US Educational Terms Glossary (Garland Green)

An alternate method for a school to meet AMO if it shows progress in moving students from scoring at the "below proficient" level to the "proficient" level or above on STAR, CAHSEE, and/or CAPA. The state, school districts, and schools may still make AYP if each subgroup that fails to reach its proficiency performance targets reduces its percentage of students not meeting standards by 10 percent of the previous year's percentage, plus the subgroup must meet the attendance rate or graduation rate targets. (Dataquest)

Also known as the SAT Reasoning Test (formerly called Scholastic Aptitude Test), this test is widely used as a college entrance examination. Scores can be compared to state and national averages of seniors graduating from any public or private school. (Ed-data)

This was formerly know as the Achievement Tests and was renamed the SAT II: Subject Tests. They are administered by the College Board and widely used as a college entrance exam. Students may take the test more than once, but only the highest score is reported at the year of graduation.

The range of scores possible for the student to achieve on a test or an assessment. Performance assessments typically use a 4- to 6-point scale compared to a scale of 100 or more with traditional multiple-choice tests.

An annual disclosure report for parents and the public produced by a school that presents student achievement, test scores, teacher credentials, dropout rates, class sizes, resources, and more. The SARC is required by state and federal law.

A state-funded program for elementary, intermediate, and secondary schools to improve instruction, services, school environment and organization at school sites according to plans developed by School Site Councils (see School Site Council).

A group of teachers, parents, administrators, and interested community members who work together to develop and monitor a school's improvement plan. It is a legally required decision-making body for any school receiving federal funds (see School Improvement Plan).

Knowledge that provides people with the conceptual and technological tools to explain and describe how the world works.

Research that involves the application of rigorous, systemic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to educational activities and programs. (Ed Source)

A set of guidelines for rating student work. A scoring guide describes what is being assessed provides a scoring scale and helps the teacher or rater correctly place work on the scale. (See rubrics.)

State education agency (e.g. state department of education)

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory

An instructional approach in which classes are composed entirely of students learning English. Students are taught using methods that make academic instruction in English understandable. In some schools, students may be clustered in a mainstream classroom.

A credential required to teach middle or high school. It authorizes a teacher to teach in a single subject area such as English or a foreign language.

Students whose parents do not have a high school diploma or who participate in the federally funded free/reduced price meal program because of low family income. (Ed Source)

A norm-referenced assessment required for all Spanish-speaking students in grades two through eleven who have been enrolled in California schools for less than one year. SABE/2 is part of the STAR program and the results are part of the school's API. It covers Spanish/language arts and mathematics. (Ed Source)

Full-day classes for students with learning disabilities, speech and/or language impairments, serious emotional disturbances, cognitive delays, and a range of other impairments. Classes are taught by certified special education teachers. A student may be placed in a regular classroom as appropriate according to the student's IEP.

Special instruction provided for students with educational or physical disabilities, tailored to each student's needs and learning style.

Days set aside in the school calendar for teacher training. School is not generally held on these days.

• Assessments that are administered and scored in exactly the same way for all students. Traditional standardized tests are typically mass-produced and machine-scored they are designed to measure skills and knowledge that are thought to be taught to all students in a fairly standardized way. Performance assessments also can be standardized if they are administered and scored in the same way for all students.
  
  
• A test that is in the same format for all who take it. It often relies on multiple-choice questions and the testing conditions—including instructions, time limits, and scoring rubrics—are the same for all students, though sometimes accommodations on time limits and instructions are made for disabled students. (Ed Source)
  

Statements of what students should know and be able to demonstrate. Various standards have been developed by national organizations state departments of education districts and schools.

A school-based program modeled on employee assistance programs that focuses on addressing students behavior and performance at school and includes a referral process to help students address identified problems.

(also referred to as Student Success Team)

A team of educators that comes together at the request of a classroom teacher, parent, or counselor to design in-class intervention techniques to meet the needs of a particular student.

A teacher in training who is in the last semester of a teacher education program. Student teachers work with a regular teacher who supervises their practice teaching.

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