1. A Busy Educational Summer: WI School Report Card, new Cut Scores, and Multiple DPI Initiatives
Updates from the latest and greatest DPI trainings.
Eric Larsen
CESA 8 School Improvement
As DPI tackles the multitude of new initiatives in education over the next few years, they are providing many trainings to CESA employees to spread the message of change to administrators across the state in preparation for new standards, assessment, accountability and instructional shifts.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

2. Major Shifts PALS Kindergarten Screener 2012-13
Need for Data Understanding and Analysis
2012-
Accountability Reform to
Common Core State Standards
Since 2010
Smarter Balanced Assessment
I like to start every presentation off with the major shifts as they start coming down the pike.
Storm reference is easy to see– be proactive and a swirling low front dissipates. Ignore the components and it blows up into a category 5 hurricane.
Student Information System
Educator Effectiveness

3. College & Career Ready High Academic Standards
Support for Individualized Learning
Data-Informed Decisions
Constructive Accountability
Balanced Assessment
Support for School Improvement
Effective Educators
As a state, the DPI focus of all the initiatives can be seen in this slide. There is a tremendous amount of activity aimed at preparing kids to be ready for college and careers. All of these 7 initiatives are reflected in the DPI waiver application, but some areas are much more explicitly addressed in the waiver than others..
- Upgrading curricula to world-class levels, based on the Common Core State Standards that have been adopted by 45 states and 3 territories,
- Helping our schools and our teachers provide individualized attention and instruction to students using our Response to Intervention center and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) network.
- Through our WISEdash project and a new Statewide Student Information System, provide schools with data tools that are flexible, easy to use, and well supported so that teachers have the information they need to provide the best instruction they can.
- Preparing to roll out a fair, informative, balanced, and differentiated accountability system to replace the simplistic AYP system under NCLB.
- Working with multi-state consortia to develop the Smarter Balanced Assessment that aligns with the Common Core State Standards.
- Revamping how we support schools to provide recognition and rewards as well as interventions that relate to all schools and tailor assistance to specific school improvement goals.
- Developing a sound, balanced system for evaluating teachers and principals based both on student performance and accepted standards of practice.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

4. Higher Expectations for all our Students
The Waiver from NCLB has a major impact on standards, assessment, accountability, and graduation requirements
The goal is for students to navigate through a challenging curriculum and be prepared for a college or career upon high school graduation.
lity.html
In alignment with Principle 1 of the waiver application, DPI is raising academic standards and modifying assessment and graduation requirements, ensuring Wisconsin students graduate prepared for success in college and career.
The DPI website link for accountability is found here on the page. The website includes a multitude of information, including the state superintendents agenda, the accepted waiver request, all DPI updates, new cut scores, and an overview of the new school report card. It is a valuable bookmark to have, as all training materials for districts, administration, teachers, parents and students will be located their.
Show website in presentation.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

5. More Additional Resources
As we continue to move forward with unified messaging, DPI is also creating many documents that can help in these efforts to explain all these changes to your constituents.
Numerous fact sheets, presentations, and letters are available, with more documents to come as created.
html is the link on the WI DPI website.
Show website in presentation.
Please see this website for current and future marketing materials created by DPI for these initiatives.
As a district, there is baseline material that you could easily tweek in many situations for your own district benefit.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

6. Standards update: Common Core State Standards Implemented 2014-15
Mathematics
English Language Arts
Disciplinary Literacy
Common Core Essential Elements
Implemented
Science- Public draft 2nd review fall of 2012, implementation spring 2013
Social Studies- Public Draft mid-November. Final standards by Summer, 2013
Science and Social Studies adoption and implementation will occur later.
Here is a timeline for new standards in WI.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

