Advanced Learning Program

Greenwich Public SchoolsSetting the Standard for Excellence in Public Education

Grade Two Fall/Winter Score Interpretation ProceduresFebruary 5, 2014 snowdate: February 18, 2014

Bonnie O’Regan, ALP Facilitator

Identification Process: Best Practice

Triangulation in ALP Identification Process

Ability

Valid and Reliable picture

of student achievement

Achievement Performance

Ability, Achievement and Performance are different aspects of cognitive development

•Ability – reasoning abilities that are developed indirectly through instruction that challenges students to think in new ways (fluid reasoning abilities)•Achievement – knowledge and skills specifically

taught in schools (crystallized abilities)•Performance what students can do with what they

know, rather than how much they know.

Identification Process

Informational Meetings for teachers and parents

Collection of Objective and Subjective Data

Teacher Referrals Parent Referrals

Students recommended for additional testing

Screening

Ability

Evaluation

Portfolio discussed at Building Advisory Team

Placement Recommendation

Re-Evaluation Process

Placement

Out of Level Achievement

Out of Level Performance

Cognitive Abilities Test

™

• Is only one piece of evidence that is gathered

• Use Standard Age Scores

Cognitive Abilities Test

™

Achievement Iowa AssessmentsAbove Grade Level Concepts

Reading Domains:VocabularyExplicit MeaningImplicit MeaningKey IdeasAuthor’s Craft

Mathematics Domains:Number Sense and OperationsAlgebraic Patterns and ConnectionsData Analysis, Probability and StatisticsGeometryMeasurement

Achievement Iowa AssessmentsCognitive Levels: Reading

Essential CompetenciesRecognize or identify basic information

Conceptual UnderstandingUse more complex thought processes in interpreting text, determining important ideas, or reading between the lines

Extended ReasoningUse critical thinking in judging, evaluating, or analyzing text or in integrating ideas within and beyond the text

Achievement Iowa AssessmentsCognitive Levels: Math

Essential CompetenciesStudents recall information, facts, definitions; perform simple one-step procedure

Conceptual UnderstandingStudents make decisions of how to approach the problem; specify and explain relationships between facts, terms, properties, or operations; perform multiple-step procedure

Extended ReasoningStudents use reasoning, use planning, draw conclusions, or cite evidence to solve a problem; develop a strategy to connect and relate ideas to solve problems while using multiple-step procedures and a variety of skills

Why Use Out-of-Level TestsEvaluation

Reduced Variability and LowDiscrimination on Grade-Level Tests

Why Use Out-of-Level Tests

Achievement

Grade-Level tests make everyone look the same when they are not

With little variability in students’ scores, you cannot tell who might need a different kind of curriculum

Identification ProcessEvaluation

On Grade Level Testing Comparison

Why Use Out-of-Level TestsAchievement

Name On Grade Level Test Score

Madison DRP unit score of 62 (99th Percentile)

Jacob DRP unit score of 62 (99th Percentile)

Identification ProcessEvaluation

Grade-Level Tests and Gifted Students: Low CeilingsWhy Use Out-of-Level Tests

AchievementA ceiling of a test is when getting any more questions right does not change your scoreTests with low ceilings give us an imprecise estimate of a child’s knowledge or ability

below adv'd 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 95+0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Degrees of Reading PowerPercentile ranges of students testing for grade two ALP fall 2013

Identification ProcessEvaluation

Achievement

below adv'd 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 95+0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Degrees of Reading PowerPercentile ranges of students testing for grade two ALP fall

2013

Identification ProcessEvaluation

Achievement

below 68 68-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90+0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Iowa Assessments Reading Comprehension SubtestFrequency of Grade Four Percentile Scores

of students evaluated for grade 2 ALP reading strand who scored at or above the DRP 95th Percentile

January 2014

Identification ProcessEvaluation

On Grade Level Testing Comparison

Why Use Out-of-Level TestsAchievement

Name Above Grade Level Test Score

Madison Reading Comprehension Score at 40th Percentile

Jacob Reading Comprehension Score at 96th Percentile

PerformancePerformance Based Assessment

Above Level PBA given to select students

Constructed-responseLiterature Response• What is the article/story mainly about?• What important lesson does the main character learn?• How does the character change in the story?• What prediction do you have for the next event in the story?• What is the author’s purpose?

Problem Solving• The only way that 10 can be written as the sum of 4

different counting numbers is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4. In how many different ways can 15 be written as the sum of 4 different counting numbers?

Identification ProcessCollection of Objective and Subjective DataScreening

Placement

Portfolio Assembled

Ability

AchievementPerformance

No one score on any one measure determines eligibility.

Identification Process

Placement Building Advisory Committee

Classroom Teacher

ALPTeacher

ALPFacilitator

Building Administrator

Discuss educational needs of every student

Additional Information Gathered During Building Advisory Committee Meeting

Teacher(s) provide anecdotal information to identify traits, aptitudes, and behaviors displayed by the student:

• Motivation• Communication Skills• Problem Solving Ability• Inquiry• Insight• Reasoning

Placement Placement Recommendation

Is recommended for replacement curriculum Parents can decline placement

Is not recommended for replacement curriculum

Parents can request student be re-evaluated in the spring

If you need additional information to help you understand your child’s individual test scores, please request a meeting with the ALP Facilitator by submitting the written request form and return either via mail or email to Bonnie O’Regan, ALP

Facilitator, by Friday, February 28.

Security

Test Booklets are SECURE materials.

No Booklets are to be retained at the district or school level.

For security reasons, tests may be viewed on only two occasions:1. When students are taking an assessment2. When educators are reviewing Item Analysis Reports

Assurances language for proper and ethical test administration and useTest items are Copyright © 2012 by The University of Iowa. All rights reserved. These tests contain operational questions that are to be used solely for report review and score interpretation purposes associated with the users of the Class Item Response Record or the Group Item Analysis. No test items may be disclosed or used for any other reason. By accepting delivery of or using these tests, the recipient acknowledges responsibility for maintaining test security that is required by professional standards and applicable state and local policies and regulations governing proper use of tests and for complying with federal copyright law which prohibits unauthorized reproduction and use of copyrighted test materials.

THESE TEST BOOKLETS MAY NOT BE RETAINED BY YOU AND MUST BE RETURNED TO IOWA TESTING PROGRAMS WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF RECEIPT.

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