Excel Workbook User's Guide

UPDATED JANUARY 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW: THE EXCEL WORKBOOK USER'S GUIDE
TAB-BY-TAB INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION
COVER
STUDENTS: Tables 1.a and 1.b - Enrollment in School/SLC
SLC STRATEGIES AND STRUCTURES: Table 2
READING/LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS: Tables 3.a-1 to 3.a-2
GRADUATION RATE: Table 3.b
PLACEMENT RATE: Table 3.c
OTHER OUTCOME MEASURES: Table 3.d
SUMMARY
APPENDIX A: HOW DO I ENABLE MACROS ON MY COMPUTER?
APPENDIX B: SLC STRATEGIES AND STRUCTURES DEFINITIONS FOR TABLE 2

OVERVIEW: THE EXCEL WORKBOOK USER'S GUIDE

UPDATED JANUARY 2009

Beginning with grantees awarded in 2005, Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) implementation grantees will submit their required Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically via the http://www.slcapr.ed.gov website. This document is designed to give SLC grantees guidance on how to complete the Excel workbooks that form the foundation for the APR. Guidance on navigating the slcapr.ed.gov website - including accessing and submitting forms electronically - is provided separately on the website.

Before You Begin: Critical Technical Requirement

It is essential that all users enable macros in their Excel application before beginning to enter data. Failure to enable macros will lead to errors and performance problems with the spreadsheets. Most users will be prompted to enable their macros upon opening their Excel application. For specific instructions on enabling macros, please see the Appendix A.

The School-Level Report and the District-Level Report
All grantees must submit reports at both the school- and district-levels. This applies even to districts that have only one school participating in their SLC grant - for such districts, the school- and district-level reports will be identical. For most of the information collected through the APR, the electronic tool will automatically aggregate all school-level data into a single, summative district-level report. Project Directors should review this automatically generated district-level report for accuracy and make corrections if necessary, but will not need to enter all district-level data manually. For a small number of items, however, the district-level report will not automatically aggregate school-level data. In these cases, Project Directors must manually enter data into the district-level report. The specific items where Project Directors must manually enter district-level data are noted throughout this User's Guide and include:

• Table 3.d (Other Outcome Measures): the district-level report will not aggregate the AP/IB passing rate figure in Row 7.

Organization of the Tool
The APR is divided into an array of tabs, each one an Excel spreadsheet containing one or more data tables. The APR includes 10 tabs:

Introduction Cover Students Strategies/Structures

Reading/Language Arts Mathematics Graduation Rate

Placement Rate Other Outcome Measures Summary

Entering Data in Sequential Order by Tab
It is strongly urged that users enter data in order - tab by tab - to ensure that tables are correctly completed. In some cases, the electronic tool will not allow you to bypass a tab without filling out the information requested. This is because some cells where you will input data will update and automatically populate other cells throughout the tool. The tool will do arithmetic calculations (such as percentages and sums) automatically, based on the data you enter in non-shaded columns of the tables. Automatically calculated data will appear in the  shaded   cells of the tables, and you will not enter information in those cells.

Data Validation and Error Checks
The electronic tool has a built-in validation system that makes you aware if you have accidentally entered an incorrect number or tried to enter information out of order. If the data you entered are invalid or not reflective of other numbers that you have already inputted, it will give you a warning such as the following:

If you see strange characters or numbers showing in your cells, such as #VALUE? or #NAME?, you may not have enabled your macros (please see the Appendix A "Enabling Your Macros").

Requirements for Completing Tables - "Which Ones Do I Have to Fill Out?"
All tables must be completely filled out.

"What Do I Do If I Don't Have the Required Data?"
There are two types of "null" data that may arise as you fill out the APR:

• If the data you are asked to provide are either not applicable to your situation or not available, you should enter "N/A." For example, if a school does not offer students the option of taking the ACT, "N/A" could be entered in the table asking for the number of students taking the ACT.
• If there are no students at your school or district who can be classified in a given category, you should enter a 0. For example, a school with no Limited English Proficient students would enter "0" in the cells that ask for the number of LEP/English Language Learner students enrolled.

It may not always be clear whether "N/A" or "0" is a more appropriate entry. Users should use their best judgment as to which is a more accurate description of their specific situation. It is important to note that both "N/A" and "0" are counted as zero for calculation purposes. Therefore, choosing one over the other will not affect formulas in other parts of the report.