7. DPI going a new Direction
Content and Learning Team is dividing
A NEW Common Core Implementation Team is being created.
Led by Emilie Amundson, Director
Will contain all Math, ELA, Literacy folks.
Diana Kasbaum, Tamara Maxwell plus new hires in each content area. Also Reading and all Literacy.
Will start building on “Investigations” work and help develop curricular resources.
Will work with IHEs, CESAs, and other stakeholders to develop and disseminate curricular resources.
As the need for a more unified message around Common Core as a state is needed, DPI is being proactive about the issue and is developing a new team whose sole focus is on CCSS implementation in schools. The New Common Core Implementation Team (CCIT) is being developed to get this done. They will create and disseminate resources, working collaboratively with each of the CESAs and Institutes for Higher Education in the State. Creating a unified message and bringing the whole state along wioll be their main goal as they develop valuable curricular resources.
As a CESA, this is an exciting opportunity to partner with DPI to create a statewide, comprehensive plan for Common Core implementation.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

8. New Assessments are coming:
Proficiency will be measured by new assessments:
WKCE  Smarter Balanced ( )
WAA-SwD  Dynamic Learning Maps ( )
ACCESS  ASSETS ( ) for ELL students
New assessments and Common Core instructional resources will incorporate Universal Design for Learning principles.
New Kindergarten assessment, as required in Act 166, is a screener used to identify struggling readers as soon as possible.
Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) developed by the University of Virginia.
PALS reading screener begins immediately
( )
The Smarter Balanced Assessment is the game changer in education in WI. It not only assesses the new standards but dictates changes in instruction which must happen to realize the impact of the assessment. With the SBAC, 40% of the test in ELA and Mathematics is based upon content standards knowledge. Another 60% assesses how the student is able to apply this content knowledge to solve complex problems through a detailed performance task. Critical thinking, problem solving and the ability to explain why become critical drivers for a huge portion of the assessment.
Nearly all students will take this online test. Modifications for the test are still being developed. Your RSN and CESA Special Education Departments will learn more about these changes as they are released.
The lowest one percent achievers of your students will be eligible to take the Dynamic Learning Maps exam, which will assess the Common Core Essential Elements.
Also available will be a new ASSETS test which will be for ELL students.
All of these tests have an implication in the new School Report Card.
Just to be clear, the one new change in assessment in WI- the PALS kindergarten screener will have no implications in the Report Card. It is simply a screener.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

9. PALS Literacy Screener Information
Wisconsin Act 166 requires that an early literacy screener be administered to all kindergarten students.
DPI was charged with selecting a screener that:
Is valid and reliable
Assesses phonemic awareness and letter sound knowledge
Will begin in the school year
PALS data should be used to inform early childhood instruction. Screeners are an effective component to an early warning system.
PALS is a screener. It is not part of the School Report Card and is not to be used for accountability purposes.
Early warning system --- PALS informs instruction for early childhood educators.
Again, this Screener is not to be used for accountability purposes. Rather, to provide baseline data for early readers and their progress to proficiency.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

10. As we prepare for the new report card…….
Understand that cut scores have changed.
Previous cut scores were as low as percent to pass a level of proficiency.
Now, it will take an average 64% in reading and a 52% in math to meet the new levels.
Advanced for both is in the mid 90%
This new system sets a bar that kids must pass.
Remember that cut scores have changed. They are now based on NAEP- the National Association of Educational Progress standards, which are nationalized standards. At every grade level, these are Wisconsin’s new, much more accountable standards.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

11. Cut Scores Comparison: Reading
WKCE Reading Scale Score by Grade
Performance Level 3 4 5 6 7 8 10
Advanced
507
536
546
573
590
613
644
Proficient
475
498
503
525
535
548
566
Basic
445
462
464
479
486
493
496
Minimal Performance
270
280
290
300
310
330
350
NEW:
READING
Minimal Performance
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Tenth Grade
Here you have a side by side comparison of the old and new cut scores.
OLD:
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

