Talks archive, 2005–2009 – Representing Student Achievement Over Time

What to represent? Normative Student Growth References Representing Student Achievement Over Time Damian W. Betebenner Center for Assessment Dover, NH Portsmouth NECAP TAC Meeting July 22nd, 2008 D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

What to represent? Normative Student Growth Relevant Questions References Representing Student Growth Achievement Timeline Achievement over Time Issues of Scale Is a vertical scale necessary to understand achievement over time? Quantifying Change What qualities of achievement change should be highlighted? Relevant Questions The highlighted qualities should suggest answers to questions relevant to stakeholders. Begin at the End Identify the questions and work toward the answers. D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

What to represent? Normative Student Growth Relevant Questions References What are the relevant questions for parents? Yen (2007), from a state survey of parents, teachers and administrators, compiled a list of frequently voiced questions/concerns by stakeholder group. Parent Questions Did my child make a year’s worth of progress in a year? Is my child growing appropriately toward meeting state standards? Is my child growing as much in Math as Reading? Did my child grow as much this year as last year? D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

What to represent? Normative Student Growth Relevant Questions References What are the relevant questions for teachers? Yen (2007), from a state survey of parents, teachers and administrators, compiled a list of frequently voiced questions/concerns by stakeholder group. Teacher Questions Did my students make a year’s worth of progress in a year? Did my students grow appropriately toward meeting state standards? How close are my students to becoming Proficient? Are there students with unusually low growth who need special attention? D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

What to represent? Normative Student Growth Relevant Questions References What are the relevant questions for administrators? Yen (2007), from a state survey of parents, teachers and administrators, compiled a list of frequently voiced questions/concerns by stakeholder group. Administrator Questions Did the students in our district/school make a year’s worth of progress in all content areas? Are our students growing appropriately toward meeting state standards? Does this school/program show as much growth as that one? Can I measure student growth even for students who do not change proficiency categories? Can I pool together results from different grades to draw summary conclusions? D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

What to represent? Normative Student Growth Describing Actual Student Growth References Describing Actual Student Growth Measuring student growth, even with a vertical scale, is not a simple task. Numerous states believe that placing their tests on a vertical scale will simplify the task of measuring student growth. Even with an interval (or ratio) scale, growth is not easy to interpret. Consider, for example, height. A child might grow 4 inches between ages 3 and 4. 4 inches is a well understood quantity. However, the 4 inch increase becomes fully understandable only when placed in context of growth of other children between ages 3 and 4. Is the interest in an absolute or relative description of change? D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

Grade 3/2005 Grade 4/2006 Grade 5/2007 Grade 6/2008

87th ● Grade 3/2005 Grade 4/2006 Grade 5/2007 Grade 6/2008

90th 87th ● 65th 50th 35th 10th Grade 3/2005 Grade 4/2006 Grade 5/2007 Grade 6/2008

69th ● 90th 87th ● 65th 50th 35th 10th Grade 3/2005 Grade 4/2006 Grade 5/2007 Grade 6/2008

90th 69th ● 65th 90th 50th 87th ● 35th 65th 10th 50th 35th 10th Grade 3/2005 Grade 4/2006 Grade 5/2007 Grade 6/2008

99th 90th 61st 69th ● 65th 28th 90th 50th 87th ● 35th 65th 10th 50th 35th 10th Grade 3/2005 Grade 4/2006 Grade 5/2007 Grade 6/2008

What to represent? Normative Student Growth References References Yen, W. M. (2007). Vertical scaling and No Child Left Behind. In Dorans, N. J., Pommerich, M., and Holland, P. W., editors, Linking and Aligning Scores and Scales, pages 273–283. Springer, New York. D. W. Betebenner Representing Student Achievement Over Time

About this copy

Representing Student Achievement Over Time — NECAP2008, July 2008.

This is an image-based copy of the original beamer slides; builds and animations are flattened.