Transcript PTA Coffee May 12, 2011

End-of –year Assessments
MAP and DRA Testing
Workshop for Parents
Terms
 Achievement Test - A test that measures the extent to which a person has "achieved" something,
acquired certain information, or mastered certain skills - usually as a result of planned
instruction or training.
 RIT - Rasch Unit, honoring George Rasch, the Danish mathematician who developed the
underlying theory for this type of measurement. The RIT Scale is a curriculum scale developed
by NWEA that uses the individual item difficulty values to estimate student achievement.
Advantages to the RIT Scale are that it can relate the numbers on the scale directly to the
difficulty of items on the tests and it is equal interval. Equal interval means that the difference
between scores is the same regardless of whether a student is at the top, bottom or middle of the
RIT Scale, and it has the same meaning regardless of grade level.
 RIT to Reading Range - A score resulting from a correlation between NWEA’s RIT score and
the Lexile® scale, a measure defined by MetaMetrics® that helps identify reading material that
is at an appropriate difficulty level for an individual student. When a student reads material
within his or her RIT to Reading Range, that student should read with 75% comprehension.
Lexile is a registered trademark of MetaMetrics, Inc. NWEA is neither affiliated nor associated
with MetaMetrics, Inc.
 Standardized Test (standard test) - A test designed to provide a systematic sample of
individual performance, administered according to prescribed directions, scored in conformance
with definite rules, and interpreted in reference to certain normative information. Some would
further restrict the usage of the term "standardized" to those tests for which the tests have been
chosen on the basis of experimental evaluation, and for which data on reliability and validity are
provided. Others would add "commercially published" and/or for "general use".
Northwest Evaluation Association
(NWEA)
 Global organization (Portland, OR)
 Provide research-based adaptive assessments
 Professional development
 Research services
 Purpose: Helps educators make informed decisions to
promote academic growth
What is MAP?
 Computerized adaptive tests
 Measures of Academic Progress
 Level of difficulty is increased with each correct
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answer
Grades 3, 4 and 5
Reading
Language Usage
Math
Adaptive nature of MAP
 Adjusts to student’s ability level
 Correct responses lead to more difficult questions
 Incorrect responses are followed by easier items
 Advantages: Score available immediately, potential
reduction in test anxiety, test security increased,
accurate scores across a wide range of abilities
Why are there score ranges?
 Note: Scores from any test are estimates of
performance. Multiple data points provide a
comprehensive view of actual performance
 No less than 3 points of data should ever be used to
make important decisions.
 If the student were to take the test relatively soon, the
score is likely to fall within the same range
Percentile vs. Percent correct
 Percentile ranking represents how well a student
performs compared to other students in a nationwide
norm sample for their age.
 Example: 35th percentile does not mean 35 % of the
items are correct
 35th percentile : The student scored as well as, or better
than 35% of students in the same grade norm group.
International School Scores
MAP Int’l School Report
154, 000 students
248 schools
94 countries
Terms: 2008, 2009, 2010
Grade level
Math
Reading
Language
3rd
207/203
203/198
206/201
4th
222/212
211/205
212/208
5th
229/220
216/211
218/213
Source: NWEA
www.nwea.org
503-624-1951
Proficiency Projections
 NWEA has conducted Alignment Studies in states
where significant numbers of students have taken
MAP
 By comparing scores of the same students on each test,
a correlation can be calculated.
 NWEA can establish RIT cut scores for levels of
proficiency on state assessment based upon the scores
on MAP assessments.
Individual vs. Group Reports
 Both allow us to analyze growth data relative to growth
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norms and proficiency benchmarks
Evaluate areas of strength, set goals.
Reports guide instruction and inform decision-making
across the district and/or nationally
Individual reports help identify areas of strength or
growth
Parent/teacher conferences
Student-led conferences and set goals
Student Experience with the Test
 Approximately an hour to complete each test
 Administered at the beginning and end of the school
year. (Growth index)
 Different tests are administered at different times.
How are the data used?
 Measures students’ progress and growth in basic skills
 Reveals strengths and areas for attention
 Teachers track progress, areas of strength, areas where
help is needed
 Informs teachers where adjustments in the curriculum
should be made
What is the Lexile Framework for
Reading?
 Unit of measuring text difficulty
 It is linked to the RIT score
 Range is 10L to 1700L
 Ex: Green Eggs and Ham- 30L, Jurassic Park 710L,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 940L, The
Good Earth 1530.
Reading the Report
 What do you notice?
 What could be some possible factors to the direction
of the growth chart?
 If this were your child, what questions arise?
Things to Consider
 Time of day the test was administered
 Amount of test preparation
 Compare these results to other assessments; Does this
result reflect the work that comes home?
 Review reports considering feedback from teacher
conferences
Tip for Parents:
Ways to Prepare for Testing
 Communicate regularly with the teacher to discuss
progress
 Establish a daily study routine in a quiet, comfortable
place at home
 Provide books and magazines for your child
 Establish a culture of reading at home that includes
your reading with your child
Tips:
Ways to Support Language
 Encourage conversation during family activities
 Have your child explain events after reading
 Have a “word of the week” and encourage your child to
use new words
 Have your child help plan and write a menu
 Give a journal or diary as a gift
Tips:
Supporting Reading
 Plan visits to the library and book store
 Play word games; Scrabble, Spill and
Spell, etc.
 Do word crossword puzzles with your
child
 Establish a culture and expectation for
reading in the home. Involve all family
members.
Tips:
Supporting Math
 Encourage children to solve problems on their own
 Use household activities as an opportunity to practice
measurement, grouping and dividing
 Point out ways for children to use math in everyday
activities; paying bills, making change, tipping at the
restaurant, etc.