12. A visual for the OLD Reading cut score table….
This table begins at 0% on the top and ends at 100% on the bottom. Minimal and basic students fall between the 0% and the level at 17%. Students between 17% and 56% were proficient and those who scored higher than 56% were advanced.
Notice that the average for proficient for all grade levels was between 15-20%.
Advanced for Reading was around the 56% percentile on average.
Two things to take into consideration was how low the cut score was and how much more space there was for students to score advanced.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

13. A visual for the NEW Reading Cut Score table…..
Here is that same table, with the new cut scores applied. The new proficient increases all the way to 64% and the level for advanced is at 93%.
Some take aways of this– some students who have always been advanced will now be basic.
There is very little wiggle room with advanced students.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

14. New Mathematics Cut Scores
WKCE Mathematics Scale Score by Grade
Performance Level 3 4 5 6 7 8 10
Advanced
492
526
553
573
591
605
618
Proficient
438
474
501
524
544
558
574
Basic
388
425
449
475
500
510
528
Minimal Performance
220
240
270
310
330
350
410
NEW
MATHEMATICS
Minimal Performance
Basic
Proficient
Advanced
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Tenth Grade
Here is a side by side comparison of the new vs. old mathematics cut scores.
OLD
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

15. A visual for the OLD Math Cut Score table
The math changes were not as harsh as reading. Although the levels increase, they are not as steep.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

16. A visual for the NEW Math Cut Score table.
Although advanced levels remain high, there is still some room to grow.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

17. These changes lead to our new accountability report card:
Differentiated Accountability and Support
The new accountability system has been built around four priority areas, to allow for differentiated reporting across multiple measures.
Instead of only using state test scores to measure school effectiveness, the new system uses multiple measures.
We can identify areas of strengths and weakness from the report cards. A differentiated look at school performance. This adds complexity.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

18. Priority Areas Student Achievement
An indication of how the students’ level of knowledge and skills in a school compares against state and national standards.
Student Growth
An indication of how rapidly a school’s students are gaining knowledge and skills from year to year. This area focuses not on attainment, but the pace of improvement in student performance, no matter where students begin. All improvement is treated as a positive.
Closing Gaps
An indication of how much the school is contributing to the closing of statewide achievement gaps.
On-track to Graduation/Postsecondary Readiness
An indication of how successfully students are achieving educational milestones that predict postsecondary success.
We can identify from the report cards, areas of strengths and weakness. A differentiated look at school performance.

19. Accountability Index
A comprehensive accountability index has replaced the AYP pass-fail system. AYP reports are gone; accountability reporting will now be done with School Report Cards ( ).
The index is a composite of sub-scales that measure performance across four priority areas :
Student Achievement
Student Growth
Closing Gaps
On-track to Graduation/Postsecondary Readiness
The index score is on a 0–100 scale. Sub-scale scores as well as the index score will be reported to enhance transparency and differentiation.
Student Engagement indicators, if missed, result in a deduction to index score
Test Participation Rate
Absenteeism Rate
Dropout Rate
The School Accountability Design Team identified four priority areas for the accountability system: student achievement, student growth, closing gaps, and on-track to graduation or postsecondary readiness. These are sub-scale areas of the overall index, and include specific measures.
As you would expect, the Student Achievement sub-scale area is calculated using proficiency rates in reading and mathematics on the WKCE and Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities. Student Growth gives credit for students making progress within or across proficiency levels. Closing gaps looks at gaps in achievement, rates of growth, and graduation rates. On-track to Graduation is used for schools that do not graduate students and includes measures of 3rd grade reading proficiency, 8th grade mathematics proficiency, and attendance. Postsecondary Readiness is applied to schools that do graduate students and includes attendance, graduation, and ACT participation and performance.
This accountability index system is new and will evolve over time, as DPI has new and more valid measures to include. Throughout the design, development, and evolution of the accountability index, DPI worked with our technical advisory committee, a group of education measurement experts from around the country, and with USED to finalize the technical aspects of this system.

