Scaling Up Assessment-Driven Intervention Using the Internet and Handheld Computers: An IERI Grant Barbara Foorman & Jack Fletcher University of Texas-Houston David Francis, University of Houston Larry Berger, Wireless Generation

Problem How are results of early reading assessment translated to instruction across Texas, where 95% of the 1100 public school districts use the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) and Tejas LEE in grades K-2?

TPRI Screening Tasks Specific reading concepts are assessed in the Screening dependent on the grade level and time of year of the assessment. Explain table.

TPRI Inventory Tasks Book & Print Awareness is a warm-up activity. Specific reading concepts are assessed in the Inventory also dependent on the grade level and time of year of the assessment. Explain table. Book & Print Awareness is a warm-up activity.

Intervention Increase access to interpretation of TPRI/Tejas LEE results through: Professional development Onsite mentoring Web mentoring

Administration Format of Early Reading Assessment Randomized Design Administration Format of Early Reading Assessment

TPRI Data Collected on Handheld Device

Starting from the class summary of results, teachers begin by examining these results and drawing inferences about performance. Examples of how other teachers have used these results, in addition to the web mentor guide, will help teachers begin the instructional planning process

On the Grouping page you will find a skill map that gives the basis for grouping students. This page allows you to see how your class is broken down by performance on different TPRI tasks. The table is organized from easy to difficult according to task progression. It is important to know that students who are still developing on an initial task are listed in bold. The same students are listed in the subsequent tasks in a lightly shaded color. This is a visual to show that the students were not administered these tasks because they were still developing on the previous task. However, they still need instruction in these areas when they have developed the previous skills. This page also gives a visual of how many students are still developing in each skill area along with a percentage so you can determine whether or not a skill should be taught during whole group instruction or small group.

As a first step in this process, teachers will be guided through forming groups for instruction. The system will provide some suggested groupings but will allow the teacher to form groups as she sees fit. Suggested grouping criteria will be presented and the guide will give the teacher multiple grouping options

The Planning section of the web site contains activities from the Intervention Activities Guide that match each task assessed in the TPRI. This allows you to plan instruction for students that will target their TPRI identified needs. Clicking on the “Student Activities of the Planning section takes you to the intervention activities page shown here where you can access activities related to skills tested on the TPRI. First, select a student from the View Student Performance drop down menu. Then, select the activities you wish to use with that student and print them out for home or classroom use.

Hypotheses Re Student Outcomes Cohort effects due to Reading First Hand-held+Desktop > Paper+Desktop > Paper Onsite mentor + Website mentor > Teacher Alone Onsite mentor > website mentor + Teacher Alone in Paper and in Paper + Desktop Urban > Rural in paper/teacher alone due to access to resources and professional development

Sample and Timeline Year 1: Pilot software in K-2 classrooms in selected schools in Houston, Ft. Worth, and DeZavala ISDs Yrs 2-4: Randomized study in 255 schools in 3 urban school districts (Houston, Ft. Worth, El Paso) and 105 rural schools. Year 5: Data analysis and report writing

Measures

Analyses and Results Analysis Results 3-level (student within teacher within school) general and/or generalized mixed linear models of outcomes Qualification/quantification of observations Results Feasibility of mCLASS:TPRITM software established in Year 1. In Yr 2, data collected on 40,000 K-2 students in 1,944 classrooms in 216 schools. Currently beginning Yr. 3

Challenges to Scaling Working with a for-profit company Positives – efficient, state-of-the-art work Negatives – bottom-line drive for sales subverts research; competing products; worries about intellectual property Working with school districts Creating a culture of evidence Communication inversely related to district size Challenge of obtaining stu. IDs/updating rosters Districts want data for reporting, not for instruction

Challenges to Scaling (cont.) Working with teachers What’s in it for me? Incentives (Palms®, time savings, cash, mentoring) Trust and ownership Fear of technology

Implications for Models of Scaling Replication & Sustainability TPRI/Tejas LEE in 50,000 TX classrooms and in several other states; Used for instructional decisions and placement (intervention; summer school) Used in RF for screening, diagnosis, & progress monitoring

Implications for Models…(cont.) Depth and Reform Ownership: Tensions Changes in teaching & learning and ownership of assessment-driven instructional practices Versus Top-down mandates (e.g., state & federal mandates such as Reading First) and accountability pressures

For More Information…. The Center for Academic & Reading Skills website is located at: http://cars.uth.tmc.edu The TPRI website is located at: http://www.tpri.org