Mississippi Report Card for 2002-2003

Test Data File Descriptions

All the test data appearing in the Mississippi Report Card are available as comma-delimited data files and as Excel spreadsheets. The following files are available on the Report Card web site.

Mississippi Curriculum Test--Grade Level Testing (for grades 2-8)
      MCT03-RC.TXT = Comma-delimited File
      MCT03-RC.XLS = Excel Spreadsheet

Mississippi Curriculum Test--Instructional Level Testing (for Levels 12-18)
      MCTI3-RC.TXT = Comma-delimited File
      MCTI3-RC.XLS = Excel Spreadsheet

Writing Assessment (for grades 4 and 7)
      WA03-RC.TXT = Comma-delimited File
      WA03-RC.XLS = Excel Spreadsheet

Subject Area Testing Program (for certain courses)
      SATP03RC.TXT = Comma-delimited File
      SATP03RC.XLS = Excel Spreadsheet

Norm-Referenced Assessment--the TerraNova Survey (for grade 6)
      NRT03-RC.TXT = Comma-delimited File
      NRT03-RC.XLS = Excel Spreadsheet

Alternate Assessment (if specified in IEP for student with a disability)
      ALT03-RC.TXT = Comma-delimited File
      ALT03-RC.XLS = Excel Spreadsheet

The 2002/3003 student assessment results presented in the Report Card are for students who were enrolled in the school (or district) for a full academic year as defined by the Mississippi State Board of Education. Those are the same students who were included in a school or district's accountability results.

DISAGGREGATION BY SUBGROUP

All test data are disaggregated by subgroup as required by federal law. The codes used to label the columns/fields containing data for each subgroup are listed below followed by additional information about test data disaggregation.

      YR1=2001-2002 All students in the state, the district, or the school
      ALL=All students in the state, the district, or the school
      NDO=Non-Disabled Students Only
      DO=Only Students with Disabilities under IDEA
      MAL=Male
      FEM=Female
      BLK=Black
      WHT=White
      ASI=Asian
      HIS=Hispanic
      NAM=Native American
      ELL=English Language Learner
      ED=Economically Disadvantaged
      NED=Not Economically Disadvantaged
      MIG=Migrant

DATA LAYOUT INFORMATION

The data from the different statewide testing programs are contained in separate data files and Excel spreadsheets, as indicated at the top of this page. However, within each separate data file there are data records for several different tests, sections of tests, or grade levels, and different records for certain kinds of test data.

Each record in each file begins with six columns/fields that identify the data contained in the remainder of the record. These fields are:

(1) 4-character District Code (0000 on state level data records)
(2) 3-character School Code (000 on district and state level records)
(3) 3-character RECORD TYPE INDICATOR (described later for each test)
(4) 4-character Testing Program Code (the same throughout each file)
(5) 4-character Subject Area/Test Section Code (described later for each test)
(6) 3-character Grade/Test Level Code (described later for each test)

Test results for all students and the disaggregated subgroups begin in the seventh column/field. The number of data columns varies depending on the test. Following the data column for the last sugroup is the name of the school (or the text, "District Level Data" or "State Level Data"). The next column contains the name of the school district ("Mississippi" on state level records). The last data column in each record is the character, "#".

Although all the data files are comma-delimited and can easily be imported into most computer applications (spreadsheets, database applications, etc.), the fields are all of fixed length and the data records are all the same length. This format allows the data to be read easily by applications expecting fixed length records and fixed field lengths (e.g., some mainframe statistical analysis systems).


A separate section for each testing program follows:

