2010-11 waas-portfolio technical report

Washington Alternate Assessment System-

Portfolio

WAAS-PORTFOLIO

2010–11

Technical Report

Prepared for the

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

100 Education Way, Dover, NH 03820 (800) 431-8901

WWW.MEASUREDPROGRESS.ORG

http://www.measuredprogress.org/

Table of Contents i 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................ 1

CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND FOR THE WAAS-PORTFOLIO .............................................................................. 1

1.1. PURPOSE – WAAS-PORTFOLIO ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. TARGET POPULATION ...................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3. GLE EXTENSIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 3 1.4. ALIGNMENT STUDIES ...................................................................................................................................... 3 1.5. STANDARD SETTING ........................................................................................................................................ 4

CHAPTER 2. TEST DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................. 5

2.1. FRAMEWORK OF TEST PROGRAM .................................................................................................................... 5 2.2. TEST FORMAT .................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.3. GLE/PE EXTENSIONS MAPPED TO WASHINGTON LEARNING STANDARDS ...................................................... 8 2.4. GLE EXTENSION SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCESS .................................................................................... 9 2.5. ALTERNATE PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTORS ........................................................................................ 11

CHAPTER 3. ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................................................................... 13

3.1. TRAINING ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2. ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES .................................................................................................................... 14 3.3. PROCEDURAL REMINDERS ............................................................................................................................. 15

CHAPTER 4. SCORING OF OPERATIONAL TESTS ............................................................................................ 18

4.1. BENCHMARKING ............................................................................................................................................ 18 4.2. SCORER TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION ....................................................................................................... 18

4.2.1. Table Leader Training .......................................................................................................................... 18 4.2.2. Scorer Training .................................................................................................................................... 19

4.3. SCORING PROCESS ......................................................................................................................................... 20 4.3.1. Scoring Procedures .............................................................................................................................. 20 4.3.2. Double-Blind Second Reads ................................................................................................................ 22 4.3.3. Resolution Scoring ............................................................................................................................... 22 4.3.4. Read-Behinds (Grades 3–8) ................................................................................................................. 23 4.3.5. Flow of Materials on Scoring Floor ..................................................................................................... 23

4.4. QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS ........................................................................................................................ 23 4.4.1. Table Leader Quality Check Process ................................................................................................... 23 4.4.2. Pre-Scanning Quality Control (QC) Processes .................................................................................... 23 4.4.3. Possible Score Scenarios ...................................................................................................................... 24

4.5. FALL RETAKE ................................................................................................................................................ 25

CHAPTER 5. CHARACTERIZING ERRORS ASSOCIATED WITH TEST SCORES ........................................... 26

5.1. RELIABILITY .................................................................................................................................................. 26 5.2. DECISION ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY ..................................................................................................... 28 5.3. INTERRATER CONSISTENCY ........................................................................................................................... 32

CHAPTER 6. VALIDITY: COLLECTING EVIDENCE ........................................................................................... 34

CHAPTER 7. SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL TEST RESULTS ......................................................................... 36

7.1. PERFORMANCE LEVEL CLASSIFICATION ........................................................................................................ 36 7.2. RAW SCORE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION FOR THE STATE AND SUBGROUPS .................................................. 38 7.3. PERFORMANCE LEVEL DISTRIBUTION FOR THE STATE AND SUBGROUPS ....................................................... 39 7.4. DECISION RULES ........................................................................................................................................... 46 7.5. DATA INTEGRITY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE ............................................................................................... 47 7.6. SCORE REPORTING ........................................................................................................................................ 47

Table of Contents ii 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

7.6.1. Individual Student Report .................................................................................................................... 48 7.6.2. School Roster of Student Performance ................................................................................................ 48

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................................. 49

APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................................... 50

APPENDIX A WAAS-PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

APPENDIX B GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION EXTENSIONS AND DOCUMENTS

APPENDIX C GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION DISTRIBUTIONS

APPENDIX D TEACHERS’ GUIDE TO WASHINGTON ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM-PORTFOLIO

APPENDIX E PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

APPENDIX F SCORING PROCESS AND QUALITY CONTROL DOCUMENTS AND SCORING DECISION RULES

APPENDIX G RAW SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS

APPENDIX H RAW SCORE SUMMARY STATISTICS BY SUBGROUP

APPENDIX I SCORE OF RECORD

APPENDIX J SAMPLE REPORTS

APPENDIX K REPORTING DECISION RULES

Chapter 1—History of the WAAS-Portfolio 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW

The purpose of this report is to present empirical and logical evidence supporting the validity of score

interpretations for the Washington Alternate Assessment System Portfolio Assessment (WAAS-Portfolio) for

the 2010–2011 school year. Subsequent chapters of this report discuss assessment development, assessment

alignment, assessment administration, scoring, reliability, scores, achievement levels, and score reporting.

Each of these procedures contributes important information to the validity argument and has been

implemented to ensure, to the extent possible, the validity of score interpretations based on the assessment.

While there is intentional flexibility built into the WAAS-Portfolio to optimize individualized instruction for

the students, the procedures described in this report are designed to provide stability and consistency in regard

to the administration of the program.

CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND FOR THE WAAS-PORTFOLIO

The WAAS-Portfolio was developed in 2000 by the Washington Alternate Assessment Task Force

and expanded by advisory panels (see Appendix A) in response to requirements in the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. This chapter will relate the activities and tasks involved in the

development and implementation of the WAAS-Portfolio and the legislation that guided the work.

Per IDEA Section 612(a)(16)(A), all children with disabilities are to be included in general statewide

and district-wide assessment programs, including assessments described under Section 1111 of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, with appropriate accommodations and alternate

assessments where necessary, and as indicated in their respective individualized education programs. In

accordance with legislation, any devised alternate assessment is required to align with the state’s challenging

academic content standards and student academic achievement standards.

Because the state has adopted alternate academic achievement standards permitted under the

regulations promulgated to carry out Section 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of

1965, the alternate assessment must measure the achievement of children with disabilities against those

standards.

IDEA aims to ensure that all students move toward the same general content standards and that

students with disabilities are included in each state’s educational and accountability systems. Federal

guidance letters indicate that states should develop alternate assessment participation guidelines so that

approximately 1% of the eligible student population is accounted for through an alternate assessment each

year.

The 2000–2004 versions of the WAAS-Portfolio focused on four content areas: communication,

reading, writing, and mathematics. Beginning in 2005, science was added as a content area and

communication was removed.


Based on the recommendations of the peers, OSPI embarked on a revision of the WAAS-Portfolio

structure and requirements. The revisions included the changes described in the following sections.

1.1. PURPOSE – WAAS-PORTFOLIO

The WAAS-Portfolio is designed as an academic assessment based on alternate achievement

standards. The assessment was first implemented in 2001, on an incremental grade schedule, in the content

areas of communication, reading, writing, and mathematics. In 2005, Washington State deleted

communication from the overall state assessment process and introduced science. That same year, grades 4

and 7 were assessed in reading, writing, and mathematics; grades 5 and 8 were assessed in science; and grade

10 was assessed in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Through 2005 the outcomes of the WAAS-

Portfolio were used in reporting adequate yearly progress (AYP) to the federal government and in fulfilling

the state’s own accountability requirements, but no student-specific outcomes were part of the annual

assessment process.

Starting in 2006, with full implementation of NCLB and the state’s graduation requirements, the

WAAS-Portfolio expanded in use and decision bases. Tests were administered in grades three through eight

and high school, fulfilling both state and federal mandates. Students in grades 3 and 6 were tested in reading

and mathematics, grades 4 and 7 in reading, writing, and mathematics, and grades 5 and 8 in reading,

mathematics, and science. As before, outcomes from the annual assessment were used for state and federal

accountability, but no high stakes were instituted for individual students.

For high school students, grade 10 remained the census testing grade level for accountability

purposes, and students tested in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Here the state’s graduation

requirements brought high stakes criteria to the assessment for individual students. If a student did not meet

standard in the content areas of reading, writing, and mathematics, he or she was not eligible for graduation.

(During the 2007 session, state legislators deferred the inclusion of meeting standard on the mathematics

portion of the assessment in the graduation requirements.) To ensure ample opportunity for fulfilling the state

graduation requirements, eligible 11th and 12th grade students were allowed to assess via the WAAS-

Portfolio assessment in content areas for which they had yet to meet standard.

The use and decision making input from outcomes of the WAAS-Portfolio assessment continues

today as implemented in 2006.

1.2. TARGET POPULATION

The intended testing population for the WAAS-Portfolio is students with significant cognitive

challenges. As defined by the state, a WAAS-Portfolio student would typically be one who requires intensive

or extensive levels of direct support that is not of a temporary or transient nature. Students with significant

cognitive challenges also require specially designed instruction to acquire, maintain, or generalize skills in

multiple settings in order to successfully transfer skills to natural settings, including the home, school,


workplace, and community. In addition, these students score at least two (2) standard deviations below the

mean on standardized, norm-referenced assessments for adaptive behavior and intellectual functioning.

1.3. GLE EXTENSIONS

OSPI had provided EALR Extensions in 2006 to guide the selection of evidence for the WAAS-

Portfolio. However, the results of the 2007 alignment study demonstrated the need for Extensions linked to

the state’s GLEs. The GLE Extensions provide statements of simplified or enabling skills aligned with the

relevant GLEs at three levels of cognitive performance: presymbolic, early symbolic, and abstract symbolic.1

(See Appendix B for the design of GLE Extensions.) The first set of GLE Extensions was launched during

WAAS-Portfolio training in the autumn of 2007. Beginning with the 2007–2008 school year, teachers were

required to select the targeted skills from the GLE Extensions. This requirement addressed concerns from the

Peer Review process about alignment of the alternate assessment to grade level expectations.

GLE Extensions are selected by teachers based on the knowledge, skills, and understandings of

individual students. For each content area assessed, one GLE Extension is chosen from two different

standards. With three data points collected for each selected extension to determine achievement of the

standard, teachers should not consider Extensions the student already demonstrates proficiency with.

Appendix C summarizes the frequency distribution of the GLE Extensions selected by teachers for the 2010–

2011 WAAS-Portfolio.

1.4. ALIGNMENT STUDIES

As part of the response to findings from the Peer Review process regarding issues of linkage between

the state standards and the alternate assessment, an alignment study was conducted in the summer of 2007 to

evaluate the degree to which evidence in the 2006–2007 WAAS-Portfolio submissions was aligned to state

GLEs. The data showed poor alignment, particularly at the high school level. It was determined that

extensions aligned more to grade level standards were needed, and once GLE Extensions were developed and

implemented, a subsequent alignment study was conducted with results demonstrating a vast improvement of

the alignment of targeted skills to the GLEs. However, teachers still had difficulty selecting evidence that

demonstrated students’ achievement of those skills. In subsequent years further development of new and

revised GLE Extensions has occurred. A more recent alignment study, conducted in July 2010 prompted

concerns from Washington’s National Technical Advisory Committee over the design of and processes used

in conducting the study. Washington concluded that a new alignment study was in order, but has yet to

commission the activity.

1 At the presymbolic level, students communicate through concrete objects. At the early symbolic level, students

communicate through picture cues and concrete objects. At the abstract symbolic level, students communicate their understanding through picture cues, number symbols, sight words, etc. (Browder, Flowers, Wakeman, & Shawnee, 2008).(Derived from Browder, D., Flowers, M., Wakeman, C., Shawnee, Y. (2008). Facilitating participation in assessments and the general curriculum: level of symbolic communication classification for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 15, 137–151.)

http://web.ebscohost.com.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie46bFMsaixTrSk63nn5Kx95uXxjL6nr0e1pbBIrq%2beUbiqs1Kvr55oy5zyit%2fk8Xnh6ueH7N%2fiVa%2bmr1C1rbRKt6ukhN%2fk5VXj5KR84LPjiufZpIzf3btZzJzfhru7yFCuqLRNtJzkh%2fDj34y73POE6urjkPIA&hid=106





1.5. STANDARD SETTING

Standard setting for the WAAS-Portfolio was conducted in the summer of 2007.2 As mentioned

previously, the requirement that teachers identify and collect evidence for two skills per content area was

phased in over a two-year period. By the spring of 2007, very few teachers had collected evidence for two

skills. Still, the federal government required that Washington State set proficiency standards for the new

WAAS-Portfolio by the end of June 2007. Simulated portfolios were created by combining work from two

portfolios with compatible targeted skills. The simulated portfolios acted in proxy during standard setting due

to the absence of random sampling of actual student work as submissions in 2007 did not mandate inclusion

of two skills per content area. The proxy portfolios were considered to reflect the range of likely performance

for each content area.

A body-of-work standard setting procedure was used (Cizek & Bunch, 2006). Standard setting

panelists examined the work in the simulated portfolios and, through three rounds of deliberation, established

four performance levels (and the three corresponding cut scores): Well Below Standard, Approaches

Standard, Meets Standard, and Exceeds Standard. In the spring of 2007, student reports were based on these

performance levels and cut scores. The new cut scores, grounded in academic performance rather than

educational opportunities, addressed the peers’ concerns about the nature of the alternate achievement

standards.

In addition, during the standard setting process, performance level descriptors (PLDs) were developed

that define, for each performance level of a given content area, the type of work expected of students. These

are provided to parents as part of the annual score reports. This addressed the federal requirement that parents

receive PLDs along with score reports.

2 The WAAS-Portfolio Standard Setting Report is available from OSPI.

Chapter 2—Test Design and Development 5 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

CHAPTER 2. TEST DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

The implementation of the WAAS-Portfolio is dependent on the interaction between the assessed

student and the teacher or staff member who assists the student with portfolio construction. The teacher and

the student must be cognizant of the components and types of evidence that are required and/or recommended

for inclusion. The student must be able to demonstrate observable and measurable skills to produce evidence

to be included in the portfolio.

The teacher or staff member writes measurable individualized education program (IEP) goals and

objectives that provide opportunities for the student to participate and make progress in the general

curriculum. Staff members plan academic, content-based activities, and select a documented IEP skill linked

to a grade level or performance expectation (GLE/PE) or Extension for each content area entry required for

the WAAS-Portfolio administration. Additionally, the assessment team that collects data (on the student’s

progress on IEP skills over time and the ability of the student to generalize and use these skills) must possess

a certain level of assessment literacy about how best to measure assessment targets and document student

growth on IEP skills.

Each portfolio should contain a table of contents. Additionally, an Entry Cover Sheet is required for

each targeted skill in the content area assessed. Each Entry Cover Sheet documents the GLE/PE, GLE/PE

Extension, and targeted skill with criterion. Three pieces of student work are included behind each Entry

Cover Sheet.

2.1. FRAMEWORK OF TEST PROGRAM

Table 2-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Content Areas Assessed in the WAAS-Portfolio

Reading Writing Mathematics Science

Grade 3 √ √

Grade 4 √ √ √

Grade 5 √ √ √

Grade 6 √ √

Grade 7 √ √ √

Grade 8 √ √ √

High School √ √ √ √

2.2. TEST FORMAT

The WAAS-Portfolio is a collection of student work based on individual targeted skills linked to the

selected GLE/PE Extensions. As part of setting the targeted skill, the teacher establishes the expected student

proficiency levels. Documentation of the student’s progress toward the established proficiency levels is

captured in student-generated work relating to the three data points collected for each targeted skill within the


testing window of September to March. Evidence for two targeted skills is required for each content area

(reading, writing, mathematics, and science) assessed in the relevant grade (see Table 2-1).

Each of the content entries documents the following (see Figure 2-1):

Part A: Skill Aligned to GLE

Part B: Evidence Aligned to Targeted Skill

a. Number of pieces of student work/evidence aligned to the targeted skill

Part C: Evidence of performance on targeted skill

b. The level to which the student met the individual criterion in the targeted skill

Part D: Contexts

c. Generalization and application of the skill in varied contexts and activities

Figure 2-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Scoring Rubric Part I: Alignment of skills and evidence (Part I of the rubric is used to evaluate the degree of alignment for the Portfolio and is applied to each skill within each content area. To be scored for Part II, each skill must be fully aligned, receiving a score of 4 in Part A)

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE


Full alignment: Academic skill, within content area, and aligned with GLEs (YES)

1

Near alignment: Academic skill, within content area (NO)

Little alignment: Academic skill not within content area (NO)

No alignment: Functional life skill – not academic (NO)

No skill given (NO)


All evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (3 pcs of evidence aligned to target)

Most evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (2 pcs of evidence aligned to target)

Some evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (1 pc of evidence aligned to target)

Very little evidence aligned to the targeted skill

No evidence aligned to the targeted skill

Part I: Evidence: Does the Evidence demonstrate Performance of the Skill?

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE


Evidence of performance demonstrates that student exceeded the goal for the targeted skill.

Evidence of performance demonstrates that student met the goal for the targeted skill.

Evidence of performance demonstrates that student approached the goal for the targeted skill.

Evidence or performance demonstrates that the student is not approaching the goal on the targeted skill.

No evidence of student’s level of proficiency on the targeted skill

Part II: Generalization of Content Skills (Context is scored for each skill within each content area)

Scores 2 1 IE

Part D: Contexts

Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in a variety of contexts.

Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in two contexts.

Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in only one context.

Content Area Scores Part A: Aligned to GLE


Part C: Evidence Performed Targeted Skill

Part D: Context

Grades 3-8: Parts C + D High School: Parts C + D

2

Total Score (Skill 1 + 2)

Reading – Skill 1

Reading – Skill 2

Writing – Skill 1

Writing – Skill 2


Mathematics – Skill 1

Mathematics – Skill 2

Science – Skill 1

Science – Skill 2

1 Portfolios with “YES” will be scored. 2 High School portfolios are scored twice and the combined score reported as the student’s performance on the assessment.

Each portfolio contains the following:

A table of contents.

An entry cover/data sheet for each targeted skill that documents the GLE/PE, the Extension, and

the targeted skill with the criterion written as a percentage. The Entry Cover Sheet also includes

documentation of the dates that the evidence was collected, the context for each of the data

collections, and the scores on the student evidence. Figure 2-2 demonstrates how each section of

the portfolio is assembled. An optional section on the Entry Cover Sheet allows for the teacher to

provide supporting evidence information that is intended to clarify how the tasks were conducted

and the student evidence was scored.

Three pieces of student-generated work for each targeted skill.

A copy of the Teachers’ Guide to the WAAS-Portfolio is included in Appendix D.


Figure 2-2. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Sample WAAS-Portfolio

2.3. GLE/PE EXTENSIONS MAPPED TO WASHINGTON LEARNING STANDARDS

The purpose of the Extensions is to provide special education students who have significant cognitive

challenges access to the skills and concepts of the Washington State EALRs and corresponding GLEs/PEs at

the students’ assigned grade levels.

Each Extension is linked to the specific content standard and assists students in movement toward

proficiency on state standards. The Extensions also help teachers facilitate students’ academic growth.

As shown in Figure 2-3, Extensions are organized as follows:

GLE

Essential Questions

Extensions organized from most complex to least complex


Evidence Reminders for the Extensions

Key Terms for the Extensions

Figure 2-3. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Sample GLE Extension

Grades 3–4 Reading Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension

2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main ideas, and supporting details in grade-level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.

Extensions for Reading 2.1.3 Key Terms for R.2.1.3

Essential Question: What is the main idea of

the text and what specific text‐based details

support it?

Student Will:

3–4.a) Write the main idea and support it with

text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level

text. 3–4.b) Choose the main idea and support it

with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐ level text.

3–4.c) Identify the main idea and support it

with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐ level text.

3–4.d) Identify text‐based details that support

a given main idea.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS: #1: Three (3) or more items must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: Main ideas must be labeled.

#3: The grade‐level reading texts included with

these Extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.

#4: Texts other than those included with these

Extensions may be used for reading evidence.

However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and

must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student but also for a state‐ level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.

#5: A different text must be used for each data point.

#6: All pictures must be labeled with words.

Main Idea: Main ideas answer the question

“What is the story about?”

Text‐Based Details: Specific information (details)

found in and lifted directly from the text that supports the main idea.

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a

scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the main idea and text‐based details.

Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three (3) choices with two believable

answers and one distractor.

Identify: Student selects the answer(s) from a

minimum of two choices with one believable answer and one distractor.

IMPORTANT CAUTION: All student evidence,

including teacher materials incorporated in the portfolio, must be appropriate for all audiences.

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010

2.4. GLE EXTENSION SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCESS

The GLEs were examined by general education content teachers and special education teachers of

students with significant cognitive challenges at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Other


stakeholders such as OSPI content specialists were also included in this review process. In this intensive

group process, concepts and skills were combined, simplified, moved to different cognitive demands, and

evaluated for their relevance. In addition, meaningful definitions, explanations, and examples were created to

make the Extensions useful and teacher friendly.

The group selected GLEs that identified the critical skills and essence of the content areas. The

decision-making process followed the same steps in all content areas.

I. Study each content’s testing map

II. Identify standards tested

III. Identify the type of standard

a. Knowledge

b. Skill/process

IV. Unpack the GLEs

c. What do students need to know?

d. What do students need to be able to do?

e. To what degree do students need to perform it?

V. Write essential questions

VI. Write tasks

VII. Task breakdown

f. Reduce difficulty of skill/task

g. Reduce complexity using Bloom’s taxonomy

Verbs in the Extensions infer complexity levels:

Verbs from the first three levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy can be found throughout the

Extensions in all content areas. Those levels and their corresponding verbs are below. The

verbs specifically used in the Extensions are in bold type below Figure 2-4.

Figure 2-4. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Bloom’s Taxonomy

1. KNOWLEDGE: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order,

recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, state.

2. UNDERSTANDING: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate,

locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate.


3. APPLICATION: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret,

operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.

VIII. Build teacher training materials and resources

IX. Collect teacher feedback

2.5. ALTERNATE PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTORS

The academic achievement standards for students with significant cognitive challenges are linked to

but are different from the achievement standards for students without significant cognitive challenges.

Students with mild to moderate disabilities are assessed by the state’s large-scale assessment instrument (in

2010-2011 this assessment was the Measurements of Student Progress or MSP and High School Proficiency

Exam or HSPE). The MSP and HSPE assess GLEs that are the same for all students. The WAAS-Portfolio is

intended to assess alternate achievement standards. The WAAS-Portfolio assessment is also based on the

assessment of Washington State’s GLEs; however, the Extensions have been developed to ensure that

alternate achievement standards are appropriate for the cognitive abilities of this specific student population.

The Extensions ensure that students with significant cognitive challenges are assessed on academic skills that

are linked to the general education curriculum. Performance on the WAAS-Portfolio assessment is based on

the degree to which students meet their individual goals on specific skills related to the Extensions. The

targeted skills selected and the proficiency criterion, related to the selected skills, differs for each student. To

meet standard in a content area assessed with the WAAS-Portfolio, the individual student must attain his or

her own learning targets.

The following performance level descriptors or PLDs (see Figure 2-5) were developed during

standard setting in June 2007. Panelists for each content area and grade level discussed and refined the PLDs

at the beginning of the standard setting process. The PLDs were then written by OPSI in a generic style so

that they apply to all grades and content areas.

Figure 2-5. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Performance Level Descriptors

Exceeds Standard The academic skills that are the focus of the portfolio are clearly aligned to two grade level expectations (GLEs) in the content area. Evidence in the portfolio shows that the student is meeting or exceeding his/her goals for both academic skills. The evidence also shows that the student applies the academic skills in three or more contexts; therefore, achievement shown in the portfolio is a reliable demonstration of the skills linked to the targeted GLEs.

Meets Standard The academic skills that are the focus of the portfolio are clearly aligned to two grade level expectations (GLEs) in the content area. Evidence in the portfolio shows that the student meets or exceeds his/her goal for one academic skill and approaches his/her goal for the second academic skill. The evidence also shows that the student applies both academic skills in two or more contexts; therefore, achievement shown in the portfolio is a mostly reliable demonstration of the skills linked to the targeted GLEs.


Approaches Standard

The academic skills that are the focus of the portfolio are mostly aligned to two grade level expectations (GLEs) in the content area. Evidence in the portfolio shows that the student is approaching his/her goals for both academic skills. The evidence also shows that the student applies the academic skills in only one or two contexts; therefore, achievement shown in the portfolio is only somewhat reliable as a demonstration of the skills linked to the targeted GLEs.

Well Below Standard

The academic skills that are the focus of the portfolio are at least partially aligned to two grade level expectations (GLEs) in the content area. Evidence in the portfolio suggests that the student is nowhere near meeting his/her goals for the academic skills. The evidence shows that the student applies each academic skill in only one context; therefore, any achievement shown in the portfolio is not a reliable demonstration of the skills linked to the targeted GLEs.

Chapter 3—Administration 13 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

CHAPTER 3. ADMINISTRATION

3.1. TRAINING

Due to resource limitations, OSPI revised the assessment training for the state teachers in the 2010–

2011 school year. The revision still leveraged technology, while continuing to optimize consistency of

message by having fewer voices guiding teachers’ efforts and reducing state costs incurred from regional

face-to-face training. OSPI’s training focus for 2010–2011 remained trainer-as-coach for deeper and more

individualized work on the following:

a) Enhancing efforts supporting student access to general education curriculum.

b) Improving teacher understanding of the essence of the GLE/PE Extensions.

c) Establishing the requisite knowledge leading to success in collecting student evidence for the

assessment submission.

The WAAS-Portfolio training plan included two phases designed to engage teachers at varying levels of

development associated with their students’ assessment submissions. The two phases of training

encompassed:

I. A series of webinar-based PowerPoint™ presentations: OSPI generated tutorial-styled

presentations for download and use by teachers. The presentations were released in August

through October to support commencement of the school year and leading into the initial data

collection window for the assessment. The presentations addressed the area of administration

guidelines and the specific content areas covered by the state assessment program.

Administration guidelines were designed to assist teachers and supporting staff with the

elements of procedural compliance required of the assessment submissions to ensure a level

of validity that in turn furthers the assurances of reliability in the WAAS-Portfolio processes.

Content-specific presentations were designed to familiarize teachers with the standard

Extensions used by the assessed population in accessing the assessment. Each presentation

covered specific content area material and provided the necessary direction in selecting

appropriate levels of access for students, key submission details specific to the Extension

used, and the submission criteria required in a student’s portfolio. The three focuses of the

presentation were intended to optimize success for the student and teacher with the portfolio

submission turned in for scoring.

Voice-over direction was included in the presentation to aid understanding and provide clarity to

the user regardless of when the materials were accessed. All materials were posted to the OSPI

website (http://k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/Portfolio.aspx).

http://k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/Portfolio.aspx


Phase 1 of field training was consistent with the previous year's administration as the expectation was

for teachers to become familiar with the supporting materials and processes prior to engagement at on-site

workshops with OSPI staff or other regional peers.

II. OSPI and its testing contractor, Measured Progress, held mid-year regional training sessions in

five locations across the state to provide collegial engagement with and by teachers to support the

compilation of portfolio submissions. Teachers were engaged with information to check

understanding of processes and GLE/PE Extensions, validate or correct work to date on student

portfolios, review data collection plans, and go over the remaining procedures to submit

assessments (i.e., portfolios) for their students. The training sessions were a mix of

lecture/discussion and break-outs providing teachers opportunities to share personal experiences

interspersed with hands-on review of actual or sample portfolio submissions, both of which

teachers could apply to their learning.

Phase 2 training was a departure from the previous year's administration, as in previous years face-to-

face training was conducted as an administration lick-off event to ensure teachers entered the process from the

beginning with input from OSPI. The new, mid-term approach was embraced for two reasons: (1) to

acknowledge the thinking that a middle-of-administration check-point would provide more real-life

experiences from the teacher's perspective fostering deeper learning, and (2) as a more effective utilization of

resources by restructuring the purpose, number and scope of the workshops. More student samples were

brought forth for review ensuring more success at final submission and the teachers walked away from the

training with the intended deeper understanding.

3.2. ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES

When designing a program that provides access to the GLEs for students with significant cognitive

challenges, it is the responsibility of the student’s IEP team to plan and collaborate on decisions impacting

critical elements leading to success. For the 2010–2011 school year, as in previous administration years, the

IEP team needed to review the WAAS-Portfolio guidelines for participation to aid decisions on appropriate

assessment instruments and, once the portfolio is selected as that appropriate assessment, choosing the

applicable standards Extensions to provide the needed assessment access. The guidelines for participation are

contained in Appendix E.

Once the Extensions are determined, the teacher focuses next on generating the portfolio materials

that revolve around compiling the student evidence. Compiling a student portfolio involves:

Generating an Entry Cover Sheet that provides information about the grade-level content

Extension being assessed. The Targeted Skill bridges the standards Extension to the instructional

activities performed by the student during the data collection windows. The Entry Cover Sheet

also gives teachers the option of conveying additional information about the student learning

activities through the supporting evidence section. Entry Cover Sheets can be generated in two

fashions:


o ProFile™ Forms – an electronic tool provided by Measured Progress to support the WAAS-

Portfolio program.

o Hand-Written/MS Word – use of this format required 100% completion of all details

specified in the Teacher’s Guidelines.

3.3. PROCEDURAL REMINDERS

Pre-Portfolio Compiling: Teachers were expected to follow a series of preparatory steps to optimize

the effectiveness of the assessment development with their students. These steps were designed to aid teachers

in understanding the critical elements of a portfolio prior to commencing the tasks of collecting data. The

steps included:


Accessing the training PowerPoint™ presentations from the website.

Using Extensions documents, which are more detailed than the information within the

PowerPoint™ presentations, to identify the standards to use in a student’s portfolio.

Understanding that Extensions must be from the student’s assigned grade-level and must be

from the 2010–2011 Extensions’ documents.

Reading the essential question for each Extension to understand the essence of the skill that is

being assessed.

Developing instruction for each individual student aligned to the Extensions of choice.

Creating activities that are aligned with the grade-level Extensions.

Using grade-level materials that have been adapted and modified to meet the student’s learning

needs.

Sharing the WAAS-Portfolio student work plan with the building administrator before beginning

the collection of data.

During the Process of Collecting Student Evidence: Teachers were expected to follow a series of

in-process steps to optimize the effectiveness of the assessment development with their students. These steps

included:

Populating portfolio forms by accessing the electronic ProFile™ from the link on the OSPI

website, or creating in-house versions using handwritten forms or MS Word.

Using two different standards for each content area: one for Targeted Skill #1 and a different

standard for Targeted Skill #2.

Using one Entry Cover Sheet for each Targeted Skill.

Making sure that each piece of evidence has a student footprint (the student attempted the work).

Photocopying any worksheets used, but ensuring each contained individual student footprints.

Ensuring that teaching and formative assessments on the chosen Targeted Skill were ongoing

with the baseline data point the result of several, if not many, checks on the student understanding

of the content and his or her ability to perform the skill.

Ensuring the student’s name, performance goal, and the date of the performance are on all pieces

of student evidence.

Ensuring all pictures/objects have supporting text describing the image(s).

Ensuring all topics, details, facts, stories, essays, schedules, forms, and word choices are

appropriate for the student.

Ensuring no personally identifiable information (e.g., Social Security Number) is present on

student evidence documents.

Collaborating with building or district staff members who also work with students who have

significant cognitive challenges.

Using the WAAS-Portfolio Extensions documents as the primary resource.


Post-Collection Checks: Teachers were expected to follow a series of close-out steps to optimize the

effectiveness of the assessment developed with their students. These steps included:

Checking that dates of the Entry Cover Sheets and the student-generated evidence samples are the

same.

Working with colleagues to double-check each other’s portfolios to ensure that all forms have

been completed and that the portfolio is organized according to the manual’s instructions.

Sharing final student work in the WAAS-Portfolio with a building administrator for review and

signature of the Portfolio Validation form.

Chapter 4—Scoring of Operational Tests 18 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

CHAPTER 4. SCORING OF OPERATIONAL TESTS

4.1. BENCHMARKING

The purpose of benchmarking is to review a randomly selected set of completed portfolios

representative of those submitted for scoring. This review is focused on identifying trends or issues that

should be addressed in the scoring procedures and decision rules (see Appendix F). In addition, portfolio

entries to be used as scorer training, practice, and qualifier samples are identified.

OSPI used a statistical sample and identified ~500 specific student portfolios from districts across the

state of Washington for inclusion in the benchmarking process. Prior to benchmarking, Measured Progress’s

program management team reviewed and confirmed the viability of portfolios for the benchmarkers to

evaluate. Based on the GLE Extensions requirements, benchmarkers reviewed portfolios for grades 4, 5, 7, 8,

and 10. Portfolios represented a cross section of GLE Extensions selected by teachers and a variety of

districts.

The WAAS-Portfolio benchmarking process was conducted April 11–15, 2011, at Measured

Progress’s facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The process was overseen by Judy Kraft, the Alternate

Assessment Coordinator from OSPI, and managed by Alicia Cuttle, the program manager from Measured

Progress. Sixteen people, comprised of the table leaders and scorers from the 2009–10 scoring process

participated in benchmarking.

Benchmarking participants reviewed and trial-scored portfolio samples using the same processes and

procedures applied during operational scoring. Based on the samples reviewed and the trial scoring, the group

came to consensus on a set of scoring decision rules to guide the scoring process.

4.2. SCORER TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION

4.2.1. Table Leader Training

OSPI and Measured Progress program management team members trained 19 table leaders on May 2,

2011. The table leader training focused on reviewing the scoring procedures, content requirements, and table

leader responsibilities. Table leaders were also trained on the use and application of scoring decision rules.

These decision rules provided guidance for scoring anomalies outside the scope of the scoring procedures

document.

Each scoring table was assigned two table leaders. Working in a job-sharing format, one table leader

responded to scorer questions while the other coordinated material flow and completed read-behinds. Table

leaders traded responsibilities for the second half of each day. For the 2010–11 scoring operation, following

training and qualifying, three highly qualified table leaders were selected to act as quality assurance


coordinators (QACs). These QACs continuously monitored the scoring floor and provided support to table

leaders.

The minimum qualification for table leaders was a bachelor’s degree. The table leaders were highly

experienced readers with familiarity scoring multiple assessment projects and were experienced in leadership

roles. Most of the table leaders had scored the WAAS-Portfolio the year before. All of them worked

collaboratively on other projects prior to scoring the WAAS-Portfolio program, which enhanced the team’s

sense of unity in mission and management style. The table leaders were also highly recommended by the

Measured Progress scoring management team. More detail about the scorer training program is provided in

Section 4.2.2.