Submitting the Reports
The SLC project director is responsible for managing the APR submission process. For information on how the submission process works, please refer to the instructions on the Electronic Reporting Tool website at http://www.slcapr.ed.gov.

TAB-BY-TAB INSTRUCTIONS

INTRODUCTION

The Introduction tab contains information on the form that you are filling out. No data entry is required on the Introduction tab.

COVER

Purpose The cover tab identifies your school or district. Note that you must fill out this tab before moving on to enter data in any other tables.

Organization The cover tab contains a single box with two data entry cells. Note that the school- and district-level cover page forms request different information. The school-level form asks for school name and school NCES ID. The district-level form asks for the number of schools included in the original grant and the number of schools included in the current report. This is the only tab in the reporting tool in which the school- and district-level content differs. All other tables are identical at the district and school level.

How to Complete the Cover Page - School-Level Report

1) Enter School Name

2) Enter NCES School ID
This is the 12-digit number used by the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education. If you do not know what your school's NCES code is, you can find it on the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/

How to Complete the Cover Page - District-Level Report

1) Enter the Number of Schools Included in the Original SLC Grant

2) Enter the Number of Schools Included in this Report
Grantees should explain any differences between the number of schools in the original grant and the number of school included in their report in their Project Status Narrative.

STUDENTS: Tables 1.a and 1.b - Enrollment in School/SLC
Purpose The "Students" tab gathers information on the intended beneficiaries of SLCs. Table 1.a gathers demographic data about students in the school overall, and Table 1.b gathers data on only those students who are enrolled in SLCs. Note that Table 1.b is included only in the APR version of the electronic tool.
Organization The tables on this tab must be filled out before any of the following tabs, because information from these tables is used in subsequent tables. Table 1.a applies to all students in the school or district, while Table 1.b applies only to those students in the school or district who are involved in an SLC structure or strategy.  Only the total number of students by grade level is entered for Table 1.b.   Table 1.a Student data are requested for grades 9-12 for the following categories, which align with the federal No Child Left Behind subgroups: Gender (Rows 3 and 4) Racial/Ethnic Groups (Rows 5-9) Special Populations (Rows 10-12) The totals in the tables (Row 2 and Column F) will automatically populate as you enter data into the subgroup cells. The tool will not allow data to be entered manually into these cells. The grade-level totals (Row 2) are automatically calculated as the sum of males and females (Row 3 + Row 4). The subgroup totals (Column F) are automatically calculated as the sum of all counts entered for a subgroup across grades 9-12. Because it is possible for a single student to be in more than one racial and/or special populations category (i.e., "double-counted"), the sums in these categories may exceed the total enrollment in Row 2. Because it is calculated as the sum of males and females, the Row 2 total will not contain any double-counts.

How to Complete Tables 1.a and 1.b: School/SLC Enrollment

Table 1.a
1) Enter Number of Females and Males Enrolled (Rows 3 and 4)
Students are considered to be "enrolled" in the school if they are registered in the school in October of the report year. As you enter these numbers, totals in Row 2 and Column F will automatically calculate and appear in the appropriate cells. The electronic tool will not allow manual data entry in the "Total" cells.

2) Enter Number of Students Enrolled By Ethnicity (Rows 5-9)
You may "double-count" students in Rows 5-9 if they are a member of more than one racial/ethnic category. For example, if a student is considered Hispanic and White, he/she may be counted in both the Hispanic and White rows. The electronic tool will allow the sum of all students in Rows 5-9 to exceed the total number of students in Row 2. Note, however, that you will receive a warning prompt if you enter more students in a single racial/ethnic category than exist in the total number of students in that grade in Row 2. Column F totals will automatically sum Columns B-E in Rows 5-9.

3) Enter Number of Students Enrolled By Special Population (Rows 10-12)
You may "double-count" students in Rows 10-12 if they are a member of more than one special population category. For example, if a student is an English Language Learner and Economically Disadvantaged, he/she should be counted in each category. Students with disabilities (Row 11) are those with a disability as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102) [sec. 3(14)] and IDEA 97 [sec 300.7]. The electronic tool allows the sum of all students in Rows 10-12 to exceed the total number of students in Row 2. Column F automatically sums Columns B-E in Rows 10-12.

Table 1.b
1)  Enter the Total Number of Students Enrolled (Row 2)
Enter totals for each grade level.  Students are considered to be “enrolled” in the school if they are registered in the school in October of the report year. 

