1. Background/Trend Data:
   (for reporting period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003):

Most types of special education data listed below are collected and reported annually to the United States Department of Education consistent with directions provided by the USDOE. These data are also used to define VESID's key performance indicators that are used to measure progress towards achieving Department goals for students with disabilities. Other offices in the Department also use these data to assist them in providing focused technical assistance, interventions, supports and services to school districts and to design Statewide strategies to effect systems change. The Department is creating an individual student level data system that will be able to track students from first entry into public education to graduation. However, at this time, data are collected in aggregated tables, except that the State assessment data are collected at the student level, but not in a manner that allows for student tracking across school districts or over time.

Summaries for data listed below are provided in this section and referenced in other appropriate clusters within this report.

See Appendix 38 for definition of Need Resource Capacity.
See Appendices 34 and 35 for cohort definitions

• Number of NYS Children and Youth with Disabilities Receiving Special Education Programs and Services on December 1.

• Numbers and percent of preschool children receiving special education services by Least Restrictive Environment setting on December 1 and the numbers and percent of preschool children receiving special education by types of services provided during the school year. (See Appendices 13c and 13d).

• Numbers and percent of school-age students receiving special education services by Least Restrictive Environment setting and by Need Resource Capacity and other groupings of school districts. (See Appendices 16a and 17a).

• Numbers of personnel employed and needed to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities. (See Appendix 21).

• Numbers and percent of students with disabilities exiting special education by basis of exit, and post-school plans of students with disabilities by Need Resource Capacity and other groupings of school districts. (See Appendices 22a, 22b and 59).

• Numbers and percent of students with disabilities suspended out-of-school by number of days. (See Appendices 23a and 23b).

• Participation and performance of students with disabilities on State assessments.
  Grades 4 and 8 English Language Arts and Mathematics (See Appendices 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28).
  Regents examination in English (See Appendix 29).
  Regents examination in Mathematics (See Appendix 30).
  Regents Examination in Global History and Geography (See Appendix 31).
  Regents Examination in U.S. History and Government (See Appendix 32).
  Regents Examinations in Biology and Living Environment (See Appendix 33).

• Cohort Participation in and Performance on English Regents (See Appendix 36).

• Cohort Participation in and Performance on Mathematics Regents (See Appendix 37).

All data except the State assessment data are collected through a web-based data entry system. During the 2002-03 school year, 95 percent of school districts submitted data electronically, either through the web-based data entry system or through a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) procedure. Many edit checks are built into the web-based system to ensure data accuracy. State assessment data are collected by the Department's Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education office and also undergo many edit checks.

In order to ensure data are valid and reliable, directions provided by the USDOE are reviewed annually and directions that accompany the State's data collection instruments are revised as needed and enhanced based on past year's experience with data collection. Department staff attends the annual data managers meeting to ensure an understanding of all federal data collection requirements. Minimum numbers of changes are made to data collection instruments and this ensures some stability. Also, regional training is provided to school district personnel regarding data definitions and technical assistance is provided on an ongoing basis. Staff members from the Strategic Evaluation Data Collection Analysis and Reporting unit collaborate with Quality Assurance staff to help provide school districts the necessary technical assistance. Joint visits are made to the large five cities to ensure their data accuracy and reliability. Data from all school districts undergo consistent edit checks to ensure there are no mathematical errors and that there is internal data integrity within the reporting instrument. Efforts are made to increase the numbers of edit checks that are completed annually and this improves data quality.

2. Targets
   (for reporting period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003):

• 75 percent of the public school districts will submit data electronically via the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) process or through the web system.

• 90 percent of the required forms will be received by the Department’s established deadlines.

• 90 percent of the schools will have no errors remaining when we develop/submit our initial report to the U.S. Department of Education.

• The new electronic systems will make possible more timely and accurate reporting for schools and agencies.

• All federal reports will be submitted timely and revised before required date for publication in the Annual Congressional Report.

• Appropriate stakeholders will have access to the most current data submitted by schools and agencies.

• All stakeholders will have access to accurate and verified special education data summaries and data analysis for decision making.

3. Explanation of Progress or Slippage
   (for reporting period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003):

• 85 percent of the public school districts submitted data electronically via FTP or though the web system.

• 90 percent of the required forms were received by the Department’s established deadlines.

• 90 percent of the schools had no errors remaining when we submitted our initial report to the USDOE.

• Anecdotal records indicate that the new electronic systems substantially eased the data-reporting burden on the schools.

• All federal reports due during the 2002-03 school year were submitted by their due dates and revised before the required date for publication in the Annual Congressional Report.

• Department staff were provided web access to schools and agencies current and past year’s special education data, and use these data as part of their review processes.

• State data summaries have begun being posted on VESID’s website (see http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/sedcar/state.htm). The 2003 edition of Pocketbook of Goals and Results for Individuals with Disabilities has been completed. This publication is posted on VESID’s website and is also printed for wide distribution to inform all stakeholders on NYS’s progress toward accomplishing the goals and it’s strategic plan for students with disabilities.

4. Projected Targets
   (for next reporting period July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004):

• 100 percent of the public school districts will submit data electronically via FTP or through the web system. All schools/agencies will submit personnel data electronically.

• 95 percent of the required forms will be received by the SEA deadlines.

• 95 percent of the schools will have no errors remaining when we develop/submit our initial report to the USDOE.

• The new electronic systems will make possible more timely and accurate reporting for schools and agencies.

• 100 percent of schools will receive results on “reasonableness” edit checks. 90 percent of those schools notified will either revise their data or provide an explanation of their data fluctuations.

• All stakeholders will be able to access special education data summaries on VESID’s website.

5. Future Activities
6. Projected Timelines and Resources
   (for next reporting period July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004 and on going):

• Expand the current web system to allow all nonpublic schools to report data electronically. This is being phased in for 2003-04 and will be completed in 2004-05 when all data will be submitted electronically.

• When all data are received electronically, 100 percent of the schools/agencies will submit their data by the SEA deadline, and no errors will be remaining when the USDOE report is developed and submitted.

• For the 2003-04 school year, additional edit checks will be added to evaluate the reasonableness of data submitted by schools and agencies, compared with their past year’s data and also compared to some norms, if appropriate.

• Special education data summaries will be prepared for VESID’s website providing access to all stakeholders of statewide as well as disaggregated data, in an easy to understand format, including trend data charts.

• Long-term – all required data will be collected through an individual student record data system that can be accessed by the SEA for data reporting.

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