Following procedures and content training, a series of practice samples were reviewed and questions

were addressed. Practice sets included two content entries each for reading, math, writing, and science. Once

all questions were discussed, the group transitioned into qualifying. The qualification set included one content

entry from reading, math, science, and writing. As requested by OSPI, each table leader was required to

complete the qualifying set with a minimum proficiency of 80%. All table leaders qualified with 90% or

higher on the first round.

Once table leaders completed the scorer training and qualifying, they received additional training in

managing their assigned scoring stations; answering questions using the scoring decision rules document;

facilitating the flow of materials, the read-behind process, and double-blind scoring (see Section 4.3.2); and

controlling quality.

4.2.2. Scorer Training

Sixty-two scorers, selected from Measured Progress’s pool of experienced professionals, participated

in scorer training on May 3, 2011. Each scorer was provided with copies of the scoring procedures, handouts

of the training presentations, GLE Extension booklet, and training samples. During training, Measured

Progress’s program manager, with support from OSPI, gave detailed instructions for the review and

documentation of scores following a step-by-step process. The scorers evaluated a total of eight portfolio

entries following the steps outlined in the scoring procedures handbook. They followed this process in

multiple settings: first as a large group, then partnering, and finally individually. The intent of this exercise

was to reinforce the steps of the scoring process, procedures, and the OSPI evidence requirements, thus

confirming an understanding of the scoring rubric and ensuring consistent application of scoring procedures.

During scorer training, table leaders provided support and assistance at their scoring stations.

Following the scoring procedures training, content training was conducted. For spring 2011,

portfolios were scored by grade beginning with grade 12 and followed by grades 11, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3.

During initial scoring training, the content overview focused on the high school GLE Extensions. As

each grade was introduced for scoring content nuances specific to that grade were reviewed with scorers with


emphasis on changes in evidence requirements. Scorers were trained using practice sets for each

grade/content combination. No additional qualifiers were necessary as all scorers had previously qualified.

For qualifying, scorers received a set of content samples and were asked to score each of them

independently using the scoring procedures and GLE Extension booklets. Each scorer was required to

complete the qualifying set with a minimum proficiency of 80%. Scorers who did not meet this requirement

on the first set were retrained and provided additional qualifier samples.

Each scorer was assigned to a specific table or scoring station and table leader team. Most scoring

stations consisted of eight scorers and two table leaders.

Throughout the scoring process scorers were continuously evaluated to ensure consistent

implementation of the scoring procedures and documentation of scores.

4.3. SCORING PROCESS

4.3.1. Scoring Procedures

Portfolios were evaluated on four rubric dimensions (see Figure 2-1):

Part A: Skill Aligned to GLE (Yes: 4; No: 3, 2, 1, IE3)

Part B: Evidence Aligned to Targeted Skill (4, 3, 2, 1, IE)

Part C: Evidence of Performance on Targeted Skill (4, 3, 2, 1, IE)

Part D: Contexts (2, 1, IE)

For each content entry, teachers chose two GLE Extensions from a list made available by OSPI.

Part A: Skill Aligned to GLE: Alignment to grade level content consisted of determining whether the

Extension was from the student’s assigned grade and content area, and whether the targeted skill indicated

was aligned to the Extension and in turn to the GLE. Scorers reviewed the Extension documented on the

Entry Cover Sheet and compared it to the list of possible Extensions for the student’s assigned grade and

content being assessed. If the alignment to grade level content was not scored a 4 (Yes), the entry was

reviewed and the score assignment validated by a scoring manager. The Extension was then compared to the

targeted skill documented to ensure continued alignment. A targeted skill is essentially the text of the

Extension written to include a goal or criterion for performance. For example, ―The student will identify the

meanings of key words critical to comprehending grade level text with 60% accuracy.‖

Part B: Evidence Aligned to Targeted Skill: Scorers reviewed each piece of evidence to evaluate first

whether the evidence met all administration requirements and was valid, and secondly whether the evidence

demonstrated the skill indicated in the targeted skill and was therefore aligned to the targeted skill.

Part C: Evidence of Performance on Targeted Skill: Scorers confirmed that the goal or criterion in the

targeted skill exceeded (4), met (3), approached (2), or did not approach (1) the established achievement

3 IE=Insufficient Evidence


expectations as indicated through the evidence submitted. Teachers set the goal/criterion based on their

knowledge of the student’s abilities and skills. Scorers assigned a rating for Part C by confirming the accuracy

indicated on the evidence. Only evidence considered valid and aligned could be used in consideration of Part

C.

Part D: Contexts: Scorers evaluated the degree to which the skill was generalized or applied in varied,

authentic ways and activities. Again, only evidence considered valid and aligned could be used.

To make the scoring determination, scorers referenced a summary of the Extensions, arranged by

grade and content, and a scoring procedures document. Prior to operational scoring, program management

worked with OSPI to develop the scoring procedures document.

The procedures document (see Appendix F) was the foundation of the scoring training. It was used as

a step-by-step handbook to score each portfolio and was arranged in a yes/no format. For each step, scorers

evaluated specific components for connection to grade level content and portfolio requirements. If the

response to the step was ―yes,‖ scorers moved on to the next step. If the response to any step was ―no,‖

scorers were required to consult the table leader before proceeding. If the table leader agreed with the scorer’s

evaluation of evidence, then the scorer followed the documentation outlined in the procedures. If there was

any question about the application of the procedures, the table leader consulted the QAC or scoring manager.

Scorers completed a teacher feedback form documenting raw scores for Skill 1 and Skill 2 in each

content area (reading and mathematics for all grade levels, writing and science as appropriate to the specific

grade) for each rubric dimension (A, B, C, D). Scorers documented feedback for teachers using a comment

code that corresponded to a menu of comments found on the back of the teacher feedback form.

In addition to the scoring procedures document, table leaders referenced a set of scoring decision

rules. This document was developed by OSPI and Measured Progress and reviewed by the benchmarking

participants before being finalized and approved by OSPI.

Note: Each scorer was required to consult the table leader whenever a ―no‖ response was encountered

in one of the steps of the WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Procedures (see Appendix F). This process ensured a

double-check of all scoring issues and the consistent application of scoring procedures. In addition, for rubric

Part A (Skill Aligned to GLE), any score other than 4 (Yes) required a scoring manager to review and

validate.

To resolve a question or issue, the table leader reviewed the portfolio evidence and documentation

with the scorer to determine appropriate action in documenting scores. If the action was not clearly outlined in

the scoring procedures, a scoring manager was consulted. Once the issue was resolved, the scorer completed

the scoring process and submitted the portfolio to the table leader.

Debrief meetings were conducted with table leaders at the end of each day to provide feedback,

answer questions, and provide clarification on any processes and procedures associated with scoring.


4.3.2. Double-Blind Second Reads

All high school and 25% of grades 3–8 portfolios were double-blind scored. For high school, boxes of

scored portfolios were routed by an assistant to a second scoring station for second reads. For grades 3–8,

portfolios were routed between scoring stations individually. The random selection of grades 3–8 portfolios

for double-blind scoring was managed by table leaders. A tracking sheet of portfolios evaluated by each

scorer was maintained by the table leaders. Using the tracking sheet as a guide, table leaders randomly

selected a portfolio from each scorer to be double-blind scored at least once each morning and once each

afternoon.

Portfolios selected for double-blind scoring were scored by the first scorer at the original scoring

station. The teacher feedback form and scannable form were placed face down in the front pocket of the

binder by the table leader and placed in a box to be retrieved by the scoring assistant. The assistant delivered

the scored portfolio to the table leader at a different scoring station. The table leader at the second scoring

station randomly distributed the single scored portfolio to a second scorer. The second scorer reviewed and

scored the portfolio documenting the information following the same procedures and guidelines used for the

first score. Scores for the second scorer were documented on a new teacher feedback form and scannable

form. When the double-blind scoring was complete, the portfolio was quality checked by the table leader at

the second scoring station and then routed back to the table leader at the first scoring station. The portfolio

was placed in its original box and routed to the quality control area.

4.3.3. Resolution Scoring

With one hundred percent double scoring of all high school portfolios and both scores being used in

the final determination of student performance, procedures to provide resolution of discrepant scores were

required. Scores were compared for exact agreement on Part A of the rubric, while Parts B, C, and D were

required to have exact or adjacent agreement between Scorers 1 and 2. Any scores that did not meet these

parameters were highlighted and forwarded to a resolution scorer for a third read. If a third read was required,

the third score became the score of record and was doubled to meet the parameters of reporting; exact or

adjacent scores between Scorers 1 and 2 resulted in each score being combined as the overall score of record.

Resolution scoring was completed by Measured Progress’s scoring manager and the highly qualified QACs.

The same scoring procedures and decision rules were applied to the resolution scoring process as were used

during the original scoring. Only the highlighted discrepancies were reviewed by the resolution scorer. The

resolution score became the score of record for the discrepant areas.

Only scores for high school portfolios were compared and resolution scored. For grades 3–8, portfolio

scores from Scorer 1 were considered the score of record and no resolution scoring or comparison was done.

Information on scorer agreement was used to inform interrater reliability data. For grades 3–8,

discrepant (non-adjacent) scores between Scorers 1 and 2 were used only to inform the potential need of

additional training amongst scoring staff.


4.3.4. Read-Behinds (Grades 3–8)

Scorers were continuously monitored to ensure consistent application of scoring procedures. In

addition to the double-blind scoring, table leaders completed read-behinds for each scorer during scoring of

the grade 3–8 portfolios. The first, third, and then every seventh portfolio for each scorer included read-

behinds. The table leader reviewed portfolio documentation and evidence and recorded a set of scores on a

separate scoring sheet. The read-behind scores were compared to the original scores. Any discrepancies were

circled on the read-behind score sheet and the portfolio and scoring documents were forwarded to a scoring

manager for review. Results from the scoring manager review were shared with the table leader and scorer

and if needed, additional training was provided. Scores for Scorer 1 were considered the scores of record.

4.3.5. Flow of Materials on Scoring Floor

Boxes of unscored portfolios were delivered to each scoring station by a scoring assistant.

Table leaders distributed a portfolio to each scorer, recording the portfolio number on a tracking

sheet. The tracking sheets were used to monitor scorer progress and productivity, and to document which

portfolios were selected for double-blind scoring and read-behinds.

Scored portfolios were returned to the table leader for a quality check. When all portfolios for a given

box were scored, the table leader double-checked the box inventory signaling to the scoring assistant to

retrieve the box. Boxes of scored portfolios were delivered to the quality control area.

Table leaders and scorers were assigned identification numbers, which were recorded on all scoring

documents for tracking purposes.

4.4. QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS

4.4.1. Table Leader Quality Check Process

Table leaders confirmed documentation of all scores and comments on the teacher feedback form,

verifying any discrepancy between the data documented by the teacher in the portfolio and the recorded score

on the teacher feedback form. By comparing the teacher feedback form and scannable score document, table

leaders also confirmed transcription and completeness of score data and application of scoring procedures.

4.4.2. Pre-Scanning Quality Control (QC) Processes

After all portfolio scoring processes were complete, the scored portfolios were transferred from the

scoring station to the pre-scanning QC area by the scoring assistant. A tracking system monitored movement

of each box from the warehouse to the scoring floor, to QC, and then back to the warehouse. Scoring

management was able to isolate individual portfolios and their boxes at any point in the process as needed.

The QC station consisted of three QC processors and a QC manager. QC personnel were trained by

the QC manager, who had extensive scoring and quality control experience and were trained by the scoring


manager. QC personnel were selected due to their exceptional attention to detail and process fidelity during

previous work assignments that involved QC protocols. The purpose of the QC station was to perform a pre-

scanning check of all score documentation and inventory all portfolios for each box.

The scoring assistant placed boxes of scored portfolios in a designated secure holding area from

which the QC processors selected boxes for review. QC processors worked through each portfolio, one at a

time, with the following procedure:

Confirmed the student label on the envelope matched the student label on the portfolio.

Confirmed the booklet number on the portfolio ID label on the back of the envelope matched the

lithocode on the scannable score booklet.

Ensured that all three pieces—envelope, portfolio, scannable score booklet—were linked to the

corresponding and appropriate student.

The QC processor removed the contents from the front inside pocket of the portfolio: the scannable

score booklet and teacher feedback forms.

Table 4-1 identifies the valid subjects and grades for the 2011 administration.

Table 4-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Subjects and Grades Tested in 2011 Administration

Subject Grades

Reading 03–08, 10, 11, 12

Mathematics 03–08, 10, 11, 12

Writing 04, 07, 10, 11, 12

Science 05, 08, 10

Using the scorer ID numbers on each document, the teacher feedback forms and corresponding

scannable score sheets were matched. Beginning with the documents for Scorer 1, each document was

checked for completeness and to verify demographic information. The required content areas were confirmed

to have been scored based on the student’s grade using the grade/content area chart (Table 4-1). QC

processors began with reading, confirming the Extension code was documented. For each targeted skill it was

confirmed scores were recorded for Parts A, B, C, and D of the rubric as indicated in the Table 4-2. If Part A

was scored other than 4, scoring manager initials were required on the teacher feedback form for that skill.

Any questions or discrepancies were reviewed with the QC manager, and if resolution was required, the

scoring manager was consulted.

4.4.3. Possible Score Scenarios

Table 4-2 summarizes the allowable dimension scores based on the final score computation described

in the previous section.


Table 4-2. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Summary of Allowable Dimension Scores

If Skill Aligned is

and the Evidence Aligned is

then the Performance can be

and the Context can be

Skill raw score

4 2, 3, 4

1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, IE Yes

IE IE Yes (0)

IE N N Yes (0)

3 2, 3, 4, IE N N Yes (0)

2 2, 3, 4, IE N N Yes (0)

1 2, 3, 4, IE N N Yes (0)

IE IE IE IE Yes (0)

N N N No

A visual check was done to confirm that scores were transcribed accurately from the teacher feedback

form to the scannable score sheet. Once this process was complete for Scorer 1, the QC processor repeated

steps for documentation completed by Scorer 2, where applicable.

When the QC processor completed verification of demographic and score data, the scannable score

documents were pulled for scanning. The teacher feedback forms were separated—one copy is returned to the

district and the other copy remains in the portfolio as part of the binder.

The entire portfolio was reviewed to confirm no other marks or notes had been placed in the portfolio.

The envelope and binder were checked once more to confirm tracking numbers are linked and the binder was

returned to the box for inventory.

Scanners were programmed based on a set of reporting business rules approved by OSPI. In addition

to capturing score data, the program reviewed several procedural requirements and verifications. Any instance

that did not meet the parameters programmed was flagged by the program and required review and resolution

by scoring management.

4.5. FALL RETAKE

High school students in Washington are required to meet standards on applicable assessment

instruments as a requirement for graduation, and for students with significant cognitive challenges this

requirement is no different. Due to the graduation requirement, high school students with significant cognitive

challenges can retake the WAAS-Portfolio once a year during the fall. For the 2011 administrative year, the

retakes were scored by Measured Progress. Portfolios were submitted for retake for students who did not meet

standard in grades 10, 11, and 12 in reading, mathematics, and/or writing. Portfolios submitted for the retake

follow the same administration guidelines and requirements as the 2010–11 spring portfolios. Operational

scoring of these portfolios followed the same training, qualifying, and scoring procedures as were used in the

spring scoring institute. A total of 16 portfolios were scored and will be reported in January 2012.

Chapter 5—Characterizing Errors Associated with 26 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Test Scores

CHAPTER 5. CHARACTERIZING ERRORS ASSOCIATED WITH TEST SCORES

The primary use of the WAAS-Portfolio scores is for school, district, and state level accountability

under the existing approved federal NCLB system. Students, classified as proficient or not proficient, are

included in the state’s AYP calculation. In the case of students designated at high school grade level, scores

hold the dual purpose of system accountability and student exit exam. In the case of grades 3–8, focus on

reliability of students’ scores holds less individual stakes, in other words scores become more of a yes/no

measure that are aggregated across a wider student population.

Given the nature of portfolio assessments as individualized assessments with no two portfolios

providing exactly the same evidence (different students may be assessed on different GLE Extensions and/or

use different pieces of evidence) sources of error can rest with the test administrator as well as the usual

sampling error. OSPI has sought to minimize the test administrator source of error through extensive training

in designing tasks, gathering evidence, scoring tasks, and documenting progress within the portfolio.

5.1. RELIABILITY

Portfolio assessments do not lend themselves to traditional reliability analyses. Because the results are

based on a teacher’s documentation of an individual student’s academic achievement and progress, the

assessments must be subjected to different reliability and validity questions than ―typical‖ achievement-

oriented standardized instruments. Measures of reliability, in particular, depart from standard psychometric

notions of internal consistency, unidimensionality, and stability.

However, a complete evaluation of an assessment must address the way in which the subscore units

that make up the test score—traditionally items—function together and complement one another. In the case

of the WAAS-Portfolio, a student receives a performance score and a context score on a targeted skill for each

of two GLE Extensions. The student work that led to these four scores can be considered as four complex

assessment tasks. Moreover, the targeted skill for each assessment task corresponds to a GLE-linked content

standard, which is analogous to that which occurs with traditional test items. Thus, for purposes of estimating

test reliability, these four scores are treated as four item responses. To estimate test reliability from these four

item responses, the Cronbach (1951) correlation coefficient, alpha (α), will be used. To use this formula with

the WAAS-Portfolio, certain assumptions must be made. For example, Cronbach’s α formula requires all

students to have been assessed with the same assessment tasks, but with the WAAS-Portfolio, different

students may have been assessed on different GLE Extensions. Thus, to meet this requirement, all the

performance-score assessment tasks are assumed to have similar probability distributions, and the assessment

tasks for the context scores are also assumed to have this property. To the extent that these assumptions are

violated, reliability will be underestimated. Another assumption that must be made is that the assessment

tasks have independent measurement error. Violation of this assumption causes overestimation of reliability.


Test Scores

Because the WAAS-Portfolio is administered and scored in a manner much different from assessments that

reliability estimates are usually calculated for, the term ―reliability‖ should be used with caution in this

setting. Still, the estimate does provide an indication of the strength of the relationship among the GLE

Extension scores.

The formula for Cronbach’s α reliability estimate is given as

2

1

21

1

i

x

n

Yi

n

n

where

i indexes the different units whose scores sum to give the total test score,

n is the number of these subscore units,

σ2(Yi) represents subscore variance, and

σx2 represents the total test score variance.

Table 5-1 presents alpha for each content area and grade.

Table 5-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Cronbach’s Reliability Coefficients by Grade and Content Area

Content area Grade Reliability (α)

Mathematics

3 0.753521

4 0.723438

5 0.779985

6 0.792483

7 0.696190

8 0.778778

10 0.794990

11 0.863986

12 0.843836

Reading

3 0.809365

4 0.791845

5 0.802113

6 0.815989

7 0.800019

8 0.782729

10 0.843683

11 0.850887

12 0.810492

Writing

4 0.782596

7 0.813450

10 0.803689

11 0.778176

12 0.837363

Science

5 0.798861

8 0.743529

10 0.813329

11 0.660413

12 0.847352


Test Scores

In a more traditional assessment instrument with independently scored items and with the same items

being taken by all the students, the alpha coefficient can be interpreted as the proportion of observed variance

accounted for by the classical test theory model; and an alpha coefficient toward the high end is taken to mean

that the parts of the test are likely measuring very similar knowledge or skills, i.e., that the subscore units

complement one another and suggest a reliable assessment. Taking into account that the WAAS-Portfolio

alphas were computed based on so few ―items‖ (which would tend to decrease the correlation), the items

differed to some degree across students (which would also tend to decrease the correlation), and the scores

were not necessarily independent (which would tend to increase the correlation), the values in Table 5-1

should be interpreted with caution.

5.2. DECISION ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY

While related to reliability, the accuracy and consistency of classifying students into performance

categories are even more important statistics in a standards-based reporting framework (Livingston & Lewis,

1995). Unlike generalizability coefficients, decision accuracy and consistency (DAC) can usually be

computed with the data currently available for most alternate assessments. The DAC formulas assume that

each student is administered the same items, the items all have similar probability distributions, and the items

are stochastically independent. These assumptions are not necessarily met by the GLE Extension scores, and

the cumulative effect of their violations could result in either under- or overestimation of the true accuracy

and consistency. For every 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio grade and content area, each student was classified into

one of four performance levels. The remainder of this section of the report explains the methodologies used to

assess the reliability of classification decisions and presents the results.

Accuracy refers to the extent to which decisions based on test scores match decisions that would have

been made if the scores did not contain any measurement error. Accuracy must be estimated, because

errorless test scores do not exist. Consistency measures the extent to which classification decisions based on

test scores match the decisions based on scores from a second, parallel form of the same test. Consistency can

be evaluated directly from actual responses to test items if two complete and parallel forms of the test are

given to the same group of students. In operational test programs, however, such a design is usually

impractical. Instead, techniques have been developed to estimate both the accuracy and the consistency of

classification decisions based on a single administration of a test. The Livingston and Lewis (1995) technique

was used for the 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio because it is easily adaptable to all types of testing formats,

including mixed format tests.

The accuracy and the consistency estimates reported below make use of ―true scores‖ in the classical

test theory sense. A true score is the score that would be obtained if a test had no measurement error. Of

course, true scores cannot be observed and so must be estimated. In the Livingston and Lewis method,

estimated true scores are used to categorize students into their ―true‖ classifications.


Test Scores

For the 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio, after various technical adjustments (described in Livingston &

Lewis, 1995), a four-by-four contingency table of accuracy was created for each content area and grade,

where cell [i, j] represented the estimated proportion of students whose true score fell into classification i

(where i = 1 to 4) and observed score into classification j (where j = 1 to 4). The sum of the diagonal entries

(i.e., the proportion of students whose true and observed classifications matched) signified overall accuracy.

To calculate consistency, true scores were used to estimate the joint distribution of classifications on

two independent, parallel test forms. Following statistical adjustments per Livingston and Lewis (1995), a

new four-by-four contingency table was created for each content area and grade, and populated by the

proportion of students who would be categorized into each combination of classifications according to the

two (hypothetical) parallel test forms. Cell [i, j] of this table represented the estimated proportion of students

whose observed score on the first form would fall into classification i (where i = 1 to 4) and whose observed

score on the second form would fall into classification j (where j = 1 to 4). The sum of the diagonal entries

(i.e., the proportion of students categorized by the two forms into exactly the same classification) signified

overall consistency.

Another way to measure consistency is to use Cohen’s (1960) coefficient (kappa), which assesses

the proportion of consistent classifications after removing the proportion of consistent classifications that

would be expected by chance. It is calculated using the following formula:

. .

. .

(Observed agreement) (Chance agreement),

1 (Chance agreement) 1

ii i i

i i

i i

i

C C C

C C

where

Ci. is the proportion of students whose observed achievement level would be Level i (where i = 1 – 4) on

the first hypothetical parallel form of the test;

Ci is the proportion of students whose observed achievement level would be Level i (where i = 1 – 4) on

the second hypothetical parallel form of the test; and

Cii is the proportion of students whose observed achievement level would be Level i (where i = 1 – 4) on

both hypothetical parallel forms of the test.

Because is corrected for chance, its values are lower than are other consistency estimates.

The results of the accuracy and consistency analyses described above are provided in Table 5-2. The

table includes overall accuracy and consistency indices, including kappa. Accuracy and consistency values

conditional upon achievement level are also given. For these calculations, the denominator is the proportion

of students associated with a given achievement level. For example, the conditional accuracy value is 0.60 for

Level 1 for grade three reading. This figure indicates that among the students whose true scores placed them

in this classification, 60% would be expected to be in this classification when categorized according to their

observed scores. Similarly, a consistency value of 0.47 indicates that 47% of students with observed scores in

Level 1 would be expected to score in this classification again if a second, parallel test form were used.


Test Scores

Table 5-2. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Summary of Decision Accuracy (and Consistency) Results by Subject and Grade Overall and Conditional on Performance Level

Subject Grade Overall Kappa Conditional on level

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Mathematics

3 0.81 (0.79) 0.40 0.55 (0.38) 0.42 (0.33) 0.37 (0.30) 0.95 (0.91)

4 0.81 (0.79) 0.37 0.53 (0.35) 0.39 (0.29) 0.34 (0.28) 0.95 (0.91)

5 0.86 (0.84) 0.42 0.54 (0.33) 0.43 (0.32) 0.41 (0.33) 0.96 (0.93)

6 0.86 (0.83) 0.45 0.56 (0.38) 0.44 (0.34) 0.41 (0.34) 0.97 (0.93)

7 0.85 (0.82) 0.41 0.51 (0.28) 0.41 (0.30) 0.46 (0.39) 0.96 (0.92)

8 0.86 (0.83) 0.44 0.54 (0.33) 0.43 (0.32) 0.49 (0.41) 0.96 (0.92)

10 0.84 (0.81) 0.49 0.60 (0.47) 0.41 (0.33) 0.47 (0.40) 0.97 (0.93)

11 0.85 (0.80) 0.54 0.70 (0.65) 0.48 (0.38) 0.53 (0.38) 0.95 (0.92)

12 0.83 (0.80) 0.52 0.64 (0.56) 0.41 (0.34) 0.47 (0.41) 0.97 (0.93)

Reading

3 0.80 (0.76) 0.46 0.60 (0.47) 0.44 (0.36) 0.41 (0.34) 0.95 (0.91)

4 0.83 (0.81) 0.45 0.59 (0.47) 0.42 (0.34) 0.38 (0.30) 0.96 (0.93)

5 0.82 (0.79) 0.43 0.62 (0.47) 0.43 (0.34) 0.41 (0.33) 0.95 (0.91)

6 0.84 (0.81) 0.47 0.65 (0.52) 0.45 (0.35) 0.43 (0.35) 0.96 (0.92)

7 0.83 (0.80) 0.43 0.61 (0.46) 0.43 (0.33) 0.41 (0.33) 0.96 (0.92)

8 0.85 (0.82) 0.42 0.60 (0.43) 0.43 (0.33) 0.41 (0.33) 0.96 (0.92)

10 0.84 (0.81) 0.52 0.66 (0.54) 0.47 (0.38) 0.53 (0.45) 0.96 (0.92)

11 0.79 (0.74) 0.49 0.66 (0.55) 0.47 (0.38) 0.53 (0.46) 0.95 (0.89)

12 0.80 (0.76) 0.47 0.62 (0.47) 0.47 (0.37) 0.53 (0.45) 0.95 (0.89)

Science

5 0.82 (0.80) 0.51 0.69 (0.62) 0.39 (0.32) 0.38 (0.31) 0.97 (0.93)

8 0.81 (0.80) 0.41 0.57 (0.42) 0.35 (0.28) 0.33 (0.29) 0.96 (0.92)

10 0.81 (0.78) 0.45 0.64 (0.52) 0.43 (0.34) 0.42 (0.35) 0.96 (0.91)

11 0.43 (0.43) 0.19 0.50 (0.35) 0.31 (0.28) 0.30 (0.29) 0.85 (0.61)

12 0.71 (0.64) 0.43 0.66 (0.51) 0.53 (0.43) 0.53 (0.46) 0.91 (0.81)

Writing

4 0.83 (0.80) 0.47 0.61 (0.51) 0.42 (0.35) 0.38 (0.30) 0.96 (0.93)

7 0.82 (0.79) 0.49 0.67 (0.58) 0.39 (0.32) 0.38 (0.31) 0.97 (0.92)

10 0.83 (0.81) 0.50 0.62 (0.51) 0.41 (0.34) 0.47 (0.41) 0.97 (0.93)

11 0.75 (0.71) 0.42 0.57 (0.40) 0.43 (0.33) 0.50 (0.43) 0.93 (0.86)

12 0.78 (0.75) 0.48 0.64 (0.53) 0.44 (0.35) 0.50 (0.43) 0.95 (0.89)

For some testing situations, of greatest concern may be decisions around level thresholds. For

example, in testing done for NCLB accountability purposes, the primary concern is distinguishing between

students who are proficient and those who are not yet proficient. In this case, the accuracy of the Level

2/Level 3 threshold is of greatest interest. For the 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio, Table 5-3 provides accuracy and

consistency estimates at each cutpoint as well as false positive and false negative decision rates. (A false

positive is the proportion of students whose observed scores were above the cut and whose true scores were

below the cut. A false negative is the proportion of students whose observed scores were below the cut and

whose true scores were above the cut.)

Chapter 5—Characterizing Errors Associated with Test Scores 31 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Table 5-3. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Summary of Decision Accuracy (and Consistency) Results by Subject and Grade Conditional on Cutpoint

Subject Grade

Level 1/Level 2 Level 2/Level 3 Level 3/Level 4

Accuracy (consistency)

False Accuracy (consistency)

False Accuracy (consistency)

False

Positive Negative Positive Negative Positive Negative

Mathematics

3 0.97 (0.96) 0.01 0.01 0.94 (0.92) 0.04 0.03 0.89 (0.86) 0.08 0.04

4 0.98 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.93 (0.91) 0.04 0.03 0.88 (0.85) 0.08 0.04

5 0.98 (0.98) 0.01 0.01 0.95 (0.94) 0.02 0.02 0.91 (0.89) 0.06 0.03

6 0.98 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.95 (0.94) 0.03 0.02 0.91 (0.89) 0.06 0.03

7 0.99 (0.98) 0.00 0.01 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.89 (0.87) 0.08 0.03

8 0.99 (0.98) 0.00 0.01 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.90 (0.87) 0.07 0.03

10 0.97 (0.96) 0.01 0.01 0.95 (0.94) 0.03 0.02 0.90 (0.89) 0.07 0.02

11 0.96 (0.95) 0.03 0.01 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.01 0.92 (0.89) 0.04 0.04

12 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.01 0.95 (0.93) 0.03 0.02 0.91 (0.89) 0.07 0.02

Reading

3 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.93 (0.90) 0.04 0.03 0.89 (0.86) 0.08 0.03

4 0.97 (0.96) 0.02 0.01 0.94 (0.92) 0.04 0.02 0.91 (0.88) 0.06 0.03

5 0.98 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.94 (0.92) 0.03 0.02 0.89 (0.86) 0.08 0.03

6 0.97 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.95 (0.93) 0.03 0.02 0.91 (0.88) 0.07 0.03

7 0.98 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.95 (0.93) 0.03 0.02 0.89 (0.87) 0.07 0.03

8 0.98 (0.98) 0.01 0.01 0.95 (0.94) 0.03 0.02 0.90 (0.88) 0.07 0.03

10 0.98 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.96 (0.94) 0.03 0.02 0.91 (0.88) 0.07 0.03

11 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.93 (0.91) 0.04 0.03 0.88 (0.85) 0.09 0.03

12 0.98 (0.97) 0.01 0.01 0.94 (0.92) 0.03 0.02 0.88 (0.85) 0.09 0.03

Science

5 0.96 (0.94) 0.03 0.02 0.94 (0.92) 0.04 0.02 0.91 (0.89) 0.07 0.02

8 0.97 (0.96) 0.02 0.02 0.93 (0.92) 0.04 0.03 0.89 (0.87) 0.09 0.03

10 0.97 (0.96) 0.02 0.02 0.94 (0.92) 0.04 0.02 0.89 (0.86) 0.08 0.03

11 0.86 (0.82) 0.07 0.07 0.75 (0.70) 0.18 0.07 0.71 (0.68) 0.27 0.03

12 0.96 (0.94) 0.02 0.02 0.90 (0.87) 0.06 0.04 0.84 (0.80) 0.12 0.04

Writing

4 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.94 (0.92) 0.04 0.02 0.91 (0.88) 0.06 0.03

7 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.94 (0.92) 0.04 0.02 0.90 (0.88) 0.07 0.02

10 0.97 (0.96) 0.02 0.01 0.95 (0.93) 0.03 0.02 0.91 (0.89) 0.07 0.02

11 0.97 (0.96) 0.01 0.02 0.93 (0.90) 0.04 0.03 0.85 (0.81) 0.12 0.04

12 0.96 (0.95) 0.02 0.02 0.93 (0.91) 0.04 0.03 0.88 (0.85) 0.09 0.03


Test Scores

The indices in Tables 5-2 and 5-3 are derived from Livingston and Lewis’s (1995) method of

estimating the accuracy and consistency of classifications. It should be noted that Livingston and Lewis

discuss two versions of the accuracy and consistency tables. A standard version performs calculations for

forms parallel to the form taken. An ―adjusted‖ version adjusts the results of one form to match the observed

score distribution obtained in the data. Tables 5-2 and 5-3 use the standard version for two reasons: (1) this

―unadjusted‖ version can be considered a smoothing of the data, thereby decreasing the variability of the

results; and (2) for results dealing with the consistency of two parallel forms, the unadjusted tables are

symmetrical, indicating that the two parallel forms have the same statistical properties. This second reason is

consistent with the notion of forms that are parallel; that is, it is more intuitive and interpretable for two

parallel forms to have the same statistical distribution.

Note that, as with other methods of evaluating reliability, DAC statistics calculated based on small

groups can be expected to be lower than those calculated based on larger groups. For this reason, the values

presented in Tables 5-2 and 5-3 should be interpreted with caution. In addition, it is important to remember

that it is inappropriate to compare DAC statistics between grades and content areas.

5.3. INTERRATER CONSISTENCY

A selection of portfolios was scored by two independent raters, and as such, interrater consistency

could be calculated. Table 5-4 displays results for each grade and content area. The percentages of exact

agreement, adjacent agreement, and exact and adjacent agreement (Total) are shown for each score category.

