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Overview of the Enrollment Verification and

Withdrawal Code Audits

Governor’s Office of Student Achievement

GaDOE FY19 Data Conference

Athens, GA

August 23, 2018

Presentation Overview

2Enrollment and Withdrawal Code Verification

August 2018

1. Academic Auditing Overview

2. Enrollment Verification Audit

3. Withdrawal Code Verification Audit

4. Potential Future Audits

5. Additional Resources

6. Questions and Contact Information

Academic Auditing Overview


August 2018

• The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) is charged

under O.C.G.A § 20-14-35 with inspecting academic records of

schools to ensure that education institutions are faithful to

performance accountability requirements.

• O.C.G.A § 20-14-36 calls for GOSA to recommend and for the State

Board of Education (SBOE) to adopt written procedures for audits.

• Since 2009, GOSA has conducted an annual audit to ensure that

assessments are administered with fidelity. The results of this analysis

are presented to the SBOE.



August 2018

• In 2015, GOSA, in partnership with the Georgia Department of

Education (GaDOE), expanded its auditing program to include data

audits.

• GOSA conducts audits of data that have funding or accountability

implications for schools throughout the State of Georgia.

• GOSA continues to explore the possibility of new audits that will help

to ensure accurate data reporting and funding throughout the State.



August 2018

Expansion of Data Audits

Began auditing student enrollment

records

Began auditing student withdrawal

records

Expanded Enrollment Audit

to include additional codes

Conduct both data audits and explore

additional accountability and

funding audits

2015 2016 2017 2018

Enrollment Verification Audit


August 2018



August 2018

Intent

• Compare school enrollment data reported through Full-Time Equivalent

(FTE), Student Record (SR), and Student Class (SC) collections to

confirm consistency of those data since FTE enrollment data are used to

determine Local Education Agency (LEA) funding.

Goals

• Verify accuracy of data reported by school systems to the GaDOE;

• Ensure school systems follow GaDOE requirements for data training,

reporting, and storage;

• Guard against improper data reporting practices and/or potential fraud;

and

• Provide additional support to school systems and schools in refining

and improving data reporting and storage practices.



August 2018

Phase 1: Data Review and School Determination

• GaDOE provides FTE/SR/SC Error Code Reports for GOSA to review

and identify schools that will be subject to an Enrollment Verification

Inquiry.

• GOSA selects schools if they meet one of the following criteria for an

error code:

1. More than 25 students were affected in the prior year, OR

2. More than 10 students were affected in the prior two years.

*Criteria may be adjusted in future years as deemed appropriate to accomplish goals

of the audit.*



August 2018

Phase 2: Notification, Inquiry Report, Review, and Response

GOSA notifies Superintendent of inquiry via

email.

LEAs submit answers via

GOSA’s secure online platform.

LEAs submit all policies and procedures

pertaining to FTE, SR, and

SC data collection and

reporting.

GOSA reviews the information and responds by

email to the Superintendent with next steps.

Phase 3

GOSA has further

questions/concerns

GOSA has no further

questions/concerns

GOSA reviews documentation

• Request additional information, and/or

• Conduct on-site audit

GOSA conducts further

investigation

• Closes audit, or

• Refers to another state agency for further investigation

GOSA Closeout



August 2018

Phase 3: Investigation and Closeout

11


• In 2017, GOSA recommended the State Board of Education pursue a

mechanism to recoup funding provided to LEAs for students incorrectly

identified as gifted or remedial.

• GaDOE is currently exploring options for this mechanism at the direction of

the SBOE.

Enrollment and Withdrawal Code Verification

August 2018



August 2018

2018 Timeline

LEAs notified of schools identified for further inquiry

Inquiry forms due to GOSA

Further inquiry and audit closeout

Late August September November

Withdrawal Code Verification Audit


August 2018



August 2018

Intent

• Review student withdrawal code documentation in Georgia high schools

to ensure that school withdrawal records, and thereby graduation rates, are

in accordance with SBOE rules and are as accurate as possible.



August 2018

Goals

• Verify the accuracy of reported withdrawal codes for high schools;

• Ensure LEAs follow GaDOE requirements for data training, reporting, and

storage;

• Aid LEAs in detecting and correcting errors in data reported to GaDOE;

• Ensure accuracy of graduation rate; and

• Provide additional support to LEAs and high schools in refining and

improving data reporting and storage practices.



August 2018

Phase 1: Data Review and School Determination

• GaDOE provides withdrawal code reports for GOSA to review.

