Waller ISD News Bits
For Immediate Release - Waller ISD Public Information

Waller ISD and Schools Meet AYP
By Marianne Kosik

Meeting Adequate Yearly Progress, AYP, is an enormous accomplishment for Waller ISD. AYP refers to the federally mandated accountability system required by the No Child Left Behind, NCLB, Act of 2001 and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, ESEA. AYP reports three indicators for each district and campus in the state: Reading/English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Graduation Rate/Attendance Rate.

Waller ISD is one of 339 school districts in Texas that met AYP; only 28% of the school districts in Texas met AYP. In addition, all eight Waller ISD schools met AYP. Only 44%, 3,773 campuses, met AYP in Texas. Only eight out of 51 school districts in Region 4 met the rigorous AYP requirements. When AYP was rolled out as part of NCLB, the established criterion was that 100% of students will be successful on all tests by 2014, and a federal goal was set that all districts will have 90% of students graduate from high school.

Waller ISD Superintendent Danny Twardowski said, “Team Waller ISD worked together to make this happen. Meeting AYP reflects that Team Waller ISD provides a successful teaching and learning environment that encourages overall student achievement. Every team member believes that all students can be successful learners and graduate with skills that will allow them to succeed. I am extremely proud of our Waller ISD family.”

All public school districts, campuses, and the state are evaluated annually. In order to meet AYP, the 2011-2012 state assessment STAAR and TAKS test passing requirement for all students in grades 3-8 and grade 10 was 87% for Reading/English Language Arts, and 83% in Mathematics. Waller ISD performed at or above the state average on the STAAR test in 18 of 23 academic categories in grades 3-8. Grade 10 performed on the TAKS at 93% in English/Language Arts and 84% in Math.

AYP ratings addressed all students as a group plus six additional subgroups in 2012, African American, Hispanic, White, economically disadvantaged, special education, and limited English proficient (LEP), for a total of seven subgroups that must meet all established standards on test performance, participation rates, and graduation rates. The passing requirements will raise to be 93% in Reading/English Language Arts and 92% in Mathematics this school year. The federal accountability requirement in 2013-2014 will reach 100%. Waller ISD graduation rate was 97.4% in the Class of 2011; the Texas minimum graduation rate target requirement is 75%.

Waller ISD is rated a “Recognized” School District by the Texas Education Agency. For more Waller ISD information, visit www.wallerisd.net.

Photo Caption:  Waller ISD Board President David Kaminski congratulates all Waller ISD employees on their success of meeting Adequate Yearly Progress, a federal mandate accountability system. Waller ISD and all eight schools met AYP. Only 44% of schools, 3,773, and 28% of districts, 339, in Texas met the federal accountability criteria.