NECAP Results and Accountability A Presentation to Superintendents March 22, 2006

Standard Setting NECAP is criterion-referenced not norm- referenced All three states agreed to use the same standards About 84 teachers from RI were part of the standard setting process All teachers in grades 3-8 had the opportunity to be part of the standard setting process

Keep in mind… NECAP and NSRE are not equated It’s not useful or accurate to say we’re doing better or worse than on the NSRE This is the beginning of a new trend line

Also keep in mind… The results are comparable, that is, we’re seeing similar patterns of results We have not lowered our expectations for students

NECAP Achievement Levels Descriptions Proficient with Distinction: Students performing at this level demonstrate the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to participate and excel in instructional activities aligned with the GLEs at the current grade level. Errors made by these students are few and minor and do not reflect gaps in prerequisite knowledge and skills

NECAP Achievement Level Descriptions Proficient: Students performing at this level demonstrate minor gaps in the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to participate and perform successfully in instructional activities aligned with the GLE at the current grade level. It is likely that any gaps in prerequisite knowledge and skills demonstrated by these students can be addressed during the course of typical classroom instruction.

NECAP Achievement Level Descriptions Partially Proficient: Students performing at this level demonstrate gaps in prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to participate and perform successfully in instructional activities aligned with the GLE at the current grade level. Additional instructional support may be necessary for these students to meet grade level expectations.

NECAP Achievement Level Descriptions Substantially Below Proficient: Students performing at this level demonstrate extensive and significant gaps in prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to participate and perform successfully in instructional activities aligned with the GLE at the current grade level. Additional instructional support is necessary for these students to meet grade level expectations.

State Results- Reading GradePWDPPPSBP 313%47%24%16%

State Results- Writing GradePWDPPPSBP 512%43%30%15%

State Results- Mathematics GradePWDPPPSBP 312%39%25%

State Results: Placing Results in Context for 4 th Grade Percent at or above Proficient NECAP (05)NSRE (04)NAEP* (05) Reading60%67.2%62% (30%) Math62%51.3%76% (31%) * Percent at or above Basic and at or above Proficient

State Results: Placing Results in Context for 8 th Grade Percent at or above Proficient NECAP (05)NSRE (04)NAEP* (05) Reading55%44.9%71% (31%) Math48%39.3%63% (24%) * Percent at or above Basic and at or above Proficient

Communicating results Provides us with a snapshot of our school’s (district’s) achievement against the GLEs Begins a new trend line for all of us Able to look at grade-by-grade achievement Assists with ongoing instructional and curriculum efforts

Communicating results Expect to have fewer wide fluctuations in results due to changes in test forms

RI’s Accountability System Proposed Revisions in Support of the NECAP Tests

Working assumptions Keep as much as possible from the old system Adjust when necessary Adjust when new flexibilities emerge that benefit schools and districts

Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs ) We are able to keep the same AMOs Language ArtsMathematics Elementary Middle

AMOs continued This is the year that the AMOs “jumped” to the next level For example, the Elementary Reading AMO went from 76.1 to 80.1 This change had an impact on high schools even without a change in assessments

Index Scale Proficient with Distinction100 Proficient100 Partially Proficient75 Substantially Below Proficient50 25

Attribution NECAP tests measure the learning that occurred in the prior school year. Therefore, scores will be attributed back to the school where the teaching took place. Participation rates, however, will be based on where the testing occurred. Index scores will be based on the 95% of students who took the test. Zeros will not be added to schools scores.

Cell Size and Error Bands Cell size is 45 for all subgroups and at the school/district levels Error Bands

Safe Harbor for this year Impossible to calculate because the NSREs and NECAP are not equated; the scores are not comparable Appeal Process: Two-step process centered around the reduction in the gap between the school’s index score and the state’s index score on the NSREs and the NECAP Step 1: Reductions in index scores will be compared separately for the two tests (for the school level and/or subgroup level) 2004 NSRE school to 2004 NSRE state compared to 2005 NECAP school to 2005 NECAP state Step 2: Reductions in the percentage of students below Proficient (Partially Proficient and Significantly Below Proficient) One or the other

Safe Harbor, continued Schools must have more than 45 students in both the NSRE and the NECAP groups before a comparison can be made. This could result in a change in the school’s classification

Considerations for principals Ensure that student reports get home to families Host a “School Report Night” for families and the community Think about how to build teacher capacity to use assessment results Make everyone aware of support materials Work with School Improvement Teams to use results Take advantage of the test interpretation workshops

Grades Assessed About 72,000 Rhode Island students in grades three through eight took the exam Mathematics: Grades 3,4,5,6,7,8 Reading: Grades 3,4,5,6,7,8 Writing: Grades 5,8 216,000 students in all three states

Test Interpretation Workshops March 27 th Marriott1:00 – 4:30 March 28 th Marriott8:30 – 12:00 April 5 th Radisson8:30 – 12:00 April 6 th Radisson1:00 – 4:30 April 7 th Best Western8:30 – 12:00 WHO? Curriculum Directors, Principals Lead Teachers, Coaches (substitutes will NOT be reimbursed) Register online at: iregister.measuredprogress.org

Full Academic Year Def.: Students enrolled October 1 of the previous school year For testing: Regardless of length of time enrolled in school, all students must take the NECAP test. Students will be included in all assessment results. For accountability: Students will be removed from accountability calculations.

Communicating Results NECAP is directly aligned to RI’s Grade Level Expectations This assessment is designed to be sensitive to instructional changes This is the first time that we have information that looks at grade-to- grade achievement (3 – 8)

Communicating Results (continued) Districts are in the process of aligning the curriculum and instructional practices to reflect the GLEs Score reports are designed to provide much more information to support school improvement and foster conversations between families and teachers Analyses: “How are we able to support students’ learning with respect to the GLEs” not “Are we doing better or worse than we did on the NSRE?”

Using Results- Some Basics Scale Scores: Every grade level is reported as 3 numbers The first number is always the grade level that was assessed The final two numbers reflect the scale- 00 – is always proficient