What is the State’s additional academic indicator for public elementary schools for the definition of AYP?  For public middle schools for the definition of AYP?

West Virginia schools have reported attendance rate annually for the last twelve years.  The West Virginia Department of Education has selected attendance rate as the additional academic indicator for calculating AYP for elementary and middle schools.  The calculation for the student attendance rate is: 

[total days present / (total days present + total days absent)] X 100

State policy related to the attendance rate is under revision. 

The West Virginia Board of Education will establish the attendance rate standard.  Schools will be considered as having met AYP if they meet or exceed the standard or if they have made improvement toward the standard.

For the AYP determination, the attendance rate calculation will be used for accountability at the school/LEA levels, but will not be calculated for each subgroup.  However, for schools/LEAs that must use the “safe harbor” provision to meet AYP for the achievement indicator, the attendance rate standard must then be met by the subgroup(s) that failed to meet AYP on the assessment standards.

Evidence:

W.Va. Code §§18-8-1, 18-8-1a, 18-8-2, 18-8-3, 18-8-4

WV Board of Education Policy 2340

WV Board of Education Policy 2320

WV Board of Education Policy 4110, http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/p4110.html

WV Board of Education Policy 2510