Vertical Scale Scores

Objectives: Explain how Texas defines value added and measures academic growth with TAKS. Use Vertical Scale Score to make instructional decisions to support student success.

Having an above average teacher for five years running can completely close the average gap between low-income students and others. -John Kain and Eric Hanushek

Placemat Consensus Each person at your table should have a different colored marker. Draw a large circle in the center of your chart paper. Each person in group will have a section outside the circle. In your section, explains what added value means.

Added Value Tracks the academic achievement of the same student over time. Minimizes the influence of economics, experiences, privilege, and race. Takes into account where a student begins the year academically and measures how much the student grows as a result of the school or teacher.

‘Passing & Preparedness’ 2100 Scale Score – Passing Standard 2200 Scale Score – Higher Education Readiness Component (HERC) 2400 Scale Score – Commended Performance

Regional College Ready Graduates All Af Am Hisp White Asian Male Female Eco Dis LEP ELA 52% 40% 47% 63% 67% 57% 42% 4% Math 56% 35% 45% 69% 73% 58% 48% 22% Both 37% 23% 29% 53% 38% 24% 3% November’s AEIS Reports will reflect the class of 2008.

Raw Score The basic score on any test is the raw score, which is simply the number of test questions or items a student answers correctly. A raw score can be interpreted only in terms of a particular set of test questions. Raw scores are converted to scale scores to determine which performance category is applied for each student in each content area assessed.

Horizontal Scale Scores A scale score is a conversion of the raw score onto a scale that is common to all test forms for that assessment. Scale scores can be interpreted across different sets of test questions. Scale scores allow direct comparisons of student performance between specific sets of test questions from different test administrations. The scale score takes into account the difficulty level of the specific set of questions on which it is based. It quantifies a student’s performance relative to the passing standards or proficiency levels for such tests as the TAKS. Vertical Scale Scores

Horizontal Scale Scores New Vertical Scale Scores Horizontal Scale Scores 2100 – Met Standard 2400 – Commended Performance Approximate Range: 1200 – 3300 These are consistent for all grades and subjects where the horizontal scale score is used. Met Standard and Commended Performance - vary by subject and grade (See page 4 of the guide.) Approximate Range: 0 – 1000

TAKS Horizontal Scale For TAKS, the scale scores were defined such that the Met Standard and Commended Performance cuts were always to same scale values across forms and grades Met Standard = 2100 Commended Performance = 2400 This is known as a horizontal scale

Horizontal Scales Limitations of horizontal scales Scale scores across test forms can be compared within a grade, but not across grades for a subject Performance standards (i.e. Met Standard and Commended) cannot be numerically compared across grade levels Example: 2100 in Grade 5 ≠ 2100 in Grade 6 It is difficult to evaluate individual student progress from grade-to-grade

TAKS Vertical Scale A vertical scale allows scores to be compared across grade levels for a subject Useful for tracking a student’s progress in performance across years Performance standards (i.e. Met Standard and Commended) can be numerically compared across grade levels

Academic Achievement Standards Raw Scores Horizontal Scale Scores Did Not Meet Standard Met Standard Vertical Scale Scores Commended Performance Scale Score Results Are Used To Determine the Student’s Level of Achievement

Vertical or Horizontal?

Why Vertical Scale Scores? Under Section 39.036 of Senate Bill 1031, TEA was required to develop a vertical scale for assessing student performance and progress on the TAKS assessments in reading and mathematics at grades 3–8 beginning with the 2008-2009 school year.

Read pages 4-7, Vertical Scale Score

VSS? First Turn – Last Turn Reflect and respond: “How can anyone be sure that a particular set of new inputs will produce better outputs if we don’t at least study what happens Inside?” --Paul Black and Dylan Williams

VSS? Decide who has the most experience in education at your table. This person is the first to share their reflections. All others at the table comment about that statement. The first person has the last turn to comment. Continue sharing star statements around the table using First Turn – Last Turn.

VSS Calculations

Reading and Mathematics Vertical Scale Scores 24

What about TAKS (Accommodated) TELPAS, Alternate Assessments, and EOC Assessments TAKS (Accommodated) will be reported on the same vertical scale as TAKS TELPAS will be reported on a vertical scale with score range from approximately 0-1000 TEA is considering a vertical scale for TAKS-M No plans currently in place for a vertical scale for TAKS-Alt or EOC assessments

Can we assess VSS growth? The student moved to Texas and was assessed on TAKS for the first time in 2009. The student was administered a Spanish mathematics TAKS in 2008 and an English version in 2009. The student was administered a TAKS-M in 2008 and TAKS (Accommodated) in 2009. The student was administered a TAKS test in mathematics for reading in 2008 and 2009.

Analysis Considerations: 1. It is important to note that expected growth calculations using TAKS and vertical scale scores represent a snapshot of growth using one assessment. While this information is useful, other data should also be used to conduct a more global analysis of the degree to which each student is making progress. 2. If analyzing students at grade levels other than 3rd to 4th or other subject areas, as noted in the example above, the VSS expected improvement calculations will differ. These differences occur: a. From subject to subject; b. From grade level to grade level; and c. When comparing growth from one year to the next for (1) ‘Met Standard to Met Standard,’ (2) ‘Commended Performance to Commended Performance.’ (3) ‘Met Standard to Commended Performance,’ and (4) ‘Commended Performance to Met Standard.’ 3. There are many variances from student to student which represent one year’s growth; these variances are based on the individual student’s starting point the previous year. 4. Because the VSS are statistical calculations, there exists a potential for + and - variances from the growth cut points. VSS provide growth data; however, when there are variances of a few points from the cut scores for one year's growth, educators should exercise caution when making decisions about student growth.

VSS Calculations

Your Calculations: A 6th grade student received a 2009 VSS of S-652 in mathematics. His 2008 VSS in mathematics was S-605. Analyze the growth. An 5th grade student received a 2009 VSS of E-770 in reading . This student’s 2008 VSS was E-720.

Questions and Considerations – Page 7 How close is the current vertical scale score from the ‘Met Standard’ level? If the score doesn’t meet this academic achievement standard, how far is the score from the ‘Met Standard’ level? How close is the current vertical scale score from the ‘Commended Performance’ level? et.al., ….

What about these Students? Susan 3rd-2008 4th-2009 5th-2010 6th-2011 Reading 680 725 750 770 Math 550 570 630 644 Maria 5th-2008 6th-2009 7th-2010 8th-2011 Reading 620 640 675 700 Math 610 637 665 Michael 4th-2008 5th-2009 6th-2010 7th-2011 Reading 780 800 834 850 Math 725 760 795 823 Frank 3rd-2008 4th-2009 5th-2010 6th-2011 Reading 400 480 600 650 Math 475 550 630

Student Plan What does the data say about the student? What will be you priorities? What is your intervention plan?

VSS Summary Statements Table Activity: Create a ‘T’ chart which outlines the key points and cautions related to VSS. Key Points Cautions