1. Interpreting Test Results For Grades K-8

2. What tests will my child take? Students are assessed through: DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) in grades K-3DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) in grades K-3 ARMT+ (Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test) in grades 3-8ARMT+ (Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test) in grades 3-8

3. Lets start with DIBELS… Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills

4. What is DIBELS? Assessment of Early Literacy Skills Administered statewide in Alabama Required in K-2 and our system chooses to administer the test to 3 rd graders. This helps to ensure we are meeting students instructional needs.

5. Why is DIBELS important? It assesses what matters most in grades K, 1, 2, and 3. It has predictive validity. In other words, how students perform on DIBELS is a reliable indicator of how they will perform on state and nationally mandated tests.

6. DIBELS bring focus to… Initial sound fluency Phoneme segmentation fluency Nonsense word fluency Oral reading fluency

7. Why is tested content so critical? Phoneme segmentation fluency is a skill needed to write (spell) any word. (Grade K) Nonsense word fluency lays the groundwork for reading multi-syllable words. (Grade 1) DIBELS measures students progress toward long term grade level reading goals/skills and predicts future reading proficiency and student success with comprehension.

8. And now on to the ARMT+… Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test

9. Why does my child take the ARMT+? To assess students mastery of state content standards in reading and math To report individual and group performance To report relative strengths and weaknesses of individuals and groups To provide data to study changes in performance over time

10. What does the ARMT+ assess? Grades 3-8 - Academic content standards in reading Grades 3-8 - Academic content standards in math

11. Increased Rigor …In every subject, at every grade level, instruction must include commitment to a knowledge core and the application of that knowledge core to solve complex real- world problems. (NC State Bd of Ed, 2005) Increased emphasis on writing

12. What is ARMT+? ARMT+ is a criterion referenced test. Criterion referenced scores indicate how a student performs in comparison to the established criteria or standards. It consists of selected past items from the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10) which match the Alabama state content standards in reading and math. Additional test items were developed so that all content standards were fully covered.

13. What types of questions are on the ARMT+? ARMT+ questions may be multiple choice, gridded response (math only) or open ended. Third graders do not have gridded response questions.

14. How Does a Student Receive an ARMT+ Reading Score? A student must answer multiple choice and open ended response questions in the ARMT+ Part 1 and 2 reading subtest to get an ARMT+ reading score. Multiple choice items are valued at one point each. Open ended items are valued at 3 points each.

15. What types of reading are included? Three types of reading are assessed Literacy/recreationalLiteracy/recreational Textual/informationalTextual/informational FunctionalFunctional

16. How is reading assessed? Reading is assessed through StoriesStories PoetryPoetry Subject textsSubject texts Manuals, brochures, pamphlets, etcManuals, brochures, pamphlets, etc

17. How Does a Student Receive an ARMT+ Math Score? A student must answer multiple choice, gridded, and open ended response items in the ARMT+ Part 1 and 2 Mathematics subtest to get an ARMT+ mathematics score. (Grade 3 has no gridded items)

18. What is included in the math portion of ARMT+? Math strands assessed include Number and OperationsNumber and Operations AlgebraAlgebra GeometryGeometry MeasurementMeasurement Data analysis and ProbabilityData analysis and Probability

19. Scaled Scores The reading test and math test of the ARMT+ have been scaled. By looking at your childs scaled score on the report, you can see where the student falls on that scale. The scaled score can be used from year to year to see if progress is being made in reading and math.

20. How is performance reported? Four levels of achievement Level 1 – Does not meet academic content standards Level 2 – Partially meets academic content standards Level 3 – Meets academic content standards (proficient or grade-level performance) Level 4 – Exceeds academic content standards

21. By using the students scaled scores and looking at the scaled score ranges, you can determine the achievement levels in reading and math. The achievement level allows you to see where the students performance stands in comparison to mastery of grade level content in reading and math.