Dysart Acronym and Terms Quick Check

Term / Definition
301 / State money, generated through sales tax, awarded to teachers to set and meet goals for their students during the school year. 40% is given in a lump sum at the beginning of the school year (based on last year’s goals), 40% is distributed throughout the year in paychecks, and 20% is given in a lump sum in December. Goals are set during the first quarter, assessed throughout the year, and documented at the end of the year.
AAC / Academic Accountability Committee. A team of teachers on campus who relay information to teachers about the career ladder program and assess teacher goals and documentation at the beginning and end of the year.
AESOP / On-line absence request system teachers use when reporting an absence.
AIMS / Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards. Arizona’s state accountability testing for grades 3-10. Reading and math are assessed in all grades, science is assessed in 4th and 8th grades, and writing is assessed in grades 5-7.
AP / Advanced Placement.College-level course taught at the high school. Students may earn college credit (depending on the university they are attending) should they earn a particular score on the end of course exam in May.
ART / Attendance Records Technician. Office staff responsible for the schools’ attendance
records and various other office functions.
ATI / Galileo Company.ATI is the company that builds benchmark tests for the District. AKA Galileo
AVID / Advancement Via Individual Determination. Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a global nonprofit organization that operates with one guiding principle: Hold students accountable to the highest standards, provide academic and social support, and they will rise to the challenge. AVID’s kindergarten through Higher Education System brings research-based curriculum and strategies to students each day that develop critical thinking, literacy and math skills across all content areas.
AZCCRS / Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. Common Core state standards adopted by Arizona for grades K-12.
Career Ladder / State Program that allows teachers to set high-level goals about their students and school and receive a pay addendum (note: teachers are no longer able to apply to this program)
CES / Comprehensive Evaluation System. Found under STAFF, Applications on the dysart.org staff website, CES is the teacher evaluation tool used by administrators.
CIP / Continuous Improvement Plan. Individual plans implemented by each school in the district assessing the current reality of school achievement, structures currently in place, and identification of future plans to implement in order to increase student achievement.
CTE / Career and Technical Education. Career and Technical Education (CTE) gives high school students, the chance to get a head start on preparing for college and careers. In CTE programs students will learn how core school subjects like math, science and writing are used in real-life. CTE students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on training in their chosen program and gain real world experience through job shadows and internships. Many programs offer students the opportunity to earn nationally recognized certifications which they can use to get a job that will help them pay for college or start of their career straight out of high school!
DBQ / Document Based Questioning. A type of authentic assessment that asks students to read and analyze pieces of text, gather information, fill in short scaffolding response questions, assimilate and synthesize information from several documents, and then respond (usually as a written essay) to an assigned task, by using information gathered from the documents as well as their own outside information.
DE / Dual Enrollment.College-level courses taught at the high school by a certified high school teacher. Students earn credit for the high school course, as well as college credit through an affiliated community college, given a passing grade.
DIBELS / Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. Brief but powerful measures of reading fluency that lead to reading success.
DRT / Data Records Technician. Office staff that is in charge or registering students, running report cards, creating class schedules, etc.
ED / Emotional Disability. A special education label that students have based on emotional and behavioral needs
ESS / Exceptional Student Services. Formally the Special Education Department
FAC / Faculty Advisory Committee. Elected committee of teachers and the principal that collaborate together to find solutions to teacher initiated concerns on campus.
HMH / Houghton Mifflin Harcout (Journeys). K-3 basal reading program.
KAH / Kids at Hope. Character building program that teaches all kids are capable of success.
IEP / Individualized Education Plan.A goal-based plan that creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities.
ILP / Individual Learning Plan.A document that establishes a set of learning goals and objectives for an individual student.
ILLP / Individual Language Learning Plan. Plans created by teachers that outline the progress and strategies put in place to help second language learners be successful in the classroom.
IPAL / i-Plan, i-Assess, i-Learn. Online tool for teachers found on the dysart.org website under STAFF, Applications. iPlan contains various planning resources, curriculum maps, etc. for teachers. iAssess contains data for various assessments given to students. iLearn allows teachers to sign up for classes to earn professional development or recertification hours.
Move on When Reading / Beginning in the school year 2013-2014, Arizona will implement a new policy that students who score Falls Far Below on the AIMS reading test maybe retained in 3rdgrade.
Move on When Ready / Program for high school students that provides rigorous “path” choices as they move through high school that promotes high school graduation and continuation to higher education.
Office Manager / Oversees the office staff and helps the school run smoothly from multiple perspectives.
PD / Professional Development. Opportunities for teachers to strength their instructional practices through online and in-person training.
PLC / Professional Learning Community.Teaching groups within the school and district, such as a grade level or content area, committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of inquiry and reflection to increase student success and achievement.
PTO/PTSA / Parent/Teacher Organization. Parents and teachers from our school community who come together to raise funds, provide community events, and support to help our students be successful.
RAA / Read Across America Celebration of literacy in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2nd ).
RTI / Response to Intervention. Tiered intervention to help increase student achievement that takes place at classroom, grade, and school levels. Teams of staff work together to help identify appropriate resources for different students.
SAT 10 / Scholastic Aptitude Test. Taken in grades 2 and 9 to measure progress towards meeting AIMS standards at the next grade level.
SEI / Structured English Immersion. A program in which non-English speaking students are taught in English but the teacher uses techniques and strategies to make the content more comprehensible to the student. All Arizona teachers must go through 60 hours of training or classwork and hold this endorsement on their certificate.
Site Council / Elected group of teachers and parents that discuss issues around school improvement.
WICOR / Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading. An AVID term which encompasses best practices in the classroom to improve student learning