Public comment regarding indicator 4
Currently, Arizona excludes 98% of Public Education Agencies (PEA) in the testing for Indicator 4 – Significant Discrepancy. Arizona attempted various simulations using different N (denominator = total count of students in a test) and cell sizes (numerator = testing group count), with results still excluding more than 90% of PEAs. By lowering the N size from 30 to 10 and by removing the cell size requirement, over 95% PEAs would be included in the analysis; however, this calculation resulted in some PEAs being over the rate ratio of 3 inappropriately, and therefore, they would be flagged as having significant discrepancy. Having one or two students in the numerator does not necessarily mean that there is a systemic issue, but since their denominator is so small, their rate of removal compared to their overall enrollment makes their rate ratio exceedingly high. These unique PEAs are unlikely to have similarly high rates for multiple years in a row unless there is a systemic issue. To increase the chances that a PEA would be flagged for significant discrepancy through systemic practices, lowering the rate ratio from 3 to 2 would increase the number PEAs flagged for review each year.
Arizona is adjusting the calculation to the following criterion in the calculation:
- No cell size
- N size = 10
- Rate ratio >=2
- 3 consecutive years of data
State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
Every state must develop and submit for federal approval a State Performance Plan (SPP) that outlines the actions the State will take to implement the purposes of the IDEA and that explains how the State will evaluate its progress in these areas. In an Annual Performance Report (APR), each State must report on its progress and on the progress of children with disabilities toward meeting the goals established in the APR.
State Determination
Annually, based on the SPP/APR submission, other state-reported data, and other publicly available information, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) makes a determination as to whether each state “meets requirements,” “needs assistance,” “needs intervention,” or “needs substantial intervention” in meeting the requirements of the IDEA.
Public Reporting of IDEA Part B Data
Each State must also report annually to the public on the performance of each public educational agency (PEA) located in the State on the targets in its Part B – SPP as soon as practicable, but no later than 120 days following the State’s submission of its Part B – APR to the United States Department of Education.
State & PEA Performance by Indicator
Descriptions of IDEA Part B Indicators
This reference summarizes the descriptions of each SPP/APR indicator and specifies if it is a performance or a compliance indicator.
Summarized Descriptions of IDEA Part B Indicators
Arizona’s Progress on the SPP/APR Indicators
Each year, states must report against the targets established for the 17 indicators in its SPP/APR. The 2020–2021 school year began the State's most recent six-year reporting cycle (FFY 2020–2025). The following document reports on Arizona's progress on this new cycle and offers relevant data from previous years as a comparison.
Arizona's Progress on the FFY 2020–2025 SPP/APR Indicators
Public Reporting of SPP/APR Targets and Comments
Between September 2021 and January of 2022, ADE/ESS initiated a series of stakeholder meetings to establish new targets for the new six-year SPP/APR package (FFY 2020-FFY 2025). Surveys were distributed after the meetings for stakeholders to vote on the proposed targets. The results of these surveys can be found in the documents below.
FFY 2020 SPP/APR Target Setting Results
FFY 2020 SPP/APR Public Comments from Target Setting Surveys
IDEA Part B Federal Reporting Years Reference
This reference illustrates the differences among school year (SY) and federal fiscal year (FFY), as they relate to data that states collect and report to meet their Part B IDEA federal reporting requirements.
IDEA Part B Federal Reporting Years Reference
Special Education Programs and Cost Analysis
This document contains Special Education Programs and Cost Analysis to provide actionable data to policymakers, public schools, education stakeholders and the general public on the funds public schools expend to provide special education services compared to the total resource allocation provided by state funding formulas.
Special Education Programs and Cost Analysis
ESS Operations Contact Information
Email ESS Operations
