Technical Fact Sheet: Understanding Subject Specific Annual Measurable
Objectives
West Virginia applied for flexibility from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in
September of 2012 and received full approval in May 2013. As part of its approved Flexibility Waiver,
West Virginia has the opportunity to implement a state-developed accountability system that
differentiates recognition, accountability, and support for all schools in the state.
The new West Virginia Accountability System is comprised of two components: Annual Measurable
Objectives (AMOs) and the West Virginia Accountability Index (WVAI). This document provides further
explanation of the role subgroup specific Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) have in determining a
school’s designation.
Subgroup Specific Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs)
Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) are the first component of the new West Virginia Accountability
System. AMOs are proficiency-based goals that are based on each school’s subgroup-specific SY 20112012 accountability results. Each subgroup has a trajectory based upon a goal of 75% by 2020. To
calculate each subgroup’s trajectory, one would subtract the 2011-2012 proficiency rate from 75% and
divide that total by 8. This accounts for the eight (8) years between SY 2011-2012 and SY 2019-2020.
This amount is added annually to define a subgroup’s trajectory. For example:
Proficiency Rate for All Students in 2011-2012:
Proficiency Rate Target for All Students by 2020:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
50% Proficient
75% Proficient
75% - 50% = 25%
25%/8 years = 3.125% per year
50% + 3.125% for 2012-2013 requirement
Add 3.125% for each additional year
Table 1. Example AMOs for a Single Subgroup
School Year
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
2015-2016
2016-2017
2017-2018
2018-2019
2019-2020
AMO Target
50%
53.125%
56.25%
59.375%
62.5%
65.625%
68.75%
71.875%
75%
More information about the components of this process is included in the subsequent section.
How are AMOs determined?
Subgroup-specific AMOs are determined using proficiency-based trajectories for individual schools.
Additionally, an AMO is the target a school has to meet each year to demonstrate students in a school
are making sufficient progress. Information on proficiency rates, subgroup cell sizes, trajectories,
required annual improvement, and full academic year (FAY) can be found below.
Proficiency Rates for Mathematics and English/Language Arts
WV’s new ESEA Accountability System currently includes subgroup-specific AMOs for only Mathematics
and English/Language Arts (ELA). Similar to the prior system, subgroups of students are expected to
meet their annual targets in both Mathematics and ELA.
Minimum “N” Size for Subgroup Cells
The new WV Accountability System uses a minimum cell size of 20 students across all grades in a school
to identify a valid subgroup. Schools are being held accountable for proficiency rates in Mathematics
and English/Language Arts, achievement gaps, observed growth, adequate growth, and
attendance/graduation rates.
Trajectories
Trajectories determine the required improvement that subgroups in a school must demonstrate to meet
the required annual target. There are several factors to consider with trajectories:
Statewide targets: Under the previous accountability system, schools were required to meet
100% proficiency for all students by 2014. Under the new WV Accountability System, schools
and subgroups in WV are expected to reach 75% proficiency by 2020.
School-specific starting points: Under the previous accountability system, all schools and
subgroups started at a common proficiency-based starting point. Under the new WV
Accountability System, each subgroup within each school will have its own unique starting
point. These starting points are based on within-school, subgroup-specific proficiency rates
using 2011-2012 data for subgroups with a minimum cell size of 20.
A majority of subgroup-specific trajectories: Under the previous accountability system, a
school’s AYP determination was based in part on whether all subgroups made adequate yearly
progress. Under the new WV Accountability System, schools are required to demonstrate
sufficient annual improvement for a majority of subgroups in an individual school. For
example:
Table 2. Example schools’ required annual improvement by subgroup.
School Number of Subgroups in Math and ELA Required Majority of Cells in Math
A
2 subgroups
1/2 must pass
B
3 subgroups
2/3 must pass
C
4 subgroups
2/4 must pass
D
5 subgroups
3/5 must pass
E
6 subgroups
3/6 must pass
F
7 subgroups
4/7 must pass
How does a School Make the Required Annual Improvement on AMOs?
Using each school’s unique trajectory (defined above), a school must demonstrate the required annual
improvement for a majority of subgroups in that school. A school can demonstrate the required annual
improvement for each subgroup by meeting one of the following criteria:
1. Observed performance: A subgroup’s proficiency rate exceeds the required AMO target for the
current year based only on that subgroup’s observed performance;
2. Confidence intervals: A subgroup’s proficiency rate exceeds the required AMO using a
confidence interval of 99%. A confidence interval is used to increase the reliability of the
observed proficiency rates in a school, especially for smaller schools. The use of confidence
intervals is not applied to safe harbor, attendance, or graduation rate calculations;
3. Averaging: A subgroup’s proficiency rate exceeds the required AMO target for the current year
based on an average of that subgroup’s most current three years of data; or
4. Safe Harbor: A subgroup’s non-proficiency rate decreases at least 10%. For example:
Table 3. Safe-Harbor example for low socio-economic status (SES) subgroup in School A and School B
School
2011-2012
2012-2013
Required 10%
Observed Reduction in
Annual
NonNonReduction
Non-Proficiency
Improvement?