MISSISSIPPI CURRICULUM TEST -- Grade Level Testing

11,329 Records; 2.4mb
(1) All records contain the test code "MCT ".
(2) The content areas are identified as follows:
      READ=Reading
      LANG=Language
      MATH=Mathematics
(3) The grade levels are identified as follows:
      GR2=Grade 2 (same format used for grades 3-8)
(4) For the "all students" group and for all subgroups, there are two separate data values. The first number indicates the percentage of students with scores in the proficiency levels "Basic and Above". The second number indicates the percentage of students with scores in the proficiency levels "Proficient and Above". The percentage of students in the lowest proficiency level (Minimal) can be determined by subtracting the percentage at "Basic and Above" from 100%. The percentage of students in the highest proficiency level (Advanced) cannot be determined from the data in the file.
(5) If data values are blank, there were no students in that category, or the number of students tested in that category was between 1 and 9 and the data were suppressed for reasons of reporting reliability and/or student confidentiality. It is possible to determine whether any students were tested by viewing the Report Card data for the district or school.
(6) For test results expressed as a percentage of students, very low and very high percentages appear as "fuzzed" values to protect student confidentiality. A percentage between 96 and 100 is expressed as 96%. A percentage between 0 and 4 is expressed as 4%.
(7) Data records for all grade levels and content areas appear in the file sorted within the appropriate school district and school. The third field in the record is the RECORD TYPE INDICATOR. It can be used to filter the records in the file to allow appropriate analyses. The MCT record type codes are as follows:
      101=Grade 2 Reading
      105=Grade 2 Language
      109=Grade 2 Math
      113=Grade 3 Reading
      117=Grade 3 Language
      121=Grade 3 Math
      125=Grade 4 Reading
      129=Grade 4 Language
      133=Grade 4 Math
      137=Grade 5 Reading
      141=Grade 5 Language
      145=Grade 5 Math
      149=Grade 6 Reading
      153=Grade 6 Language
      157=Grade 6 Math
      161=Grade 7 Reading
      165=Grade 7 Language
      169=Grade 7 Math
      173=Grade 8 Reading
      177=Grade 8 Language
      181=Grade 8 Math

MISSISSIPPI CURRICULUM TEST -- Instructional Level Testing

8,243 Records; 1.7mb
(1) All records contain the test code "MCT ".
(2) The content areas are identified as follows:
      READ=Reading
      LANG=Language
      MATH=Mathematics
(3) Appropriate levels of the tests are administered to certain students with disabilities who cannot take the tests at grade level. The test results are reported by test level. The test levels are identified as follows:
      L12=Level 12 (same format used for levels 13-18)
(4) For the "all students" group and for all subgroups, there are two separate data values. The first number indicates the percentage of students with scores in the proficiency levels "Basic and Above". The second number indicates the percentage of students with scores in the proficiency levels "Proficient and Above". The percentage of students in the lowest proficiency level, "Minimal", can be determined by subtracting the percentage at "Basic and Above" from 100%. The percentage of students in the highest proficiency level, "Advanced", cannot be determined from the data in the file.
(5) If data values are blank, there were no students in that category, or the number of students tested in that category was between 1 and 9 and the data were suppressed for reasons of reporting reliability and/or student confidentiality. It is possible to determine whether any students were tested by viewing the Report Card data for the district or school.
(6) For test results expressed as a percentage of students, very low and very high percentages appear as "fuzzed" values to protect student confidentiality. A percentage between 96 and 100 is expressed as 96%. A percentage between 0 and 4 is expressed as 4%.
(7) Data records for all grade levels and content areas appear in the file sorted within the appropriate school district and school. The third field in the record is the RECORD TYPE INDICATOR. It can be used to filter the records in the file to allow appropriate analyses. The MCT instructional level testing record type codes are as follows:
      601=Level 12 Reading
      605=Level 12 Language
      609=Level 12 Math
      613=Level 13 Reading
      617=Level 13 Language
      621=Level 13 Math
      625=Level 14 Reading
      629=Level 14 Language
      633=Level 14 Math
      637=Level 15 Reading
      641=Level 15 Language
      645=Level 15 Math
      649=Level 16 Reading
      653=Level 16 Language
      657=Level 16 Math
      661=Level 17 Reading
      665=Level 17 Language
      669=Level 17 Math
      673=Level 18 Reading
      677=Level 18 Language
      681=Level 18 Math

WRITING ASSESSMENT

1,033 Records; 224kb
(1) All records contain the test code "WRIT".
(2) The content area field is blank on all records.
(3) The grade levels are identified as follows:
      GR4=Grade 4
      GR7=Grade 7
(4) For the "all students" group and for all subgroups, there are two separate data values. The first number indicates the percentage of students with scores of 2 or higher (on a 4-point writing rubric). The second number indicates the percentage of students with scores of 3 or higher. The percentage of students scoring 0 or 1 can be determined by subtracting the percentage scoring 2 or higher from 100%. The percentage of students scoring 4 cannot be determined from the data in the file.
(5) If data values are blank, there were no students in that category, or the number of students tested in that category was between 1 and 9 and the data were suppressed for reasons of reporting reliability and/or student confidentiality. It is possible to determine whether any students were tested by viewing the Report Card data for the district or school.
(6) For test results expressed as a percentage of students, very low and very high percentages appear as "fuzzed" values to protect student confidentiality. A percentage between 96 and 100 is expressed as 96%. A percentage between 0 and 4 is expressed as 4%.
(7) Data records for both grade levels appear in the file sorted within the appropriate school district and school. The third field in the record is the RECORD TYPE INDICATOR. It can be used to filter the records in the file to allow appropriate analyses. The Writing Assessment record type codes are as follows:
      201=Grade 4
      205=Grade 7