SLC STRATEGIES AND STRUCTURES: Table 2

Purpose This tab, which contains Table 2, examines the "interventions" used with the students involved in SLCs by gathering information on the SLC strategies and structures employed. For general descriptions of the various strategies and structures listed in Table 2, please see Appendix B.

Organization Table 2 contains three main sections, which track different aspects of SLC implementation: Strategies Used Structures Used AP/IB course involvement and intensity of SLC involvement Row 4 of the table, containing the total number of students in SLCs at each grade level, is automatically populated using information previously entered in Table 1.b. If Row 4 of Table 2 is empty, return to Table 1.b and enter required information before entering data in Table 2.

How to Complete Table 2: Strategies and Structures

1) Enter the number of students involved in each strategy (Rows 6-9)
As you enter these numbers, Column F will automatically calculate the sum for each row. Row 9 (the “Other” category) gives schools flexibility in describing an SLC strategy that is not reflected in the previous rows. Enter the name of the strategy(ies) in the row(s) below line 9. Text in these cells is limited to no more than 250 characters. Students may be reported in more than one strategy, if applicable.

2) Enter the number of teachers involved in common planning time (Row 11)
As you enter these numbers, Column F will automatically calculate the sum for this row.

3) Enter the number of students involved in each structure (Rows 13-16)
As you enter these numbers, Column F will automatically calculate the sum for each row. Row 16 (the “Other” category) gives schools flexibility in describing an SLC structure that is not reflected in the previous rows. Enter the name of the strategy(ies) in the row(s) below line 15. Students may be reported in more than one structure, if applicable.

4) Enter the number of SLC-participating students enrolled in at least one AP/IB course (Row 16)
This row should reflect the number of SLC students taking at least one AP/IB course, and not the total number of AP/IB courses taken in the school by SLC students. For example, a single student who takes three AP/IB courses counts as "1" in this table, not "3".

READING/LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS: Tables 3.a-1 to 3.a-2
Purpose The tables contained in the tabs labeled "Reading/Language Arts" and "Mathematics" collects data on student outcomes on statewide assessment tests. These tables pertain to all students tested for NCLB, not just those in SLCs. Grantees should report on results on whichever statewide assessment is used for federal NCLB AYP purposes. Statewide assessments may report anywhere from three to five levels of student achievement, but schools are required to report only two levels for the APR: "proficient" and "advanced". For the “Reading/Language Arts” and “Mathematics” tables enter data only for the grade level or levels for which your school and district reports Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics assessment results to the state for NCLB AYP purposes. For some schools, this assessment is done for only one grade level.
Organization The electronic tool contains two different tables for assessments: Table 3.a-1 Reading/Language Arts Table 3.a-2 Mathematics Each of these tables is configured in exactly the same format, with the only difference being the subject for which data is requested. Both of the tables in 3.a require that student data be entered according to the same federal NCLB subgroup categories as those that are found in Table 1.a: Gender (Rows 3 and 4) Racial/Ethnic (Rows 5-9) Special Populations (Rows 10-12)

How to Complete Tables 3.a-1 & 3.a-2: Reading/LA and Math Assessments

For Columns B-E, begin by entering Female/Male data in Rows 3 and 4. Row 2 (Total) will automatically populate once Rows 3 and 4 have been entered.

1) Enter the number of students eligible to be tested (Column B) This figure should reflect the total number of students eligible to be assessed for AYP purposes under No Child Left Behind. This total may differ from the October enrollment figures provided in Table 1.a.

2) Enter the number of students tested (Column C) Once Column C has been entered, the percentage numbers in Column D will be calculated automatically.

3) Enter the number of students who scored proficient and advanced (Column E.1)
Regardless of the labels your state uses to describe student achievement for NCLB AYP purposes, Column E.1 should represent all students scoring above "basic" level. Percentages in Column E.2 will be automatically calculated as you enter the number of students in Column E.1.

GRADUATION RATE: Table 3.b

Purpose You will be entering student data into Table 3.b that relates to graduation rates. This table pertains to all students in the school, not just those in SLCs. Graduation rate definitions vary from state to state, and all columns in this table should be reported in accordance with the definitions that can be found in your state's Accountability Plan for No Child Left Behind. There is no "standard" definition of graduation rate for the SLC APR.

