Using "Peer Grade" to Determine Whether a Grade 56 or 58
Special Education Student is Eligible for Testing
Office of Research and Statistics
Mississippi Department of Education
January 20, 2005 (Revised February 16, 2005)
For students assigned a regular grade code between 02 and 08, the grade level is used to
determine eligibility for testing. Eligibility for testing on the SATP is determined by the fact that a
student is enrolled in a course in which the SATP is administered.
For special education students with a grade code of 56 or 58 (elementary or secondary self
contained) in MSIS, we have to use the student's age to determine testing eligibility, since there
is no regular assigned grade level that can be used for that purpose. For those students, the
following [CORRECTED] text in Mississippi Statewide Assessment System -- Guidelines for
Special Populations: Students with Disabilities, English Language Learners denotes the age
limits applied when determining testing eligibility.
"…students in a non-graded setting who are 7 to 14 13 years of age on September 1"
The following table shows the exact birth dates that were (or will be) used for determining
testing eligibility each school year.
For testing conducted
during school year
Used for calculating
participation rates for the
AYP model run in August
2003-2004
2004
September 2, 1989 – September 1, 1996
2004-2005
2005
September 2, 1990 -- September 1, 1997
2005-2006
2006
September 2, 1991 -- September 1, 1998
2006-2007
2007
September 2, 1992 -- September 1, 1999
2007-2008
2008
September 2, 1993 -- September 1, 2000
2008-2009
2009
September 2, 1994 -- September 1, 2001
Student is eligible for testing if his/her birth
date is in the inclusive range1
1
If the student's birth date is ANY of these days, the student is eligible for testing. The inclusive
age range contains birth dates that are typical for students enrolled each year in grades 2
through 8 under the assumption that students begin first grade if they are/will be 6 years old on
September 1 of the school year.
Note: Testing eligibility determines whether the student must be assessed - - non-disabled
students must be assessed if they are in grades 2 – 8. The testing participation rates used in
the AYP model and published in the Report Card are based on students with (actual or peer)
grades 3 – 8 since those are the grades used for accountability purposes.
Computer Algorithm Used to Calculate Peer Grade for the 2004 AYP Model
/* CALCULATE PEER GRADE LEVEL AS OF 09/01/03 (BEGINNING OF SY 2003/2004)
FOR ALL STUDENTS FOR WHOM BESTGRD IS 56 OR 58 (SELF-CONTAINED SPED).
YR='XX' MUST BE UPDATED (BY ADDING 1) TO CALCULATE PEER GRADE FOR THE
NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
ASSUMES STARTING KDG IF 5 YEARS OLD BY SEPT 1 -AND- 1ST GRADE IF 6 YEARS
OLD BY SEPT 1, ETC. */
IF (BESTGRD='56' OR BESTGRD='58') AND BESTDOB NE '999999' THEN DO;
YR=SUBSTR(BESTDOB,5,2);
MM=SUBSTR(BESTDOB,1,2);
PGR=.;
Correction for birthdays occurring on
September 1 each year…
/* PEER GRADE LEVEL */
IF YR='82' THEN DO;
PGR= 16;
IF MM='09' AND DD NE
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='83' THEN DO;
PGR= 15;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='84' THEN DO;
PGR= 14;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='85' THEN DO;
PGR= 13;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='86' THEN DO;
PGR= 12;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='87' THEN DO;
PGR= 11;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
'01' THEN PGR= 15;
15;
15;
15;
14;
14;
14;
14;
13;
13;
13;
13;
12;
12;
12;
12;
11;
11;
11;
11;
10;
IF MM='10' THEN PGR= 10;
IF MM='11' THEN PGR= 10;
IF MM='12' THEN PGR= 10;
END;
IF YR='88' THEN DO;
PGR= 10;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='89' THEN DO;
PGR= 9;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='90' THEN DO;
PGR= 8;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='91' THEN DO;
PGR= 7;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='92' THEN DO;
PGR= 6;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='93' THEN DO;
PGR= 5;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
9;
9;
9;
9;
8;
8;
8;
8;
7;
7;
7;
7;
6;
6;
6;
6;
5;
5;
5;
5;
4;
4;
4;
4;
IF YR='94' THEN DO;
PGR= 4;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR= 3;
IF MM='10' THEN PGR= 3;
IF MM='11' THEN PGR= 3;
IF MM='12' THEN PGR= 3;
END;
IF YR='95' THEN DO;
PGR= 3;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='96' THEN DO;
PGR= 2;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
IF YR='97' THEN DO;
PGR= 1;
IF MM='09' THEN PGR=
IF MM='10' THEN PGR=
IF MM='11' THEN PGR=
IF MM='12' THEN PGR=
END;
END;
2;
2;
2;
2;
1;
1;
1;
1;
0;
0;
0;
0;