Chapter 5—Characterizing Errors Associated with Test Scores 33 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Table 5-4. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Interrater Consistency

Grade Score category Mathematics Reading Writing Science

Exact Adjacent Total Exact Adjacent Total Exact Adjacent Total Exact Adjacent Total

3 Performance 83.90 4.66 88.56 92.34 3.40 95.74

Context 84.32 5.51 89.83 93.19 2.98 96.17

4 Performance 87.55 3.40 90.95 94.72 1.51 96.23 86.35 5.17 91.52

Context 88.68 3.77 92.45 94.34 2.64 96.98 85.24 5.54 90.78

5 Performance 92.31 2.20 94.51 92.70 3.28 95.98 88.93 2.87 91.80

Context 93.04 2.56 95.60 95.26 0.73 95.99 90.57 2.46 93.03

6 Performance 93.16 2.66 95.82 90.65 5.04 95.69

Context 93.54 2.28 95.82 92.45 3.60 96.05

7 Performance 87.65 7.00 94.65 86.83 7.00 93.83 86.73 6.64 93.37

Context 89.71 5.35 95.06 90.12 6.58 96.70 87.61 8.41 96.02

8 Performance 88.71 6.45 95.16 90.27 4.32 94.59 87.93 5.75 93.68

Context 92.47 4.30 96.77 91.89 4.32 96.21 89.66 4.60 94.26

10 Performance 91.93 2.69 94.62 91.26 2.82 94.08 87.93 4.23 92.16 91.43 2.96 94.39

Context 92.53 2.89 95.42 93.20 2.33 95.53 90.64 2.92 93.56 93.16 2.24 95.40

11 Performance 89.36 6.03 95.39 89.22 4.90 94.12 85.33 8.27 93.60 100.00 0.00 100.00

Context 89.72 6.03 95.75 90.85 4.58 95.43 89.87 4.53 94.40 100.00 0.00 100.00

12 Performance 89.04 3.99 93.03 90.94 3.88 94.82 86.48 6.20 92.68 87.50 0.00 87.50

Context 89.04 5.65 94.69 92.23 4.53 96.76 89.86 2.82 92.68 87.50 0.00 87.50

Chapter 6—Validity: Collecting Evidence 34 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

CHAPTER 6. VALIDITY: COLLECTING EVIDENCE

Because the interpretations of the test scores, not the test itself, are evaluated for validity, the 2010–11

WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report describes several technical aspects of the WAAS-Portfolio in support of

score interpretations. Each chapter contributes an important component to the investigation of score

validation: test development and design; test administration; scoring; reliability; and score reporting.

The WAAS-Portfolio is based on, and aligned to, Washington State learning standards (also known as

Grade Level Expectations, or GLEs) for mathematics, reading, writing, and science through the construct of

developed learning standards Extensions. Achievement inferences are meant to be useful for program and

instructional improvement, and as a component of school accountability.

Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA/APA/NCME, 1999) provides a

framework for describing sources of evidence that should be considered when evaluating validity. These

sources include evidence on the following five general areas: test content, response processes, internal

structure, consequences of testing, and relationship to other variables. Although each of these sources may

speak to a different aspect of validity, they are not distinct types of validity. Instead, each contributes to a

body of evidence about the comprehensive validity of score interpretations.

A measure of test content validity is to determine how well the test’s tasks represent the curriculum

and standards for each content area and grade level. Validation through this content lens is extensively

described in Chapters 2 and 3. In other words, the topics presented in these chapters—test format (alignment

of skills to GLEs, alignment of evidence to skills, appropriate procedures for collection of performance

evidence, evidence of generalization of skills) , GLE Extensions mapped to learning standards, GLE

Extension selection criteria and process to identify the critical skills and essence of each content area,

description of task development in regard to targeted cognitive levels, GLE Extension and task review

processes to provide validating evidence for the skills intended to be measured by the tasks, use of

standardized administration procedures to provide the tools necessary for making valid comparisons and

interpretations across portfolios, and appropriate test administration training to ensure that these tools are

effectively applied so that comparability of scores is actually attained—are all components of validity

evidence based on content. Finally, portfolio assessments were administered according to mandated

standardized procedures, and all assessment coordinators and administrators were required to familiarize

themselves with and adhere to the Assessment Coordinators Manual and Teachers’ Guide to the WAAS-

Portfolio.

The scoring information in Chapter 4 describes the steps taken to train and monitor scorers. This

information included a description of: benchmarking that was used to develop training materials that

established consensus agreement for the meaning of the relationship between the score scale and various

levels of student performance, scorer training in which these materials are implemented in training and

evaluating the scorers, details of the scoring process and rubrics that support validity by establishing reliable

Chapter 6—Validity: Collecting Evidence 35 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

scoring procedures that are closely aligned to the skills and performance levels intended for each task, quality

control procedures to concretely evaluate and monitor the application of the scorers in implementing the

scoring procedures, and, finally, the fall retake procedures in which care is taken to maintain validity by

consistent application of the standardized administration and scoring procedures.

Evidence on internal structure is extensively detailed in Chapter 5. Technical characteristics of the

assessment’s internal structure are presented in terms of reliability coefficients and decision accuracy and

consistency. This quantitative assessment of reliability, accuracy, and consistency provides yet another layer

of validity support at the level of total score, complementing the quantitative evaluation from the quality

control procedures implemented at the item level as well as the extensive support for reliability, accuracy, and

consistency from the substantive procedures described in Chapters 2, 3, and 4.

Evidence on the consequences of testing is addressed in information on scores and score reporting in

Chapter 7 and in the WAAS-Portfolio Parent Guide, which is a separate document referenced in the discussion

of reporting. Each of these speaks to efforts undertaken to provide the public with accurate and clear test score

information. Performance levels give reference points for mastery at each grade level, providing a useful aid

to interpret scores. Several different standard reports were provided to educators.

Chapter 7—Summary of Operational Test Results 36 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

CHAPTER 7. SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL TEST RESULTS

7.1. PERFORMANCE LEVEL CLASSIFICATION

For the WAAS-Portfolio, the sum of the two GLE performance scores is used to classify students into

one of the four achievement levels. The content area specific lookup tables are presented as Tables 7-1 to 7-4.

Table 7-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Performance Level Classification Lookup Table—Mathematics

Grade Performance

level Cut score

Raw score

Min Max

3

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

4

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

5

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

6

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

7

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 6 6 9

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

8

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 6 6 9

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

10

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

11

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

12

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5


Table 7-2. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Performance Level Classification Lookup Table—Reading

Grade Performance

level Cut score

Raw score

Min Max

3

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

4

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

5

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

6

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

7

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

8

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

10

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

11

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

12

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

Table 7-3. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Performance Level Classification Lookup Table—Writing

Grade Performance

level Cut score

Raw score

Min Max

4

Level 4 9 9 12

Level 3 6 6 8

Level 2 3 3 5

Level 1 0 2

continued


Grade Performance

level Cut score

Raw score

Min Max

7

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

10

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

11

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

12

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 12 12 19

Level 2 6 6 11

Level 1 0 5

Table 7-4. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Performance Level Classification Lookup Table—Science

Grade Performance

level Cut score

Raw score

Min Max

5

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

8

Level 4 10 10 12

Level 3 7 7 9

Level 2 4 4 6

Level 1 0 3

10

Level 4 20 20 24

Level 3 14 14 19

Level 2 8 8 13

Level 1 0 7

7.2. RAW SCORE FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION FOR THE STATE AND SUBGROUPS

The overall raw score frequency distribution for each grade and content area is presented in

Appendix G. The tables show the number and percentage of students at each score point.

Student performance is also examined by generating the average total scores for all content areas

across all grades. This analysis is performed at various levels. Appendix H contains the average performance

and the spread of the performance for the entire state and for reported subgroups.


7.3. PERFORMANCE LEVEL DISTRIBUTION FOR THE STATE AND SUBGROUPS

The performance level distribution results for each grade and content area are presented for the state

and each subgroup are included in Tables 7-5 through 7-8.

Table 7-5. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Subgroup Score Distribution Across Performance Levels—Mathematics

Grade Categorization Subgroup N Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

3

All Students 751 4.70 6.00 20.40 69.00

Gender Male 520 4.80 5.40 21.50 68.30

Female 231 4.30 7.40 17.70 70.60

Ethnicity

Native American 19 5.30 5.30 31.60 57.90

Asian 56 7.10 5.40 21.40 66.10

Black 38 5.30 0.00 28.90 65.80

Hispanic 152 4.60 5.90 16.40 73.00

White 431 4.60 6.50 19.50 69.40

Hawaiian 7 0.00 0.00 14.30 85.70

Multi 42 2.40 7.10 31.00 59.50

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 51 3.90 5.90 19.60 70.60

4

All Students 698 4.70 6.70 16.50 72.10

Gender Male 444 4.70 6.50 16.20 72.50

Female 254 4.70 7.10 16.90 71.30

Ethnicity

Native American 26 0.00 11.50 15.40 73.10

Asian 41 7.30 12.20 9.80 70.70

Black 48 4.20 2.10 22.90 70.80

Hispanic 134 3.70 5.20 14.90 76.10

White 401 5.50 7.00 16.50 71.10

Hawaiian 3 0.00 33.30 66.70 0.00

Multi 40 2.50 5.00 20.00 72.50

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 44 6.80 9.10 20.50 63.60

5

All Students 686 3.40 3.60 13.00 80.00

Gender Male 455 3.30 4.60 12.70 79.30

Female 231 3.50 1.70 13.40 81.40

Ethnicity

Native American 21 0.00 4.80 0.00 95.20

Asian 41 0.00 0.00 17.10 82.90

Black 31 3.20 3.20 19.40 74.20

Hispanic 112 6.30 6.30 17.90 69.60

White 427 3.50 3.00 11.20 82.20

Hawaiian 6 0.00 0.00 33.30 66.70

Multi 40 0.00 7.50 10.00 82.50

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 22 13.60 9.10 9.10 68.20

6

All Students 611 3.90 4.60 9.70 81.80

Gender Male 403 3.70 4.70 9.40 82.10

Female 208 4.30 4.30 10.10 81.30

Ethnicity

Native American 14 0.00 7.10 7.10 85.70

Asian 39 0.00 7.70 7.70 84.60

Black 39 2.60 5.10 7.70 84.60

continued



6 Ethnicity

Hispanic 104 9.60 4.80 9.60 76.00

White 372 3.00 3.80 9.70 83.60

Hawaiian 3 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 37 5.40 8.10 13.50 73.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 8.30 8.30 4.20 79.20

7

All Students 560 2.00 4.10 16.40 77.50

Gender Male 367 1.90 4.90 16.60 76.60

Female 193 2.10 2.60 16.10 79.30

Ethnicity

Native American 11 0.00 9.10 9.10 81.80

Asian 29 3.40 3.40 20.70 72.40

Black 47 2.10 6.40 12.80 78.70

Hispanic 92 3.30 5.40 9.80 81.50

White 351 1.40 3.40 19.40 75.80

Hawaiian 4 0.00 0.00 25.00 75.00

Multi 20 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 4.20 0.00 20.80 75.00

8

All Students 465 2.60 3.40 10.50 83.40

Gender Male 287 2.80 3.50 10.10 83.60

Female 178 2.20 3.40 11.20 83.10

Ethnicity

Native American 7 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Asian 36 0.00 5.60 5.60 88.90

Black 28 0.00 0.00 3.60 96.40

Hispanic 91 3.30 1.10 15.40 80.20

White 274 2.60 4.40 10.90 82.10

Hawaiian 2 0.00 50.00 0.00 50.00

Multi 24 8.30 0.00 8.30 83.30

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 10 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

10

All Students 535 4.30 5.80 14.00 75.90

Gender Male 341 5.30 5.90 15.00 73.90

Female 194 2.60 5.70 12.40 79.40

Ethnicity

Native American 13 0.00 15.40 15.40 69.20

Asian 40 0.00 15.00 7.50 77.50

Black 32 0.00 6.30 9.40 84.40

Hispanic 78 6.40 5.10 12.80 75.60

White 341 5.30 4.70 15.20 74.80

Hawaiian 4 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 24 0.00 4.20 20.80 75.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 0.00 0.00 27.30 72.70

11

All Students 150 8.00 6.70 11.30 74.00

Gender Male 109 8.30 6.40 13.80 71.60

Female 41 7.30 7.30 4.90 80.50

Ethnicity

Native American 4 50.00 0.00 0.00 50.00

Asian 10 0.00 0.00 10.00 90.00

Black 10 0.00 0.00 10.00 90.00

Hispanic 34 5.90 8.80 20.60 64.70

continued



11 Ethnicity

White 84 9.50 8.30 9.50 72.60

Hawaiian 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 6 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 5 0.00 0.00 40.00 60.00

12

All Students 160 7.50 3.80 15.00 73.80

Gender Male 104 8.70 3.80 14.40 73.10

Female 56 5.40 3.60 16.10 75.00

Ethnicity

Native American 7 14.30 28.60 28.60 28.60

Asian 8 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Black 11 18.20 0.00 9.10 72.70

Hispanic 28 14.30 0.00 25.00 60.70

White 98 4.10 4.10 14.30 77.60

Hawaiian 0

Multi 5 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 0

Table 7-6. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Subgroup Score Distribution Across Performance Levels—Reading


3

All Students 751 8.40 5.70 19.00 66.80

Gender Male 520 8.70 6.20 20.20 65.00

Female 231 7.80 4.80 16.50 71.00

Ethnicity

Native American 19 5.30 5.30 21.10 68.40

Asian 56 12.50 3.60 19.60 64.30

Black 38 2.60 0.00 18.40 78.90

Hispanic 152 9.90 8.60 16.40 65.10

White 430 8.40 5.30 19.80 66.50

Hawaiian 7 0.00 14.30 14.30 71.40

Multi 43 7.00 2.30 20.90 69.80

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 50 10.00 2.00 10.00 78.00

4

All Students 697 6.30 4.90 14.80 74.00

Gender Male 443 5.90 5.20 15.30 73.60

Female 254 7.10 4.30 13.80 74.80

Ethnicity

Native American 25 12.00 4.00 12.00 72.00

Asian 42 7.10 0.00 23.80 69.00

Black 48 6.30 0.00 14.60 79.20

Hispanic 134 5.20 6.00 11.20 77.60

White 400 7.00 6.30 14.50 72.30

Hawaiian 3 0.00 0.00 66.70 33.30

Multi 40 0.00 0.00 20.00 80.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 44 11.40 4.50 15.90 68.20

continued



5

All Students 686 4.50 9.00 8.00 78.40

Gender Male 456 5.50 8.10 8.10 78.30

Female 230 2.60 10.90 7.80 78.70

Ethnicity

Native American 21 0.00 14.30 9.50 76.20

Asian 41 2.40 9.80 9.80 78.00

Black 31 3.20 9.70 9.70 77.40

Hispanic 111 9.90 8.10 9.90 72.10

White 428 3.70 8.90 6.50 80.80

Hawaiian 6 16.70 16.70 33.30 33.30

Multi 40 0.00 5.00 10.00 85.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 22 13.60 18.20 4.50 63.60

6

All Students 607 4.40 7.90 6.30 81.40

Gender Male 399 5.00 8.80 5.00 81.20

Female 208 3.40 6.30 8.70 81.70

Ethnicity

Native American 14 7.10 14.30 0.00 78.60

Asian 39 2.60 12.80 2.60 82.10

Black 39 2.60 7.70 7.70 82.10

Hispanic 104 9.60 10.60 7.70 72.10

White 369 3.00 6.00 6.00 85.10

Hawaiian 3 0.00 33.30 0.00 66.70

Multi 36 8.30 8.30 11.10 72.20

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 25 12.00 12.00 8.00 68.00

7

All Students 557 4.10 8.30 7.50 80.10

Gender Male 366 4.10 8.50 8.50 79.00

Female 191 4.20 7.90 5.80 82.20

Ethnicity

Native American 11 9.10 36.40 9.10 45.50

Asian 29 3.40 6.90 10.30 79.30

Black 46 8.70 6.50 4.30 80.40

Hispanic 91 7.70 8.80 6.60 76.90

White 350 2.60 7.70 8.00 81.70

Hawaiian 4 0.00 25.00 0.00 75.00

Multi 20 0.00 0.00 5.00 95.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 4.20 4.20 12.50 79.20

8

All Students 468 3.40 7.70 6.60 82.30

Gender Male 291 3.40 6.90 6.90 82.80

Female 177 3.40 9.00 6.20 81.40

Ethnicity

Native American 7 0.00 14.30 0.00 85.70

Asian 36 0.00 2.80 8.30 88.90

Black 28 3.60 0.00 0.00 96.40

Hispanic 94 4.30 12.80 12.80 70.20

White 274 4.00 7.30 4.70 83.90

Hawaiian 2 0.00 50.00 0.00 50.00

Multi 24 0.00 4.20 12.50 83.30

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 10 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

continued



10

All Students 538 4.60 4.60 12.80 77.90

Gender Male 343 5.50 6.10 12.50 75.80

Female 195 3.10 2.10 13.30 81.50

Ethnicity

Native American 13 0.00 7.70 23.10 69.20

Asian 40 2.50 5.00 12.50 80.00

Black 31 6.50 3.20 9.70 80.60

Hispanic 78 5.10 3.80 11.50 79.50

White 343 5.00 4.70 12.50 77.80

Hawaiian 6 0.00 16.70 16.70 66.70

Multi 24 4.20 4.20 20.80 70.80

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 9.10 0.00 18.20 72.70

11

All Students 164 8.50 4.30 20.70 66.50

Gender Male 110 9.10 4.50 20.90 65.50

Female 54 7.40 3.70 20.40 68.50

Ethnicity

Native American 6 33.30 0.00 33.30 33.30

Asian 13 38.50 0.00 7.70 53.80

Black 10 0.00 0.00 30.00 70.00

Hispanic 35 5.70 5.70 25.70 62.90

White 91 5.50 4.40 18.70 71.40

Hawaiian 3 0.00 0.00 33.30 66.70

Multi 6 0.00 16.70 16.70 66.70

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 6 16.70 0.00 33.30 50.00

12

All Students 162 4.90 3.70 16.70 74.70

Gender Male 103 7.80 3.90 16.50 71.80

Female 59 0.00 3.40 16.90 79.70

Ethnicity

Native American 4 25.00 25.00 50.00 0.00

Asian 10 0.00 0.00 20.00 80.00

Black 6 16.70 0.00 16.70 66.70

Hispanic 35 8.60 0.00 20.00 71.40

White 97 3.10 5.20 13.40 78.40

Hawaiian 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 7 0.00 0.00 28.60 71.40

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Table 7-7. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Subgroup Score Distribution Across Performance Levels—Science


5

All Students 674 7.40 15.00 5.80 71.80

Gender Male 447 7.20 15.00 6.30 71.60

Female 227 7.90 15.00 4.80 72.20

Ethnicity

Native American 18 16.70 5.60 5.60 72.20

Asian 41 0.00 12.20 9.80 78.00

Black 31 6.50 19.40 3.20 71.00

Hispanic 111 9.90 18.90 2.70 68.50

continued



5 Ethnicity

White 420 7.10 14.80 6.90 71.20

Hawaiian 6 0.00 16.70 0.00 83.30

Multi 39 5.10 10.30 2.60 82.10

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 22 9.10 18.20 4.50 68.20

8

All Students 459 4.10 15.90 6.50 73.40

Gender Male 283 5.70 14.80 5.70 73.90

Female 176 1.70 17.60 8.00 72.70

Ethnicity

Native American 7 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Asian 35 0.00 14.30 0.00 85.70

Black 28 0.00 7.10 10.70 82.10

Hispanic 89 3.40 15.70 12.40 68.50

White 272 5.50 15.80 5.90 72.80

Hawaiian 2 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 23 4.30 39.10 0.00 56.50

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 10 0.00 20.00 0.00 80.00

10

All Students 517 5.00 11.40 9.50 74.10

Gender Male 330 4.80 13.30 10.00 71.80

Female 187 5.30 8.00 8.60 78.10

Ethnicity

Native American 13 0.00 15.40 7.70 76.90

Asian 38 2.60 7.90 10.50 78.90

Black 30 3.30 6.70 10.00 80.00

Hispanic 76 7.90 13.20 5.30 73.70

White 329 5.50 12.20 10.00 72.30

Hawaiian 4 0.00 0.00 25.00 75.00

Multi 24 0.00 8.30 12.50 79.20

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 9.10 0.00 18.20 72.70

11

All Students 6 16.70 50.00 0.00 33.30

Gender Male 4 25.00 75.00 0.00 0.00

Female 2 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Ethnicity

Native American 1 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Asian 0

Black 0

Hispanic 2 0.00 100.00 0.00 0.00

White 2 0.00 50.00 0.00 50.00

Hawaiian 0

Multi 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 0

12

All Students 5 20.00 0.00 0.00 80.00

Gender Male 3 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Female 2 50.00 0.00 0.00 50.00

Ethnicity

Native American 1 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Asian 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Black 0

Hispanic 2 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

White 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

continued



12 Ethnicity

Hawaiian 0

Multi 0

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 0

Table 7-8. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Subgroup Score Distribution across Performance Levels— Writing


4

All Students 691 6.90 5.20 16.10 71.80

Gender Male 441 6.80 5.00 15.90 72.30

Female 250 7.20 5.60 16.40 70.80

Ethnicity

Native American 25 4.00 8.00 24.00 64.00

Asian 41 9.80 4.90 9.80 75.60

Black 48 4.20 8.30 22.90 64.60

Hispanic 132 7.60 5.30 12.90 74.20

White 397 6.80 5.00 16.90 71.30

Hawaiian 3 33.30 0.00 0.00 66.70

Multi 40 5.00 2.50 15.00 77.50

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 43 4.70 7.00 11.60 76.70

7

All Students 551 7.10 13.10 8.70 71.10

Gender Male 361 6.90 14.10 8.60 70.40

Female 190 7.40 11.10 8.90 72.60

Ethnicity

Native American 10 0.00 20.00 10.00 70.00

Asian 29 6.90 6.90 6.90 79.30

Black 47 4.30 17.00 6.40 72.30

Hispanic 90 11.10 13.30 6.70 68.90

White 345 7.00 12.50 9.30 71.30

Hawaiian 4 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 20 0.00 15.00 15.00 70.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 4.20 16.70 4.20 75.00

10

All Students 534 5.40 4.90 17.20 72.50

Gender Male 340 6.50 5.60 17.60 70.30

Female 194 3.60 3.60 16.50 76.30

Ethnicity

Native American 13 0.00 15.40 7.70 76.90

Asian 40 7.50 7.50 20.00 65.00

Black 31 3.20 0.00 12.90 83.90

Hispanic 77 5.20 6.50 13.00 75.30

White 341 5.90 4.10 17.90 72.10

Hawaiian 5 0.00 0.00 20.00 80.00

Multi 24 4.20 8.30 20.80 66.70

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 0.00 0.00 9.10 90.90

11

All Students 201 6.00 5.50 21.40 67.20

Gender Male 135 5.20 6.70 23.70 64.40

Female 66 7.60 3.00 16.70 72.70

continued



11 Ethnicity

Native American 9 33.30 0.00 33.30 33.30

Asian 19 5.30 5.30 15.80 73.70

Black 12 8.30 0.00 33.30 58.30

Hispanic 40 0.00 5.00 37.50 57.50

White 109 6.40 6.40 13.80 73.40

Hawaiian 2 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 9 0.00 11.10 33.30 55.60

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 8 0.00 0.00 50.00 50.00

12

All Students 189 8.50 5.30 18.50 67.70

Gender Male 112 8.00 6.30 23.20 62.50

Female 77 9.10 3.90 11.70 75.30

Ethnicity

Native American 9 11.10 11.10 22.20 55.60

Asian 12 0.00 0.00 16.70 83.30

Black 13 7.70 7.70 30.80 53.80

Hispanic 31 6.50 3.20 16.10 74.20

White 113 10.60 6.20 17.70 65.50

Hawaiian 2 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

Multi 7 0.00 0.00 14.30 85.70

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 1 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00

7.4. DECISION RULES

To ensure that reported results for the 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio are accurate relative to collected

data and other pertinent information, a document that delineates analysis and reporting rules was created.

These decision rules were observed in the analyses of test data and in reporting the test results. Moreover,

these rules are the main reference for quality assurance checks.

The decision rules document used for reporting results of the 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio

administration is found in Appendix K.

The first set of rules, linked to Portfolio Skill Scoring Dimensions, describes how the scores

attributable to a student (three individual scores are possible based on program procedures) were used to

achieve a final score for each portfolio skill dimension and how those scores were used to assign a

performance level to each student.

The second set of rules describes the pertinent information for each of the WAAS-Portfolio reports.

This document covers information such as which students were reported, formatting rules for raw scores and

performance levels, and the supportive text to describe the student results.


7.5. DATA INTEGRITY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality assurance measures are embedded throughout the entire process of analysis and reporting.

The data processor, data analyst, and psychometrician assigned to work on the WAAS-Portfolio implement

quality control checks of their respective computer programs and intermediate products. Moreover, when data

are handed off to different functions within the Research and Analysis Division of Measured Progress, the

staff sending information verifies that the data are accurate before handoff. When staff receives a data set, the

first step is to verify the data for accuracy.

Another type of quality assurance measure is parallel processing. Using the decision rules document,

two data analysts independently write computer programs that generate all of the data necessary for reporting.

The data generated by each analyst are compared across all students. Only when 100% agreement is achieved

can the rest of the data analysis be completed.

The third aspect of quality control involves the procedures implemented by the quality assurance

group to check the accuracy of reported data. Using a sample of schools and districts, the quality assurance

group verifies that reported information is correct. The step is conducted in two parts: (1) verify that the

computed information was obtained correctly through appropriate application of different decision rules; and

(2) verify that the correct data points populate each cell in the WAAS-Portfolio reports. The selection of

sample schools and districts for this purpose is very specific and can affect the success of the quality control

efforts. The sample covers at least one example of each unique reporting rule outlined in the decision rules.

The quality assurance group uses a checklist to implement its procedures. After the checklist is completed,

sample reports are circulated for psychometric checks and program management review. The appropriate

sample reports are then presented to the client for review and signoff.

7.6. SCORE REPORTING

Measured Progress created two primary reports for the 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio:

Individual Student Report

School Roster of Student Performance

All reports were printed and distributed to the schools and districts. Schools received two copies of

the Individual Student Report—one to be sent home to the parent and one to keep with the student records.

Schools received one copy of the School Roster of Student Performance, and districts received one copy for

each of their schools. These reports are described in the following sections. Sample Reports can be found in

Appendix J.


7.6.1. Individual Student Report

Two copies of each Individual Student Report were sent to the student’s school in August 2011. The

reports included the content areas assessed, overall performance levels, a designation of whether the student’s

score met the WAAS-Portfolio standards, and text for each of the submitted skills describing the student’s

scores in both the performance and context score domains. One copy was distributed to the

parent(s)/guardian(s); the other copy was provided to schools for placement in the student’s file. The front

cover of the student report contained a letter from the Washington State superintendent of public instruction

explaining the purpose and administration of the WAAS-Portfolio.

7.6.2. School Roster of Student Performance

School Roster of Student Performance reports were created for each of the tested grades: three

through eight and high school. Two copies of the report were printed for each school, with one copy provided

to the district and one to the school. School Roster of Student Performance reports displayed detailed

information on the portfolio skills submitted for each student, including the skill alignment to the GLE, the

alignment between the evidence and the skill, scores for the two dimensions (performance and context), a

total entry score, the overall performance level for each content area assessed, and whether each student met

Washington standards.

References 49 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

REFERENCES

American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on

Measurement in Education. (1999). Standards for educational and psychological testing.

Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.

Browder, D., Flowers, M., Wakeman, C., & Shawnee, Y. (2008). Facilitating participation in assessments and

the general curriculum: Level of symbolic communication classification for students with significant

cognitive disabilities. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 15, 137–151.

Cizek, G. J., & Bunch, M. B. (2006). Standard setting: Establishing and evaluating performance standards

on tests. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Cohen, J. (1960). A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and Psychological

Measurement, 20, 37–46.

Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16, 297–334.

Johnson, E., & Arnold, N. (2004). Validating an alternate assessment. Remedial and Special Education, 25, 4;

266–275.

Livingston, S. A., & Lewis, C. (1995). Estimating the consistency and accuracy of classifications based on

test scores. Journal of Educational Measurement, 32, 179–197.

Messick, S. A. (1989). Validity. In R. L. Linn (Ed.) Educational measurement (3rd ed., pp. 13–103). New

York: American Council on Education.

United States Department of Education. (2005). Alternate achievement standards for students with the most

significant cognitive disabilities: Non-regulatory guidance. Washington, DC: Author.





Appendices 50 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

APPENDICES

Appendix A—WAAS-Portfolio Development Task Force 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

and Advisory Committee Members

Appendix A—WAAS-PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT

TASK FORCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS



Table A-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Alternate Assessment Task Force—1997 to August 2000

School/District

Virginia Alonzo Clover Park

Nancy Arnold OSPI

Judy Bean Colville

Sheila Bell Central Valley

Michael Cashion Colville

Kathy Christiansen ESD 101

Marcia Davidson Western Washington University

Tom Delaney

Cindy Egan Selah

Linda Elman Central Kitsap

Ron Franklin Green Hill Academic School

Faye Fuchs ESD 105

Forest Hertlein Mukilteo

Kay Jakutis Shoreline

Mark Jewell Federal Way

Debra Knesal ESD 114

Randy Lake Teacher

Hans Landig Wapato

Jeannene London North Thurston

Duncan MacQuarrie Tacoma Public Schools

Peggy Mayer-Chelgren Lake Stevens Middle School

Hans Michielsen East Valley

Darcy Miller Washington State University

Minnie Obregon Wenatchee High School

Sandra Owen Pullman

Abbie Pack Richard Gordon Elementary

Lois Parks Elma

Shirley Ramsey Tenino-Rainier SD

Joan Seeberger ESD 113

Ron Sherman ESD 105

Barbara Tompkins SEAC

Jennifer Traufler Wenatchee

Gordon Wallace Kiona-Benton t

Ric Williams Everett

Table A-2. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Alternate Assessment Curriculum Work Group—February 2000

Work Group Members Position

Lynnda Biek VI teacher

Nancy Arnold OSPI Special Education

Laura Bolt Reading Teacher

Teri Nickerson Special Ed Teacher

Tammy Droppo Math Teacher

Ginger Alonzo District Special Ed Admin

Lesley Thompson OSPI Reading Specialis

Jeannene London Special Ed Teacher

continued



Work Group Members Position

Joan Seeberger ESD Special Ed Admin

Fonda Abbey Special Ed Teacher

Holly Seifert District SLP

Elaine Talbot Special Education State Needs Project Coordinator

Facilitators (ILSSA): Advanced Systems

Jacqui Farmer Kearns Julie Armentrout

Steve Stafford Chris Beeso

Paula Burdette

Table A-3. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Alternate Assessment Advisory Panel—2000 to 2007

Name, Position and Affiliation

Dr. Mark Jewell Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Director; Federal Way School District

Dr. Gale Hanninen Director of Special Services Sumner School District

Carla Jackson, Executive Director Kent School District

Dan Kelly, Director Special Services West Valley School District

Debra Knesal, Special Education Director ESD 114, Bremerton

Linda Sullivan-Dudsic, SLP Bremerton School District

Jeannene London, Teacher Mark Twain Elem., Pasco School District

Fonda Abbey, Teacher Evergreen Elem., Clover Park SD

Gail Hasbrouck, School Psychologist Special Education Services Yakima School District

Mary O’Leary Christensen Special Ed Coordinator Tacoma School District

Carol Johnson Richland School District

Betsy Minor Reid, Special Serv Coor North Central ESD 171, Manson SD

Dr. Gary Livingston, Superintendent Educational Service District 113 Director/ Special Ed; Olympia

Lucille Nollette, Asst. Bellingham School District

Ms. Nancy Skerritt, Assistant Superintendent Tahoma School District

Rachel Quenemoen, NCEO National Technical Advisor to States

Mike Jacobsen, Student Support Coordinator Fife School District

Keith Mars, Director of Special Serv White River School District

Bev Sweet FEPP and Parent

Ron Cammaert Riverside Publishing

OSPI Staff:

Terry Bergeson Greg Hall Bob Harmon Kathy Bartlett

Mary Alice Heuschel Nancy Arnold Doug Gill

Appendix B—GLE Extensions and Documents 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix B—GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

EXTENSIONS AND DOCUMENTS

Washington Alternate Assessment System

Randy I Dorn

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Mathematics

WAAS‐Portfolio Extensions

Fall 2010 August 19, 2010

i | P a g e

Table of Contents Grades 3‐4 pg. 1 Numbers, Operations and Algebra pg. 2

3.1 Addition, subtraction, and place value 4.1 Multi‐digit multiplication

Performance Expectations: • 3.1.B: Round whole numbers through 10,000 to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand. • 4.1.E: Compare the values represented by digits in whole numbers using place value.

Numbers, Operations pg. 4

3.1 Addition, subtraction, and place value 4.5 Reasoning, problem solving and communication

Performance Expectations: • 3.1.C: Fluently and accurately add and subtract whole numbers using the standard

regrouping algorithms.

• 4.5.E: Select and use one or more appropriate strategies to solve a problem and explain why that strategy was chosen.

Numbers, operations and algebra pg. 6

3.2 Concepts of multiplication and division 4.1 Multi‐digit multiplication

Performance Expectations: • 3.2.A: Represent multiplication as repeated addition, arrays, counting by multiples, and

equal jumps on the number line, and connect each representation to the related question. • 4.1.F: Fluently and accurately multiply up to a three‐digit number by one‐and two‐digit

numbers using the standard multiplication algorithm.

Numbers and Algebra pg. 8

3.3 Fraction concepts 4.2 Fractions, decimals and mixed numbers

Performance Expectations: • 3.3.A: Represent fractions that have denominators of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12 as parts of

a whole, parts of a set, and points on the number line. • 3.3.B: Compare and order fraction that have denominators of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12. • 4.2.B: Read, write, and compare, and order decimals through hundredths.

ii | P a g e

Geometry/Measurement, Algebra pg. 10

3.4 Geometry 4.3 Concepts of Area

Performance Expectations: • 3.4.A: Identify and sketch parallel, intersecting, and perpendicular lines and line segments. • 3.4.D: Measure and calculate perimeters of quadrilaterals. • 4.3.D: Determine the areas of figures that can be broken down into rectangles.

Geometry/Measurement, Algebra, Data/Statistics/Probability pg. 13

3.5 Algebra, geometry/measurement, data/statistics/probability 4.4 Geometry/measurement, algebra, data/statistics/probability

Performance Expectations: • 3.5.B: Measure temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius using a

thermometer.

• 4.4.C: Estimate and determine elapsed time using a calendar, a digital clock, and an analog clock.

Grades 5 ‐6 pg. 15 Operations, Algebra pg. 16

5.1 Multi‐digit division 6.6 Reasoning, problem solving and communication

Performance Expectations: • 5.1.C: Fluently and accurately divide up to a four digit number by one‐ or two‐digit divisors

using the standard long‐division algorithm.

• 6.6.D: Represent a problem situation, describe the process used to solve the problem, and verify the reasonableness of the solution.