Organization You are required to enter only total student amounts (aggregated data). However, grantees are encouraged to provide student data according to the same federal NCLB subgroup categories as those found in Table 1.a (if available): Gender (Rows 3 and 4) Racial/Ethnic (Rows 5-9) Special Population (Rows 10-12)

How to Complete Table 3.b: Graduation Rate

1) Enter the number of students eligible for a regular diploma (Column B)
"Eligible to receive a regular diploma" should be reported as defined in your state's Accountability Plan under No Child Left Behind. Begin by entering Male/Female data in Rows 3 and 4. Once this information has been entered, Row 2 (Total) will automatically populate.

2) Enter the number of students who received a regular diploma (Column C)
Enter the Male/Female data in Rows 3 and 4 first. Once this information has been entered, Row 2 (Total) will automatically populate. Graduation Rate (Column D) will automatically calculate the percentages for each row as you enter the student enrollment data.

PLACEMENT RATE: Table 3.c

Purpose In Table 3.c, you will enter information about your school or district's post-graduation outcomes. This table pertains to all students, not just those in SLCs.

Organization Table 3.c captures post-graduation outcomes in the following  category: Graduates enrolled in post-secondary education, apprenticeships, or advanced training You are required to enter only the total number of students for each category (aggregated data). However, grantees are encouraged to provide student data according to the same federal NCLB subgroup categories as those found in Table 1.a (if available): Gender (Rows 3 and 4) Racial/Ethnic (Rows 5-9) Special Population (Rows 10-12) Column B (total students receiving a regular diploma) is pre-populated from data previously entered in Table 3.b (Graduation Rate), Column C.  Users cannot enter numbers manually into Column B of Table 3.c.

How to Complete Table 3.c: Placement Rate

1) Use your mouse to click on the data source used to complete the table
Users can select more than one category, if appropriate. "Administrative Records" refers to sources such as UI/wage records, postsecondary enrollment records, and other national and local databases. "Survey" refers to local questionnaires developed specifically to track post-graduation outcomes.

2) Enter the number of students with known post-grad outcomes (Column C)
This is the total number of students covered by the data sources that were checked in step #1 above. Row 2 in this column, the total, will be calculated automatically once Rows 3 and 4 (Male/Female) have been entered.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON POST-GRAD OUTCOME DATA

The data in Columns B (students receiving a diploma) and C (students for whom post-graduation outcomes are known) will likely differ, since there are often students who graduate but whose post-graduation outcomes are unknown. Columns D and E in Table 3.c all reflect only graduates for whom post-graduation outcomes are known.

3) Enter the number of graduates who enrolled in postsecondary education, apprenticeship, or advanced training (Column D)
Row 2 in this column, the total, will be calculated automatically once Rows 3 and 4 (Male/Female) have been entered. Once data have been entered in this column, the percentages in Column F will be calculated automatically.

OTHER OUTCOME MEASURES: Table 3.d
Purpose Table 3.d collects data on several important indicators, including attendance rate, disciplinary actions, and AP/IB participation and performance. This table pertains to all students in the school, not just those in SLCs.	Organization Unlike most of the other APR tables, Table 3.d does not require data to be broken down by NCLB subgroup or grade level. Only school- or district-level totals are requested. Row 1 of the table, Total Number of Students Enrolled, will be automatically populated using the data entered in Table 1.a (Student Enrollment). Users cannot enter data into Row 1 manually.

How to Complete Table 3.d: Other Outcome Measures

1) Enter the average daily attendance rate (Row 2)
Average Daily Attendance Rate is defined as Aggregate Days of Attendance divided by Aggregate Days of Membership.

• Aggregate Days of Attendance: The sum of the days in attendance of all students when school is in session during October of the report year.
• Aggregate Days of Membership: The sum of the days in membership of all students when school is in session during October of the report year.
• Membership: A non-duplicated count of students on the current rolls of a school as of a given date in October.

2) Enter disciplinary data (Rows 3-5)
There are no "standard" SLC definitions for the items listed in Rows 3-5. Entries should reflect the definitions used by the school, district, or state. Users may enter only the "Total" data and not data by grade level.

3) Enter the number of students enrolled in at least one AP/IB course (Row 6)
Users should be sure to enter the number of students enrolled in at least one AP/IB course, not the total number of AP/IB courses taken in the school or district. For example, one student taking three AP/IB courses counts as "1" in this table, not as "3". Users may enter only the "Total" data and not data by grade level.

