a reading and math RIT score for the second administration taken thirteen (13) week later. Details on the exact elements you must report are always included in the EMIS Release Notes. 
     

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Testing

    1. When must our school test students for the MAP assessments?

    Schools must test all students in grades 9 and higher who enroll at the beginning of the school year within the first few weeks of the school year. Please see updated DOPR testing guidance for more information.
     

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    2. How should schools test students who enroll after the fall MAP assessment window?
    Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, the Department is revising testing windows for the administration of the NWEA MAP assessments for community schools receiving the DOPR report card designation to provide additional flexibility. Please see updated DOPR testing guidance for more information. 
     

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    3. How do I roster students for the MAP assessments?

    NWEA has provided the following resources to assist schools with rostering students for the MAP assessments here. When schools roster students into the NWEA MAP site, schools are required to use the Statewide Student Identifier (SSID). Schools should not use the local student identification when rostering students into the NWEA MAP site.

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    4. The changes to testing administration requirements guidance was released in the middle of the Fall test window for 2018-2019. How should we handle testing for students who enrolled between Aug. 1st and Aug. 18th of the 2018-2019 school year?
    For the 2018-2019 school year, schools should test students who were enrolled and/or initially tested at the start of school between Aug. 1st and Aug. 18th during the Dec. 2nd through Dec. 8th testing window. For the 2019-2020 school year, schools should test students who were enrolled and/or initially tested at the start of school in August following the guide below.
     
    Week Initial Testing Window Corresponding Initial NWEA Seasonal Test Window Second Testing Window Corresponding Second NWEA Seasonal Test Window
    1 August 1 to August 10, 2019 Fall November 10 to November 16, 2019 Winter
    2 August 11 to August 17, 2019 Fall November 24 to November 30, 2019 Winter

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    5. For the 2018-2019 school year, how should we handle testing for students who were enrolled for more than 20 days, but were withdrawn prior to the start of the next testing window?
    For the 2018-19 school year, the Department will conduct the calculation the same way it did in 2017-2018. Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, the Department will check enrollment starting Aug. 1.
     

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    6. Is the Department looking at accumulated enrollment or exact instructional weeks from a student’s enrollment date?
    The Department will check to make sure schools tested all students (who were enrolled for at least 20 calendar days) after 13 weeks of instruction regardless of attendance gaps. A school should count a week as a week of instruction if the school is open for most of the days during the week.

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    7. Are schools required to test new students in grades 9 and higher a second time exactly 13 weeks after initial enrollment?
    Schools should test new students as part of the enrollment process and then again after 13 weeks of instruction. Testing students as part of the enrollment process ensures the test scores represent students’ abilities prior to receiving instruction.
     

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    8. Are schools required to administer the NWEA MAP test to returning students after 13 weeks of the students’ initial start date for the current school year?
    Schools should test returning students during the first week of the new school year, prior to instruction taking place, and then again after 13 weeks of instruction. A week should be counted as a “week of instruction” if school is open for a majority of the days in the week.
     

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    9. Are schools required to follow the initial and second testing windows outlined in the NWEA MAP testing administration guidance?
    The initial and second testing windows outlined in the guidance are a general guide for schools. Schools should use their own calendars to determine whether a student has met the 13 weeks of initial enrollment or start date of school to determine when students should test again.  A week should be counted as a “week of instruction” if the school is open for a majority of the days in the week.
     

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    10. If our school year starts earlier or ends earlier than the test windows outlined in the guidance, are we required to follow the testing windows outlined in the guidance?
    The testing windows outlined in the guidance are a general guide for schools. Schools should use their own calendars to determine whether a student has been enrolled for 13 weeks of instruction to determine when students should test for the second time.

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    11. Our school is a year-round school. When should we administer the first assessment?
    Schools operating year-round should test students for the first time on Aug. 1, the start of the fall test window. There must be thirteen (13) weeks of instruction between the first and second test.  This means that students enrolled in early August would test for the second time after receiving thirteen (13) additional weeks of instruction. 

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    12. How does shortening the test windows between the initial test and the second test impact the way a school’s growth is calculated?
    NWEA publishes growth norms based on a partial year of instruction in addition to publishing norms based on a full year of instruction. Ohio’s value-added vendor, SAS, Inc., will use those partial year norms to help gauge how much growth is expected for the students in each school when the testing cycle is based on 13 weeks of instruction between the first and second test. This change should make the calculation more statistically sound as all students will test with the same number of weeks of instruction between their first and second tests.
     

