The Basics Behind an Overall Position (OP)

To be OP Eligible a student must: Complete 20 semester units of Authority subjects (equivalent to 5 subjects for 2 years) Three of the subjects must remain the same for the two years Complete all mandated subject assessments tasks Sit the Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test

The three major factors which contribute the students’ OPs are: Individual Subject results Subject QCS results (OP eligible students only) Whole school QCS results (OP eligible students only)

Student Subject results: Subject course delivered from an approved work program Common assessment items Criteria sheet Within school moderation Student profiles District Monitoring and Verification Exit (final) LOA rung placement (see handout)

The QCS Test All OP eligible students must sit Four test over two days – WT, MC1, SRT, MC2 Used to equate and compare students across the state (different schools, different subjects) Hmmm and Questions

To have a better understanding of how an OP is calculated we first need to understand a little about what a Z-Score is.

A Z-Score is simply a number that indicates if you are above or below the average in a subject and by how much. If the number is positive you are above the average and if negative you are below the average.

See Handout Z Score Meaning 1.5 + Excellent 1 – 1.5 Very good 0 – 0.5 OK Below 0 Not helping much A Z score is a measure of the standard deviations from the mean See Handout

A student can use Z-Scores to compare their performance in each of their subjects. Subject LOA Z-Score English SA6 (C6) Z +0.73 Maths SA6 (C6) Z -0.26 PE HA 1 (B1) Z +0.75

5 As & 1B Ben – OP 1 English VHA3 2.17 Maths B VHA3 1.53 Biology VHA2 0.98 Chemistry VHA2 1.59 Physics HA8 1.65 Home Ec. VHA6 1.78 5 As & 1B

3Bs & 2Cs Lisa – OP 9 English SA7 Z 0.00 Maths B HA9 Z 1.15 Geography HA9 Z 0.21 Physics HA8 Z 0.45 PE SA8 Z -0.71 3Bs & 2Cs

Mary – OP 19 English SA8 -0.05 Maths A LA5 -1.34 Biology SA1 -1.11 PE HA2 -0.08 Drama SA5 -1.16 1 B, 3Cs & 1D

Hmmm and Questions Implications Z scores are a good way to compare how well students are going in each subject It gives students feedback as to how they are performing in terms of other students in the group It tells students if they are above or below the average for that subject It may help when making decisions to change subjects or not Hmmm and Questions

Calculating an OP

At the end Year 12 students receive a final Exit Rung Placement A Subject Area Indicator (SAI) is then applied so that the top student in the subject receives 400 and the bottom student receives 200. Numbers are applied to all other OP students in between See handout

Implications for Students They must try to get as far up the R6 ladder as possible to receive the highest SAI value possible. The SAI presents the numerical value each student gained from the subject (before scaling)

Calculations are made to determine how far each student is away from the average in each subject. i.e. Z-Scores are calculated which is determined by the student SAI compared to other students in the subject group in all your subjects

HOMER (QCS mean, SAI, Z score = Scaled SAI) Subject LOA SAI Z-Score Scaled SAI English HA3 341 1.38 Maths B VHA 7 400 2.57 Accounting VHA 3 1.76 Geography HA 2 366 1.19 Biology HA 7 378 1.27 PE 389 1.61

Maggie English SA8 -0.05 Maths A LA5 -1.34 Biology SA1 -1.11 PE HA2 -0.08 Drama SA5 -1.16 Every student will end up with a Z score for each subject they studied.

The Mean and MD from the QCS test are calculated for each subject The Mean and MD from the QCS test are calculated for each subject. These raw scores are scaled so that the average score for all subjects in the state is 175. e.g. Subject – QCS means See Green number on next page. This represents how well this subject group of students did on the QCS test

HOMER (QCS mean, SAI, Z score = Scaled SAI) Subject LOA SAI Z-Score Scaled SAI English (171.39) HA3 341 1.38 Maths B (184.63) VHA 7 400 2.57 Accounting (168.04) VHA 3 1.76 Geography (164.88) HA 2 366 1.19 Biology (171.45) HA 7 378 1.27 PE (167.25) 389 1.61

Subject QCS Mean and Mean Difference

Within School Scaling (comparing student performance and subject performance within Helensvale High Students get their SAIs SCALED using their Z-Score (student performance) and the scaled Mean and MD (subject QCS performance) from the QCS test for each subject. RED number is produced

HOMER (QCS mean, SAI, Z score = Scaled SAI) Subject LOA SAI Z-Score Scaled SAI English (171.39) HA 3 341 1.38 201.84 Maths B (184.63) VHA 7 400 2.57 239.06 Accounting (168.04) VHA 3 1.76 208.16 Geography (164.88) HA 2 366 1.19 196.54 Biology (171.45) HA 7 378 1.27 209.82 PE (167.25) 389 1.61 200.81

Implications for Students They must work as a team to perform well in the QCS test. Their aim is for their subjects to have a QCS Mean above the State QCS Mean (above the 175 value).

The scaled SAIs from your best five subjects are then averaged to produce a student Overall Achievement Indicator (OAI).

HOMER OAI = 211.93 Subject LOA SAI Z-Score Scaled SAI English (171.39) HA3 341 1.38 201.84 Maths B (184.63) VHA 400 2.57 239.06 Accounting (168.04) 1.76 208.16 Geography (164.88) HA 366 1.19 196.54 Biology (171.45) 378 1.27 209.82 PE (167.25) 389 1.61 200.81 OAI = 211.93

The QSA uses this OAI to RANK all Helensvale High students against each other to get a final rank for the students in the school This ranks students at our school irrespective of their individual subject combinations. The QCS test is used to compare and scale the student performance across subjects (how does an ‘A’ in PE compare to a ‘B’ in Maths B Hmmm and Questions

This OAI ranking process sorts out and compares student performance within individual schools (Helensvale High). The next step is the compare our performance to all other schools in Queensland. This is called 2nd Stage scaling.

Between School Scaling Each student’s OAI is then re-scaled using the mean and mean difference of the whole school QCS result Each student will then get a final OAI that will determine the OP that they are assigned

The scaled OAIs are put into bands and OPs are allocated. 20011 Cut-offs 2015 Cut-offs OP1 – 224.49 OP1 – 225.75 OP2 – 216.69 OP2 – 215.87 OP3 – 210.72 OP3 – 208.10 Emily’s scaled SAI (214.93) will get her an OP? OP 3 Hmmm and Questions

Some Points to Think About

To Do Well Students Need To: Move as far up the rank order in each subject as they can Work hard in each subject and contribute the best that they can to the subject QCS test score Perform as well as we can as a whole school on the QCS test

WE will continue to: Design a QCS program which caters to individual and group needs Teach strategies for the test Support students to be successful in their subjects Share all the information we can about performance – students and parents as insiders in the process and NO secrets

We expect students to: Understand that QCS performance is vital to your success and other Helensvale High students Attend every QCS preparation session Take practice tests seriously and to do their best Work hard in their subjects by participating and performing to the best of their ability

Support them especially in the last weeks of each term What can parents do: Encourage hard work and resilience (2 to 4 hours of homework each night and some time on the weekends) Support them especially in the last weeks of each term Monitor and support their wellbeing Advocate for them when required

Questions