4) Enter the rate of passing AP and IB tests (Row 7)
This percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of tests passed by all students by the total number of tests taken by all students. "Passing" means a score of 3 or higher on an AP test. IB students pursuing the full IB diploma are considered "passing" if they score 24 points or more in all six IB subject exams. IB students pursuing less than the full IB diploma "pass" an individual course test with a score of 4 or higher on that test.

Important Note on the District-Level Report, Table 3.d

Grantees must enter their District's overall AP/IB passing rate the District-Level spreadsheet in Row 7. While all other columns and rows in the District-Level version of the assessment tables will automatically aggregate School-Level totals, the APR/IB passing rate data WILL NOT be automatically entered into the District-Level table.

SUMMARY
Purpose The Summary tab is included only in the APR version of the electronic tool, and is intended to provide users with a collection of all of the graphs and charts generated during the course of entering data.	Organization The Summary page automatically updates as data is entered into all of the tables in the APR version of the electronic tool. Unlike the charts and graphs that appear next to the tables throughout the workbook, the charts and graphs on the Summary tab are printable.

How to Use the Summary

No user data entry is necessary on the Summary tab. Graphs and charts are generated automatically as the other tabs of the electronic tool are completed. The graphs and charts on the Summary tab are identical to those on the individual table spreadsheets.

Appendix A: How Do I Enable Macros On My Computer?

You must "ENABLE MACROS" on your computer when working on the Excel forms that you downloaded from the SLC APR web site.

Upon opening the SLCAPR Excel files, most users will see a pop-up window like the example below. When the pop-up window appears, click on the button that says "Enable Macros". All of the files provided have been thoroughly checked for viruses, so that choosing "Enable Macros" will not harm your system.

EXCEL 2000 (or higher) USERS

If you are using EXCEL 2000 (or higher) and do not see the "Enable Macros" pop-up window when opening the SLCAPR file, please go to the Excel menu bar and select "Tools" > "Macro" > "Security" as in the example below. When the pop-up box appears, select "Medium Security" and then "OK". Once this is done, open the file again.

EXCEL '97 USERS

If you are using EXCEL '97 and do not see the "Enable Macros" pop-up window when opening the file, please go to the Excel menu bar and select "Tools" > "Options" and a pop-up window like the one below will appear. Please make sure you are on the "General" tab. UN-CHECK the box for "Macro Virus Protection" and then click "OK". Once this is done, close the file and then open the file again.

Appendix B: SLC Strategies and Structures Definitions for Table 2

For your reference, general definitions of the SLC structures and strategies listed in the Table 2: SLC Strategies and Structures are listed below.

Strategies

Advisory Period/Teacher Advisories. Teachers and other school staff advise and mentor a small group of students (25 or fewer) during a regularly scheduled period of the day. Advisories may meet once a day to once a week.

Alternative Scheduling/Block Scheduling. The length of the class period, the school day and the school year is changed to accommodate learning needs. One alternative scheduling technique, "block scheduling", provides extended class periods that provide teachers with the time necessary for in-depth lessons and experiential learning. Teams can adjust instructional time as needed, group students for specialized instruction within the team, and diversify learning activities to increase routes to mastery.

Common Planning Time. Common planning time may take a variety of forms, including shared teacher preparation periods during the school day, a single late start or early release day each week, or a block of time during which students leave school to do community-based service/study. Teams of teachers devote this time to curriculum and instruction planning and problem-solving as well as to discussion of student progress. Common planning time may occur at least twice monthly.

Structures

Career or Other Academy Theme (e.g. liberal arts). Career Academies organize teachers and academic curricula around one or more careers or occupations. The academy may offer work, internship, occupational or other themed extra-curricular opportunities. They may integrate academic and occupation-related curricula. Career Clusters and Career Pathways encompass a set of courses across multiple grades that help students gain professional and technical skill in a particular occupational area.

Freshman/Transition Academy. A freshman/transition academy offers curricula and support designed to help ease the difficulties students often encounter as they make the transition from middle school to high school.

House. Houses generally are organizational arrangements that assign students and teachers to sub-schools. Students take some or all courses with their house members and from their house teachers. Each house may have its own student activity program, student government, disciplinary policies and social activities. Houses may be year-long (within a grade) or multi-year (combined grades).