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    13. How will schools demonstrate their students have met standards with the shortened test windows?
    This calculation is measuring how much GROWTH or PROGESS the students in each school are making from the time they enroll until the end of the thirteenth (13th) week of instruction. By using NWEA’s partial year norms, all students can show growth if they are engaged in their studies during that thirteen-week instructional period. This calculation is different from measuring how well students are learning the academic content standards. Ohio’s OSTs are designed to measure achievement and students should take those tests at the time they have completed (or nearly completed) the course that matches the test. 
     

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    14. For the 2018-2019 school year, will students who withdraw after 13 weeks of instruction before they’ve had an opportunity to test again negatively impact a school’s report card?
    Schools should work closely with students to ensure they understand the MAP testing expectations. Students who are enrolled for at least 20 calendar days are required to complete an initial assessment regardless of when the student enrolls during the school year. Students who are enrolled for 13 weeks of instruction after the initial test should complete a second assessment. The agency will continue to generate two different participation rate calculations; one to determine the percent of students with at least 20 calendar days of enrollment who took an initial assessment and one to determine the percent of students who took a second assessment. For the 2018-2019 school year only, the second participation rate percentage will be calculated the same way as it was in prior years. Students with at least 20 calendar days of enrollment in the Spring test window will be included in the denominator, but a school will earn credit for a student regardless of whether the second test was completed immediately after the thirteenth (13th) week of instruction or if the test was taken later in the school year, during the Spring test window. This means that a student who has at least thirteen weeks of instruction, but who withdraws prior to the spring window will not count against the school for the 2018-2019 year only. See the next FAQ for information on how the participation rate will be calculated in 2019-2020 and beyond. 

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    15. For the 2019-2020 school year and beyond, will students who withdraw after 13 weeks of instruction before they’ve had an opportunity to test again negatively impact a school’s report card?
    Schools should work closely with students to ensure they understand the MAP testing expectations. Students who are enrolled for at least 20 calendar days are required to complete an initial assessment regardless of when the student enrolls during the school year. Students who are enrolled for 13 weeks of instruction after the initial test must complete a second assessment or they will count against the school in the participation calculation beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. The agency will continue to generate two different participation rate calculations; one to determine the percent of students with at least 20 calendar days of enrollment who took an initial assessment and one to determine the percent of students who took a second assessment after completing thirteen (13) weeks of instruction. For the 2019-2020 school year and beyond, the second participation rate percentage will include all students who are enrolled thirteen weeks after the initial test is administered, even if the Spring test window has not yet opened.

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    16. Which MAP assessments are schools required to administer?
    Schools are required to administer the Reading – Growth: Reading 6+ OH 2017 and Math – Growth: Math 6+ OH 2017 to all students in grades 9 and higher. NWEA also offers schools a series of additional tests that can be used to gauge student achievement and progress.  Once the required tests are administered, schools may use any of the other optional tests to obtain additional information about their students.  It is important to understand, however, administering optional tests provided by NWEA will not meet the testing requirement and will not count towards the participation rate calculation.  

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Student Enrollment Verification

    1. When will the department conduct the student enrollment verification?
    The department will conduct the student enrollment verification of each dropout prevention and recovery school after the first Community School/School Options Enrollment System (SOES) Student Collection of the academic school year. 

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    2. What process will the department follow for the student enrollment verification?
    During the student enrollment verification, the department will verify whether or not the school meets the definition of a dropout prevention and recovery school as outlined in Ohio Administrative Code 3301-102-10. After the first student collection, the department will verify that more than 50 percent of the students enrolled in the dropout prevention and recovery school are between the ages of 16 and 21. The verification will include any students reported as enrolled for any length of time in the first student collection. Sponsors are responsible for ensuring the majority of students enrolled in the school are participating in a dropout prevention and recovery program that meets statutory requirements.

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    3. What will happen if the school no longer meets the definition of a dropout prevention and recovery school?
    If a school is found to no longer meet the definition of a dropout prevention and recovery school in the student enrollment verification, the department will remove the school’s dropout prevention and recovery report card designation, and the school will receive a traditional report card. Please ensure the student data you submit to EMIS is accurate during the first student collection. There is no appeals process for resubmitting student data from the first student collection to EMIS. 

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    4. When will the department notify schools if they no longer meet the definition of a dropout prevention and recovery school?
    The department will notify schools within 21 calendar days after the close of the first Community School/SOES Student Collection of the academic school year if the schools no longer meet the definition of a dropout prevention and recovery school.

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Last Modified: 5/17/2019 12:13:29 PM