Numbers, Operations, Algebra pg. 18

5.2 Addition and subtraction of fractions and decimals 6.1 Multiplication and division of fractions and decimals

Performance Expectations: • 5.2.A: Represent addition and subtraction of fractions and mixed numbers using visual and

numerical models, and connect the representation to the related equation.

• 5.2.B: Represent addition and subtraction of decimals using place value models and connect the representation to the related equation.

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• 6.1.B: Represent multiplication and division of non‐negative fractions and decimals using area models and the number line, and connect each representation to the related equation.


5.2 Addition and subtraction of fractions and decimals. 6.1 Multiplication and division of fractions and decimals

Performance Expectations: • 5.2.E: Fluently and accurately add and subtract fractions, including mixed numbers. • 5.2.F: Fluently and accurately add and subtract decimals. • 6.1.D: Fluently and accurately multiply and divide non‐negative fractions and explain the

inverse relationship between multiplication and division with fractions. • 6.1.F: Fluently and accurately multiply and divide non‐negative decimals.

pg. 10

Geometry/Measurement, Algebra, Two and Three‐Dimensional Figures pg. 22 5.3 Triangles and quadrilaterals 6.4 Two and three dimensional figures

Performance Expectations: • 5.3.A: Classify quadrilaterals • 5.3.B: Identify, sketch, and measure acute, right and obtuse angles • 6.4.G: Describe and sort polyhedral by their attributes: parallel faces, types of faces, number of

faces, edges, and vertices.

Operations, Geometry/Measurement, Algebra pg. 25

5.4 Representations of algebraic relationships 6.2 Mathematical expressions and equations

Performance Expectations: • 5.4.A: Describe and create a rule for numerical and geometric patterns and extend the patterns. • 6.2.A: Write a Mathematical expression or equation with variables to represent information in a

table or given situation.

Grades 7‐8 pg. 27 Numbers, Operations, Algebra pg. 28

7.1 Rational numbers and linear equations 8.4 Additional key content

Performance Expectations: • 7.1.A: Compare and order rational numbers using then number line, lists, and

the symbols <,> or =.

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• 8.4.D: Identify rational and irrational numbers


7.1 Rational numbers and linear equations 8.5 Reasoning, problem solving and communication

Performance Expectations: • 7.1.C: Fluently and accurately add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers. • 8.5.A: Analyze a problem situation to determine the question(s) to be answered.

Algebra, Data/Statistics/Probability pg. 32

7.4 Probability and data 8.3 Summary and analysis of data sets

Performance Expectations: • 7.4.B: Determine the theoretical probability of a particular event and use theoretical probability

to predict experimental outcomes. • 8.3.F: Determine probabilities for mutually exclusive, dependent, and independent events for

small sample spaces.

Numbers, Geometry/Measurement pg. 34

7.6 Reasoning, problem solving and communication 8.2 Properties of geometric figures

Performance Expectations:

• 7.6.D: Represent a problem situation, describe the process used to solve the problem, and verify the reasonableness of the solution.

• 8.2.A: Identify pairs of angles as complementary, supplementary, adjacent, or vertical, and use these relationships to determine missing angle measurements.

• 8.2.B: Determine missing angle measures using the relationship among the angles formed by parallel lines and transversals.

High School Algebra pg. 36

A1.1 Solving Problems pg. 37

Performance Expectation:

• A1.1.A: Select and justify functions and equations to model and solve problems.

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A1.2 Numbers, Expressions, and Operations pg.39

Performance Expectations:

• A1.2.E: Use algebraic properties to factor and combine like terms in polynomials.

• A1.2.F: Add, subtract, multiply, and divide polynomials.

A1.4 Linear Functions, Equations, and Inequalities pg.40


• A1.4.A: Write and solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable.

A1.4 Linear Functions, Equations, and Inequalities pg.41


• A1.4.C: Identify and interpret the slope and intercepts of a linear function, including equations for parallel and perpendicular lines.

A1.6 Data and Distributions pg.43


• A1.6.A: Use and evaluate the accuracy of summary statistics to describe and compare data sets.

Acknowledgements pg. 46

Grade 3‐4 Mathematics Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

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Mathematics Extensions:

Grades 3‐4


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Numbers, Operations and Algebra 3.1 Addition, subtraction and place value

4.1. Multi‐digit multiplication

3.1.B: Round whole numbers through 10,000 to the nearest ten, hundred and thousand.

4.1.E: Compare the values represented by digits in whole numbers using place value.

Extensions for Mathematics 3.1.B/4.1.E Key Terms for Mathematics 3.1.B/4.1.E

Essential Question: How are whole numbers rounded? How is place value determined?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Round numbers to the nearest 10 and/or 100.

3‐4.b) Write the place values of the same digits in 2 or more numbers.

3‐4.c) Write the place values of numbers in expanded notation.

3‐4.d) Choose digits in the ones and/or tens places.

3‐4.e) Identify digits in the ones and/or tens places.

3‐4.f) Order numbers in increments of 1 to 20.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more problems/items must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: An example for (3‐4.b) might be: what is the place value of the number 2 in the number 234 and in the number 23?

#3: For (3‐4.d) and (3‐4 e), the whole number from which the student chooses or identifies the ones and/or tens place must be included as well as the student answer on each piece of student evidence.

Continued on next page….

Digit: Any one of the ten symbols: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9.

Expanded Notation: A number written in component parts showing the cumulative place values of each digit in the number.

• For example: 546 = 500 + 40 + 6.

Increments: A constant amount by which number increases. (e.g., 1, 2, 5…. or 5, 10, 15, 20….)

Place Value: The value of a digit as determined by its place in a number.

For example: In the number 135, the 3 means 3 tens or 30. In the number 356, the 3 means 3 hundreds or 300.

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose an answer.

Round: Change a number to the nearest convenient value.

Choose: To select the answer from a minimum of three choices with two believable and one distracter.

Identify: To select the answer from a minimum of two choices with one believable and one distracter.

Order: To list numbers from least to greatest or greatest to least.

IMPORTANT CAUTION: All student evidence including teacher materials incorporated in the portfolio must be appropriate for all audiences.


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#4: Mathematics evidence may include worksheets; however each worksheet must include different information in the student performance of the skill. For example, number lines may be used on all three worksheets; however the number lines must have different combinations of numbers on each worksheet to demonstrate the generalization of the skill(s) in varied contexts.


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Numbers and Operations 3.1 Addition, subtraction, and place value

4.5 Reasoning, problem solving and communication

3.1.C: Fluently and accurately add and subtract whole numbers using the standard regrouping algorithms.

4.5.E: Select and use one or more appropriate strategies to solve a problem and explain why that strategy was chosen.

Extensions for Mathematics 3.1.C/4.5.E Key Terms for Mathematics 3.1.C/4.5.E

Essential Question: How are whole numbers added and subtracted?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Subtract whole numbers by using regrouping.

3‐4.b) Add whole numbers by using regrouping.

3‐4.c) Solve whole number word problems by using addition and subtraction.

3‐4.d) Subtract whole numbers.

3‐4.e) Add whole numbers.

3‐4.f) Match whole numbers to their pictorial representations.

EVDIENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (3‐4.a) and (3‐4.b), student evidence must demonstrate regrouping strategies and the student answers on each piece of evidence.


Regrouping: To use place value to think of a number in a different way to make addition and subtraction easier.

Whole Numbers: A number from the set of numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, 4...}.

Word problems: The student 1) extracts information from a context of words, numbers and/or pictures 2) determines a Mathematical procedure(s) 3) obtains an answer.

Add: An operation joining two or more sets where the result is the whole.

Subtract: An operation that is a removal of objects from an initial set; or finds the difference between two amounts when comparing two quantities; or to take one quantity away from another.

Solve: To follow a Mathematical procedure to obtain an answer or find a solution to a problem.

Match: To show a connection between two corresponding parts (e.g., by drawing a line, cut and pasting, etc.)



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#3: For (3‐4.C), addition and subtraction word problems must be included on each piece of student evidence and must include the required and labeled three (3) step process.

#4: For (3‐4.f), whole numbers and their pictorial representations must be included on each piece of student evidence.



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Numbers, Operations and Algebra 3.2 Concepts of multiplication and division

4.1 Multi‐digit multiplication

3.2.A: Represent multiplication as repeated addition, arrays, counting by multiples, and equal jumps on the number line, and connect each representation to the related question.

4.1.F: Fluently and accurately multiply up to a three‐digit number by one‐and two‐digit numbers using the standard multiplication algorithm.

Extensions for Mathematics 3.2.A/4.1.F Key Terms for Mathematics 3.2.A/4.1.F

Essential Question: How is the process of multiplication demonstrated using numbers, pictures and/or symbols?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Illustrate multiplication equations by using number lines.

3‐4.b) Match multiplication equations to their corresponding repeated addition equations.

3‐4.c) Solve multiplication equations by using models.

3‐4.d) Identify sets that are increasing at a constant rate.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (3‐4.a), equations and the number lines must be included for each problem.

#3: For (3‐4.b), multiplication equations and the addition equations must be included for each problem.

#4: For (3‐4.c), equations and the models must be included for each problem.

Equal: The same number.

Equation: Mathematical sentence built from expressions by using one or more equal signs. For example:

• 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 • 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 • 4 + x = 12

Model: Pictures, lists, guess‐and‐check, tally marks and skip counting.

Multiplication: An operation on two numbers that tells how many in all. The first number is the number of sets and the second number tells how many in each set. Problem formats can be expressed as repeated addition, fair shares, or an array approach.

Number line: A line that shows numbers ordered by magnitude; an arrowhead at each end indicates that the line continues endlessly in both directions; equal intervals are marked and labeled.

Repeated Addition: Showing multiplication by adding many groups of the same size.

• For example: 3 x 5 or 3+3+3+3+3

Set: A group of items within a designated area like a circle, square, etc.

Illustrate: Draw with pictures or other artwork intended for explanation.

Continued on the next page….


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Match: To show a connection between 2 corresponding parts. (e.g., by drawing a line, cut and pasting, etc.)





Numbers and Algebra 3.3 Fraction concepts

4.2 Fractions, decimals and mixed numbers

3.3.A: Represent fractions that have denominators of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12 as parts of a whole, parts of a set, and points on the number line.

3.3.B: Compare and order fraction that have denominators of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12.

4.2.B: Read, write, and compare, and order decimals through hundredths.

Extensions for Mathematics

3.3.A and B/4.2.B

Key Terms for Mathematics

3.3.A and B/4.2.B

Essential Question: How are parts of whole numbers represented?

Student will:

3‐4.a) Compare pairs of decimals by using greater than, less than, and/or equal to.

3‐4.b) Compare pairs of fractions by using greater than, less than, and/or equal to.

3‐4.c) Locate fractions on a number line.

3‐4.d) Illustrate fractions by using pictures.

3‐4.e) Identify a fraction when given a whole.

3‐4.f) Indicate if an object is part of a whole.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: All fractions must be written as numbers with numerators and denominators even when shown as objects.

#3 This standard does not require students to use the greater than, less than, or equal to symbols.

Decimal: A number containing a decimal point and written using the base‐ten system.

Fraction: A number that can be represented as a ratio or part of two real numbers.

• For example:


Compare: To examine in order to note similarities and differences.

Locate: To place or to establish in a position.




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Indicate: To answer “yes” or “no” to a question about an object’s representation of specific content. The student responds by using gestures (eye gaze, head switch, hand movement, etc.) to indicate the correct “yes” or “no” response. The student work must reflect 1) the aligned content activity and 2) the student responses of “yes” or “no.”



Geometry/Measurement, Algebra 3.4 Geometry

4.3 Concepts of area

3.4.A: Identify and sketch parallel, intersecting, and perpendicular lines and line segments.

3.4.D: Measure and calculate perimeters of quadrilaterals.

4.3.D: Determine the areas of figures that can be broken down into rectangles.


3.4.A and D/4.3.D


3.4.A and D/4.3.D

Essential Question: How are the area and perimeter of quadrilaterals computed?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Compute the areas of rectangles when all side lengths are given.

3‐4.b) Compute the perimeters of rectangles when all side lengths are given.

3‐4.c) Choose sets of parallel lines.

3‐4.d) Choose perpendicular lines.

3‐4.e) Indicate if an object is a rectangle.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: Computations must be included for (3‐4.a) and (3‐4.b) and (3‐4.c) on each piece of student evidence.

#3: All geometric figures must be included on each piece of student evidence.


Area: The area of a flat or plane figure is the number of unit squares that can be contained within it. The unit square is usually some standard unit, like a square meter, a square foot, or a square inch.

Parallel: Lines that lie in the same plane and never intersect. For example:

Perimeter: The distance around the outside of a shape or figure.

Perpendicular: Lines that lie on the same plane that intersect to form right angles. For example:

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Quadrilateral: A four‐sided polygon, including squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombi, trapezoids and kites. Types:

Rectangle: A quadrilateral with four right angles. A square is a rectangle.

For example:

Square: A rectangle with congruent sides. For example:

Continued on the next page…

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Compute: To determine by Mathematical methods; to calculate.

Choose: To select the answer from a minimum of three choices with two believable and one distracter




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Geometry/Measurement, Algebra, Data/Statistics/Probability 3.5 Algebra, geometry/measurement, data/statistics/probability 4.4 Geometry/measurement, algebra, data/statistics/probability

3.5.B: Measure temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius using a thermometer.

4.4.C: Estimate and determine elapsed time using a calendar, a digital clock, and an analog clock.

Extensions for Mathematics 3.5.B/4.4.C Key Terms for Mathematics 3.5.B/4.4.C

Essential Question: How are temperature and time measured?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Write the number of days between two given dates on a calendar.

3‐4.b) Write the temperature shown on a thermometer.

3‐4.c) Write the amount of time between two given times on a clock.

3‐4.d) Choose the time rounded to the nearest ½ hour.

3‐4.e) Identify the time on a clock.

3‐4.f) Indicate if an object is a clock.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: Calendars and/or clocks (digital or analog), must be included on each piece of evidence.

#3: Temperatures must be represented in degrees Fahrenheit and/or degrees Celsius.


Calendar: A system of time keeping that defines the beginning, length and divisions of the year.

Thermometer: An instrument for measuring temperature.







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Grades 5‐6 Mathematics Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

Mathematics Extensions: Grades 5‐6

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Operations, Algebra 5.1 Multi‐digit division


5.1.C: Fluently and accurately divide up to a four digit number by one‐or two‐digit divisors using the standard long‐division algorithm.

6.6.D: Represent a problem situation, describe the process used to solve the problem, and verify the reasonableness of the solution.

Extensions for Mathematics 5.1.C/6.6.D Key Terms for Mathematics 5.1.C/6.6.D

Essential Question: How are numbers divided?

Student will: 5‐6.a) Solve word problems by using division.

5‐6.b) Divide multi‐digit whole numbers.

5‐6.c) Write multiplication and division fact families.

5‐6.d) Match division equations to their repeated subtraction equations.

5‐6.e) Identify pictorial representations of division equations.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (5‐6.a), word problems must be included on each piece of student evidence and must include the required and labeled three (3) step process.

#3: For (5‐6.c), fact families and all multiplication and division operations must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#4: For (5‐6.e), pictures and the division equations must be included on each piece of student evidence.

Division: An operation on two numbers to determine the number of sets or the size of the sets. Problems where the number of sets is unknown may be called measurement or repeated subtraction problems. Problems where the size of sets is unknown may be called fair sharing or partition problems.


• 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 • 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 • 4 + x = 12

Fact Families: Fact families are three (3) numbers that are related. For example:

a. 3 X 6 = 18. b. 6 X 3 = 18.

‐Changing the order of the factors does not change the product. ‐The inverse or opposite of multiplication is division:

c. 18 ÷ 3 = 6 d. 18 ÷ 6 = 3.

‐The four number sentences above each use the same three numbers: 3, 6, and 18. ‐Related number sentences that use the same numbers are called a fact family.

Model: Pictures, lists, guess‐and‐check, tally marks and skip counting. Continued on next page….


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Repeated Subtraction: Showing division by subtracting many groups of the same size.

Whole Numbers: A number from the set of numbers {0, 1, 2, 3, 4...}.







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Numbers, Operations, Algebra 5.2 Addition and subtraction of fractions and decimals

6.1 Multiplication and division of fractions and decimals

5.2.A: Represent addition and subtraction of fractions and mixed numbers using visual and numerical models, and connect the representation to the related equation.

5.2.B: Represent addition and subtraction of decimals using place value models and connect the representation to the related equation.

6.1.B: Represent multiplication and division of non‐negative fractions and decimals using area models and the number line, and connect each representation to the related equation.


5.2.A and B/6.1.B


5.2.A and B/6.1.B

Essential Question: How are models used to represent addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with fractions and decimals?

Student will: 5‐6.a) Illustrate multiplication and/or division of decimals by using number lines and/or area models.

5‐6.b) Solve fraction addition and/or subtraction equations by using models.

5‐6.c) Choose the numeric representations of fractions represented in models.

5‐6.e) Identify the numeric representations of decimals represented in models.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: Equations, numeric representations, and all models must be included on each piece of evidence.


Area Model: A model used for multiplication or division problems.

Decimal: A number containing a decimal point and written using the base‐ten system.

Denominator: The number below the fraction bar which indicates the number of equivalent pieces or sets into which something is divided.


Equation: A Mathematical sentence built from expressions by using one or more equal signs. For example:

• 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 • 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 • 4 + x = 12



#4: Money cannot be included as evidence for this standard. See 5.2.E and F/6.1.D and F for Mathematical operations using money.


Fraction: A number that can be represented as a ratio of two real numbers. For example:

Model: Pictures, lists, guess‐and‐check, tally marks and skip counting.



Numerator: The number above the line in a fraction; indicates the number of parts being considered.






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Numbers, Operations, Algebra 5.2 Addition and subtraction of fractions and decimals. 6.1 Multiplication and division of fractions and decimals

5.2.E: Fluently and accurately add and subtract fractions, including mixed numbers.

5.2.F: Fluently and accurately add and subtract decimals.

6.1.D: Fluently and accurately multiply and divide non‐negative fractions and explain the inverse relationship between multiplication and division with fractions.

6.1.F: Fluently and accurately multiply and divide non‐negative decimals.


5.2.E and F/6.1.D and F


5.2.E and F/6.1.D and F

Essential Question: How are decimal and fraction equations solved?

Student will:

5‐6.a) Solve decimal equations by using multiplication and/or division.

5‐6.b) Solve fraction equations by using multiplication and/or division.

5‐6.c) Solve decimal equations by using addition and/or subtraction.

5‐6.d) Solve fraction equations by using addition and/or subtraction.

5‐6.e) Order decimals on a number line.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (5‐6. a) and (5‐6. c), money can be used for student evidence.


Addition: An operation joining two or more sets where the result is the whole.



• 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 • 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 • 4 + x = 12




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Subtraction: An operation that is a removal of sets from an initial set; or finds the difference between two amounts when comparing two quantities; or to take one quantity away from another.





Geometry/Measurement, Algebra, Two and Three‐Dimensional Figures 5.3 Triangles and quadrilaterals

6.4 Two and three dimensional figures

5.3.A: Classify quadrilaterals.

5.3.B: Identify, sketch, and measure acute, right and obtuse angles.

6.4.G: Describe and sort polyhedral by their attributes: parallel faces, types of faces, number of faces, edges, and vertices.


5.3.A and B/6.4.G


5.3.A and B/6.4.G

Essential Question: How are geometric figures described?

Student will:

5‐6.a) Describe polyhedra based on their geometric attributes.

5‐6.b) Sort polyhedra by their geometric attributes.

5‐6.c) Sort quadrilaterals by types.

5‐6.d) Draw acute, right and/or obtuse angles.

5‐6.e) Label angles as right, obtuse and/or acute.

5‐6.f) Identify figures with lines of symmetry.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (5‐6.a) and (5‐6.b), polyhedra must be included and their attributes must be labeled on each piece of student evidence.

#3: For (5‐6.c), types of quadrilaterals must be labeled.

Acute angle: An angle which measures less than 90 degrees and greater than 0 degrees.

Angle: Two rays that share an endpoint; classified according to the number of degrees of its measure.

For example:

Geometric attributes: A characteristic of a geometric object.

For example: • Parallel faces • Types of faces • Number of faces • Edges • Vertices

Line of symmetry: line on which a figure can be folded into two parts that are congruent mirror of each other. For example:

Continued on next page…

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all

s of

#4: For (5‐6.e), if pictures of objects are used in the student evidence, the angles must be labeled on the object. For example, if a book shelf is used to represent different angles, the angles in the book shelf must be labeled.

#5: Acute, right, and/or obtuse angles can be used individually or in combinations. However, each worksheet must include different information on the student performance of the skills.

#6: Mathematics evidence may include worksheets; however each worksheet must include different information in the student performance of the skill. For example, number lines may be used on three worksheets; however the number lines must have different combinationnumbers on each worksheet to demonstrate the generalization of the skill(s) in varied contexts.

Obtuse angle: An angle with measure greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

Polyhedron (Polyhedra): A solid (3‐D) figure, the faces of which are polygons. For example:

Quadrilateral: A four‐sided polygon, including squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombi, trapezoids and kites. Types:

Describe: To develop detailed pictures, diagrams and/or words written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribed.

Sort: Divide or disperse as into individual unit components or elements.



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Draw: Illustrate with pictures or other artwork intended for explanation.

Label: Designate or tag.




Operations, Geometry/Measurement, Algebra 5.4 Representations of algebraic relationships 6.2 Mathematical expressions and equations

5.4.A: Describe and create a rule for numerical and geometric patterns and extend the patterns.

6.2.A: Write a Mathematical expression or equation with variables to represent information in a table or given situation.

Extensions for Mathematics 5.4.A/ 6.2.A Key Terms for Mathematics 5.4.A/6.2.A

Essential Question: What are Mathematical patterns and how are they used?

Student will:

5‐6.a) Write equations with a single variable from word problems.

5‐6.b) Write the rules for numerical patterns.

5‐6.c) Extend numerical patterns from given rules.

5‐6.d) Choose equations with single variables.

5‐6.e) Extend geometric patterns by using pictures and/or symbols.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (5‐6.b) and (5‐6.c), the rules and the patterns must be included for each problem.

#3: For (5‐6.c) and (5‐6.e), 3 or more problems with 3 or more elements of patterns must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#4: For (5‐6.a), the student is only required to write the equation. The student is not required to solve the equation or to include the three (3) steps for solving word problems.


• 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 • 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 • 4 + x = 12

Geometric pattern: A motif, pattern, or design depicting abstract, nonrepresentational shapes such as lines circles, ellipses, triangles, rectangles and polygons.

Numerical pattern: A repeated sequence of numbers or a sequence of numbers created by following a particular rule.

Rule: A procedure; a prescribed method; a way of describing the relationship between two sets of numbers.

For example: In the following data, the rule is to add 3:

Word Problem: The student 1) extracts information from a context of words, numbers and/or pictures 2) determines a Mathematical procedure(s) 3) obtains an answer.


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Variable: A symbol used to represent a quantity that changes or can have different values. For example, in 5n, the n is a variable.



Extend: To increase in length.



Mathematics Extensions: Grades 7‐8

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Numbers, Operations, Algebra 7.1 Rational numbers and linear equations

8.4 Additional key content

7.1.A: Compare and order rational numbers using the number line, lists, and the symbols <,> or =.

8.4.D: Identify rational and irrational numbers.

Extensions for Mathematics 7.1.A/8.4.D Key Terms for Mathematics 7.1.A/8.4.D

Essential Question: How are rational numbers compared and ordered?

Student will:

7‐8.a) Write fraction from rational numbers.

7‐8.b) Compare pairs of negative decimals by using greater than >, less than <, and/or equal to =.

7‐8.c) Compare pairs of positive decimals by using greater than >, less than <, and/or equal to =.

7‐8.d) Identify repeating numeric patterns.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (7‐8.c) and (7‐8.d), the symbols, greater than >, less than <, and/or equal to = must be included on each problem.

#3: For (7‐8.e), the repeating numeric pattern must include three (3) or more missing


Decimals: A number containing a decimal point and written using the base‐ten system.

Ratio: A comparison of two numbers using a variety of written forms. For example, the ratio of two and five may be written "2 to 5" or 2:5 or .

Rational Number: Any number that can be expressed as a ratio of two integers with the denominator non‐zero.

For example: • 34 can be written • 4.32 can be written as • 3 can be written as

Repeating pattern: The arrangement of numbers, in an organized and predictable way. For Example:

• 3, 6, 9, 12...

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose an answer. Compare: To examine in order to note similarities and differences. Continued on next page….

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Numbers, Operations, Algebra 7.1 Rational numbers and linear equations


7.1.C: Fluently and accurately add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers.

8.5.A: Analyze a problem situation to determine the question(s) to be answered.

Extensions for Mathematics 7.1.C/8.5.A Key Terms for Mathematics 7.1.C/8.5.A

Essential question: How are operations performed on rational numbers?

Student will:

7‐8.a) Solve word problems by using positive and/or negative decimals.

7‐8.b) Solve multiplication and/or division problems by using positive and negative rational numbers.

7‐8.c) Solve addition and/or subtraction problems by using positive and negative rational numbers.

7‐8.d) Order positive and negative rational numbers on a number line.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more problems must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: For (7‐8.a), word problems must be included on each piece of student evidence and must include the required and labeled three (3) step process.

#3: For (7‐8.c) and (7‐8.d), positive and negative numbers must be included for each piece of student evidence.

#4: For (7‐8.b) and (7‐8.c) and (7‐8.d) and (7‐8.e), money may be used for student evidence.

Addition: An operation joining two or more sets where the result is the whole.



• 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 • 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 • 4 + x = 12


Number Line: A line that shows numbers ordered by magnitude; an arrowhead at each end indicates that the line continues endlessly in both directions; equal intervals are marked and labeled.




Rational Number: Any number that can be expressed as a ratio of two integers with the denominator non‐zero.

For example: • 34 can be written • 4.32 can be written as • 3 can be written as

Subtraction: An operation that is a removal of sets from an initial set; or finds the difference between two amounts when comparing two quantities; or to take one quantity away from another.





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Algebra, Data/Statistics/Probability 7.4 Probability and data

8.3 Summary and analysis of data sets

7.4.B: Determine the theoretical probability of a particular event and use theoretical probability to predict experimental outcomes.

8.3.F: Determine probabilities for mutually exclusive, dependent, and independent events for small sample spaces.

Extensions for Mathematics 7.4.B/8.3.F Key Terms for Mathematics 7.4.B/8.3.F

Essential Question: How is probability determined?

Student will:

7‐8.a) Illustrate possible outcomes of probability events by using area models and/or tree diagrams.

7‐8.b) Write the results of probability experiments by using tallies and/or pictures.

7‐8.c) List all possible outcomes of a probability event.

7‐8.d) Choose the probability of a given outcome as certain or impossible or likely or unlikely.

7‐8.e) Identify a possible outcome for a probability event.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more outcomes must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: For (7‐8.a), a completed area model or tree diagram must be included for each data point.

Area model: A graphic way to show the probability of an event occurring.

Event: One or more outcomes of an experiment.

Outcome: The result of a single trial of an experiment.

Probability: The numerical measure of the chance that a particular event will occur, depending on the possible events. For example: Event = number of favorable outcomes

Total number of possible outcomes

Tree Diagram: Branching diagram which is used to show probability. Each branch represents a possible outcome of one event.

For example:


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List: A series of items written together in a meaningful grouping or sequence.





Numbers, Geometry/Measurement 7.6 Reasoning, problem solving and communication

8.2 Properties of geometric figures

7.6.D: Represent a problem situation, describe the process used to solve the problem, and verify the reasonableness of the solution.

8.2.A: Identify pairs of angles as complementary, supplementary, adjacent, or vertical, and use these relationships to determine missing angle measurements.

8.2.B: Determine missing angle measures using the relationship among the angles formed by parallel lines and transversals.


7.6.D/8.2.A and B


7.6.D/8.2.A and B

Essential Question: How are angle relationships used to determine missing angle measurements?

Student will:

7‐8.a) Write the measurements of the unknown angle when 2 angles in a triangle are given.

7‐8.b) Write the measurements of acute and/or obtuse angles.

7‐8.c) Label pairs of angles as complementary, supplementary, adjacent, and/or vertical.

7‐8.d) Identify pairs of angles that are complementary, supplementary, adjacent, and/or vertical.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: All angles must be labeled.

Acute angle: An angle which measures less than 90 degrees and greater than 0 degrees.

Adjacent angle: Angles in the same plane that have a common side and a common vertex, but whose interiors do not intersect. For example:

Angle: Two rays that share an endpoint; classified according to the number of degrees of its measure.

For example:

Complementary angle: Two angles whose measures sum to 90 degrees


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Congruent: Figures that have the same shape and size.

Obtuse angle: An angle with measure greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

Right angle: An angle whose measure is 90 degrees.

Supplementary angle: Two angles whose measure adds up to 180 degrees.

Vertical angle: Extending straight up and down; perpendicular to the horizon. For example: 1) A power pole is vertical to the ground. 2) Lines drawn on paper from top to bottom that are parallel to the sides of the paper represent vertical lines.


Match: To show a connection between two corresponding parts (e.g., by drawing a line, cut and pasting, etc.).




High School Mathematics Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

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Mathematics Extensions: High School


Core Content A1.1 Solving Problems

A1.1.A: Select and justify functions and equations to model and solve problems.

Extensions for Mathematics A1.1.A Key Terms for Mathematics A1.1.A

Essential Question: How are linear equations solved?

Student will:

HS.a) Solve word problems by using linear equations.

HS.b) Solve linear equations.

HS.c) Graph information from a linear table onto a coordinate plane.

HS.d) Complete a linear pattern using a table.

HS.e) Identify the equation that shows an unknown quantity.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (HS.c), three (3) or more points on a coordinate plane must be included on each piece of student evidence. The graph must also include a line that connects the points on the grid.

#3: For (HS.d), three (3) or more missing variables must be included for each table on each piece of student evidence.


Coordinate plane: A flat surface formed by the intersection of a horizontal line (x‐axis) and a vertical line (y‐axis) and extending in all directions.

Equation: A Mathematical sentence built from expressions by using one or more equal signs. Examples: 4 + 8 = 6 + 6 4 + 8 = 24 ÷ 2 4 + x = 12

Graph: A "picture" that shows how certain facts are related to each other or how they compare to one another.

Linear equation: An equation whose graph on a coordinate grid is a line.

Linear Pattern: Any data set or information that could be reasonably modeled with a line.

Table: A method of displaying data in rows and columns.

Word Problem: The student 1) extracts information from a context of words, numbers and/or pictures 2) determines a Mathematical procedure(s) 3) obtains an answer.

Set: A group of items within a designated area like a circle, square, etc.

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#4: For (HS.a), the word problems must be included on each piece of student evidence and must include the required and labeled three (3) step process. Step 1 of the process must include the student extracting the information. Step 2 of the process must demonstrate a linear equation. Step 3 of the process must include the student computations with the student answer.



Graph: To make a pictorial display of data that shows how certain facts are related to each other or how they compare to one another.

Complete: To make whole with all necessary elements or parts.




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Core Content A1.2 Numbers, Expressions, and Operations

A1.2.E: Use algebraic properties to factor and combine like terms in polynomials.

A1.2.F: Add, subtract, multiply, and divide polynomials.

Extensions for Mathematics A1.2.E/A1.2.F Key Terms for Mathematics A1.2.E/A1.2.F

Essential Question: How are terms combined or simplified in algebraic expressions?

Student will:

HS.a) Simplify algebraic expressions by combining like terms.

HS.b) Choose simplified forms of expressions.

HS.c) Identify simplified forms of expressions.

HS.d) Identify the variable in an algebraic expression.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (HS.a) and (HS.b) and (HS.c), the original expression and the simplified expression must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#3: For (HS.d), an expression with a variable must be included.


Expression: A symbol or a combination of symbols representing a value or relationship.

For example: y – 7

Simplified Form: Combined like terms to make computations easier.

Simplify: To combine like terms and/or apply properties to expressions to make computations easier.

Term: A number, variable, product of quotient in an algebraic expression.

For example: 4x + 3x = 7x





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Core Content A1.4 Linear Functions, Equations, and Inequalities

A1.4.A: Write and solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable.


Essential Question: How are inequalities represented and solved?

Student will:

HS.a) Write values which make given inequalities true.

HS.b) Solve expressions when the values of the variables (x) are known.

HS.c) Identify the correct symbols, greater than (>), less than (<), or equal to (=) when comparing expressions.

HS.d) Match groups of objects to create equal sets.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (HS.c), the mathematical expression and the symbols must be included.


Expression: A combination of variables, numbers, and symbols that represent a Mathematical relationship.

Inequality: Two or more sets of numbers that are not equal.

For example: 3x ‐ 2 > 3x ‐ 5

Sets: A group of items within a designated area like a circle, square, etc.

Values: An assigned or calculated numerical quantity.

Variable: A symbol used to represent a quantity that changes or can have different values. For example, in 5n, the n is a variable.







Core Content A1.4 Linear functions, equations, and inequalities

A1.4.C: Identify and interpret the slope and intercepts of a linear function, including equations for parallel and perpendicular lines.

Extensions for Mathematics A1.4.C Key Terms for Mathematics A1.4.C

Essential Questions: How are the slope and the y‐intercept of lines determined?

Student will:

HS.a) Write the constant rates of change for linear equations when given completed graphs, tables, and/or equations.

HS.b) Graph lines on a coordinate plane given the slopes and the y‐intercepts.

HS.c) Write the coordinates of the points that are on a line within a coordinate plane.

HS.d) Identify the coordinates of points on a given line within a coordinate plane.

HS.e) Identify a line on a coordinate plane.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: A coordinate plane must be included in each piece of student evidence with the exception of (HS.a).

#3: (HS.a) must include the constant rate of change, the graph, table, and/or equation on each piece of student evidence.

#4: The x‐axis and the y‐axis must be labeled on each coordinate grid for piece of student evidence.

#5: Coordinates (ordered pairs) within a coordinate plane must be written by using parenthesis and commas. For example, (2,3)

Coordinate plane: A flat surface formed by the intersection of a horizontal line (x‐axis) and a vertical line (y‐axis) and extending in all directions.

Coordinates: An ordered pair of numbers that identify points on a coordinate plane.

Ordered Pair: Two numbers (elements) for which order is important. When used to locate points on a coordinate graph the first element indicates distance along the x‐axis (horizontal), and the second indicates distance along the y‐axis (vertical).