SUBJECT AREA TESTING PROGRAM

5,025 Records; 795kb
(1) All records contain the test code "SATP".
(2) The subject area tests are identified as follows:
      ALG1=Algebra I
      BIOL=Biology I
      ENGL=English II
      HIST=U.S. History from 1877
(3) The components of the English II assessment are identified as follows:
      RLC=Reading & Language Conventions
      NAR=Narrative essay
      INF=Informative essay
(4) An additional reporting line was added for school year 2002-2003 for each of the Subject Area Tests.
      AVG=Mean Scale Score & Mean Writing Score
      %P =Percent Passing first attempt
(5) For the "all students" group and for all subgroups, there is a single data value. For all tests except the narrative and informative English II essays, that value is the average scale score. For the English II essays, the value represents the average writing rubric score (raw score).
(6) If the data value is blank, there were no students in that category, or the number of students tested in that category was between 1 and 9 and the data were suppressed for reasons of reporting reliability and/or student confidentiality. It is possible to determine whether any students were tested by viewing the Report Card data for the district or school.
(7) Data records for all the subject area tests and data for all components of the English II test appear in the file sorted within the appropriate school district and school. The third field in the record is the RECORD TYPE INDICATOR. It can be used to filter the records in the file to allow appropriate analyses. The SATP record type codes are as follows:
      303 & 305=Algebra 1
      307 & 309=Biology
      311 & 313=U.S. History
      315 & 317=English II Reading/Language Conventions
      319 & 321=English II Narrative Essay
      323 & 325=English II Informative Essay

NORM-REFERENCED ASSESSMENT (TerraNova Survey)

1,546 Records; 236kb
(1) All records contain the test code "NRT ".
(2) The content areas are identified as follows:
      READ=Reading
      LANG=Language
      MATH=Mathematics
(3) The grade levels are identified as follows:
      GR6=Grade 6
(4) For the "all students" group and for all subgroups, there is a single data value. The value is the average NCE score.
(5) If the data value is blank, there were no students in that category, or the number of students tested in that category was between 1 and 9 and the data were suppressed for reasons of reporting reliability and/or student confidentiality. It is possible to determine whether any students were tested by viewing the Report Card data for the district or school.
(6) Data records for all grade levels and content areas appear in the file sorted within the appropriate school district and school. The third field in the record is the RECORD TYPE INDICATOR. It can be used to filter the records in the file to allow appropriate analyses. The NRT record type codes are as follows:
      527=Grade 6 Reading
      531=Grade 6 Language
      535=Grade 6 Math

ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

763 Records; 166kb
(1) All records contain the test code "ALT ".
(2) The data represent performance across all measured objectives, so all records have "COMP" in the content area field.
(3) Alternate assessments are not reported by grade, so the grade level field contains "ALL."
(4) For the "all students" group and for all subgroups, there are two separate data values. The first number indicates the percentage of students with scores in the proficiency levels "Approaching Proficiency and Above". The second number indicates the percentage of students with scores in the proficiency level "Proficient". The percentage of students in the lowest proficiency level (Not Proficient) can be determined by subtracting the percentage at "Approaching Proficiency and Above" from 100%.
(5) If data values are blank, there were no students in that category, or the number of students tested in that category was between 1 and 9 and the data were suppressed for reasons of reporting reliability and/or student confidentiality. It is possible to determine whether any students were tested by viewing the Report Card data for the district or school.
(6) For test results expressed as a percentage of students, very low and very high percentages appear as "fuzzed" values to protect student confidentiality. A percentage between 96 and 100 is expressed as 96%. A percentage between 0 and 4 is expressed as 4%.
(7) The ALT data records appears in the file sorted within the appropriate school district and school. The third field in the record is the RECORD TYPE INDICATOR. It can be used to filter the records in the file to allow appropriate analyses. The ALT record type codes is:
      850=Alternate Assessment