1. Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System (PVAAS) High Growth, High Achieving Schools: Is It Possible? Fall, 2011 PVAAS Webinar

2. Misconception: High achieving students/schools cannot show growth!

3. One Question: If PSSA is designed to discriminate proficient from non-proficient, how can it be used to calculate growth for students at the extremes? Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 3

4. About the PSSA Exams The PSSA is designed to discriminate proficient from non-proficient, and also to have sufficient stretch to discriminate between Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced. Other critical facts: There is NO ceiling on the PSSA! Each year, test scores are scaled using a lowest score of 700 and the previous years cut scores for the proficient category.. The high end is allowed then to be scaled based on the distribution of the data – not a fixed, pre- determined value. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 4

5. My students are SO high achieving already… What is the reality of student performance on PSSA?

6. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 6 Student NCE Scores in Mathematics 4 th Grade vs. 5 th Grade Each dot represents multiple students with the same scores.

7. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 7 Student NCE Scores in Mathematics 4 th Grade vs. 5 th Grade Each dot represents multiple students with the same scores.

8. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 8 Student NCE Scores in Mathematics 4 th Grade vs. 5 th Grade Each dot represents multiple students with the same scores.

9. PVAAS Statewide Core Team 9 Student NCE Scores in Mathematics 4 th Grade vs. 5 th Grade Notice the variation at the extremes… Fall 2011

10. How does PVAAS address growth for high achieving students and schools?

11. PVAASs Criteria for Tests Three conditions on assessments to be included in PVAAS analyses as required by the statisticians at SAS, Inc. 1. The tests must be aligned to curriculum standards. 2. The tests must be reliable and valid. 3. The tests must demonstrate sufficient stretch to show growth of low and high performing students. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 11

12. PVAAS Checks for Stretch Number of different scaled scores at the top end and at the bottom end: Number of different scaled scores at the top end and at the bottom end: Sufficient to differentiate growth at both endsSufficient to differentiate growth at both ends Percentages of students scoring each score at the top end and at the bottom end: Percentages of students scoring each score at the top end and at the bottom end: Ensures no ceilings or floorsEnsures no ceilings or floors SAS, Inc. does these checks each year! Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 12

13. PVAAS Methodology Multivariate Longitudinal Mixed Effect Model (MRM) This type of model exploits the Covariance structure of the data points to dampen the error that is related to each measurement in the model. That is, the result of the modeling process, the estimated achievement (and therefore, the estimated gain), is more precise than any of the individual measures that are used as predictors in the estimation process. The whole is more precise than the sum of its parts! Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 13

14. So Can High Performing Groups of Students Show Growth? YES!!!

15. To Answer This Question… Two Sources of Evidence: 1.Actual Pennsylvania Scatterplots 2.School Search of Actual PA Schools Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 15

16. Actual Statewide 4 th Grade Math Scatterplot SY2009-10 Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 16

17. Actual Statewide 4 th Grade Math Scatterplot SY2009-10 Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 17

18. PVAAS School Search For our purposes: We will display actual school-wide data available on the PVAAS Public web site. We will display actual school-wide data available on the PVAAS Public web site. You can perform School Searches on the PVAAS secure site to allow you to view grade level results. You can perform School Searches on the PVAAS secure site to allow you to view grade level results. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 18

19. School Search Report Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 19

20. School Search Report Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 20

21. School Search Report Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 21

22. School Search Report Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 22

23. School Search Report Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 23

24. Now Lets Sort The Last Column Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 24

25. Grades 9-11 Math Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 25

26. HIGH GROWTH A Visual Representation Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 26

27. Compacting Simulation Suppose we have a population of high performing students whose mean performances range from 85 to 100 (100 being the highest value). Suppose we have a population of high performing students whose mean performances range from 85 to 100 (100 being the highest value). What happens to the mean of these performances as we strive to move all students to higher performance levels? What happens to the mean of these performances as we strive to move all students to higher performance levels? Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 27

28. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 28 Watch the Mean as the Low Increases…

29. YOUR SCHOOLS DATA Opportunities for Growth? Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 29

30. Consider Your Own Data Investigate PSSA Data Interactive Graphical Summary: Performance Levels Graphical Summary: Performance Levels Matched Comparison Matched Comparison Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 30

31. PSSA Graphical Summary: Performance Levels Even very strong schools/districts have the opportunity to increase the percent of Advanced students. Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 31

32. PSSA Matched Comparison Even in high achieving schools, some students can slip! Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 32

33. An Important Illustration Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 33

34. An Important Illustration Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 34

35. An Important Illustration Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 35

36. The Report Fall 201136

37. The Report Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 37

38. In Summary… There are high achieving schools in Pennsylvania making high growth There are high achieving schools in Pennsylvania making high growth PVAAS provides a means to view this evidence PVAAS provides a means to view this evidence There are opportunities for growth in Pennsylvanias schools There are opportunities for growth in Pennsylvanias schools There are PA data tools to use to show where there may be opportunities for growth There are PA data tools to use to show where there may be opportunities for growth Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 38

39. But, but, but… What if my school is high achieving but not showing acceptable growth? Remember: Advanced and Proficient categories are ranges – students can improve or slip within those ranges… PVAAS will document those changes.Advanced and Proficient categories are ranges – students can improve or slip within those ranges… PVAAS will document those changes. Use School Search on the PVAAS Public or Secure site to identify and connect with schools yielding different results…Use School Search on the PVAAS Public or Secure site to identify and connect with schools yielding different results… Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 39

40. Benefits of Value-Added Offers an objective, more accurate way to measure the influence districts and schools have on students academic progress: Offers an objective, more accurate way to measure the influence districts and schools have on students academic progress: Administrators and Teachers can: Administrators and Teachers can: Monitor the progress of all groups of students Monitor the progress of all groups of students Make more informed data-driven decisions Make more informed data-driven decisions Align professional development efforts in the areas of greatest need Align professional development efforts in the areas of greatest need Identify best practices and implement most productive instructional strategies and programs Identify best practices and implement most productive instructional strategies and programs Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 40

41. pdepvaas@iu13.org717-606-1911 Questions: PVAAS Materials or Statewide Implementation Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 41

42. www.pde.state.pa.us Fall 2011 PVAAS Statewide Core Team 42