Linear equation: An equation whose graph on a coordinate grid is a line.

Negative slope: A line that decreases from left to right.


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Positive slope: A line that increases from left to right.

Slope: Rise divided by Run; Change in y divided by Change in x.

Table: A method of displaying data in rows and columns.

Y‐intercept: The value of Y at the point where a line crosses the Y axis within a coordinate plane.


Graph: To make a pictorial display of data that shows how certain facts are related to each other or how they compare to one another.





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Core Content A1.6 Data and Distributions

A1.6.A: Use and evaluate the accuracy of summary statistics to describe and compare data sets.


Essential Question: How are sets of data compared?

Student will:

HS.a) Write a conclusion based on data that is presented in line graphs, stem‐and‐leaf plots, or bar graphs.

HS.b) Write the mean, median, and mode for sets of data.

HS.c) Choose the median and/or mode for sets of data.

HS.d) Identify the conclusion that best describes a given set of data.

HS.e) Identify a graph showing a set of data.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (HS.a), the data sets and the conclusions must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#3: For (HS.a) and (HS.d), the conclusions must be written in sentences.

#4: For (HS.a), the graph must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#5: For (HS.b) and (HS.c), mean, median, and mode must be labeled on each piece of student evidence.

Conclusion: A generalization based on data.

Data: Information that can be organized in a graph or table.


Mean: A type of average that is found by computing the sum of all the numbers in a data set and then dividing by the number of addends (numbers that were added).

Median: The number in the middle of a set of data arranged in order from least to greatest or from greatest to least; or the average of the two middle terms if there is an even number of terms. For example: 1) For the data: 6, 14, 23, 46, 69, 72, 94, the median is 46 (the middle number).

Mode: The item that occurs most frequently in a set of data. There may be one, more than one, or no mode. For example: The mode in {1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7, and 9} is 7.


Calculate: To determine by Mathematical methods; to compute.




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#6: For (HS.e), the graph must be included and the graph must include the three (3) points.





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ath

u Merton, Mead SD

SD

Acknowledgments

These WAAS‐Portfolio Extensions have been developed by a teach of Washington Special Educations teachers, District trainers, Special Education faculty, and Content Specialists with support from Staff of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The individuals who have played key roles in this project are listed below.

MMartha DCarol Ann Pinto, Monroe SD Marion Morford, Bethel SD Sarah Buchoski, Richland SD Cydie‐Lea Wang, Bellevue SD Patricia Smith, Chimacum SD Karen Adams‐Griggs, Olympia Candis Seaboldt, Pasco SD

D Melissa Strobridge, Pasco SForest Clark, North Thurston SDKaren Daily, North. Thurston SD Linda Phillips, Evergreen SD Lynne Glasspool, Chelan SD Andrea Andrews, Spokane SDLaura Fowler, Pasco SD

Mary Owens , Everett SD

eview Panel versity of Las Vegas

Washington

Project Support Staff

RDr. Gregg Schraw, UniJan Galvin, Physical Therapy Association ofAnn Abraham, Central Kitsap SD Karen Adams‐Griggs, Olympia SD Marita Heckart, Peninsula SD Michelle Ulke,, Everett SD

OSPIAlternate Assessment Office Judy Kraft, Alternate AssessmMargaret Nerison, Alternate AssessmMichael Middleton, Alternate Assessment Direc

Other OSPI Staff

ent ent TOSA

tor

Joe Willhoft, AssisDoug Gill, Special Education Director Janice Tornow, Special Education

tant Superintendent, Assessment

WAAS‐Portfolio

Extensions

Randy I Dorn



Reading

Fall 2010

Table of Contents

Grades 3‐4 pg.1

EALR 1 The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.

Component 1.3 Build vocabulary through wide reading. pg.2

GLE 1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text. • Define words and concepts necessary for understanding math, science, social studies, literature,

and other content area text.

EALR 2 The student understands the meaning of what is read.

Component 2.1 Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension.

GLE 2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main ideas, and supporting details in grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text. pg.4

• State the main idea of a literary/narrative text passage and support with two details from the story.

GLE 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during, and after reading: predict and infer from grade‐level informational expository text and/or literary narrative text. . pg.5

• Predict text content using prior knowledge and text features.

GLE 2.1.7: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: summarize grade‐level informational/expository text and literary/narrative text.

• Summarize the events or ideas in literary/narrative text, citing text‐based evidence.

Component 2.2 Understand and apply the knowledge of text components to comprehend text.

GLE 2.2.2: Apply knowledge of printed and electronic text features to locate information and comprehend text. pg.7

• Identify and use grade‐level appropriate text features.

GLE 2.2.3: Understand and analyze story elements. pg.9 • Identify the main events in a plot, including the cause and effect relationship in problem solving.

EALR 3 The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes.

Component 3.2 Read to perform a task.

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 ii

GLE 3.2.2: Understand a variety of functional documents. pg.10 • Explains the information in functional documents that are used in a school setting to

communicate information (e.g., notes home to family members, rules, newsletters, schedules).

Grade 5‐6 pg.11


Component 1.3 Build vocabulary through wide reading. Pg.12

GLE 1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text. • Indentify and define content area vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text and use that

knowledge to interpret the text.




• State the main idea of a passage and provide several text‐based details supporting it.

GLE 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during, and after reading: predict and infer from grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text. . pg. 16

• Make, confirm, and revise prediction based on prior knowledge and evidence from the text. • Cite passages from text to confirm or defend predictions and inferences.


• Create a summary including the main idea and the most important text‐based facts, details, and/or ideas from grade‐level informational/expository text.


GLE 2.2.2: Apply understanding of printed and electronic text features to locate information and comprehend text. pg.17

• Locate information using grade‐level appropriate text features. • Interpret and draw conclusions from grade‐level appropriate text features such as maps, charts,

tables, and graphs. (e.g., given a table of precipitation and temperatures across the country, draw a conclusion about which cities would receive snow).

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 iii

GLE 2.2.3: Understand and analyze story elements. pg.19

• Explain the influence of setting on character and plot



GLE 3.2.2: Apply understanding of a variety of functional documents. pg.21 • Locate and use functional documents (e.g., informational/expository posters, advertisements,

brochures).

Grade 7‐8 pg.23


Component 1.3 Build vocabulary through wide reading.

GLE 1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text, including vocabularies relevant to different contexts, cultures, and communities. pg.24

• Indentify and define content/ academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text and use that knowledge to interpret the text.




• State both literal and/or inferred main idea and provide supporting text‐based details.

GLE 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during, and after reading: predict and infer from grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text. pg.28

• Make, confirm, and revise prediction based on prior knowledge and evidence from the text. • Cite passages from text to confirm or defend predictions and inferences.


Create a summary including the main idea and the most important text‐based facts, details, and/or ideas from grade‐level informational/expository text.

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 iv


GLE 2.2.2: Apply understanding of printed and electronic text features to locate information and comprehend text. pg.30

• Locate information using grade‐level appropriate text features.

GLE 2.2.3: Understand and analyze story elements. pg.32

• Use multiple sources of information from the text (e.g., character’s own thoughts/words, what others say about the character, and how others react to the character) to describe how major and minor characters change over time.



GLE 3.2.2: Apply understanding of a variety of functional documents. pg.34

• Locate and use functional documents to perform a task (e.g., catalogs, magazines, schedules.)

High School pg.36


Component 1.3 Build vocabulary through wide reading.

GLE 1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text, including vocabularies relevant to different contexts, cultures, and communities. pg.37

• Explain the meaning of content‐specific vocabulary words (e.g., regenerations, isolationism, and emancipation, polarized.)



GLE 2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main idea, and supporting details in grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text. pg.39

• State both literal and/or inferred main idea and provide supporting text‐based details.

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 v

GLE 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies for informational and technical materials, complex, narratives, and expositions: synthesize ideas from selections to make predictions and inferences. pg.41

• Make predictions and inferences about an author’s beliefs and cite text‐based evidence to support prediction/inference. (e.g., find text passages that support an inference that the author advocates economic change.)

GLE 2.1.7: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies for information and technical materials, complex narratives, and expositions: determine importance and summarize the text.

• Select, from multiples choices, a sentence that best summarizes the text.


GLE 2.2.2: Apply understanding of complex organizational features of printed text and electronic sources. pg.43

• Use text features to verify, support, or clarify meaning. • Use the features of electronic information to communicate, gain information, or research a

topic.

GLE 2.2.3: Analyze story elements. pg.45

Select from multiple choices, words or sentences that best describe a specific story element (e.g., character, conflict, resolution).



GLE 3.2.2: Apply understanding of complex information, including functional documents, to perform a task. pg.47

• Read instructions, credit card or job applications, legal documents such as contracts, policies, and timetables, to perform everyday life functions (e.g., find employment, research colleges, or trade schools, purchase goods and services, take vacations, locate people and places).

Acknowledgements pg 49

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 vi

Reading Passages

Grades 3‐4 pg. 50 Acknowledgments pg.51 The Bits‐and‐Pieces Platypus pg.53

by Phillis Gershator Hamsters on the Wild Side pg.54

by Elizabeth Schleichert Comfortable Old Chair pg.56

by Karla Kuskin Follow That Horse pg.57

by Shannon Teper Helping Hands pg.59 Cactus Jam pg.60

by Ruth J. Luhrs One Little Can pg.61

by David LaRochelle A Home for Lizzie pg.63

by Beth Thompson The Story of (Human) Calculators pg.65

by Margaret Kenda and Phyllis S. Williams Just Plain Buster pg.67

by Carolyn Mott Ford Young Night Thought pg.69

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Through Grandpa’s Eyes pg.70 by Patricia MacLachlan

The Things Wings Do pg.72 by Keith D. Waddington

The Sunset in My Mailbox pg.74 by Callie Lorentson

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 vii

Grade 5‐6 pg.77 Acknowledgments pg.78 You Probably Know This Guy pg.80

by Virginia Bennett

Kids Are Inventors, Too pg.82 by Arlene Erlbach

Trail Mix pg.84 by Susie Post‐Rust

The Lion Who Couldn’t Climb Steps pg.86 by Willie B. Mills

Avalanche pg.89 by Stephen Kramer

The Elephant pg.91 by Nora Archibald Smith

Skunks! pg.92 by David Sloan

The Tailor’s Wish pg.95 Retold by Dorothy Leon

The Strange Idea of George Ferris pg.97 by June Swanson

Grin and Bear it pg.99 by Russell Chadwick

Midnight Heroine pg.101 By Sue Montour

The Flame of a Candle pg.103 by Marci Stillerman

Stop, Thief! There’s a Pack Rat on the Loose pg.105 by Burt Heim

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 viii

Grade 7‐8 pg.107 Acknowledgments pg.108 Noise and Old Ears pg.110

by Jack Myers

The Clever Judge pg.112 retold by Babette Deutsch and Avrahm Yarmolinsky

The Returning Cats pg.114 by David C. Knight

The Friendship Orchard; A Tale from Central Asia pg.116 by Pleasant DeSpain

Coins Up Close pg.118 by Neale S. Godfrey

The Heroine of Lime Rock pg.120 by Janette Gentry

A Touch of Genius pg.123 by Patricia Millman

Waterhouse Hawkins: Dinosaur Artist pg.125 by Barbara Kerley

In Their Hands pg.127 by Emily Will

Superdam pg.129 by Mel Boring

To Reach the Promised Land pg.131 by Stephen Ray Lilley

Waste Not, Want Not pg.134 by Earl M. Weber

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 ix

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 x

High school pg.136 Acknowledgments pg.137 Enro Rubik—“Exponent” of Play pg.138

by Natalie M. Rosinsky

The Trailblazer: Jackie Robinson pg.140 by Larry Canale

Mystery Flight pg.143 by Dee DeTarsio

In the Air for Amelia pg.145 by Dee DeTarsio

Silk: The Caterpillar Thread pg.147 by Laurel Kendall

Journey on the Silk Road pg.148 by Luann Hankom

In the Beginning pg.151 by Janet Wyman Coleman with Elizabeth V. Warren

Baseball Smarts pg.153 by Bill Wise

Desert Tortoise in the Rain pg.155 by Joseph Bruchac

Turkeys pg.157 by Bailey White

Grades 3‐4 Reading Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

Reading Extensions:

Grades 3‐4

Reading Extensions: Fall 2010 1


Component 1.3: Build vocabulary through wide reading.

1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text.


Essential Question: What are the definitions of words that are critical to understanding grade‐level text?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Write the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level text.

3‐4.b) Choose the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level text.

3‐4.c) Identify the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level text.

3‐4.d) Indicate if an object is a vocabulary word from a grade‐level text.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS: #1: Three (3) or more key words and their definitions must be included on each piece of student evidence. #2: The grade‐level reading texts included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the titles of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence. #3: Texts other than those included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the titles of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.


Critical to Comprehending the Text: A word or phrase whose meaning is necessary to understand the text.

Definition: Statement of meaning or significance. Words must NOT be defined by using the same words as the vocabulary words being taught.

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three (3) choices with two believable answers and one distracter.

Identify: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of two choices with one believable answer and one distracter.

Indicate: To answer “yes” or “no” to a question about an object’s representation of specific content. The student responds using a gesture (eye gaze, head switch, hand movement, etc.) to indicate the correct yes” or “no” response. The student work must reflect 1) the aligned content activity and 2) the student responses of “yes” or “no.”




#4: The vocabulary word being assessed must not be the same word as the definition. For example, river may not be defined as “river.” For the indicate complexity level, this rule does not apply. #5: A different reading text must be used for each data point. #6: All pictures must be labeled with words.



Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension

2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main ideas, and supporting details in grade–level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.

Extensions for Reading 2.1.3 Key Terms for R.2.1.3 Essential Question: What is the main idea of the text and what specific text‐based details support it? Student will: 3‐4.a) Write the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text. 3‐4.b) Choose the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

3‐4.c) Identify the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

3‐4.d) Identify text‐based details that support a given main idea.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS: #1: Three (3) or more items must be included on each piece of student evidence.


#3: The grade‐level reading texts included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.

#4: Texts other than those included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.



Main Idea: Main ideas answer the question, “What is the story about?”

Text‐Based Details: Specific information (details) found in and lifted directly from the text that supports the main idea.

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the main idea and text‐based details.


Identify: Students selects the answer(s) from a minimum of two choices with one believable answer and one distracter.




Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension. 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during and after reading: predict and infer from grade‐level informational/expository text and or literary/narrative text.

2.1.7: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: summarize grade‐level informational/expository text and literary/narrative text.

Extensions for Reading 2.1.5/2.1.7 Key Terms for R.2.1.5/R.2.1.7

Essential Question: How are summary and prediction used to comprehend text?

Student will: 3‐4.a) Write a summary of a story.

3‐4.b) Write predictions for a grade‐level story.

3‐4.c) Choose predictions for a grade‐level story.

3‐4.d) Identify predictions for a grade‐level story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more items must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: Summary is NOT a sequential list of the events that happened in a story and should not look like the story elements extensions from standard 2.2.3. See Key terms for the definition and the Grade‐band PowerPoints for examples.


#4: Texts other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.

Narrative Text/Story: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual. A factual story is called a biography or autobiography.

Prediction: To foretell what might happen in text. Prediction is based on textual clues and/or a reader’s prior experiences. Predictions must be stated in full sentences.

Sentence: At a minimum, a sentence consists of a noun and a verb and should include qualifiers to enhance the verbal and written expression.

• Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb)

• Enhanced: My dog ran down the driveway. (Qualifiers added to the minimum.)

Summary: A synthesis or collection of the important ideas or events in a text.

Text‐Based Details: Specific information (details) found in and lifted directly from the text that supports the prediction.

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the prediction and text‐based details.






#5: Prediction(s) and summaries must be written in sentences.






Component 2.2: Understand and apply knowledge of text components to comprehend text.

2.2.2: Apply knowledge of printed and electronic text features to locate and comprehend text.


Essential Question: What are text features and how do they assist in understanding informational text?

Student will:

3‐4.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in text features.

3‐4.b) Match information to its text feature.

3‐4.c) Choose the answers to comprehension questions about the information in text features.

3‐4.d) Identify the answers to comprehension questions about the information in text features.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For grades 3‐4, ONLY use the following text features in student evidence:

1. Glossaries 2. Indexes 3. Table of Contents

#2: ONLY use informational texts like textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, etc. The reading texts included with these extensions should NOT be used for 2.2.2.

#3: Three (3) or more pieces of information found in text features must be included on each piece of student evidence.


Text Feature: A prominent feature in text that facilitates understanding.

For grades 3‐4, ONLY use the following text features in student evidence:

1. Glossaries 2. Indexes 3. Table of Contents

Informational Text: Written composition that has as its primary purpose the explanation or communication of details, facts, and discipline or content specific information (e.g., content textbooks, encyclopedias, biographies).

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose.

Match: To show a connection between two corresponding parts (e.g., by drawing a line, cut and pasting).






#4: Include a copy of or an excerpt from the glossary, index and/or table of contents along with the student work for each data point.

#5: Include the title of the text(s) on each piece of evidence.





2.2.3: Understand and analyze story elements.

Extensions for Reading 2.2.3 Key Terms for R.2.2.3 Essential Question: What are story elements and how are events from the story described? Student will:

3‐4.a) Write the sequence of events from a grade‐level story. 3‐4.b) Choose the events from a grade‐level story. 3‐4.c) Identify the events from a grade‐level story. 3‐4.d) Indicate if an object relates to an event in a grade‐level story. EVIDENCE REMINDERS: #1: Three (3) or more of the events of a story must be included on each piece of student evidence.


#3: Stories other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL stories must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.

#4: A different story must be used for each data point. Informational text cannot be used for this standard.


Narrative Text: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual. Story Elements:

• Character • Setting • Sequence of Events • Conflict • Resolution

Events: Something that happens in a story involving the character(s), setting and/or other story elements. Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the story’s events in the sequence in which they occurred. Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three (3) choices with two believable answers and one distracter. Identify: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of two choices with one believable answer and one distracter. Indicate: To answer “yes” or “no” to a question about an object’s representation of specific content. The student responds using a gesture (eye gaze, head switch, hand movement, etc.) to indicate the correct yes” or “no” response. The student work must reflect 1) the aligned content activity and 2) the student responses of “yes” or “no.” IMPORTANT CAUTION: All student evidence including teacher materials inc incorporated in the portfolio must be appropriate for all audiences.




Component 3.2: Read to perform a task.

3.2.2: Understand a variety of functional documents.


Essential Question: How is information located or organized in functional documents?

Student will:

3‐4.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

3‐4.b) Choose the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

3‐4.c) Identify the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

3‐4.d) Indicate if an object is a food on a lunch menu.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For grades 3‐4, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence.

1. Weekly or Monthly School Lunch Menus

2. Classroom Rules 3. School Rules 4. Recipes

#2: Three (3) or more comprehension questions about the information in a functional document must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#3: Include a copy of the functional document along with the student work for each data point.

#4: The reading texts included with these extensions should NOT be used for 3.2.2.

#5: A different functional document must be used for each data point.


Functional Document: A document that assists one in retrieving information in order to perform a task.

For grades 3‐4, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence.

1. Weekly or Monthly School Lunch Menus

2. Classroom Rules 3. School Rules 4. Recipes

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the answers to comprehension questions about the details in a functional document.






Reading Extensions:

Grades 5‐6




1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text.



Student will: 5‐6.a) Write the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level text.

5‐6.b) Choose the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level text.

5‐6.c) Identify the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level text.

5‐6.d) Indicate if an object is a vocabulary word from a grade‐level text.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more key words and their definitions must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: The grade‐level reading texts included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the titles of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.


Critical to Comprehending the Text: A word whose meaning is necessary to understand the text.









#3: Texts other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the passage and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.

#4: A different reading text must be used for each data point.

#5: The vocabulary word being assessed must not be the same word as the definition. For example, river may not be defined as “river.” For the indicate complexity level, this rule does not apply. #6: All pictures must be labeled with words.



Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension.

2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main ideas, and supporting details in grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.


Essential Question: What is the main idea of the text and what specific text‐based details support it?

Student will:

5‐6.a) Write the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

5‐6.b) Choose the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.



EVIDENCE REMINDERS:













Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension. 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during, and after reading: predict and infer from grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.



Essential Question: How are summary and prediction used to comprehend text?





EVIDENCE REMINDERS:




#4: Prediction(s) and summaries must be written in sentences.



Prediction: To foretell what might happen in text. Prediction is based on textual clues and/or a reader’s prior experiences. Predictions must be stated in full sentences.






Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose prediction and text‐based details.







2.2.2: Apply understanding of printed and electronic text features to locate information and comprehend text.



Student will: 5‐6.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in text features.




EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


1. Bolded, colored and italicized words/texts

2. Captions 3. Illustrations embedded in informational

texts 4. Photographs embedded in informational

texts

#2: ONLY use informational texts like textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, etc. The reading texts included with these extensions should NOT be used for 2.2.2.




1. Bolded, colored and italicized words/texts 2. Captions 3. Illustrations embedded in informational

texts 4. Photographs embedded in informational

texts

Captions: Primary purpose is to identify the subject of a picture. A good caption explains why a picture belongs in an article and establishes a picture’s relevance.

Illustrations: Visual materials used to clarify or explain like pictures, photographs or drawings.

Informational Text: A form of written composition that has as its primary purpose explanation or the communication of details, facts, and discipline or content specific information (e.g., content area textbooks, encyclopedias, biographies).








#4: Include a copy of the bolded, colored and italicized words/text, captions, illustrations, and/or photographs embedded in informational text along with the student work for each data point.

#5: Include the title of the text(s) on each piece of evidence.





Component 2.2: Understand and apply knowledge of text component to comprehend text.



Essential Question: What are story elements and how is the setting described?

Student will:

5‐6.a) Describe the setting from a grade‐level story.

5‐6.b) Choose the setting from a grade‐level story.

5‐6.c) Identify the setting from a grade‐level story.

5‐6.d) Indicate if an object is found in a setting of a grade‐level story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more details about the setting must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: Setting must be labeled.

#3: The grade‐level reading texts included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the title of the texts on each piece of student evidence.


Narrative Text: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual.

Story Elements:


Setting: The time, location, weather, era and social environment in which a narrative takes place. Culture, historical period, geography and/or hour are included in setting.

Describe: To develop detailed pictures, or characterizations about the setting of a story. Can be student written or teacher scribed.

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the answers to comprehension questions about the details in a functional document. Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three (3) choices with two believable answers and one distracter.





#4: Stories other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However ALL stories must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the texts on each piece of student evidence.







3.2.2: Apply understanding of a variety of functional documents.



Student will:

5‐6.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.


5‐6.c) Choose the functional document for given information.

5‐6.d) Identify the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For grades 5‐6, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence.

1. Bus Schedules 2. Directions for board or electronic

games 3. Restaurant Menus 4. MapQuest Directions 5. Telephone messages


#3: Include a copy of the functional document along with the student work for each data point.


Functional document: A document that assists one in retrieving information in order to perform a task.

For grades 5‐6, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence.

1. Bus Schedules 2. Directions for board or electronic

games 3. Restaurant Menus 4. MapQuest Directions 6. Telephone messages








#4: If the directions for a board or electronic game are used as evidence for 3.2.2, the board or electronic game must be appropriate for all audiences.

#5: The reading texts included with these extensions will NOT be used for 3.2.2.





Reading Extensions:

Grades 7‐8



1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text, including vocabularies relevant to different contexts, cultures, and communities.



Student will:

7‐8.a) Write the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

7‐8.b) Choose the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

7‐8.c) Identify the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

7‐8.d) Indicate if an object relates to a vocabulary word from a grade‐level text.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The grade‐level reading texts included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the titles of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.









.



#3: Texts other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.






2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main ideas, and supporting details in grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.



Student will:

7‐8.a) Write the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

7‐8.b) Choose the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.



EVIDENCE REMINDERS:



#3: The grade‐level reading texts included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence.







IMPORTANT CAUTION: All student evidence including teacher materials incorporated in the portfolio must be appropriate for all audiences



Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension. 2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during, and after reading: predict and infer from grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.



Essential Question: How are prediction and summary used to comprehend text?





EVIDENCE REMINDERS:






Prediction: To foretell what might happen in text. Prediction is based on textual clues and/or a reader’s prior experiences. Predictions must be stated in sentences.






Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the prediction and text‐based details.






#5: Prediction(s) and summaries must be written in sentences. #6: A different text must be used for each data point.






2.2.2: Apply understanding of printed and electronic text features to locate information and comprehend text.



Student will:

7‐8.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in text features.




7‐8.e) Indicate if an object is a map.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


1. Charts 2. Diagrams 3. Graphs 4. Maps 5. Tables 6. Timelines


Text feature: A prominent feature in text that facilitates understanding.


1. Charts 2. Diagrams 3. Graphs 4. Maps 5. Tables 6. Timelines

Chart: A graphic representation of a comparison or summary of information.

Diagram: A visual representation of a simplified view of written information.

Graph: A diagram representing a system of connections or the relationship of two or more things.

Map: A visual representation usually on a flat surface showing the features of an area showing forms, proportion, size and relationships.

Table: A visual representation of data.

Timeline: A visual representation of a sequence of time.

Informational Text: Written composition that has as its primary purpose explanation or the communication of details, facts, and discipline‐or content‐specific information (e.g., content area textbooks, encyclopedias, biographies).



#2: Use ONLY informational texts like textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, etc. The reading texts included with these extensions should NOT be used for 2.2.2.


#4: Include a copy of the charts, diagrams, graphs, maps, tables, and/or timelines along with the student work for each data point. #5: Include the title of the text(s) on each piece of evidence. #6: All pictures must be labeled with words.







.






Essential Question: What are story elements and how does the author describe the characters in a narrative text?

Student will:

7‐8.a) Describe the character traits of 2 or more characters from a grade‐level story.

7‐8.b) List the traits of the main character from a grade‐level story

7‐8.c) Choose the traits of the main character from a grade‐level story.

7‐8.d) Identify the traits of the main character from a grade‐level story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more character traits must be included on each piece of student evidence. Note: Before choosing the text, examine it carefully for enough character description/information.




Story Elements:


Character: People or things and their specific traits that play a role in the narrative.

Character Traits: A distinguishing feature like physical, personality, and/or feelings of a character. For example, a physical trait might describe the character’s size, clothes, etc. A personality trait might describe the character as happy, grumpy, etc. A feeling trait might describe the character as sad, angry, etc.

Text‐based details: Specific information (details) found in and lifted directly from the text that supports the main idea.

Describe: To develop detailed pictures or characterizations about the story’s characters or the characters’ traits. Can be student written or teacher scribed.





#3: Stories other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL stories must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence. Continued on next page…







3.2.2: Apply understanding of a variety of functional documents.



Student will: 7‐8.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.


7‐8.c) Choose the functional document for given information.

7‐8.d) Identify the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For grades 7‐8, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence:

1. Catalogs (print or electronic) 2. Magazines 3. Product ingredients (contents on a

food label) 4. School newsletters 5. Shopping lists


#3: Include a copy of or excerpt from the functional document along with the student work for each data point.



For grades 7‐8, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence:

1. Catalogs (print or electronic) 2. Magazines 3. Product Ingredients (contents on a food

label) 4. School Newsletters 5. Shopping Lists








#4: Any functional documents used as student evidence for 3.2.2 must be appropriate for all audiences.

#5: The reading texts included with these extensions will NOT be used for 3.2.2.



High School Reading Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

Reading Extensions:

High School

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1.3.2: Understand and apply content/academic vocabulary critical to the meaning of the text, including vocabularies relevant to different contexts, cultures, and communities.



Student will

HS.a) Write the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

HS.b) Choose the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

HS.c) Identify the definitions of key words critical to comprehending grade‐level texts.

HS.d) Indicate if an object is a vocabulary word from a grade‐level text.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The grade‐level reading texts included with these extensions may be used for reading evidence. Include the titles of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.









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#3: Texts other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text and a copy of the sentence(s) or a small section of the text in which the key words are embedded on each piece of student evidence.



38



2.1.3: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies during and after reading: determine importance using theme, main idea, and supporting details in grade‐level informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.



Student will:

HS.a) Write the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

HS.b) Choose the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

HS.c) Identify the main idea and support it with text‐based details lifted from a grade‐level text.

HS.d) Identify text‐based details that support a given main idea.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:











39





40



2.1.5: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies for informational and technical materials, complex, narratives, and expositions: synthesize ideas from selections to make predictions and inferences.

2.1.7: Apply comprehension monitoring strategies for informational and technical materials, complex narratives, and expositions: determine importance and summarize the text.


Essential Question: How are prediction and summary used to comprehend text?

Student will: HS.a) Write a summary of a story.

HS.b) Write predictions for a grade‐level story.

HS.c) Choose predictions for a grade‐level story.

HS.d) Identify predictions for a grade‐level story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:






Prediction: To foretell what might happen in text. Prediction is based on textual clues and/or a reader’s prior experiences. Predictions must be stated in sentences.






Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the prediction and text‐based details

Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three choices with two believable answers and one distracter.

41



#5: Prediction(s) and summaries must be written in sentences. #6: A different text must be used for each data point.




42



2.2.2: Apply understanding of complex organizational features of printed text and electronic sources.


Essential Question: What are technology features and how do they assist in gathering and understanding electronic‐based informational text?

For a specific task, student will:

HS.a) Write the steps to gather information using technological features.

HS.b) Order the steps to gather information using technological features.

HS.c) Match the technological feature to the information contained in it.

HS.d) Identify the steps needed to execute a given technological activity.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For HS, ONLY use the following technological features in student evidence:

1. Drop down menus 2. Home Pages 3. Hypertext links 4. Search Engines 5. Side Bars 6. Site Maps 7. URLs

#2: Three (3) or more technological features must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#3: For, (HS.d), the student identifies the steps from a given technological activity. Three (3) or more steps must be included on each piece of student evidence.


For HS 2.2.2, ONLY use the following technological/text features in student evidence:

1. Drop down menus 2. Home Pages 3. Hypertext links 4. Search Engines 5. Side Bars 6. Site Maps 7. URLs

Drop Down Menus: Computer menu of information that drops down.

Home Page: The initial page of a site on the World Wide Web.

Hypertext Links: Text displayed on a computer or other electronic device with references (hyperlinks) to other text that the reader can immediately access.

Search Engines: Computer program that searches documents on the World Wide Web for a specified word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are found.

Side Bars: Typographically distinct section of a page that highlights the main text in a dynamic visual display.

Site Maps: Site Maps enable webmasters to informational search engines about pages on their site.


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#4: Include a copy of or excerpt or screen shot from the technological feature along with the student evidence for each data point.


Steps: Sequential actions used to gather information using technological/text features.

URLs: Uniform Resource Locator is a protocol for specifying addresses on the Internet.

Informational Text: Written composition that has as its primary purpose explanation or the communication of details, facts, and discipline‐or content‐specific information (e.g., content area textbooks, encyclopedias, biographies)

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the story elements.

Order: Student arranges pictures or sentence strips in sequence.




44



2.2.3: Analyze story elements.


Essential Question: What are story elements in narrative texts?

Student will:

HS.a) Write the events, conflict, and resolution from a grade‐level story.

HS.b) List the events, conflict, and resolution from a grade‐level story.

HS.c) Choose the events and characters from a grade‐level story.

HS.d) Identify the events and characters from a grade‐level story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: All story elements must be labeled.

#3: A graphic organizer and/or story map is recommended.




Story Elements:


Character: People or things and their specific traits that play a role in the narrative.

Events: Something that happens in a story/passage involving the character(s), setting and/or other story elements.

Conflict: Issue, controversy, or event creating discontent/struggle in a story.

Resolution: How a problem/conflict is solved or a course of action is determined.

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose the story elements.




45


#5: Stories other than those included with the extensions may be used for reading evidence. However, ALL texts must be grade‐level and must contain appropriate reading materials not only for the student, but also for a state‐level, high stakes assessment. Include the title of the text on each piece of student evidence





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3.2.2: Apply understanding of complex information, including functional documents, to perform a task.



Student will: HS.a) Write the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

HS.b) Choose the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

HS.c) Choose the functional document for given information.

HS.d) Identify the answers to comprehension questions about the information in a functional document.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS: #1: For HS, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence:

1. Brochures 2. Instructional manuals 3. Newspapers 4. Travel documents

#2: Three (3) or more comprehension questions about the information in a functional document must be included on each piece of student evidence. #3: Include a copy of or excerpt from the functional document along with the student work for each data point.



For HS, ONLY use the following functional documents for student evidence:

1. Brochures 2. Instructional manuals 3. Newspapers 4. Travel documents





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#4: Any functional documents used as student evidence for 3.2.2 must be appropriate for all audiences.

#5: The reading texts included with these extensions can NOT be used for 3.2.2.

#6: A different functional document must be used for each data point. (e.g., three (3) different brochures, instructional manuals, newspapers, or travel documents.)


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Acknowledgments

These WAAS-Portfolio Extensions have been developed by a team of Washington Special Educations teachers, district trainers, Special Education faculty, and Content Specialists with support from Staff of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The individuals who have played key roles in this project are listed below.