Proficiency
Proficiency
A
50%
46%
5%
4%
No
B
45%
40%
4.5%
5%
Yes
How is Safe Harbor calculated?
Under the new WV Accountability System, Safe Harbor is calculated by decreasing a subgroup’s nonproficiency rate by 10% of the non-proficient rate. Using the example above, one would calculate Safe
Harbor by completing the following steps:
Step #1: Determine the Non-Proficiency of the Subgroup
In the example above, the low socio-economic subgroup (SES) in School A demonstrated 50%
proficiency in 2011-2012. To determine the non-proficiency rate of the subgroup, simply subtract the
proficiency rate from 100 percent as follows:
100%
-
50%
=
50%
Step #2: Determine the Required Decrease in Non-Proficiency for SY 2012-2013
Using School A’s data, multiply the non-proficiency rate by 10%:
50% (Non-Proficient) x 10%
=
5% (Required Decrease in Non-Proficiency)
Step #3: Determine the Required Non-Proficiency Rate for the Subgroup in SY 2012-2013
For School A, one would subtract the required decrease of 5% from the non-proficiency rate. This
number yields the required non-proficiency rate for the low SES subgroup in SY 2012-2013:
(SY 2011-2012 Performance)
50% Non-Proficient
(Required Decrease)
5%
(SY 2012-2013 Non-Proficiency)
=
45% Non-Proficient
Step #4: Compare the Observed 2012-2013 Non-Proficiency Performance to the Required Decrease
Using School A’s data, a non-proficiency rate of 46% would represent only a 4% reduction in nonproficiency, which is less than the required 5% decrease. In this case, School A did not make Safe
Harbor.
What Students are counted as Full Academic Year (FAY)?
Full Academic Year (FAY) calculations have been revised for the new West Virginia Accountability
System. Beginning in SY 2011-2012 (i.e., baseline data for AMOs), students are considered FAY based on
a combination of two conditions:
1. Students who are present in a school for the statewide summative assessment, and
2. Have at least 135 membership days in the school they were tested.
Please note that students who are counted as FAY do not have to be continuously enrolled in a school
for 135 days. FAY students may be moving from school to school. A student’s FAY indicator is based on
whether students are enrolled in the school he/she tested for at least 135 days in a single school year.
What Students are Included in the Subgroup-Specific Proficiency-Based AMOs?
As per ESEA requirements, all students must be assessed on the statewide summative assessment,
which includes WESTEST 2 or the Alternate Performance Task Assessment (APTA). Students who take
the WESTEST 2 and students taking the APTA are included in the proficiency rate calculations.
How Does the Community Eligibility Option Affect AMOs?
Some Local Education Agencies (LEAs) have schools that are participating in the Community Eligibility
Option (CEO). The CEO initiative is a universal meal program that is part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
Act of 2010. For more information, please contact the Office of Child Nutrition.
Under NCLB, all schools used application data to determine free/reduced priced lunch eligibility. With
the implementation of the CEO initiative, data are no longer available in a common format across the
state. Because some LEAs and schools have implemented the CEO initiative, subgroup considerations
differ across schools in certain cases and do not in others. Specifically:
Achievement Gap: For the low-socioeconomic status subgroup in the achievement gap portion
of the West Virginia Accountability Index (described in detail below), only Directly Certified
students are considered “low SES.” The corresponding comparison group includes those
students irrespective of eligibility for participation in the CEO initiative.
How Does the 1% Calculation Affect AMOs
While the subgroup-specific proficiency-based AMOs are now being calculated at the school level, the
requirement to adhere to no more than 1% of students being allowed to take the alternate assessment
under accountability is applied at the Local Education Agency (LEA) level. Under the new WV
Accountability System, if an LEA exceeds 1% of students being assessed on the alternate assessment,
students at the LEA level will be randomly selected to be placed in the Novice category on the general
assessment.
For more information regarding the new West Virginia Accountability System, please refer to the
Technical Fact Sheets located on the West Virginia ESEA Technical Support web site:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/support/
Contact Information
For more information on West Virginia’ ESEA Flexibility Request, please visit the website:
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/
For more information on data, assessment, or accountability, please contact the WVDE Office of
Assessment and Accountability:
(304) 558‐2546
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/
For more information on technical assistance and school improvement, please contact the WVDE Office
of School Improvement:
(304) 558‐3199
http://wvde.state.wv.us/schoolimprovement/