On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, OSSE opened the consolidated demographic, enrollment, and assessment participation certification window. The window for the certification process runs over 15 weeks from April 5 to July 7, 2017. There are two certification deadlines. June 23, 2017 is the deadline for certification of demographic, enrollment, and assessment participation data for students that are eligible for PARCC, MSAA, DC Science, or DC Science Alternate assessment. July 7, 2017 is the deadline for certification of demographic and enrollment data for students that are not eligible for PARCC, MSAA, DC Science, and DC Science Alternate assessments.
The student demographic, enrollment, and assessment participation data certified through this process will be considered authoritative for all reporting and analysis for the 2016-17 school year. Data will be used for the following purposes:
- The 2016-17 assessment reporting including PARCC, MSAA, DC Science, and DC Science Alternate
- The 2016-17 Equity Reports metric calculations
- Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) calculations
- Dry Run of STAR Framework (ESSA accountability) in the 2017-18 school year
- Federal Reporting for the 2016-17 school year
- The 2016-17 Charter Performance Management Framework (PMF)
- Review and renewal data analyses completed by the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board (PCSB)
- Other research and reporting for the 2016-17 school year, including but not limited to the OSSE 2016-17 State of Discipline Report and the OSSE 2016-17 State of Attendance Report
The consolidated demographic, enrollment, and assessment participation certification is supported by the Demographic Certification Qlik application which provides LEAs with near real-time ability to view data errors and discrepancies in their LEA-, school-, and student-level data. Users with Qlik access can view the application at https://analysis.osse.dc.gov. Resolution of data errors will take place in the source systems (e.g., LEA Student Information Systems, EasyIEP) in order to support state-wide efforts to improve data quality, accuracy, and consistency. To assist LEAs with this process, OSSE will provide technical support through a series of in-person and virtual trainings in addition to weekly office hours that will run throughout the certification window.
In order to support LEAs with this process, OSSE has developed two documents, a Process Overview [PDF] and Technical Guide [PDF] for the consolidated demographic, enrollment and assessment participation verification. The process overview describes the certification process and provides key details on policy, certification due dates, and how LEAs may access support from OSSE. The technical guide provides greater detail on data elements and processes, including a data dictionary with allowable values for the specific data elements which are part of the certification process and detail on the resolution paths for resolving any data errors and discrepancies. For further information, please review the OSSE Unified Data Errors Guide [PDF], Business Rules for DC Assessment Participation and Performance Calculations for School Year 2016-17 [PDF], and Districtwide Assessments Participation Policy for 2016-17 [PDF].
For LEAs who are unable to attend the in-person trainings held the weeks of April 10 and April 17, 2017, please review a recording of the webinar. Additionally, OSSE will hold weekly virtual office hours on Wednesdays from 1-2 p.m. During these times, LEAs can raise any questions about the demographic, enrollment and assessment participation certification process. The conference line number is provided in the Consolidated Demographic, Enrollment, and Assessment Participation Certification: Process Overview. OSSE will also hold biweekly in-person office hours on every other Thursday starting Thursday, April 13, 2017 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Please register for an in-person meeting via the OSSE Data Systems Training Registration.
If you have any questions or concerns about this year’s student demographic, enrollment, and assessment participation certification process; the business rules for participation and performance calculation; or the participation policy, please contact Darrell Ashton, Assistant Superintendent of Data, Assessment, and Research at [email protected] or (202) 741-5537.