Reading Lori Larson, Longview SD Lisa Combs, Selah SD Samantha McGarry, Issaquah SD Pamala Tebeau, Olympia SD Emma Packard, Snohomish SD Lynne Glasspool, Chelan SD Cathy Huston, Grand Coulee Dam SD Nikki Connor, Granite Falls SD Annalisa Brewster, Marysville SD Mary Davis, Stevenson-Carson SD Melissa Strobridge, Pasco SD Miranda Brothers, Evergreen SD Tina Smith, Mead SD Virginia Phillips, Edmonds SD Ellen Cavanaugh, Central Valley SD

Review Panel Dr. Gregg Schraw, University of Las Vegas Jan Galvin, Physical Therapy Association of Washington Ann Abraham, Central Kitsap SD Karen Adams-Griggs, Olympia SD Marita Heckart, Peninsula SD Michelle Ulke,, Everett SD

OSPI Project Support Staff Alternate Assessment Office Judy Kraft, Alternate Assessment Margaret Nerison, Alternate Assessment TOSA Michael Middleton, Alternate Assessment Director

Other OSPI Staff Joe Willhoft, Assistant Superintendent, Assessment Doug Gill, Special Education Director Janice Tornow, Special Education

Grade 3‐4 Reading Passages

Reading Passages

Grades 3‐4


Acknowledgements “The Bits‐and‐Pieces Platypus” by Phillis Gershator, from Ladybug Magazine, April 2000, Vol.10, No.8, copyright © 2000 by Phillis Gershator. Used by permission of Carus Publishing Co. Photo of Platypus Underwater, copyright (c) by Tom McHugh/Photo Researchers, Inc. # 7N4037 Grade 3 2009 Sample Items “Bubble, Bubble, Spittlebug” by Beverly J. Letchworth. Copyright © 2003 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photos: Gerald J. Wiens. Grade 3 Sample Test “Cactus Jam” by Ruth J. Luhrs. Reprinted by permission of LADYBUG magazine, February 2000, Vol. 10, No. 6, text copyright, © 2000 by Ruth J. Luhrs. Photo © Thomas Wiewandt/Wildhorizons.com Grade 3 2007 Released Items “Comfortable Old Chair” by Karla Kuskin. Copyright © 1992 by Karla Kuskin. Used by permission of S©ott Treimel NY. Grade 3 2008 Released Items “Follow That Horse” by Shannon Teper. Copyright © 2004 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photos by Lisa Carpenter www.lisacarpenterphotos.com. Grade 3 2008 Released Items “Helping Hands” Adapted from chickaDEE magazine, "Helping Hands", March 2002 chickaDEE. Used with permission of Bayard Presse Canada Inc. Photos: Paula Lerner/Aurora Photos Grade 3 2008 Released Items “Hamsters on the Wild Side” from Ranger Rick magazine, May 2001, copyright © 2001 by the National Wildlife Federation. Used by permission. Photo of Common Hamster, copyright (c) by Rudolf Hofels/Okapia/Photo Researchers, Inc. # 7F7958 Grade 3 2009 Sample Items “One Little Can” by David LaRochelle. Reprinted by permission of CRICKET magazine, April 1997, text copyright, © 1997 by David LaRochelle. Grade 3 2007 Released Items “The Secret Message” by May R. Kinsolving. Copyright © 1999 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 3 Sample Test “Sock Garden Secret” by April Pulley Sayre. Reprinted from the August 1999 issue of Ranger Rick ® magazine, with the permission of the publisher, National Wildlife Federation ®. Grade 3 Sample Test “A Home for Lizzie” by Beth Thompson. Reprinted by permission of LADYBUG magazine, February 2001, Vol. 11, No. 6. Copyright © 2001 by Beth Thompson. Grade 3 2006 Released Items “Just Plain Buster” by Carolyn Mott Ford, from Highlights for Children, May 1998, copyright © 1998 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Used by permission. Grade 4 2009 Sample Items “The „PetsPal‟ Project” by May R. Kinsolving. Copyright © 2001 by Highlights for Children, Inc.,

Copyright © 2009.

All rights reserved. Educational institutions within the State of Washington have permission to reproduce 51

this document. All other individuals wishing to reproduce this document must contact OSPI.


Copyright © 2009.

All rights reserved. Educational institutions within the State of Washington have permission to reproduce

this document. All other individuals wishing to reproduce this document must contact OSPI. 52

Columbus, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Walker. Grade 5 Sample Test Booklet “Quicksand” from Quicksand – Nature‟s Terrifying Death Trap, by Max Gunther. Grolier, an imprint of Scholastic Library Publishing, © 2004. Grade 5 Sample Test Booklet “The Quicksand That Ate My Shoes” by Jennifer Owings Dewey. Illustration by Denny Bond. Copyright © 2000 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 5 Sample Test Booklet “The Story of (Human) Calculators” from Math Wizardry for Kids by Margaret Kenda and Phyllis S. William, copyright © 1995. Used by permission of Barron‟s Educational Series, Inc. Photo of Carl Friedrich Gauss on Deutsche Mark, courtesy of the Deutsche Bundesbank Grade 4 2009 Sample Items “The Sunset in My Mailbox” by Callie Lorentson. Illustrations by Leanne Franson. Reprinted by permission of SPIDER magazine, March 2001, Vol. 8, No. 3. Copyright © 2001 by Callie Lorentson. Illustrations © Leanne Franson. Grade 3 2006 Released Items “The Things Wings Do” by Keith Waddington. Copyright © 1997 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 4 2007 Released Items “Through Grandpa‟s Eyes” by Patricia MacLachlan. TEXT COPYRIGHT © 1980 BY PATRICIA MACLACHLAN. Grade 4 2007 Released Items “Young Night Thought” from A CHILD‟S GARDEN OF VERSES by Robert Louis Stevenson. Grade 4 2008 Released Items

Grade 3‐4

Co

Reading Passages

The Bitts‐and‐Pieeces Platyypus by Phillis GGershator

1) Theonly iand p

e platypus is an Australia. A

pieces animal.

a furry animaAustralians ca.”

l that lives all it a “bits‐

2) Theit layshumababiebroada long

3) Theswimsnewb

4) Most nose up plaall.

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e platypus is as eggs. It’s a ban—because ts milk. It’s a b

d, flat bill. Andg flat tail.

e platypus was like a seal. L

born platypus

of the time, tclosed underatypus has no

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a bit like a snabit like a cat—the mother febit like a duckd a bit like a b

alks like a lizarLike newbornbabies have

the platypus water. With i

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5) Thbanks of a and grass, or three. 6) Thto its burroland can seanimals hamillions of

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atypus keepsd grubs in thees to eat insec

ves in a cozy bps in a nest ofother lays he

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and going. Tharth a long, lo

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burrow near tf weeds, leaveer eggs—one,

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53

Grade 3‐4

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Reading Passages

Hamsteers on thee Wild Sidde by Elizabe

eth Schleicherrt

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! Harriet hereter. But you’dary about mecage. Read o

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a pigs.

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ur cheeks are s. Then we scter.

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ibble the fur

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Out Dirt lp! I’m stuck.

el down abouoom or two, two litters a yHINGTON STA

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54


Copyright © 2009.



Hunkering Down 9) During warm weather, when I’m not caring for my babies, you’ll find me snoozing all day in my

burrow. At dawn or dusk, I come out and hunt for a meal in the nearby fields. Mostly I go for tasty plants, such as clover, wild poppies, corn, peas, and potatoes. Sometimes, I’ll grab insect larvae, earthworms, or even small birds and mice.

Time to Hibernate 10) As the weather gets cold in the fall, I’ll leave my old burrow and dig a new, deeper one. Here I’ll

store plenty of food. Then I’ll crawl into my burrow and hibernate. From time to time, I’ll wake up and eat some of my stored food. Then I’ll doze off again. In the spring, I’ll leave this warm, cozy home.

11) Well, time to get back to my digging. It’s been fun talking with you. So long!

Comforby Karla K

A bird hasA fox has A den is hIf you’re aI have a co Soft pillowa flowereThe perfeto myself letting lonletting themake mov New chairbut mine My spot tbrood in rest to plot in dream in,to scheme Kings neebut me I can be aany persoanywhereif I just ha

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Grade 3‐4

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Reading Passages

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56

Grade 3‐4

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Reading Passages

Follow by Shanno

1) Cuthe haand thsee thCuddlhorse

2) Cudhigh nshe’s compelevatDan ohorsehorse

3) Whstrangeveryslippin

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ddles is on thandle of her hhe pair startshe road aheadles. Cuddles

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oundation in to offer anothaid of dogs.

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Copyright © 2006.



8) To keep Dan safe, Cuddles was taught to decide when to disobey. If Dan commands her to cross the street when a car is coming, Cuddles won’t cross. Cuddles saved Dan from danger recently when a bike raced into his path. She quickly stepped between him and the bicycle. “She makes sure I’m safe,” Dan said.

9) Cuddles has been guiding Dan since May 2001. Now he wouldn’t be without her. Dan says, “The best thing about Cuddles is the freedom and independence she’s given me. She’s brought a lot of happiness into my life.”

Big Facts About Little Horses

• Miniature horses are cheap to feed. Hay costs $4 per week, and oats cost 25 cents per day.

• They don’t have fleas!

• Most people are not allergic to miniature horses.

• They need room to exercise. A fenced‐in yard works best.

• Guide horses need special care. At this time, only people over age 16 are taught to care for and handle guide horses.

• So far, there are only a few trained miniature guide horses.

Grade 3‐4

Co

Reading Passages

Helping

g Hands

1) Moat len

onkeys are famnding a helpin

mous for beinng hand.

ng mischievouus little creatuures. But thesse clever animmals are also great

2) Capare pamonkcalleddisabsuperhow ttelephtheir oHelpin

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59

Cactus by Ruth J.

1) Oncjam frthe Agrows

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Reading Passages

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Grade 3‐4

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Reading Passages

One Litttle Can by David LLaRochelle

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chel scowled ard. The side

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Grade 3‐4

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Reading Passages

9) Justout ag

t then Mr. Legain he was s

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62

up a d it ud


Copyright © 2006.



A Home for Lizzie by Beth Thompson

1) I was in the backyard pretending I was a gold miner and searching for treasure when I saw Lizzie. She was sitting on a rock, not moving at all. She could have been a leaf or a twig, because her nubbly skin blended in with the dark gray stone. But she was watching me. Then she slowly blinked her shiny, black eyes. It was like saying hello.

2) I named her Lizzie. When I said her name out loud, she lifted herself up on her tiny toes as if she were going to tiptoe away. But she didn’t go. I guess she liked her name.

3) I think Lizzie knew I didn’t want to hurt her. When I touched her back, she twitched her long, skinny tail. Maybe she thought my finger was a strange, new bug!

4) The sun had warmed Lizzie’s rock. Now the rock felt like the back steps under bare toes. “Does that feel good to your toes, too?” I asked her.But Lizzie only blinked a blink that could mean “yes” . . . or could mean “no.” And I don’t know lizard language.

5) I found an empty butter tub under the kitchen sink. It was smooth and white and just the right size for a lizard home. It had a plastic almost‐see‐through lid. Mom helped me punch holes in the lid. I made six holes, so Lizzie would get lots of air. I picked a handful of grass and sprinkled it inside the tub. Then I showed it to Lizzie.

6) “Look, your very own room,” I told her. “You don’t have to share.” She blinked. “It has air conditioning. And a nice green rug you can nibble on. Do you like it?” Lizzie blinked “yes” . . . but it might have been “no.”


Copyright © 2006.



7) I set her carefully on the grass in the tub. Then I put on the lid. I peeked through the holes to see what she would do.

8) Lizzie didn’t move at first. Then she tried to climb up the side of the butter tub, but it was too smooth. She slid back to the grass and sat very still. She couldn’t hide against the white plastic or the green grass. She couldn’t warm herself against the cold, smooth tub. She couldn’t feel the sun through the plastic ceiling of her new home.

9) I took off the lid and held it over my head, pretending I was Lizzie. Six tiny bits of sun shone through a cloudy window that needed washing. The wilted grass felt limp and coarse. Then I sniffed the tub. It smelled like butter and plastic and soap‐under‐the‐sink, not at all like the backyard.

10) So I took Lizzie out of the butter tub and put her back on the rock. She didn’t make a sound or run away. She just sat there, blinking. But I knew this time she meant “yes,” because now Lizzie was home.

Grade 3‐4

Co

Reading Passages

The Stoory of (Huuman) Callculatorsby Margaret Kenda and Phyllis S. WWilliams

1) Yosort o

ou probably lof magician ca

ike to go to malled a lightni

magic shows. ng calculator

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omeone woubackwards.

ld call out a 440‐digit numbber, and the hhuman calculaator would caall it right bacck,

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People could fof pi to the 1‐digit number

find out the n1,000th placer in a second.

number of sec. The human

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Carl Friedrich great man use

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Copyright © 2009.



66

NON‐SECURE MATERIALS MAY BE COPIED BY WASHTON STATE EDUCATORS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL UO

Other Lightning Calculators in History

7) Jedediah Buxton was a farmer who lived in England two centuries ago. He never learned to read or write, and he could not even write numbers on paper. But he could answer any question people asked him about numbers, even if the question was ridiculous. For instance, he could tell the number of hair widths in a large field. (Of course, no one wanted to check his figures on the hair widths, but everyone assumed he was right.)

8) Once, some people who wanted to be friends with the farmer gave him a rare treat. They took him to a theater in London to hear David Garrick, the greatest actor of his time, play Shakespeare’s Richard III.

9) At the end of the play, Buxton told his friends that the actors had spoken 14,445 words and taken 5,202 steps.

10) He had no idea about the plot of the play, and he had not noticed that he was hearing a great actor. He was too busy counting.

11) Not too many years ago, people who were good with numbers worked as “calculators” and “computers.” They did accounts and scientific calculating all day long. You won’t be surprised to hear that most of them have now been replaced by machines.


Copyright © 2009.



67

Just Plain Buster by Carolyn Mott Ford

1) When Buster was brought into the animal shelter, he was wet, matted, and smelly. But Jimmy, who worked at the animal shelter, had seen a lot of ugly, smelly dogs, and he knew what soap and water and a good brushing could do.

2) “I can clean you up,” he said. “You’ll look like a million. And you’ll smell better—I hope!” 3) After his bath, Buster didn’t look like a million. He looked like an ordinary, brown, medium‐sized

mutt. But he did smell better. A lot better. 4) Jimmy put Buster in a cage and gave him some food and fresh water. 5) “Now maybe someone will come along and give you a home,” he said. 6) Buster wanted a home. He wanted a family. He wanted a yard. Most of all, he wanted someone

to love him. 7) A couple walked by his cage. Buster jumped up

and down and scratched the door. The couple backed away. “He’s too jumpy,” they said.

8) A man came over to the cage. Buster curled up on his blanket and closed his eyes. “He’s no fun,” said the man. “He’s too quiet.”

9) A family came along—mother, father, and three kids. What fun to live with a family like that! Buster barked and barked so they would notice him. “What a pest,” said the mother. “He’s too noisy.” They all walked away.

10) Another family walked by the cage. Buster whined very softly. “Oh no,” said the father. “A whiner. We don’t want a whiner.”

11) Other people passed by Buster. 12) “Too furry.” 13) “Too bony.” 14) “Don’t give up,” Jimmy said to Buster. “Someone will want you.” 15) The next family that came asked Jimmy to take Buster out of the cage so they could get a better

look at him. Buster didn’t jump. He didn’t lie down and curl up. He didn’t bark. He didn’t whine. He hoped he didn’t look furry or bony. He stood up tall.

16) “He’s too big,” said the mother. She picked up her little girl. “He might scare the baby.” 17) When the next family came along, Buster slumped and tried to look small. “He’s too small,” said

the father. “He wouldn’t be a good watchdog.” 18) “Sorry, Buster,” said Jimmy. At the end of the day another family came to the shelter—a

mother, father, and a boy. Jimmy took Buster out of the cage for them. The boy came right over to


Copyright © 2009.



68

Buster. Buster didn’t try to look big or small. He didn’t worry about looking furry or bony. He was just plain Buster, an ordinary, brown, medium‐sized dog.

19) The boy looked into Buster’s brown eyes. Buster looked into the boy’s blue eyes. The boy patted Buster on the head. “Look, Mom,” he said. “This dog is just the right size for me.”

20) Buster went home to a family and a yard. Best of all, he went home with someone who loved him just the way he was. Just plain Buster, an ordinary, brown, medium‐sized dog.

Grade 3‐4

Co

Reading Passages

Young Night Thoought by Robertt Louis Stevennson

ong and everry night, All night l

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10 At the greeat circus on tthe green,

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Is marchinng in that caravan.

At first they move a litttle slow,

But still thhe faster on they go,

15 And still bbeside them cclose I keep

Until we rreach the towwn of Sleep.

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the dishes, he feels them as he dries them. He even sends

le dpa reads his book with his fingers, feeling the raised Braille dots that tell him the

funny,” says Nana. “Read to us, Papa.”

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the

me upstairs and tucks me into ling my head.

ed it on instead. I lie for a moment after he’s gone, smiling, before I get up to

he birds singing their last songs of the day, the wind

head. They fly low over the house. ping he’s heard them too.

smiles to him. I test it.

andpa is right. Her voice smiles to me. I know—because I’m looking through Grandpa’s eyes.

21) “Blue,” I tell him, smiling. “Blue like the sky.” 22) “Blue like the color of Grandpa’s eyes,” Nana says. 23) When he was younger, before I can remember, before he was blind, Grandpa did things

the way I do. Now, when we drink tea and eat lunch on the porch, Grandpa pours his own cup oftea by putting his finger just inside the rim of the cup to tell him when it is full. He never burnshis finger. Afterward, when I washsome back for me to wash again.

24) “Next time,” says Grandpa, pretending to be cross, “I wash; you dry.” 25) In the afternoon, Grandpa, Nana, and I take our books outside to read under the app

tree. Granwords.

26) As he reads, Grandpa laughs out loud. 27) “Tell us what’s28) And he does. 29) Nana and I put down our books to listen. A gray squirrel comes down

apple tree, tail high, and seems to listen, too. But Grandpa doesn’t see him. 30) After supper, Grandpa turns on the television. I watch, but Grandpa listens, and

music and the words tell him when something is dangerous or funny, happy or sad. 31) Somehow, Grandpa knows when it is dark, and he takes

bed. He bends down to kiss me, his hands fee32) “You need a haircut, John,” he says. 33) Before Grandpa leaves, he pulls the light chain above my bed to turn out the light. By

mistake, he’s turnturn off the light.

34) Then, when it is dark for me the way it is dark for Grandpa, I hear the night noises thatGrandpa hears—the house creaking, trustling the tree outside my window.

35) Then, all of a sudden, I hear the sounds of geese over36) “Grandpa,” I call softly, ho37) “Honkers,” he calls back. 38) “Go to sleep, John,” says Nana. 39) Grandpa says her voice40) “What?” I call to her. 41) “I said, ‘Go to sleep,’” she answers. 42) She says it sternly. But Gr


Copyright © 2007.



The Things Wings Do by Keith D. Waddington

1. Insect wings have many different shapes and colors. They also have different uses. 2. Most insects have two pairs of wings, with one pair behind the other. These wings are used for

flying, of course. But wings can help an insect in other ways, too.

Flying

3. How fast can an insect fly? 4. That depends on the size and speed of the wings. Houseflies can go fast because they have small

wings that flap quickly. 5. The same is true for honeybees. A honeybee can flap its small wings 225 times each second, and

it can fly fourteen miles an hour. That’s fast for an insect. 6. But butterflies drift from flower to flower. They flap their broad wings slowly. Sometimes they

glide without flapping at all. These big wings could break if the butterfly were to flap as hard as a bee does.

Hard Coverings

7. Wings are not just for flying.


Copyright © 2007.



8. In fact, a beetle’s front wings are not for flying at all. These two wings are hard. When the beetle rests or walks, they cover its soft body like two pieces of a nutshell. These wings help protect the beetle from being eaten by birds.

9. When the beetle flies, it holds its front wings out to the sides. With these hard wings out of the way, the beetle can fly with its small back wings.

Colors for Hiding

10. Some wings have colors and patterns that make the insect hard to see. 11. These wings look like the places where the insect rests. When the creature holds still, it doesn’t

look like an insect. It looks like a leaf or stone or piece of bark. 12. The colors help the insect hide from animals that might eat it. This kind of coloring is called

camouflage.

Bright Colors

13. Some insects don’t hide at all. Instead, their wings have bright colors that can be seen from far away.

14. Scientists say these wings have warning colors because the colors warn birds that the insects are not good to eat.

15. The wings of the monarch butterfly have warning colors of bright orange and black. A bird might eat one of these butterflies. But after the bad taste of that meal, the colors warn the bird not to eat another one.

Grade 3‐4

Co

Reading Passages

The Sunnset in Myy Mailboxx by Callie LLorentson

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Copyright © 2007.



These cornflakes were so nutritious that I wanted to share this high‐fiber, low‐sodium, just‐three‐calories, balanced breakfast with you.

Enjoy,

Julien

P.S. Next week I’m sending you a sunset.

7) “She’s mistaken,” I told my mom. “No one can send a sunset, not even Julien. It’s impossible.”

8) “I don’t know,” Mom said. “Julien might find a way. After all, she did send you her sneeze.” Mom wrinkled her nose at the memory.

9) A week later, I waited for the mail carrier. I’d be able to tell from his face if Julien really sent a sunset. But he just popped the letters in our mailbox with a smile and continued on his way.

10) I checked the mail and found a box with air holes and the words “FRAGILE—THIS SIDE UP” printed in bold black letters on the top. It was from Julien.

11) I stroked the box with my fingers. It was perfectly dry. I smelled it. It didn’t reek. I held my breath and started opening the package. What if sunbeams spring out and hit me in the face like those fake snakes in a can? I thought.

12) My hands shook as I lifted the last flap and peeked inside. Where in the world was the sunset? All I could find was a letter and a twisty, gray, papery shell. It looked like a submarine. I read the letter.

Dear Caitlin,

The sunsets at my house are so beautiful that I had to give you a piece. I counted at least five different colors in one yesterday. Can you find more?

Hugs and smoochies,

Julien

13) I looked again at the gray shell. That’s no sunset, I thought.

14) “You must mean the submarines at your house, Julien,” I said. Without reading the postscript, I laid the letter and the submarine on the kitchen table. Then I left the room to find a pen so that I could cross out “sunset” and write “submarine” above it.

Grade 3‐4

Co

Reading Passages

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766


Reading Passages

Grades 5‐6

77


Acknowledgments “Avalanche” by Stephen Kramer. Text copyright © 1992 by Stephen Kramer. Reprinted with the permission of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this text excerpt may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Grade 5 2007 Released Items “Black Blizzard” by Maurine V. Eleder. Copyright © 2001 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Library of Congress. Copyright © 2003 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 5 Sample Test Booklet “The Elephant” by Nora Archibald Smith, Child Life, 1928. “Living Large (The African Elephant)” by Sara Murray‐Plumer. From U.S. Kids, copyright © 1997 by Children’s Better Health Institute, Benjamin Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. Used by Permission. Grade 5 2006 Released Items “Hippos Rule!” by Glenn S. Feldhake. Reprinted from the September 2001 issue of Ranger Rick ® magazine, with the permission of the publisher, National Wildlife Federation ®. Grade 5 Sample Test Booklet “Kids Are Inventors, Too” from The Kids’ Invention Book by Arlene Erlbach, copyright © 1997 by Arlene Erlbach. Used by permission of Lerner Publications Company, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Grade 5 2009 Sample Items “The Lion Who Couldn’t Climb Steps” by Willie B. Mills illustration by Helen Cogancherry. Reprinted by permission of LADYBUG magazine, September 2000, text copyright, © 2000 by Willie B. Mills. Illustration copyright, © 2000 by Helen Cogancherry. Grade 5 2007 Released Items “Rooster’s Place in the Sun” by Bob Morrow. Reprinted by permission of Spider the magazine for children, February 2001, Vol. 8, No. 2, copyright © 2001 Bob Morrow. Illustration by Mike Wohnoutka. Grade 5 Sample Test Booklet “Trail Mix” by Susie Post‐Rust, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WORLD, January/February 2002, National Geographic Society, Inc. Photo of Kathleen Blevins © Susie Post Rust/Aurora Photos. Grade 5 2008 Released Items “You Probably Know This Guy” by Virginia Bennett, copyright (c) 2004 by Virginia Bennett. Used by permission of the author. Grade 5 2009 Sample Items “The Cowboy Artist: Charles Russell” by Pat Gordon. Copyright © 1985 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Courtesy of C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, Montana. Grade 6 Sample Test “The Flame of a Candle” Retold by Marci Stillerman from Highlights for Children, April 1999. Copyright © 1999 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 6 2006 Released Items “Grin and Bear it” by Russell Chadwick from National Geographic World, February 2001. Copyright © 2001 by National Geographic. Photograph: JOEL SARTORE/ National Geographic

78


79

Image Collection. Illustration: National Geographic Image Collection. Grade 6 2007 Released Items “Midnight Heroine” by Su Montour, illustration by Len Ebert from Highlights for Children, July/August 1993. Copyright © 1993 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 6 2007 Released Items “Piano Man” by Patricia Curtis Pfitsch. Copyright © 1993 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photographs: © Berliner Studio/BEImages. Grade 6 Sample Test “Skunks! Could we help these little stinkers?” by David Sloan, photo of skunk (courtesy of PhotoDisc) from Highlights for Children, Aug. 2001, copyright © 2001 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Used by permission. Photo of Litter of baby striped skunks © All Canada Photos/Alamy # B19C05. Grade 6 2009 Released Items “Stop. Thief!” by George Laycock (aka Burt Heim) from Boys Life Magazine, September 2002. Published by Boy Scouts of America. Grade 6 2006 Released Items “Pack Rat” by Byrd Baylor. Reprinted with the permission of Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division from DESERT VOICES by Byrd Baylor. Web Usage Acknowledgement: From DESERT VOICES by Byrd Baylor. Copyright (c) 1981 Byrd Baylor. Used by permission of Marian Reiner on behalf of the author. Grade 6 2006 Released Items “The Strange Idea of George Ferris” by June Swanson. Copyright © 1982 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Chicago History Museum, ICHi‐02440, Waterman. Grade 6 2008 Released Items “The Tailor’s Wish” by Dorothy Leon, illustration by Philip Smith from Highlights for Children, May 2002, copyright © 2002 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Used by permission. Grade 6 2009 Released Items

5‐6 Grade Reading Passages

Copyright © December 2009



You Probably Know This Guy by Virginia Bennett

He gets up in the mornin’, way before dawn, Feeds the wood heater, turns a pot of coffee on, Tunes in the radio for the market report. He could stay in bed, but he’s just not that sort.

5 He scrambles some eggs, while his family sleeps upstairs. Thinks over coffee ’til first light appears. He climbs into his coveralls when it’s light enough to feed. Some folks wait ’til it’s warmer, but he’s not of that breed. The snow crunches as he walks, his breath rises in the cold air.

10 Tiny icicles begin to form on his moustache hair. The cows beckon softly, the horses toss their heads and nicker And stamp their impatience when the tack room lights flicker. While most folks are asleep, he’s out there loadin’ up hay. He could do it blindfolded, since he does it twice every day.

15 He pauses to stroke a barn cat, and listen to it purr, Tousles the ears of his cowdog, and pulls out a burr. Last year’s calves chew their alfalfa as the rancher waters. He’s proud of his cows that produced these sons and daughters. He checks for bad eyes and cows that are due.

20 This herd needs him badly, and he needs them, too.





He does this every day, every winter, every year, But it’s never monotonous, routine, boring or drear. To the rest of the world, those are just cows out by the shed But to this honest cowboy, they’re his reason for gettin’ out of bed.





Kids Are Inventors, Too by Arlene Erlbach

1. Do you know what’s unusual about earmuffs? They were

invented by a kid! Chester Greenwood wanted to keep his ears warm, so he invented earmuffs. They solved a problem for him. That’s what inventions are supposed to do. Chester’s invention made life easier for millions of other people.

Anyone Can Invent 2. You may already be an inventor, too, without even knowing

it. You’re an inventor every time you find a way of doing something. Have you ever made up new rules for a game? Or maybe you’ve wiped your mouth on your sleeve when you couldn’t find a napkin. Your parents may not have been thrilled when they saw you do that, but you solved a problem for yourself. Inventions are discoveries. An invention might be a new item, like the Koosh® Ball or Slinky® were when they first appeared in stores, years ago. Or an invention may improve something that already exists. Think about your TV. You probably see color pictures on the screen. But the first TV sets showed only black‐and‐white pictures. The person who invented color television improved something that people were already using.

back to earmuffs. They were invented in 1873, when Chester Greenwood was only 15 years old.

ire and asked his grandmother to sew

!

, Maine, celebrates Chester Greenwood Day each December.

Chester’s Invention 3. Let’s go

4. Chester lived in Farmington, Maine, and he loved to ice skate. Anyone familiar with northeastern winters knows howhard they can be on your ears—even when you wear a hat. So Chester took a piece of wcloth pads on the ends. 5. At first Chester’s friends thought his earmuffs looked weird, but they soon changed their minds. Chester couldstay outside and skate longer than they did. His ears didn’t get coldSoon Chester’s friends wanted earmuffs, too. So he started makingearmuffs and selling them. He also applied for a patent. A patent is a document issued by the U.S. government. It protects aninventor’s idea so nobody else can make money from it. 6. Chester began manufacturing earmuffs and eventually became rich. He became famous, too. Farmington





7. Lots of kids—about 500,000 each year— invent things. Most kids don’t sell their inventions or become rich. But they do have fun creating things and seeing them work.





84

Trail Mix by Susie Post‐Rust

1. Lester Erhart’s dogs are jumping and yelping,

ready to go. Standing behind Colt, Ben, Cid, and Blazer on a sled, Lester adjusts his face mask so only his eyes show. The 13‐ year‐old’s misty breath escapes as he waits in the 15‐below‐zero cold.

2. “Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Go!” the announcer calls.

3. “All right!” Lester yells. 4. The team takes off with a jerk. “It’s like you’re

floating on air,” Lester says. He hears the wind rustling his jacket and the dogs’ paws beating the snowy path. And, of course, the barking.

5. This is the 2001 Junior North American/International Federation of Sled Dog Sports Junior World Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska. Kids and sled dogs race down a snow packed trail through the woods. There’s only one musher per sled, but make no mistake: this is a team sport.

Mush Pit 6. It’s a tight friendship between dog and musher. Who else is a musher going to depend

on if his sled tips over five miles into a lonely trail? The dogs—Alaskan huskies and hounds—depend on the mushers for daily feeding, cleaning, training, and love.

7. But no amount of bonding prepared Britni Browning, 13, for what happened to her. The best of her four dogs sat down in the middle of the race—four times!

8. “I knew I wasn’t going to win,” Britni says. “But I got off the sled, petted Whitey, and told him he was doing well. If he thought I was mad, he’d never get up!”

Going to the Dogs 9. Britni knows that communication is important, but

not just so the dogs understand commands. The mushers must understand their dogs as well. Who should be the lead dog? Does this dog run better hitched to the right or left? By the time of the race, most of the real work is already done.

10. The rest is teamwork, as Carey Erhart, Lester’s 17‐year‐old sister, knows. She has fallen behind and wants badly to make up the time.





11. As Carey finishes, she kicks one leg behind her to push the sled. Her six dogs can tell she’s working hard, so they run faster. Their tongues hang out, and icicles dangle from their whiskers.

12. Carey is breathing hard when she crosses the finish line, as if she’s been running right alongside the dogs. She won, but she doesn’t know it yet. She’s just trying to breathe.

13. Suddenly her dogs pounce and cover her with slobber. They don’t know that they won, either. And they don’t care. All they know is that being part of this team keeps their trails—er, tails—wagging!

Fast Facts

• Alaska is the biggest U.S. state in area but ranks 48th in population.

• Sled dog racing is the official state sport of Alaska.

• No major roads lead to Juneau, the state capital. The only way in is by boat or plane.

• Careful! Mukluks are winter boots. Muktuk is a whale blubber snack.

85





The Lion Who Couldn’t Climb Steps by Willie B. Mills

1. When Mr. Casey arrived at work one hot summer morning, he trudged up a tree‐lined hill, then

walked across a bridge toward an old stone building. There was never water in the deep moat beneath him. In fact, there usually wasn’t anything at all down there, but today something caught his eye. He leaned over the rail and looked down. There, twenty feet below him, a lion was playing with a bowling ball!

2. Mr. Casey smiled. He recognized the lion as Max, one of the four lions he took care of every day. Mr. Casey was a zookeeper, and of all the animals at the zoo, Max was his favorite.

3. But what was six‐month‐old Max doing down in the moat? The moat was made of cement. It was very wide and very deep and it was what separated the visitors at the zoo from the lions. The lions’ side of the moat was slanted, and there were boards every few feet for the zookeepers to use as steps when they climbed to the bottom of the moat to clean it.

4. Mr. Casey suddenly realized what had happened. Max loved to use his huge paws to bat the bowling ball and chase it around the lion yard. This time Max must have chased his ball right into the moat.

5. Soon Max’s parents and his sister came out of their den and climbed down into the moat to play with him. All day long visitors to the zoo could hear Max’s ball rolling noisily across the concrete floor of the moat and smacking into the wall at the end.

6. At feeding time, though, Mr. Casey grew concerned. Max’s sister and his parents easily bounded up the wooden steps for their evening meal, but poor Max couldn’t figure out how to climb up.





7. “Oh, well,” Mr. Casey said to Max, “when you get hungry enough, you’ll climb up somehow.” 8. But the next day Max was still down in the moat, looking very sad indeed. His mother and father

and sister all went up and down the steps again and again, but Max couldn’t get up the courage. He would take one or two shaky steps up the steep slope, then jump back down. Climbing was just too scary.

9. By the next morning Mr. Casey felt very sorry for Max. The little lion didn’t play with his bowling ball anymore. He was too hungry. He hadn’t had anything to eat in two days, and the situation was getting serious.

10. Suddenly Mr. Casey had an idea. He quickly went to the zoo’s kitchen and came back with a big pan of hamburger meat—Max’s favorite.

11. Mr. Casey stood on the bridge and looked down at a very forlorn Max, sitting at the bottom of the steps. The zookeeper rolled a handful of hamburger into a ball. Then, taking careful aim, he tossed the juicy meatball so that it landed with a PLOP on the steps, right above Max’s nose.

12. Max was so hungry he jumped up and quickly gobbled the meatball, his big front paws resting on the second step. Before he had finished swallowing the first meatball, Mr. Casey tossed a second one. This time he made it land a little bit higher. Max lunged up to the fourth step to get the tasty tidbit.

13. Mr. Casey kept tossing the juicy meatballs onto the steps, a little higher each time. Without thinking, Max followed his nose up to each one. He didn’t even notice he was climbing higher and higher. Soon Mr. Casey tossed the last meatball at the very top of the steps, and Max was suddenly out of the moat.

14. Still licking his lips, Max turned around with a surprised look on his face. His expression seemed to ask, “How did I get up here?” Then he bounded happily into the den to join his family.

15. The very next day Max carefully went up and down the steps on his own, testing his new‐found skill. Once again visitors to the zoo could hear his bowling ball rolling noisily across the concrete





floor of the moat and smacking into the wall at the far end. And at mealtimes, Max raced his sister up out of the moat, a much braver and smarter lion.





Avalanche by Stephen Kramer

A Chilling Experience 1) Avalanches happen so often and in so many places that avalanche

experts cannot keep track of them all. Everyone who spends time in snowy mountains needs to watch out for avalanches. But each year, snowslides catch skiers, snowmobilers, and travelers by surprise.