20. Accountability Ratings schools will receive:
Significantly Exceeds Expectations
Exceeds Expectations
Meets Expectations
Meets Few Expectations
Fails to Meet Expectations
State Interventions
State Interventions
Many Priority
Schools
52.9 and below
Reward School
83-100
Reward School
Local Improvement Efforts
The exact methodology for how each sub-scale (or priority area) score is weighted and combined to yield the composite index score will be determined through a standard setting process in Spring 2012, which will be guided by researchers and by DPI’s Technical Advisory Committee.
Our standard setting process will establish the cut points for each of the five categories. This use of multiple measures that places schools on a continuum is one component of Wisconsin’s accountability proposal that is different than NCLB’s pass/fail, one-size-fits-all system.
Notice the scores above. Over 75% of all schools in the state will fall in the middle category and be categorized as meeting expectations.
Only full academic year students will figure into the overall calcualtions
High Performing
Where most schools will be
Low Performing

21. A new Change:
The report card will be split into two separate documents.
This page will be the school report card.
Front will be this page
Back will include simple explanations of data.
The additional 12 pages will be call the report card detail
Numbers to explain the report card indices.
Read slide
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

22. New Elementary/ Middle Report Card
Overall School Score Based on 4 Indices
Categories
School information and sub-group information
Read slide
All previous years WKCE scores converted to new NAEP cut scores for five years
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

23. Continued The four priority areas are scored as follows:
Student Achievement- 25%
Student Growth- 25%
Closing Gaps- 25%
On track indicators:
Elementary
20% attendance
5% 3rd grade WKCE Reading Scores
Middle
5% 8th grade WKCE Mathematics Scores
Read slide:
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

24. Student Engagement Indicators
The old RED flags
School scores will face deductions
Test participation of the lowest subgroup
3 year average
must be over 95%
All students, not just FAY
Absenteeism Rate
No more than 13%
Dropout Rate
No more than 6%
If a red flag is issued, a five point overall score deduction is subtracted for each area. A school could lose a maximum of 15 points total with a red flag.
Even a 1 point miss vs. a 15 point miss will get the same point deduction.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

25. The High School Report Card
A few small differences:
Scoring:
Student Achievement: 37.5%
Student Growth 0%
Closing Gaps: 37.5%
On Track/ Post Secondary Readiness: 25%
20% is the graduation rate
5% ACT Participation and Performance
Read slide
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

26. Report Card Detail Student Achievement
A three year average for Math and Reading
Different weights for scores
Advanced: 1.5
Proficient: 1
Basic: .5
Weighted
Current year 1.5
Last year 1
2 years ago .5
The system here favors the current year with a higher weight and advanced students. The more advanced students you have, the better you will score.
This whole system plays against our old way of thinking where many schools just tried to work for proficient. Challenging that upper level student and growing them becomes more important.
One factor to consider here is what are you doing for your gifted and talented students?
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

27. Report Card Detail Student Achievement, Cont. Sub Group data
Breaks out each of your sub groups and shows exact percentages of each in the Math and Reading Advanced, Proficient, Basic and Minimal categories.
Read slide.
I hope you keep seeing the amount of times sub groups keep coming into play throughout the whole report card.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

28. Report Card Detail Student Growth Only Elementary and Middle School
Looking at a trajectory of expected performance of students
Will give points for growth across categories
A point for every category you move up
Ex: Minimal to Advanced earns 3 points, proficient to Advanced earns 1point.
Will deduct points for regression
Only proficient to basic/ minimal
Ex: Proficient falling to minimal loses 2 points
Basic students who fall will lose points in an overall complex formula
Green is Good, Red is bad.
Read through slide. Also add:
This indicator cannot be used for high school because of the gap between 8th and 10th grade testing.
This is a complex measure with a three page complex formula which only confuses the non-data using observer.
In DPIs training material, they will be using a black box to plug in the formula to show how the kids will be scored. I applaud that!
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012

29. Report Card Detail Student Growth Breaks out growth by sub- group
Displays the amount of kids increasing and declining in each category.
Read slide.
CESA 8 School Improvement 2012