A Quick Look at AMOs

Establishing New AMOs• In our waiver request, we submitted ambitious but

achievable AMOs based on proficiency rates resulting from Wisconsin’s new WKCE performance level cut scores.

• Using 2011-12 data, AMOs were set to move all schools in the state to the level of the schools that are now performing at the 90th percentile within six years.

• By 2016-17, the expectation is for all schools to have all student groups reach 50% reading proficiency and 65% mathematics proficiency.

• Some subgroups have steeper AMO trajectories because they are further behind in proficiency rates.

• A minimum 1% of growth is expected annually. This would apply to those schools/subgroups that are already meeting the AMOs but for whom we expect continued growth.

Reading AMOs

Math AMOs

Meeting AMOs• For a school’s reading and mathematics

AMOs, a group’s performance compared to its AMO is measured by the higher of

(1) the proficiency rate in the current year; or

(2) the average proficiency rate in the current and prior year.

• A cell size of 20 is used and a 95 percent confidence interval is applied to determine whether or not an AMO is met.

• A confidence interval (CI) is a type of estimate used to indicate the reliability of a statistic.

• The CI gives an estimated range of scores (interval) within which the school’s or group’s “true score” falls.

• The level of confidence of the CI indicates the probability that the confidence range captures this true population parameter given a distribution of samples. It does not describe any single sample.

• The confidence interval gives us 95% certainty of the group’s performance. If the performance is within the confidence interval, it is determined to have met the AMO.

 

Confidence Intervals

Meeting AMOs

Graduation AMO• Schools also have an AMO for graduation rate. Wisconsin uses

the graduation rate goal of 85 percent. A cell size of 20 and a 95 percent confidence interval are used to determine whether an AMO was met.

• Separate graduation rate improvement targets are used for the four- and six-year rates. A school meets the graduation rate AMO for graduation if:– (1) the graduation rate for the most recent year, or for the most

recent two years combined, meets the 85 percent goal; or

– (2) the improvement in graduation rate meets the applicable target. DPI will first evaluate whether a school met the goal or target for the four-year rate. If it does not, the school will be evaluated using the six-year rate.

• In 2011-12 only, the first year of this accountability system, a five-year rate was used in place of the six-year rate because we do not have the data to run a six-year rate until 2012-13.

Graduation AMO Improvement Targets

Meeting AMOs

Subgroup AMOs• The AMOs expect an increase of 1% or more

in proficiency rates annually. This assures that the top-performing subgroups continue to make progress.

• The six-year targets of 49.9% proficiency in reading and 65.3% proficiency in mathematics reflect dramatic increases in performance for most subgroups.

• Dramatic increases in performance will require dramatic effort.

Subgroup AMOs

Subgroup AMOs

AMO’s and the ESEA App

Prior to approval of its ESEA consolidated application, DPI will require any district with schools failing to meet their AMOs for all students or student subgroups to align Title I funds to missed AMOs.

Until satisfactorily meeting this expectation, DPI consultants will not approve district applications.

Required InterventionsWhen reviewing the ESEA consolidated application of a district with schools failing to meet AMOs, DPI Title I consultants will ensure the district has allocated Title I funds to specific activities designed to improve student outcomes (i.e., approved interventions and professional development).

The districts must demonstrate or justify how the selected activities will improve achievement in areas of identified need within these schools.

State-Approved InterventionsDistricts with schools failing to meet AMOs must implement instructional interventions selected from a menu of state-approved, evidence-based, proven resources and interventions. Informed by the work of Dr. Allen Coulter, a national expert in early intervening services and improving outcomes for students with disabilities, as well as his team of contracted national experts with expertise in literacy, math, behavior, RtI systems, and bilingual instruction, DPI has begun developing an initial list of interventions.

Professional DevelopmentDistricts with schools failing to meet AMOs must also participate in professional development opportunities provided by the Title I Network and designed in collaboration with DPI to support improved student outcomes.

Consultation with ExpertsTo provide specific support:

• Students with Disabilities

• English Language Learners

• Wisconsin RtI Center

• Indistar

• Spotlight Practices

• Standards & Assessment Center