2) People who have been swept away by an avalanche usually have

clear memories of the moving snow’s power. Paul Baugher was skiing in Washington State when he was caught in a snowslide. The snow carried him down through trees and over a cliff. He described it like this:

3) I tried to ski to safety, but the snow caught me. It buried me and swept me downhill. I felt like I was shooting along in a fast‐moving stream.

4) I curled my body into a tight ball. The snow bounced me off a tree, and I lost my skis and poles. The next thing I remember was a feeling of floating as the snow carried me over the cliff.

5) After the avalanche shot over the cliff, it fell down onto a road below. As the avalanche began to slow down, Paul Baugher was able tofight his way to the top of the snow. His skis and poles had disappeared, and his goggles were full of snow. But his only injury was a large bruise from hitting the tree.

Warm‐hearted Rescuer 6) Many people (and animals) are not as fortunate as Paul Baugher was. When an avalanche races

down a hillside, there is usually lots of air mixed in with the moving snow. But when the avalanche stops, the snow crystals pack tightly together. The air is forced out.

7) The snow often becomes very hard. People buried by an avalanche usually cannot move their arms

or legs—even if they are covered by only one or two feet of snow. They must depend on others to rescue them.





8) In many mountain areas, there are avalanche rescue teams ready to help. Members of these teams

are trained to find people buried by avalanches and to dig them out.

9) Speed is important in all rescue work. People trapped under snow eventually run out of air to breathe. The longer it takes to dig someone out of the snow, the less chance there is that the person will still be alive.

10) Rescuers usually start by making a quick search of the area where the avalanche happened.

They check downhill from the last place the person caught by the avalanche was seen. They look for a glove, hat, ski tip, or any other sign that the buried person is near the surface of the snow. If no sign is found, rescuers search with avalanche probes. An avalanche probe is a long, thin, metal rod. The rescuers form a tight line and march together slowly, pushing their probes deep into the snow at each step. The rescuers hope a probe will touch the buried person so they will know where to dig.

11) Mountain hikers and skiers are fortunate that avalanche rescue teams are trained and ready to

find the victims of snow’s moving power.

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The Elephant by Nora Archibald Smith

The elephant’s the strangest beast That ever I have seen; He’ll eat ’most any kind of thing That is or has been green. He’ll find a drink in little plants 5 That grow on the plains, Or seek water in riverbeds Where nothing wet remains By digging with his trunk and feet, Until the crystal flood 10 Comes up to bid him slake his thirst And cool himself in mud. His home is in a tropic vale, Or on a mountainside; Wherever fortune sends him, he 15 Can cheerfully abide. Though large he seems, he yet can move As quickly as a hare, And on uneven ground outstrip The tiger to his lair. 20 And more than this, you never find The beast lies down to rest, Pursue him north, pursue him south, Pursue him east and west. He sways upon his sturdy legs, 25 And wags his flapping ears, And asks no other way to sleep, No matter what his years. Oh, happy, happy elephant, No couch for him is spread; 30 He never has to take a nap, For he never goes to bed!





Skunks! by David Sloan

1) “Did you say six baby skunks?” I said into the telephone. 2) “Yes,” the caller said. While walking near a housing development, the caller had seen six baby

skunks that appeared to be orphaned. 3) I climbed into my truck and drove to where the caller had seen the skunks. Sure enough, in the

empty field there were six baby skunks. 4) I was working for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. As a summer conservation

officer, I dealt with many interesting situations involving animals. But I could tell that this one was going to stand out from the rest.

Orphans 5) Mother skunks are protective of their young, but there was no mother in sight. Skunks are

usually nocturnal, only coming out at night. But these youngsters were moving about in broad daylight. It was obvious that they were orphans.

6) But what could a person do with them? They appeared to be four to five weeks of age. They were old enough to leave the den on their own, but were they old enough to take care of themselves? Looking at the tiny black‐and‐white figures, I doubted it.

7) I had been taught not to interfere with wild animals unless it was absolutely necessary. After some discussion, my co‐workers and I agreed that the baby skunks needed limited help. Limited help means keeping an animal in the wild while giving some assistance.

8) But what should you feed six hungry baby skunks? 9) Skunks are omnivorous. Like us, they eat both meats and plants. But skunks eat some very

different kinds of meats and plants than we do. Although they eat strawberries and apples, they also eat grasshoppers, frogs, bees, and mice. Not a very appealing diet to most of us!





10) A skunk’s favorite food is grubs. These tiny insect larvae are like ice cream and cookies to a skunk. So with grubs in hand, we drove back to the vacant field.

Warning! 11) The skunks seemed to pay little attention to us as we approached. This was probably because

skunks can’t see as well as we do. If you are more than four feet away from a skunk you are almost invisible to it.

12) But skunks are far from defenseless. If threatened, they have a very powerful spray that they can shoot out from their rear end. This liquid is stored in two grape‐sized sacs under the skin below the tail. Skunks can accurately shoot this spray up to ten feet. And skunks are “fully loaded” and ready to spray by the time they’re a month old.

13) We stood about twenty feet away and tossed grubs toward the skunks. The skunks seemed to have no idea there were grubs nearby. Unless we did something else, the skunks would starve, even though there was plenty of food.

14) With some reluctance, we moved closer until we were less than four feet away. The skunks “froze” as they stared at us. Their tails were pointing straight up. This is a skunk’s first warning for intruders to beware. The next step would be to bend the tail until it touches the back and to bend the body into a U‐shape so that the rear end faces the intruder. This gets the skunk set for the next step: Fire!

15) Slowly we reached into the bag and pulled out some grubs. The skunks’ tails seemed to twitch. Were they preparing to spray us? We tossed some grubs on the ground in front of them, and a few tails twitched again. But one brave skunk stepped forward. Soon the others did, too, and a feast was under way.

Wild, Not Mild 16) We had to be careful. We wanted to help the baby skunks survive, but we didn’t want to tame

them. If they became used to us, they would lose their fear of humans. Since they were living near a housing development, that would mean trouble. If these skunks began to raid garbage containers, make dens under houses, or stray into neighborhoods, they would have to be removed or destroyed. So our job was a tricky one.

17) One thing made the job a little easier. Skunks normally live in abandoned groundhog dens or other ready‐made nesting places. They usually stay in a den for only a few weeks before moving on to another one. But since these skunks were without their mother, they continued living in the same den. We easily found the orphans each day, and they didn’t roam into the housing development.





18) Over the next four weeks we gradually stopped feeding the skunks. If they were to survive in the wild, they would have to learn to find their food. Soon the skunks stopped coming out in the daytime. They had become nocturnal.

19) A follow‐up study showed that they had moved into the nearby woods. 20) In a way, I was sad to see them go, but I was also happy. They had made it. They were still wild

creatures, and in a year or two would probably have young ones of their own





The Tailor’s Wish Retold by Dorothy Leon

1) Once, in a small village in Russia, there lived a svitnik—a tailor—who was very poor. But he felt he had the wealth of the world because he had a devoted wife who always praised him and spoke loving words to him.

2) The tailor wished for nothing more than to make her happy. And so he toiled day and night making svita, or clothing, in the hope of earning enough money to buy lovely gifts for her.

3) One day, while making a woman’s coat and matching hat, the tailor had a joyful thought. When he finished the clothes, he showed them to his wife. “For you,” he said.

4) “For me? For me, Josef? They are too fine for me. They are fit for the wife of the tsar, not me.” 5) Josef took his wife’s hand into his and said, “Svetlana, my love, nothing is too fine for you. But I

shall listen to your wisdom. I shall take them to the tsar—the country’s ruler— for his wife. Then, upon my return, I shall make a coat and hat for you exactly to your bidding.”

6) And so Josef placed the coat and hat in a large clean cloth, mounted his horse, and rode many miles to the tsar’s palace. He arrived tired, but jubilant in the thought that he had the finest gift in the land for the tsarina—the ruler’s wife.

7) He approached the guard at the gate to the palace grounds. “I have a handsome coat and hat for the tsar’s wife, and I wish entry, please,” Josef said.

8) “A gift for the tsarina?” With a greedy look in his eye, the guard said, “Remain here. I will deliver it for you.”

9) “I need to deliver it myself to determine if she’ll need any changes,” Josef replied, surprised at his own daring.

10) The guard thought for a moment, then said, “Very well. I will let you pass. But you must know that whoever gives the tsar a gift will be granted one wish, and I want one‐third of whatever the tsar gives you.”





11) Reluctantly, Josef agreed. “I shall give you one‐third of whatever the tsar gives me.” Then he continued on his way to the palace. He went past the orchard in full bloom and past the field of growing vegetables.

12) Suddenly a second guard approached him. “Stop,” ordered the guard. “What is in that package?”

13) “A handmade coat and hat for the tsarina,” replied Josef. 14) The guard eyed the valuable parcel. “You need not go farther. I shall deliver it for you. You may

stay here and wait.” 15) “I wish to deliver it myself.” Josef spoke more sternly than he had ever dared to speak to

anyone. The guard paused in thought. 16) “Surely you know that whoever gives the tsar a gift will be granted one wish. I will let you

deliver it, but I want one‐third of whatever the tsar gives you.” 17) Josef sighed. “I promise to give you that.” Then he continued past the stables, past the meadow

filled with grazing horses, cows, and bulls, past the chicken house. At last he was near the palace doors. But before he could enter, he was met by a third guard.

18) “And where do you think you are going?” said the guard. 19) “I am going to see the tsar,” replied Josef. “I have a handmade coat and hat for the tsarina.”N 20) The guard smiled greedily. “I am the chief guard. I’ll be happy to deliver them for you.” 21) “I must deliver them myself,” Josef said firmly. “The tsarina may need changes made.” 22) Sensing Josef’s determination, the guard said, “I will permit you to do that. But you may know

that the tsar offers one wish to the giver of a gift, and if I let you enter the palace, I want one‐third of whatever the tsar gives you.”

23) Josef had expected this reply. He nodded, for he now had a plan. “You shall have one‐third.” 24) At last Josef entered the palace and presented his gift to the gracious tsarina. As she tried on the

new coat and hat, the tsar looked on admiringly. 25) “Thank you, Josef,” the tsarina said. “This is a most elegant coat and hat. They fit me well. I shall

wear them with pride.” 26) The tsar turned to Josef and said, “What fine gifts you have made for my tsarina. As thanks, I

shall grant any request you make.” 27) Josef had already decided what he would wish for. “I appreciate your generosity, my lord,” said

Josef. “I wish for ninety‐nine hours of hard labor picking fruit in the orchards and vegetables from the garden, feeding the animals, grooming the horses, milking the cows, gathering eggs, and plowing the land. Ninety‐nine hours of hard labor—no less, no more.”

28) The tsar was astonished. He asked, “Why would anyone make such a request?” 29) “Your majesty, the wish is not for me alone,” said Josef. “I promised to give each of the three

guards one‐third of my wish, and I always keep my promises.” 30) A broad smile spread over the face of the tsar. “Your wish will be granted. And since you possess

such intelligence as well as skill, from now on you shall be known as the Tailor of the Tsar.” 31) “Tailor of the Tsar! I? Thank you, my lord,” Josef said humbly. And in his mind he began

composing the words he would use to tell his beloved Svetlana about their unbelievable good fortune.





The Strange Idea of George Ferris by June Swanson

1) Have you ridden a Ferris wheel lately?

Can you imagine the soaring feeling as you are pulled to the top and then swished down to the bottom again? Can you imagine the view as you look out over roofs and treetops? (Or will your eyes be closed?)

2) Today a Ferris wheel is usually forty to sixty feet tall. That seems very high when you’re on the top looking down. But the first Ferris wheel was 264 feet high—taller than a twenty‐story building! Can you imagine the view from the top of that?

3) The first Ferris wheel was built for the 1893 World’s Fair, the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The people who planned the fair were looking for an attraction that would bring people to Chicago. The Eiffel Tower had been a great success for the fair in Paris in 1889, and they wanted something like that.

4) George Ferris submitted drawings of a giant wheel that people could ride on. At first everyone laughed at his strange idea. But Mr. Ferris didn’t give up, and finally the idea was accepted. The ride opened in June of 1893.

5) Today’s Ferris wheels have twelve to sixteen seats, which each carry two or three people. But that first one had thirty‐six enclosed cars, each holding sixty passengers. When filled, it carried 2,160 people. During that summer in Chicago, one‐and‐a‐half million people rode the Ferris wheel.

6) Six platforms were used to load and unload passengers. Each ride was two full turns of the wheel. On the first turn, it made six stops for loading. Then the second turn was a nonstop nine‐minute ride. Each car had five large glass windows in front and in back, giving everyone a great view of Chicago and Lake Michigan.





7) After the fair the ride was moved to a nearby amusement park built especially to show off the wheel. In 1904 it was moved again—this time to St. Louis for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. After the fair in St. Louis closed, the wheel stood unused. In 1906 it was finally sold to a wrecking company for scrap metal. It took 200 pounds of dynamite to bring it down.

8) Fortunately a Chicago bridge builder, W.E. Sullivan, figured out how to make a smaller Ferris wheel that could easily be taken apart and put together. In 1906 he started the company that still makes many of the Ferris wheels used today.

9) But, whenever you ride one, remember that it all began with George Ferris’s strange idea!





Grin and Bear it by Russell Chadwick

1) I’m standing completely still, frozen. Coming right at me is a 750‐pound male grizzly bear. My

gaze turns slowly from the bear to the animal trainer Doug Seus, who assures me: “You’re doing fine.” But I’m not so sure. I figured it would be fun to help Doug train bears for television and movies. Now I’m wondering just what I’ve gotten myself into, standing face to snout with a bear bigger than my 16‐year‐old frame.

2) The bear, appropriately named Tank, eyes me for signs of fear, and I try to put out a friendly vibe. Finally, I breathe a sigh of relief as he lets down his guard and begins to lick me with his long, smooth tongue. I have been accepted... for now.

3) Doug and his family run Wasatch Wildlife, an animal training center in Heber City, Utah. Last summer, they took in two 4‐month‐old orphaned grizzly cubs. That meant lots of extra responsibilities, so Doug asked me to fly down from my home in Whitefish, Montana, to help train them. I love cats and dogs, but as I was about to find out, a wild animal is something completely different.

4) I mostly took care of Little Bart and Honey Bump, the two cubs. I did a lot of feeding and cleaning. But my main job was to spend as much time as possible with the bears to get them comfortable around people.





5) That meant a lot of playing with the bears. But that wasn’t as easy as it sounds. These cubs were already about a hundred pounds each and unbelievably strong. They played rough—wrestling, clawing, and play‐biting are all part of forming a good relationship with a bear.

6) Little Bart loved to play, but Bump tended to be more intense. That was one of the fun things, discovering the bears’ individual personalities. One time Tank even made up a game with me, pushing gravel in and out of his cage.

7) As amazing as they were, I always had to remember that these bears weren’t “tame.” Their emotions and moods could change as quickly as any human’s. I should know. One time Bump took a bite out of my back, and I had to wrestle her to the ground. But it also showed me how smart she is. She knew she had done something wrong and “apologized” by putting her head in my lap.

8) I’m 17 now, and I hope to return to Utah soon and see how my little bear cubs have grown. Training these bears has given me a sense of accomplishment, and I definitely have more confidence. After all, when you’ve wrestled with a 750‐pound grizzly, things like major tests and endless homework don’t seem so intimidating anymore!

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Midnight Heroine By Sue Montour

1) Lightening ripped across the night sky and thunderclaps shook the farmhouse windows where Kate Shelley sat watching the summer storm. Kate and her mother were the only people awake at t he Shelley home that July night in 1881. Nearby, floodwaters of Iowa’s Honey Creek and Des Moines River swirled dangerously beneath the railroad bridges stretching over them.

2) Kate was fifteen. She loved the trains that passed by her house, and she knew their schedules by heart.

3) “The Midnight Express might be late tonight,” Kate said to her mother. Old Number 11 was the “pusher” engine that helped trains up the steep curve near Kate’s home. Sometimes it was sent out during storms to see if the tracks were safe before other locomotives were allowed through.

4) Kate was right. Number 11 was chugging toward Kate’s home, pushing through the storm to inspect the tracks. The engine slowed near the Honey Creek Bridge, and the section boss held his lantern high to see of the bridge was intact. The track and timbers seemed to be in place. He signaled for the engineer to continue.

5) Number 11 rang its bell and lurched forward. Then came the terrible cracking of wooden beams. The weakened bridge collapsed under the engine’s weight.

6) Back at their farmhouse, Kate and her mother jumped, startled by the sudden crash. A moment later they heard cries for help and the loud hiss of steam from the engine’s hot boilers, which had plunged into the cold creek water.

7) Mrs. Shelley asked Kate to stay inside, but Kate pleaded for a chance to help the downed engine. Together they fixed up an old railroad lantern, filling the oil cup and making a new wick from a piece of flannel. Mrs. Shelley lit the lantern and gave it to Kate, sending her off into the night.

8) Traveling a familiar path, Kate followed the cries for help. Past the shattered bridge timbers she

spotted two men in the water clinging to large branches. Kate knew she wouldn’t be able to save them alone.

9) It was then that she remembered the Midnight Express. It would be carrying hundreds of

passengers toward the broken bridge. To find help, Kate would have to cross the long Des Moines River railroad bridge to the nearest station.





10) Running hard, she reached the bridge and suddenly slipped and fell on the wet wooden ties.

The lantern banged against the wood, broke, and went out.

11) The night suddenly became very dark and frightening, but Kate did not stop. Rain and wind lashed her face as she crawled blindly from one slippery tie to the next. Every lightning flash lit up the swirling, muddy water far below. The spaces between the ties were wide—she could easily fall through and be swept away.

12) But Kate knew she must not think of that now—she must get across. Lightning flashed, illuminating a large uprooted tree that was barreling downriver toward her. She froze in fear, imagining that the huge tree would destroy the bridge. But, at the last moment, the mammoth swerved and darted underneath, spraying her with mud and foam.

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ntinued 13) Kate clutched the rails and steadied herself, then coon. Her skirt tore on the railroad spikes. She gritted her teeth and inched along for what seemed like hours.

14) Finally Kate felt the mud and cinders of the far bank under her. She scrambled to her feet and ran to the station. Breathless, she stumbled inside. The group of men inside were startled by the sight of the wet, frantic girl who had burst through the door.

15) “Stop the Express!” she exclaimed. “Honey Creek Bridge is out!” Then, pale and exhausted, Kate fell to the floor.

16) Unknown to Kate, the Midnight Express had already been stopped. But now, with help, Kate revived and told about the two survivors of Engine Number 11 trapped in Honey Creek.

17) An engine’s whistle roused the villagers around the station. Volunteers with shovels and ropes boarded a nearby locomotive. Kate rode along and guided the rescuers down a path to the stranded brakeman and engineer.

18) Because of her heroic efforts, Kate was awarded with a beautiful gold medal, a long gold chain, and a free train pass to last her lifetime. Trains even stopped at her house whenever she wanted to ride.

19) The old bridge that Kate crossed that stormy night of July 6, 1881, is gone now. Today, the Chicago & Northwestern trains ride over the Des Moines River on a sturdy iron bridge. It’s called the Kate Shelley Memorial High Bridge, named after the girl who risked her life to save the Midnight Express and the men of Engine Number 11.





The Flame of a Candle by Marci Stillerman

1) One bitterly cold winter night, Nasreddin Hodja sipped hot, sweet coffee and gossiped

with friends. As the howling wind plopped clumps of snow against the window of the coffeehouse, the men spoke of the weather.

2) “You think this is cold?” Hodja asked. “When I was a child, it was so cold the clouds froze in the sky. But it didn’t bother me. I’d go down to the river, cut a hole in the ice, and go for a nice swim.”

3) Hodja was known to brag. 4) “I could stay out on a night like this with nothing to keep me warm,”he boasted. 5) “With no coat, no blanket, no fire, no hot tea?” 6) “Certainly.” 7) The men scoffed in disbelief. 8) “I’ll show you,” Hodja said. “If I can’t stay out all night without a fire or any protection,

I’ll invite you to a feast at my house.” 9) Who could refuse such an offer? 10) Hodja’s friends went to their warm houses. They sat by their windows and sipped hot

drinks as they watched Hodja wandering in the snow‐covered marketplace, studying the cold stars.

11) After a few hours, Hodja, shivering mightily, wished he’d never made such a foolish offer. He was about to give up and go inside before he froze to death. Then he saw a candle flickering in a window of a house a hundred yards away.





12) He fastened his gaze on the candle flame and was able to endure the bitter cold the rest of the night.

13) At last it was morning. Teeth chattering, Hodja entered the coffeehouse just as his friends were sitting down for the first coffee of the day.

14) “Were you out there all night? And did you have nothing to keep you warm?” they asked.

15) Hodja assured them this was true. 16) “How were you able to do it?” they asked. 17) “I fixed my eyes on a candle flame burning in a window a hundred yards away,” he said.

“It kept me going all night.” 18) “So!” said Ahmet. “You did have something to keep you warm. A candle flame gives off

heat. You warmed yourself by the heat of that candle flame!” 19) No matter what Hodja said, the men were not convinced. They insisted he must have

warmed himself by the heat of the candle flame burning behind a closed window a hundred yards away.

20) He sighed and invited them to a feast at his house. 21) As the muezzin sang out the prayer call at sunset, Hodja’s friends left their shoes at his

door and entered his house. They sat cross‐legged on the floor, awaiting the feast. 22) “It may be awhile,” Hodja said. 23) “That’s all right. We can wait,” they said. 24) Time passed. Hodja went back and forth to the kitchen, but the men detected no good

smells of roasting meat or frying onions. They were getting hungrier and hungrier. 25) “When do we eat?” one of them inquired. 26) “The food is being prepared,” Hodja answered on his way to the kitchen. 27) “Maybe we can help,” another one said, and they all followed Hodja into the kitchen. 28) A huge pot hung on a chain from the ceiling. Beneath it on the floor flickered a candle. 29) “Hodja,” Mehmet said, “it will take forever for the heat of that candle flameto cook our

dinner.” 30) “It should boil soon,” Hodja said. “After all, if a candle burning behind a closed window a

hundred yards away can keep me warm on a winter night, the flame of this candle just a few feet away can surely heat the pot.”





Stop, Thief! There’s a Pack Rat on the Loose by Burt Heim

The pack rat loves shiny objects. 1) A shiny mini flashlight, which you carefully placed beside the sleeping bag last night, has

vanished into the night. It wasn’t magic, and it wasn’t one of your buddies. You’ve been struck by a thief known as the pack rat.

2) This unusual critter runs around at night claiming anything it wants. The pack rat’s shopping list includes coins, toothbrushes, rings, glasses, stones, sticks, shotgun shells, flashlight batteries, socks, key rings and even sticks of dynamite. There is one story about a camper who woke up one morning and couldn’t find his false teeth.

3) If that’s true, there is a pack rat out there with a few too many choppers.

4) When the little thief spots something else that looks appealing, it drops the current payload and picks up the new treasure. That leads to the next pack rat legend, which says that a camper woke up one time to find his dime had been replaced by two nickels.

Building for the Future

5) Pack rats, usually found in mountain and desert regions of North America, live in homes they make from scratch. Their dens consist of sticks, grass and anything else they might find useful. The den is usually hidden in a rocky ledge or cave or sometimes in an abandoned building.





6) When the den builder dies, another pack rat may move in, and each new generation adds more sticks and treasures. One six‐foot high den was found in Louisiana. Another held enough material to fill a pickup truck.

Rooms to Grow

7) A pack rat house includes a pantry where nuts, grains, berries and other foods are stored. There is a bedroom insulated with soft grass, shredded bark and maybe an old sock or neckerchief. There is even a special place for a toilet because the pack rat keeps a clean house.

8) There are several exits in case of danger. This creature seldom ventures more than 50 feet from home so it can scurry back when a hungry fox, skunk, owl, snake or bobcat comes visiting.

9) The pack rat is a loner, wanting nothing to do with other pack rats until the breeding season. A mother’s two or three helpless babies first open their eyes when 17 days old. The female raises them by herself.

10) The most obvious difference between the pack rat and the regular house rat is that the pack rat has a bushy tail. And the pack rat steals from you.

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Reading Passages

Grades 7‐8

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Acknowledgments “The Clever Judge” from TALES OF FARAWAY FOLK, by Babette Deutsch and Avrahm Yarmolinsky. Copyright © 1952 by Harper & Row. Copyright © renewed 1980 by Babette Deutsch Yarmolinsky. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Grade 7 2009 Sample Items “Coins Up Close” by Neale Godfrey. Copyright © 1998 by Neale Godfrey. First published in ULTIMATE KIDS’ MONEY BOOK by Neale S. Godfrey. Reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd. Grade 7 2007 Released Items “Eyes of the Dragon: An Imaginary Tale” by Camille S. Phillips. Illustrations by Laura Bryant. Copyright © 2001 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 8 Sample Test “The Friendship Orchard” by Pleasant DeSpain. From ELEVEN NATURE TALES by Pleasant DeSpain. Copyright © 1996 August House Publishers, Inc. and reprinted by permission of Marian Reiner on behalf of the publisher. Grade 7 2008 Released Items “The Heroine of Lime Rock” by Janette Gentry, from Hopscotch: The Magazine for Girls, February/March 2003, Vol. 14, No. 5. Copyright © 2003 by Janette Gentry. Reprinted by permission of the author. Grade 7 2007 Released Items “Noise and Old Ears” by Jack Meyers, from Highlights for Children, September 1987. Copyright © 1987 Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 7 2009 Sample Items “Returning Cats” by David C. Knight. Reprinted with the permission of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division from BEES CAN’T FLY, BUT THEY DO: Things that are Still a Mystery to Science by David C. Knight. Text copyright © 1976 David C. Knight. Photo of cat: © Trinette Reed/CORBIS. Grade 7 2008 Released Items “Shoes Overboard!” by Sharlene P. Nelson. Copyright © 1995 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 8 Sample Test “The Sport of Mush” by Sherry Shahan, Author/Photographer, Copyright © 1996. “They Don’t Bark, You Know” by Keri Dearborn. Reprinted by permission of Cricket, January 2000, Vol. 27, No. 5, Copyright 1999 by Keri Dearborn. Grade 6 Sample Test

“A Touch of Genius” by Patricia Millman, from Highlights for Children, Nov. 2000, copyright © 2000 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photos, courtesy of the Moxley‐Ross‐Naranjo Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; text and photos used by permission of Highlights for Children, Inc. Grade 8 2009 Sample Items

“Waterhouse Hawkins: Dinosaur Artist” by Barbara Kerley. Copyright © 2003 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photos by Michael Gilbert, Copyright © 2003 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 8 2008 Released Items

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“In Their Hands” by Emily Will. Copyright © 1994 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photos by Emily Will. Copyright © 1994 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio.Grade 8 2008 Released Items

“Superdam” by Mel Boring from Highlights for Children, August 1994. Copyright © 1994 by Highlights for

Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Map of Hoover Dam Courtesy of American Experience/WGBH Educational Foundation. Copyright © 1999, WGBH/Boston. Grade 8 2007 Released Items

“Waste Not, Want Not” by Earl M. Weber from Highlights for Children, September 2001. Copyright © 2001 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Grade 8 2006 Released Items

“To Reach the Promised Land” by Stephen Ray Lilley from Highlights for Children, February 1990, Vol. 45, No. 2. Copyright © 1990 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Photograph of Booker T. Washington provided courtesy of Hampton University Archives. Grade 8 2006 Released Items


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110

Noise and Old Ears by Jack Myers

1) Although it is not exactly news, I want to

report something I learned about ears.

2) I have old ears—they don’t hear very well. That’s no big surprise because I am an older person. The surprise is that young people can have old ears, too. The idea is that too much noise can give you ears that are older than your number of birthdays.

3) Your ear is a very sensitive gadget for hearing sounds. The outer ear is the only part you can see. It opens into a tube, the ear canal, which leads inOn the other side of the eardrum is an air‐filled space called the middle ear. Small bones of the middle ear carry vibrations of the eardrum across to another small membrane of the inner ear. That’s a very sensitive place, a little cavity protected by a bony case.

4)

side and ends in a thin membrane, the eardrum.

Sound waves in the air cause vibrations of the eardrum. Then those vibrations pass through to

up

Of course, there will be nerve messages from many hair cells. When your brain puts together all

Even though lots of things can go wrong, our ears usually work right all our lives. However, our

ce

The intensity of loudness of sound is measured on a scale of decibels (dB). The faintest sound

the inner ear. That’s where the action is. There is a lineup of some very special cells, called hair cellsbecause each one has many tiny bristles that look like hairs even though they are much smaller. Connecting to them are the endings of nerve cells, which have nerve fibers leading to the brain. Even a little motion of “hair” sets off a hair cell so that it zaps its nearest nerve ending. That sets a nerve message.

5) the nerve messages, you hear the sound.

6) ears have their own way of growing old. We were born with about 15,000 of those special hair cells in each inner ear. As we go through life, there are many times when all of us are exposed to loud noises. A loud noise, particularly one that continues, may destroy some of those hair cells. And ondestroyed, they can never work again. It’s just that simple: the age of your ears is measured by how many hair cells you have lost. You can see that, with enough noise, your ears can grow old faster than you do.

7) heard by the human ear is put at zero (0 dB). The loudest sound a human is likely to hear is close toa rocket launching, about 180 dB. In the table “Noises and Their Danger to Your Ears,” you will see estimates for some different kinds of sounds or noise and how long it takes for them to be dangerous. You will see that until they get to be loud, noises never cause any ear damage. Forlouder noises, the longer you hear them the worse they are.


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111

of noises loud enough to be angerous. You will understand, of course, that any noise gets weaker the farther you get from its

Try earplugs made of rubber, am, or plastic. Many sporting goods stores have them. (Plugs of cotton aren’t much help.)

is no ery exact way to tell. But there is a rather simple rule: If someone has to shout to make you hear

king about ears. I noticed that many eople seem to like their music loud. I guess you can see that their ears may not be as happy with

your ears get older than you are.

8) The table is only a rough guide, but it will give you an ideadsource. Even a thunderclap sounds weak if you are far enough away.

9) What should you do if you can’t get away from dangerous noise? fo

10) How can you tell if a noise is loud enough to be dangerous? Because people differ, there vover a background noise, then that noise may be dangerous.

11) What about earphone radios? That’s what started me thinploudness as they are. Again there is that simple rule: If someone has to shout to get your attention, you have your music turned up too loud.

12) Now that you know about it, don’t let


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112

The Clever Judge retold by Babette Deutsch and Avrahm Yarmolinsky

Babette Deutsch, one of the authors of Tales of Faraway Folk, from which this story is taken, identifies “The Clever Judge” as a Kirghiz folk tale. In the introduction she says: “The people who tell this tale live on the vast steppes or prairies of southwestern Asia. They are herders of cattle, sheep, and goats. And they are clever fellows, too, as you shall see.”

1) There lived a man in the steppes who was famous for his justice and wisdom. At that time if a

man was known for his fairness, people came to him from far and wide to ask him to settle their disputes. And so it was that one day two villagers appeared before this wise man and asked him to settle their quarrel. “Tell me your story,” the judge said to Sergio, the plaintiff.

2) “I had to leave my village,” said Sergio, “for I had business elsewhere. And all my wealth was a hundred gold coins. I did not come by them easily. I had to work hard for them, and I did not want them to be stolen while I was away. Nor did I care to carry so much money with me on my journey. So I entrusted these gold coins for safekeeping to this man here. When I got back from my journey, he denied that he had ever received the money from me.”

3) “And who saw you give him these hundred gold coins?” asked the judge. 4) “No one saw it. We went together to the heart of the forest and there I handed him the coins.” 5) “What have you to say to this?” the judge asked, turning to the defendant, Goran. 6) Goran shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know what he is talking about,” said the man. “I never

went to the forest with him. I never saw his gold coins.” 7) “Do you remember the place where you handed over the money?” the judge asked Sergio. 8) “Of course I do. It was under a tall oak. I remember it very well. I can point it out with no trouble

at all.” 9) “So you do have a witness, after all,” said the judge. “Here, take my signet ring, go to the tall

tree under which you stood when you handed over the money, set the seal of my signet ring against the trunk, and bid the tree appear before me to bear out the truth of your story.”

10) Sergio took the signet ring and went off to carry out the demand of the judge. Goran remained behind and waited for his return.

11) After some time had passed, the judge turned to Goran and asked, “Do you think he has reached the oak by this time?”

12) “No, not yet,” was the answer. 13) After further time had passed, the judge again turned to Goran and asked, “Do you think he has

reached the tree by this time?” 14) “Yes,” was the answer, “by now he must have reached it.” Not long after that Sergio returned. 15) “Well?” asked the judge. 16) “I did just as you said,” replied Sergio. “I walked as far as the forest and then I went on until I

came to the tall oak under which we stood when I handed over my gold coins. I set the seal of your signet ring against the trunk of the tree and I bade it appear before you as a witness. But the tree refused to budge.”

Glossary Box

Plaintiff = a person who brings

a complaint to a judge


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113

17) “Never mind,” said the judge. “The oak has appeared before me and it has borne witness in your favor.”

18) At that Goran exclaimed, “How can you say such a thing! I have been here all this while and no tree has stalked into the place.”

19) “But,” replied the judge, “you said that you had not been in the forest at all. And yet when I asked you whether Sergio had reached the oak, first you answered that he could not have reached it, and the second time you said that he must surely have reached it. Therefore, you were in the forest and you remembered where the oak was under which you stood when Sergio handed his gold coins to you for safekeeping. Now you must not only return him his hundred gold pieces, but you must also pay a fine for having tried to cheat him.”

20) So the tree was a witness without budging, and justice was done.


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114

The Returning Cats By David C. Knight

1) In the autumn of 1968, a housewife in the

suburbs of a large Midwestern city heard scratching sounds at her front door. Puzzled, she went to the door, opened it slowly, and after a few seconds exclaimed, “Jingles!”

2) Jingles was the family’s black‐and‐ white cat. Thwoman could scarcely believe her eyes because Jingles had been lost for over four weeks—ever sincethe family had missed the cat while on vacatiothe lake resort nearly 300 miles away. When, at theend of the vacation, the cat had not shown up, thehad had to leave without him.

e

n at

y

onably

3) At first the woman thought she must be mistaken. The cat looked like Jingles, but its fur was so matted and dirty that it was hard to tell. Also, one of its ears was torn and there were patches of dried blood on its back. But when the woman saw the grimy white star on the cat’s black chest, she knew it must be Jingles.

