Information for Districts and Charter Schools Identified as Having a High Dropout Rate
| Date: | November 5, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Information for Districts and Charter Schools Identified as Having a High Dropout Rate |
| Category: | Division of School Improvement Communication |
| Next Steps: | Share with appropriate staff |
The purpose of this letter is to provide districts, including charter schools, with 2019-2020 intervention information for dropout prevention plan (DPP) monitoring.
The Texas Education Code (TEC), §29.918, states that a district with a high dropout rate, as determined by the commissioner, must submit a plan each year describing how the district or charter school will use the compensatory education allotment and the high school allotment for developing and implementing strategies for dropout prevention.
Identification for Interventions
Districts were referred to the Division of School Improvement if they had a rate above their respective accountability group averages. Districts held to standard accountability are considered to have a “relatively high” dropout rate if their four-year longitudinal dropout rate is above 4.5% or Grade 7-12 annual dropout rate is above 1.0%. A four-year longitudinal dropout rate above 28.5% or Grade 7-12 annual dropout rate above 11.4% is considered “relatively high” for districts held to alternative education accountability (AEA) standards.
Submission Requirements
The top 20% percent of districts identified as having a “relatively high” dropout rate are required to submit a dropout prevention plan via the Intervention, Stage, and Activity Manager (ISAM) application in TEAL.
Districts held to standard accountability are required to submit a dropout prevention plan if they had a longitudinal or Grade 7-12 annual dropout rate greater than or equal to 10%.
Districts held to alternative education accountability (AEA) standards with a longitudinal or Grade 7-12 annual dropout rate greater than or equal to 34% are also required to submit a dropout prevention plan.
A district can determine if it has been identified for DPP monitoring in ISAM the week of November 9, 2020. Districts are required to complete and submit a Dropout Prevention Planning tool, and, for those that were identified for interventions in SY 2019-2020, a Needs Assessment is required in addition to the DPP tool. The due date for completion and submission of required intervention documents is November 30, 2020.
Additional Resources and Technical Assistance
Intervention tools, including the DPP Guidance for conducting intervention activities, are posted to the Division of School Improvement web page and will be available in ISAM the week of November 9, 2020. We encourage districts to work closely with their regional ESCs as they complete their intervention requirements.
Contact Information
Texas Education Agency
Division of School Improvement
(512) 463-5226
SIDivision@tea.texas.gov