School Report Card - Atkinson

Report Card:
This report includes information on the school's performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) by content area, grade level, and for particular student populations. Comparison data from the district, the state, and from 2001 are also provided. In addition, this report includes other information as required by the federal No Child Left Behind act.

Mission Statement:
The Atkinson School will ensure that all students will succeed academically, through standards-based instructional programs, coupled with rigorous, engaging professional development and collaborative parent and community partnerships. The Atkinson School will prepare all students, including those in general education and special education, with a quality education.

Data Definitions

Enrollment

Limited English Proficient: are defined as "a student whose first language is a language other than English who is unable to perform ordinary classroom work in English."

Low Income: An indication of whether the 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

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.

Percent of teachers licensed:
The percentage of teachers with Provisional, Initial, or Professional licensure (all teaching staff, including long-term substitutes). This information is not required from charter schools.

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 hold a valid Massachusetts license 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.

MCAS Student Status:

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: They are defined as "a student whose first language is a language other than English who is unable to perform ordinary classroom work in English."

Race/Ethnicity:
This data is collected on the MCAS test, and is collected differently than in the enrollment statistics. Students have the option on the MCAS of selecting more than one racial/ethnicity descriptor, and "other" is an option.

Eligible for F/RP Lunch: Students eligible for free or reduced price lunch.

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.

Adequate Yearly Progress Performance (School)

Information on the DOE's school performance rating process can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/ata/sda.html#sprp.

Base PI - The cycle II baseline proficiency index. This measure is based on the 1999 and 2000 MCAS results and is an indicator of how close the school is to having all of its students Proficient or Advanced.
Imp. Target - The school's improvement target is the proficiency index points needed, every two years, to close the gap between the baseline and the NCLB goal of all students proficient by 2014.
Cycle II PI - The cycle II proficiency index. This measure is based on the 2001 and 2002 MCAS results and is an indicator of how close the school is to having all of its students Proficient or Advanced.
Perf. Rating - The performance rating is based on the cycle II PI. The six ratings are Very High, High, Moderate, Low, Very Low, and Critically Low.
Imp. Rating - The improvement rating is based on the actual change in the proficiency index, from the baseline to the end of the cycle, compared to the improvement target. The five ratings are Above Target, On Target, Improved Below Target, No Change, and Declined.
AYP - A determination of whether the school has made "adequate yearly progress".