• Grade level cohorts with at least 10 students are identified for further

inquiry using the following criteria:

1. If cohort enrollment is between 10 and 39 students, 10% or more of

students were withdrawn under certain withdrawal codes during the

school year;

2. If cohort enrollment is greater than or equal to 40 students, 7.5% or

more of students were withdrawn under certain withdrawal codes

during the school year; OR

3. School is randomly selected for inquiry.

*Criteria may be adjusted in future years as deemed appropriate to accomplish goals of the

audit.*



August 2018

Phase 2: Inquiry Report, Review, and Response

Notify Superintendent of inquiry via

email.

LEAs submit answers and

documentation via GOSA’s

secure online platform.

GOSA reviews the information and responds by

email to Superintendent with next steps.

Phase 3



August 2018

Phase 2: Inquiry Report, Review, and Response

Withdrawal documentation aligns with the required documentation

outlined in Guidance for SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.28.

Examples:

Withdrawal

Code

Withdrawal

TypeAcceptable Documentation

H Attend Home

Study

A document signed by a parent, guardian, or “other person”

declaring an intent to utilize a home study program should be on

file.

K, X Transferred to

Private School

or Transferred

Out of State

A request for transcripts or student records from the private school

or out-of-state school should be on file.

GOSA has further

questions/concerns

GOSA has no further

questions/concerns

GOSA reviews documentation

• Request additional information, and/or

• Conduct on-site audit

GOSA conducts further

investigation

• Closes audit, or

• Refers to another state agency for further investigation

GOSA Closeout



August 2018

Phase 3: Investigation and Closeout



August 2018

2018 Timeline

LEAs notified of schools identified for further inquiry

Inquiry forms due to GOSA

Further inquiry and audit closeout

Late August September November

Potential Future Audits


August 2018

Considerations

• Data elements’ importance in accountability and funding

• Prevalence of requests for inquiry from the general public

• Priorities of GOSA and GaDOE

Potential Areas of Focus

• Assessment Non-Participation

• End-of-Pathway Assessment

• Dual Enrollment

• Other areas deemed necessary by GOSA and GaDOE

Additional Resources

22

Additional information can be found under Academic Auditing

Resources by clicking the following link:

http://gosa.georgia.gov/academic-auditing


August 2018

http://gosa.georgia.gov/academic-auditing

Questions and Contact Information

23

Rosaline Tio

Director of Policy, Research, and Evaluation

[email protected]

404-640-3902


August 2018

mailto:[email protected]

Enrollment Audit Error Codes


August 2018

Error Code Description of Error

E5071 (SR) Student records should exist for all students counted in FTE-1 or FTE-3.

E874 (SR) Any student listed as active in special education must have a primary area of concern in their

student record.

E262 (SR) Remedial Subject Code: To determine FTE weight, a subject code must be provided to

determine the level of services provided to a student.

E327 (SR) EIP Subject Code: To determine FTE weight, a subject code must be provided to determine

the level of services provided to a student.

E3025 (SR) Any student reported as receiving gifted services in FTE-1 or FTE-3 is required to have that

participation recorded in student record.

E6022 (SC) If a GTID was reported in FTE, the student must have records reported in student class.

E6044 (SC) Any student reported with program codes ‘6’ or ‘7’ must have a MOWR course number

reported for this student in student class.

E6071 (SC) Any student reported with program code ‘J’ in FTE must have at lease one remedial course

number reported in student class.

E6072 (SC) Any student reported with program code ‘I’ in FTE must have at least one gifted course

number reported with gifted delivery model in student class.

SR: Student Record; SC: Student Class

Withdrawal Audit Codes


August 2018

Withdrawal Code Description of Reason for Withdrawal

C* Court or legal

D Death

H Attend home study

J Transferred out of country

K Transferred to private school

N Transferred to Department of Defense School

X Transferred out of state

2 School choice transfer (Title I Choice)

3 USCO transfer

5* Not subject to compulsory school attendance

*Does not remove student from graduation cohort

Withdrawal Code Documentation


August 2018

Code Description Acceptable Documentation

C Court or legal Official legal document notifying school of

withdrawal

D Death Written notification from parent/guardian, obituary,

or newspaper article confirming death

H Attend home study Declaration of intent signed by parent/guardian

J Transfer: out of country Written emigration confirmation

K, X Transfer:

private/out of state school

Request for transcripts from new school

N Transfer: DOD school Request for transcript from DOD School

2, 3 School choice or USCO

transfer

Request for transcript/student records through

GTID system

5 Not subject to compulsory

school attendance

Written permission from parent/guardian; record of

school-based conference with same parent/guardian

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