4) The woman took Jingles into the bathroom and cleaned him up as best she could. Then she fed him. Except for his torn ear and a slight limp from a cut onone of his legs, Jingles seemed to be in reasgood shape after his ordeal.

5) Around the dinner table that night, the family talked about what poor Jingles must have gone through. How had the cat managed to stay alive for all those days and miles? How had it found food? How had the animal known in which direction the city lay and, once he had reached it, how had he made his way through the busy streets to the correct suburb and his home? The lake resort was so isolated, with twisting, confusing roads leading to it, that Jingles must have had to travel long miles through fields and woods on his way back. There were also several small rivers that the cat must have had to swim across.

6) As the family shook their heads over these mysteries, Jingles purred happily on the sofa. Already he seemed to have forgotten his terrible experience and was content simply to be back with the people he loved.

7) As the family shook their heads over these mysteries, Jingles purred happily on the sofa. Already he seemed to have forgotten his terrible experience and was content simply to be back with the people he loved. Other Mystery Returns

8) This story is not an unusual one. Cat owners all over the world have reported similar cases of their pets traveling long distances, overcoming tremendous obstacles, to find their way back to their


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homes. One cat, returning from New Jersey to Brooklyn, must have had to cross the Hudson and East Rivers. Whether it used bridges or swam, no one will ever know. Yet it reached home safely. Another cat, lost in the Arizona desert, somehow made its way across the sandy wasteland to its home in Phoenix—over 100 miles away.

9) Some animal experts have compared this amazing ability of cats to that of homing pigeons. But there is one big difference. Pigeons must be trained by their owners to return. Each training period, they are taken farther and farther from their homes, until they have learned to fly back over great distances. But cats are given no such training. They just seem to know the way back.

10) Does this “homing instinct” have something to do with cats’ keen sense of smell? It doesn’t seem likely. Even for cats, the smells of home would be too far off for them to sniff their way back. One scientist has suggested that homing pigeons—and perhaps cats as well—somehow use the earth’s magnetic field to guide them. But the scientist does not explain how this actually happens. There is also a theory that the cats’ strong sense of belonging to certain people and to a certain place somehow furnishes them with a special gift for knowing just how to return to those people and that place. It is still a mystery.

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116

The Friendship Orchard a tale from Central Asia

by Pleasant DeSpain

1) Two elderly friends tilled a small patch of earth on the barren steppe, a large, flat, treeless piece

of land. They raised vegetables and a few sheep, but life was hard and they earned little. Winter was especially difficult because of the dreaded snowstorms known as dzhut, in which previously thawed snow froze over. Sheep couldn’t dig through the ice for food and often perished.

2) Because they were old and poor, they took care to watch out for one another. One of the men was named Kurai. He owned the land on which they lived and worked. The other was called Dau, and he was in charge of the sheep.

3) One winter, a severe dzhut struck their farm. Soon after, all their sheep starved to death. 4) Dau took Kurai aside and said, “I must move away and start again. You’ve been a fine friend,

Kurai. I will miss you.” 5) “No, no, Dau,” replied Kurai. “You can’t go off and leave me. Who will help with the garden,

come spring? Who will tell me stories around the night fire? I want you here, on the land with me. I’m giving you half ownership of the field. You take the lower half, and I’ll keep the upper part. The deed is already in your name.”

6) A rare and wonderful thing happened the following spring. Dau was digging in his half of the field and struck something made of metal with his hoe. He dug deeper into the black earth and uncovered a small, iron chest. It was filled with gold coins.

7) He ran to Kurai, shouting, “You are rich! You can live like a tribal ruler. And you deserve it, Kurai, for you are a good man.”

8) Kurai said, “You found the gold in your half of the field, Dau. The treasure is yours, and yours alone. I’m truly happy for you.”

9) “No, my generous friend,” explained Dau. “The gold is yours. You have already helped me enough. How can I take anything more?”

10) “You have found the gold,” said Kurai. “How can I take from you that which has been found by you?”

11) “Enough of your stubbornness!” cried Dau. “Take the gold.” 12) “Enough of your nonsense!” replied Kurai. “The gold is yours.” 13) The two friends argued long into the night. Neither gave in to the other. They were exhausted

by morning and decided to talk with a teacher who lived in the middle of the steppes. He was known as the wisest man in the region.

14) It took five days to find the wise man’s hut. The two friends showed him the gold and told him of their argument. The teacher looked at the coins and then at the men. He looked again at the coins and again at the men. Then he closed his eyes and thought and thought.

15) After a long while, he opened his eyes and said, “Take the gold to the city and buy the highest quality seeds in the land. Return to your fields and plant the finest orchard in the steppes. Make it an orchard of friendship. Allow the poor to rest in its shade, eat of its fruit, and enjoy its beauty. Rather than divide two friends, let the gold serve many.”

16) Kurai and Dau agreed, and left for the city. They arrived several days later and headed for the marketplace. They searched and searched for a seller of fruit seeds, but had no luck. No one had


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seeds to sell. The old men were tired and decided to rest for the night and try again the following day.

17) On the way to an inn, they heard a terrible screeching coming from a thousand caged birds, carried by a caravan of camels. The colorful birds had been captured in the thick forests and high mountains, and were being taken to market. They would be sold as food for wealthy tables.

18) Kurai looked at Dau and said, “It isn’t good to be put in a cage.” 19) Dau looked at Kurai and said, “It isn’t right that beautiful birds should be eaten by the rich.” 20) They approached the leader of the caravan and asked the price of the birds. 21) He looked at their poor clothes and said, “More than you have.” 22) Kurai opened the iron chest. “Release them and the gold is yours,” he said. 23) Dau nodded his head in agreement. 24) The leader ordered his helpers to set the birds free. 25) Up into the sky they flew, singing songs of joy! 26) Kurai and Dau began their long walk home, feeling happy for the birds, but sad for the orchard

that would never be. They talked about their long friendship and decided that it was foolish to argue.

27) Arriving home a few days later, they witnessed a strange sight. A thousand beautiful birds sat in their field and scratched in the dirt. Each held a seed in its beak and dropped it into the loose soil. The dirt was smoothed over the seeds with the beating of strong wings. Then, creating a multicolored cloud of feather and song, the birds rose into the sky and flew away.

28) Rain fell and the seeds sprouted, climbing slowly from earth toward sky. The orchard took root. Apple trees and pear trees and apricot, too.

29) Trees take time to grow, and the two old men passed on before they could taste the first of the fruit. Kurai and Dau were not saddened, however, as they had eaten from the fruit of friendship for so many years.

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Coins Up Close by Neale S. Godfrey

Cool Mints! 1) The coins we use today are

produced in U.S. government mints located in San Francisco, California, Denver, Colorado, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and West Point, New York. The mint in Philadelphia is the largest in the world. When it is not busy minting American coins, it makes coins for other countries. The U.S. Mint is very busy—it produces about 13 billion coins per year!

2) How can you tell where a coin was minted? Look at the head of a coin such as a quarter. The tiny letter to the right of George Washington’s head is called the mint mark. It tells you where the coin was minted. P stands for Philadelphia; D stands for Denver. If you see an O, that’s because there was once a mint in New Orleans.

Making Coins 3) Today’s coins are not made of gold or silver. They are made from copper and nickel alloys, which

are cheaper and more available than precious metals. 4) To make coins, the metal is melted and poured into molds to make bars, or ingots. Machines roll

the ingots into sheets. Blanks for each type of coin are punched from the sheets. They are then put through an edge‐rolling machine, which produces a raised rim. Finally, the designs on both sides of the coin are stamped at the same time. All United States coins have two sayings stamped on them: E Pluribus Unum (which is Latin for “Out of many, one”), and In God We Trust. The completed coins


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are loaded into machines that automatically count them and drop them into bags, which are weighed and sent off to banks.

Mill‐ions of Coins 5) Coins haven’t always had ridges. Milled coins, coins with ridges, were created to solve a

problem. When coins were still made from gold and silver, some people would shave the edges of the coins and sell the valuable scraps. Ridges were put on the edges of the coins to stop this. Even though quarters and dimes are no longer made of silver, they still have ridges around the edges.

A Dollar that Thinks It’s a Quarter 6) In 1979 the United States minted a new one‐dollar coin. On it was a picture of Susan B. Anthony,

who fought for women’s rights in the late 1800s. The government thought people would prefer the convenience of a dollar coin. However, it was too much like a quarter in size, and people were easily confused. Millions of Susan B. Anthony dollars were minted, but only a small number were circulated. Now the government has 400 million of these coins in storage!


Copyright © 2007.



The Heroine of Lime Rock by Janette Gentry

1) Most young girls would hate having to live on an

isolated rock surrounded by water, but not shy Ida Lewis. The 15‐yearold was glad when her father was appointed the lighthouse keeper of Lime Rock. Now he would be home with his family all the time.

2) It was in June, 1857, that the Lewis family moved to Lime Rock. The tiny island stood about 300 yards out in the Newport, Rhode Island, harbor. It barely poked its craggy head through the waters of Narragansett Bay, but it was very dangerous to incoming boats.

3) Though Ida had lived near the sea all her life, she knew very little about boats. She learned quickly. Every weekday she had to row herself, her two younger brothers, and sister to the mainland to attend school. The distance wasn’t far, but often the boat would bob like a cork in the choppy water.

4) Ida also learned to tend the light. For long periods, during gloomy weather or storms, the light was kept burning both day and night.

5) Four happy months passed. Then tragedy struck. Hosea Lewis had a stroke that left him paralyzed. Mrs. Lewis was appointed lighthouse keeper.

6) One day she called Ida to her. “Ida,” she said, “you will have to quit school. I cannot care for the light and your father, too. I need your help.”

7) How sad Ida must have been to have to leave school. But she did not complain. She continued to row her brothers and sister to school. She was also given the task of buying supplies for the light and groceries for the family.

8) So much rowing back and forth caused the girl’s arms to become strong. “Ida can set as straight a course as ever I could,” her father would say.

9) Late one afternoon Ida heard faint cries of “Help! Help!” Peering through the dusk, she could make out an overturned sailboat. And someone was clinging to it!

10) Without thinking of danger, Ida was in her boat, skimming across the water to the rescue. When she reached the sailboat, she found not one but four young men clinging to it.

11) Ida pulled the four into her boat and headed for shore. She had rescued three teenagers and a twenty‐year‐old. They were very frightened and amazed to see a young girl at the oars of the rescue boat.

12) “Please, please, don’t tell anyone about this,” Ida begged them shyly. 13) The youths promised to keep the rescue a secret. 14) From then on, Ida kept a watchful eye for anyone in trouble in the water. Once she

saved three farmers whose valuable sheep had fallen into the bay. The three borrowed a boat and followed the sheep as the tide carried it farther and farther out. Then the boat filled with water and sank.


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15) In only a few minutes Ida was taking the drowning men into her boat. After she had deposited them on shore, she went back and saved the sheep.

16) It was Ida’s rescue on March 25, 1869, that brought her courageous feats to the attention of the nation and the world. It was late afternoon. Cold rain and high waves drenched Lime Rock. Ida sat before the fire, her head bent over some sewing. Suddenly her mother was shrieking, “Someone is drowning! Someone is drowning!”

17) At once, Ida was up and calling to the older brother, “Come on, Hosey. Hurry. I’ll need help.”

18)

19) “Don’t go, daughter,” her father implored. 20) Ida didn’t answer. She was running barefoot across the slippery rock to her boat. 21) Never had Ida’s courage been so tested. The rain blinded her. Her hands became

freezing cold. It took all her strength to force the little boat into the wind as the waves almost swamped it.

22) This time Ida’s rescue saved two soldiers. They were from Ft. Adams, which was on the bay, about three miles from Newport.

23) Over and over the soldiers thanked Ida for saving them. Ida, now 24, didn’t want to be thanked. “What would you do if you had a boat and saw someone drowning?” she asked them.

24) There was no way that Ida could keep this rescue a secret. The soldiers told everyone. Newspapers and magazines published the story. Ida received letters from all over the United States and England. She was given several awards and a life‐saving medal. The Rhode Island Legislature recognized her service by sending her a beautiful certificate. Girls and boys had a heroine to admire. Ida Lewis was famous.

25) The years that followed brought over 9,000 visitors to Lime Rock to meet Ida. One day the most famous person in America came to visit her—President Ulysses S. Grant.

26) The governor of Rhode Island declared July 4, 1869, “Ida Lewis Day.” A grand celebration was held in her honor. Thousands attended. Some wore Ida Lewis hats and scarves. They even danced to the “Ida Lewis Waltz.”


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27) The people of Newport gave Ida a new boat. The rudder was made of walnut wood. The silver plate on it was inscribed “The Heroine of Lime Rock.”

28) Ida asked a friend to give a thank you speech for her. “I’ve never made a speech in my life,” she said. And with that, she got into the boat and rowed for Lime Rock. When she had gone a little way, she stopped and waved to the crowd.

29) When Ida’s mother died, Ida was officially appointed the lighthouse keeper. She was alone now except for her cocker spaniel, Dewey, six cats, and several rabbits.

30) Some say that during Ida’s lifetime, she saved 18 people from drowning; some say more than 40. No one knows for sure because Ida wouldn’t tell. She made her last rescue at age 63.

31) Ida Lewis died on October 24, 1911, on Lime Rock—the place she never wanted to leave. The lighthouse is still there today. In honor of this courageous “lady of the light” it has been renamed The Ida Lewis Light.


Copyright © 2009.



A Touch of Genius by Patricia Millman

1) Michael Naranjo is a Native American, a Vietnam War veteran, and “a sculptor who happens to be blind.” Behind this statement lies a remarkable story.

2) Michael grew up in the Tewa Indian Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico. As a boy, he roamed the scenic foothills west of the pueblo community and explored the Rio Grande, a river to the south and east. His world was enriched by the beautiful sights and sounds of the desert country.

Early Influences 3) Michael’s love of sculpting was born at the pueblo, too. “My mother was a potter, and I would

help her fix her clay,” he recalls. “She gathered her clay in a place in the hills that only she knew about. Every potter has their own source of clay, and when they find that clay, they’re very secretive about it.”

4) “My mother would bring in the clay and screen it to get out anything that didn’t belong, and then she would soak it in tubs. After that, she’d put the clay into a square of canvas cloth, and she’d sprinkle a different white kind of clay on top. Then she would fold this square of canvas and press on it this way and that way, and when she unfolded the canvas I could see this little log of clay inside.”

5) “That’s probably how I started sculpting… playing with clay,” Michael says. “Not long after that, I wanted to make figures of animals. And as they became more detailed, they became sculptures. So even back then, I knew that what I wanted to do was be an artist someday.”

Seeing with His Hands 6) Michael’s goal would not be reached easily. While serving with the Army in Vietnam, Michael

was badly wounded in battle. He lost his sight and partial use of one hand. For the first time, Michael wondered if he could ever be a sculptor.


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7) One day, while recovering in the hospital, Michael asked if he could have a small piece of clay. From it he made an inchworm.

8) The next sculpture Michael made, a Native American on a horse, was so good it was photographed by the newspapers. Lucky thing! Because when Michael decided to make his next sculpture, he found that the hospital didn’t have any more clay. So he reshaped the Native American on a horse into a bear with a fish in its mouth.

9) Today, Michael has lots of material to use to make his memories come to life. “I was able to see until I was twenty‐three years old, so I have a very good idea of what most things look like,” he said. “So I sit, and I think about it, and I get a picture in my mind. If you close your eyes and think of… well, if you have a cat or a dog, you can picture your pet. The same process happens with me.”

10) “Once you have the material in your hand that you can mold and shape, then you can carry it over from your mind to your fingertips; and your mind tells your fingers, ‘Make that bigger or smaller…’ until this whole process slowly starts happening.”

11) “Nowadays, when I make animals, I sit there and think about the days when I’d take a moment sitting on a cliff side and look down and see a deer down there or watch some turkeys walk through the forest. Or the time I followed a mountain stream and a deer stopped in this pool of water and looked at me with his huge, brown eyes. It lasted just a few moments, but it’s one of those moments that I draw on for inspiration.”

12) Michael inspires others by leading sculpture workshops for children and adults, veterans and seniors, both sighted and visually impaired.

13) In 1999, Michael was named the Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year and received the LIFE Presidential Unsung Hero Award.

14) His sculptures can be seen in the museums and public buildings across the United States, in the Vatican, and in the White House. A Special Fan

15) Many people like to collect Michael’s work, but Michael fondly remembers one special young “collector.”

16) “It was maybe twenty years ago at the Indian Market in Santa Fe. One day there was this little boy who came, and he was looking at my work and I was telling him about it. Next year, he came back and said, ‘I was here last year. Do you remember me?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘I want to buy that little buffalo.’ And I said, ‘OK.’ I told him how much it was.”

17) “As he paid for it, he said, ‘I worked all summer, and saved my money.’ I had no words to describe the emotion I felt. I still can’t describe what a moment like that feels like.”

18) Does Michael have one piece of sculpture that is his very favorite? Could it be the buffalo from the Santa Fe Indian Market? Or the bear with a fish in its mouth?

19) “You know, it’s the same as with the children,” Michael said. “If you have more than one, you love them all equally. That’s how I feel about my sculptures.”

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Copyright © 2008.



Waterhouse Hawkins: Dinosaur Artist by Barbara Kerley

1) Once, almost no one knew what a dinosaur

looked like. Then, in 1852, an amazing artist named Waterhouse Hawkins teamed up with Sir Richard Owen, the scientist who created the word “dinosaur.” Working together, they gave the world its first look at these extinct animals. Waterhouse Hawkins loved making models of animals. He had made a jaguar for the queen of England and a group of bison for the emperor of Russia. He was the perfect artist to make the world’s first life‐size dinosaur models. They would stand in a park in England.

2) At that time, scientists had found scattered dinosaur fossils but never a complete skeleton. Scientists, including Owen, had written about these fossils, but no one knew what the dinosaurs looked like. To most people, Hawkins said, the fossils looked like “dry bones or oddly‐shaped stones.” Hawkins’ models would change our view of dinosaurs.

The Process of Building 3) First, Hawkins read the scientific reports. Then he

just how big the dinosaurs were. Next, he compared the fossils to the skeletons of living animbelieved at the time to be close relatives of dinosaurs. For example, he looked at the skeleton of aniguana for his Iguanodon design. Working with Owen, he filled in the blanks for any missing bones.

4) Hawkins studied living animals to decide how the dinosau

studied the fossils, measuring carefully to learn als

rs might have stood and to determine

r, he made a small clay model. Then, with the

model would be heavy.

he Unveiling

details such as the shape of the dinosaurs’ nails and the color of their skin. Owen gave the final approval for Hawkins’ designs from nose to toes.

5) Hawkins was then ready to build. For each dinosauhelp of his assistants, he made a life‐size clay figure and took a mold of it.

6) Next, Hawkins built a huge iron “skeleton.” It had to be strong because theHe covered the skeleton with a cement casting from the dinosaur‐shaped mold. Finally, he painted his dinosaur. Hawkins said the modeling process was like “building a house upon four columns.”

T


Copyright © 2008.



his work to the public, he held a old

854, Queen Victoria opened the Crystal

t.

ew Discoveries odels seemed true to life back in 1854,

were not not

Owen

st.”

Dinosaur Artist

7) Hawkins spent almost two years building his dinosaurs—two Iguanodon, a Megalosaurus, and a Hylaeosaurus—plus other ancient animals. Before he showeddinner party for a group of scientists inside the mof an Iguanodon!

8) On June 10, 1Palace Park to visitors. Around 40,000 visitors came to see the first life‐size models of dinosaurs ever to appear in public. Visitors were amazed by Hawkins’ dinosaurs. Some children were even frightened by the huge lifelike creations. They thought that the dinosaurs’ eyes followed them wherever they wen

N9) Though the m

over time, scientists have discovered more fossils and learned more about dinosaurs.

10) We now know that Hawkins’ modelscompletely accurate. For example, Iguanodon isa cousin of the modern iguana, and the “horn” placed on the dinosaur’s nose was actually a thumbspike. Megalosaurus and Iguanodon walked on two feet, not four. The spikes on Hylaeosaurus probably ran from shoulder to hip instead of down the spine. These new discoveries do not lessen the contribution Hawkins made to science. His work withrepresents our first attempt to model these ancient animals. As scientists continue to learn more about dinosaurs, other artists will continue to follow in the footsteps of the first “dinosaur arti

Another

In 1999, almost 150 years after the first dinosaur exhibit opened, artist Brian Selznick was asked to illustrate a children’s book about Hawkins’ dinosaurs. He was excited because he loved making dinosaurs. As a child, he’d made tiny dinosaurs out of aluminum foil. In fifth grade, he’d made a prehistoric scene of dinosaurs and volcanoes out of clay, twigs, and plaster. “I entered it in the county fair and got an honorable mention,” Selznick said.

To illustrate the children’s book, Selznick went to England to see Hawkins’ models up close. “The dinosaurs loomed larger and more magnificent than I could have imagined,” he said. For the next three days, he drew pictures and took photographs of the models. He even climbed inside an Iguanodon! Selznick’s art in The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins introduces a new generation of dinosaur fans to the first din


Copyright © 2008.



In Their Hands by Emily Will

Introduction:

Christy Stickney lives and works in Nicaragua, a country in Central America. She works with people living in rural areas who want to develop new skills and technology to improve their lives in their villages.

1) Christy Stickney listened as the Nicaraguan women talked about their most common problems

in feeding their families. 2) “After we harvest our corn,” said one woman, “we have no safe place to store it, so rats eat a lot

of it.” 3) “My ten‐year‐old daughter often has to stay home from school to help shell corn,” said another.

“We have to remove each kernel by hand. I don’t like her to miss school, but without her help we wouldn’t eat.”

4) “It seems as if every day we have to walk farther and farther to find firewood to cook our corn and tortillas,” a third woman said.

5) As the women talked, Christy encouraged them to work together to find solutions to each other’s problems. The women were full of ideas, but they had never before done some of the things they needed to do if they were to solve each problem—like mixing cement or sawing lumber. So Christy worked with them to show them how to do those things.

6) Before long, one group of women was building a rat‐proof cement silo to store corn. Another was making a simple corn sheller of wood and nails. The third group was assembling a fuel‐efficient cement stove.


Copyright © 2008.



7) The women’s enthusiasm and plentiful ideas confirmed Christy’s thinking: People do not need ready‐made solutions to their problems; rather, they want help in coming up with and carrying out their own ideas.

8) So that’s what Christy does. Christy is an engineer—but not the kind you might normally think of. She is a mechanical engineer whose job it is to help people find “appropriate technology” that will make their lives easier.

9) Christy is a volunteer living in Nicaragua, a country in Central America. There she works with people in their homes and fields.

10) For Christy, technology is not something people buy; it is something that people help make to meet their own needs. For example, many families in rural Nicaragua don’t have electricity, so they wouldn’t have much use for a microwave oven. Instead, Christy helps them use what they have to build a fuel‐efficient wood stove.

11) Christy is glad to be using her knowledge to help others. In many ways she is following in her father’s footsteps. As a child, Christy lived in several countries, including Guatemala and the Philippines, where her father was a mechanical engineer who did work similar to the work Christy does now.

12) When Christy was growing up, she helped test her father’s new designs for stoves or other machinery. “Once, when we were living in Peru, my dad had me run a stove‐efficiency test in our kitchen. I would watch for water to boil on a little cookstove to time how long it took,” Christy recalls.

13) One of the best parts of Christy’s job is that it allows her to continue some of her favorite childhood enjoyments.

14) “I loved driving my Matchbox cars over rough, uneven terrain when I was a child,” Christy remembers. “Now I drive through the Nicaraguan countryside in Jeeps and pickups. As a child I enjoyed sketching and drawing cartoons. I’m able to do plenty of that now as I produce educational materials and visual aids for workshops.”

15) Christy’s job also gives her a chance to work with lots of different people, doing many different things. For example, she has helped build a stove for a children’s dining hall, she has made water tanks with a church group, and she has helped build a latrine for a co‐worker’s home.

16) “My job requires so many different skills,” says Christy. “Researching and testing new technologies, visiting other organizations, attending seminars, preparing educational materials, presenting workshops, writing articles, and even giving speeches.

17) “I love my work!” she exclaims. “And one reason is that it demands all of me—my whole person.”


Copyright © 2007.



Superdam by Mel Boring

1) During the early 1900s, more and more people were moving to California from other parts of the country. They needed a water supply that would always be available to them for drinking water, electricity, and irrigation. Many people thought that one solution would be to harness the powerful, 1,400‐mile Colorado River, the wildest river in the West. But how?

2) In 1928, a special commission reported that a massive dam on the Colorado would solve many of the problems of Californians, including the river’s occasional floods. So in 1930, Congress authorized the construction of the Boulder Canyon Project—the Hoover Dam—on a section of the Colorado River in southern Nevada.

3) What Hoover Dam builders had to do was something like this: build a fourteen‐billion pound concrete plug as high as a sixty‐story skyscraper directly in the path of the Colorado. That plug would have to stop the river in its tracks, holding back 244 million gallons of water.

4) If this task sounds difficult, that’s because it was. Engineers first had to dig four tunnels so that the river would go around the section of the riverbed where the dam would be built. Then, when the ground between the temporary dams was dry, the cement pouring could begin.

5) Such a huge project required lots of workers and lots of time. About 5,250 people worked five years building the dam. With so many people working so hard in the middle of the Mojave Desert, there were bound to be problems, even tragedies. In the summer of 1931, when the temperature averaged 120 degrees at the dam site, fourteen people died of heat exhaustion. Many more died before the Hoover Dam was finally completed in 1935. Dam building was dangerous business.

6) Before the construction of the Hoover Dam, building materials had never been used in such quantities in so short a time: five million barrels of cement, nine thousand tons of structural steel, 840 miles of pipe, and twenty‐one million water valves. A huge fleet of trucks brought some of this material to the site, but not fast enough for the construction companies. So they built a railroad, too. The railroad had twenty‐nine engines, in addition to hundreds of freight cars.

7) But the Hoover Dam builders needed bigger things than even railroad cars could carry. So they had to build factories right beside the dam to make much of the material.


Copyright © 2007.



8) Though Hoover Dam was the largest dam in the world when it was shown to the public in 1936, today it ranks behind many dams in height and amount of water contained. But Hoover Dam set the standard for dam building in future years. It wasn’t until 1962 that a dam larger than Hoover Dam was constructed—the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. In June 2003, China opened the Three Gorges Dam which is currently the largest dam in the world.

Hoover Dam Tidbits

• Hoover Dam is constructed of enough concrete to build a sixteen‐foot‐wide highway from San Francisco to New York City.

• Mixing the concrete required building the largest mixing machine that had ever been seen. It could make sixteen and a half tons of concrete a minute.

• The largest lake built in the United States is Lake Mead, the reservoir created by the dam. It is about 115 miles long and 589 feet deep.

• You could float a five‐story house through each of the dam’s 4,000‐foot‐long tunnels without touching the top or sides.


Copyright © 2006.



To Reach the Promised Land by Stephen Ray Lilley

1) Nine‐year‐old Booker, his sister Amanda, and older brother John stood close to their

mother. Excitement filled the air as the Union army moved through Virginia in the spring of 1865.

2) For months Booker had heard his mother praying at night as he drifted off to sleep by the fire, “Lord, let the Yankees win this war, and let them make me and my children free.” Now they watched a blue‐uniformed soldier standing on the “big house” porch unfold a piece of paper and begin reading.

3) “All persons held as slaves . . . henceforward shall be free,” he proclaimed. 4) “What’s that mean, Momma?” Booker asked. Tears streamed down her face as she

smiled and hugged him. “Mr. Lincoln says we can come and go as we please,” she said softly. Living in Freedom

5) Life suddenly became very different for Booker’s family. They had always been slaves. Now free, they had no home, no jobs, no money, only each other. Booker’s stepfather worked at a salt furnace near Malden, West Virginia. Putting their belongings in a small cart, the family walked hundreds of miles through the Appalachian Mountains to join him.

6) In Malden, Booker and John went to work with their stepfather. Work began before daylight and ended after dark. As he shoveled salt into huge wooden barrels, Booker saw


Copyright © 2006.



children walking to school. “I had the feeling that to get into a schoolhouse and study . . . would be about the same as getting into paradise,” he later said.

7) But the family needed Booker’s income. Booker’s stepfather, a tough and practical man, told him attending school was impossible. Knowing how much her son wanted to learn to read, Booker’s mother saved every spare penny and bought him a well‐used copy of Webster’s “Blue‐Backed Speller.” For weeks he pored over the book, memorizing the alphabet and letter sounds.

8) Booker convinced his parents he should take lessons at night from a black teacher. Then he told them he wished to attend day school. His stepfather finally accepted the idea, on condition that Booker work at the salt furnace before and after school. Overjoyed, Booker quickly agreed.

Booker Starts School 9) On the first morning he attended school, Booker sat in a room filled with students of all

ages. As the teacher called the roll, Booker realized that all the students had something those born into slavery lacked—a last name. Booker considered how he would answer his teacher.

10) “Name?” the teacher asked as he reached Booker. 11) “Booker Washington,” the new student calmly replied. At that moment it seemed that

he had been Booker Washington all his life. 12) Each day Booker faced new obstacles. For a time he worked in a coal mine deep

underground in terrifying conditions. Sometimes his candle blew out, and he wandered helplessly in total darkness. Still, he studied at night. Then one day he heard some miners speaking of a school called the Hampton Institute where poor students could work to pay their expenses. “I resolved at once to go to that school, although I had no idea where it was . . . or how I was going to reach it,” he later wrote.

13) “Don’t you think this might be a wild goose chase?” asked Booker’s mother. 14) “It sounds like heaven to me, Momma,” Booker insisted. “I just have to go!” 15) His mother smiled. “We’ll find a way,” she said. 16) Everyone helped. Again, Booker’s mother found pennies she could spare. John donated

tiny sums from his wages. Old people, eager to see one of their own succeed, gave nickels and dimes. With this money and his own savings, sixteen‐year‐old Booker began the five‐hundred‐mile trip to Hampton, Virginia. Sometimes he rode a stagecoach, and sometimes he walked. Too poor to stay in a hotel, he often walked all night just to stay warm. In Richmond, Virginia, he worked during the days, earning money to continue his journey, and slept under a wooden sidewalk at night.

Booker Reaches The Promised Land 17) “When I finally saw Hampton, I felt I had reached the promised land,” 18) Booker later said. Ragged, hungry and tired, he presented himself to the head teacher,

Miss Mary Mackie. With a raised eyebrow she examined him critically and said, “Take a broom and sweep this classroom.” Determined to impress her, Booker swept the room three times and dusted it four. Soon she returned and searched every corner for dust. Finding the room spotless, she said, “I guess you’ll do.”

19) History proved her right.


Copyright © 2006.



20) Booker T. Washington became Hampton’s most famous graduate and devoted his life to teaching. He taught the first classes at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and then built it into one of the most important schools for African Americans in the United States. Today, millions of people admire this man who struggled to reach the “promised land.”


Copyright © 2006.



Waste Not, Want Not by Earl M. Weber

Introduction: Earl M. Weber lived on a small farm during the Great Depression, a time when the United States experienced severe economic hardships. The years of the Great Depression, 1929‐1942, ranked as the longest and worst period of high unemployment and low business activity in modern times. Banks, stores, and factories were closed and left millions of Americans jobless, homeless, and penniless. At the worst point of the Great Depression, in 1933, one in four Americans who wanted to work was unable to find a job.

1) When I was growing up in the 1930s, the period of the Great Depression, I didn’t think of our family as poor, even though we never seemed to have money. I lived on a small farm in Pennsylvania with my parents, two older sisters, and younger brother. We had an old horse, a cow, a few pigs, a flock of chickens, and a big garden. Food was not a problem. We had our own supply of milk, meat, eggs, fresh vegetables, and Momma’s homemade bread. But money was scarce.

2) On Sunday mornings, Momma would give each of us two pennies for our Sunday School offerings. Carefully knotting my two cents in the corner of a handkerchief, she would hand it to me and caution me to “be careful not to lose it.” Today, two pennies won’t buy much of anything, but in the 1930s every penny was important.

3) As a boy of nine, I had only a vague idea of what it meant to live during hard times. The weekly newspaper would carry pictures of people standing in line for bread, and the evening newscast on our tabletop Crosley radio would tell about the huge number of jobless people and


Copyright © 2006.



their hardships. But these reports referred to people in the cities, and we lived in the country. We never went to bed hungry, and we didn’t stand in line for bread.

4) Although my father was fortunate to have a job at the feed mill, his salary of eighteen dollars a week was barely enough to pay the farm mortgage and the electric bill, and to buy necessities like the flour and yeast Momma needed to bake her bread.

5) Momma earned a few dollars baking pies and bread, which she sold at the local market. Twenty cents for a pie and ten cents for a loaf of bread! Sometimes I helped at the market, and if we had a good day, Momma would give me a nickel for an ice‐cream cone.

6) Momma used the market money to buy clothing for the family. With four children and two adults to clothe, she seldom bought anything new. One day when I walked to the mailbox at the end of our lane, I was excited to see a package from Sears, Roebuck and Company. That usually meant new clothing for one of us. As it turned out, I was the lucky one this time, with a brand‐new pair of brown tweed knee‐length pants. Although we always went to school looking neat and clean, most of our clothing was patched, darned, or mended. So to me, a new pair of knee‐length pants was very special.

7) Christmas was special, too, because then we got new socks, and for a little while wouldn’t have to wear socks darned in the toes and heels. Momma made some of our clothing, using a treadle (foot‐powered) sewing machine. To make nightgowns, she used the muslin sacks that our chicken feed came in. I wore a nightgown with “PRAT’S CHICKEN FEED” printed in big black letters on the front. (It wasn’t until years later when my high‐school class went on an overnight trip that I got my first store‐bought pajamas.) Some companies actually put their feed

in sacks made of colorfully patterned calico. Momma liked this material for making aprons and dresses.

8) When a piece of clothing was worn out, it wasn’t thrown away. First, all the buttons were removed, sorted by size and color, and put in cans or glass jars. Then the clothing was examined, and the best parts were cut into strips and saved for making rugs.

135

We

tin

9) Almost nothing in our house was thrown away. Store parcels were generally tied with string. We saved this string by winding it on a ball. One of my jobs was to wash and flatten used tin cans. We nailed these pieces of tin over holes in the barn roof to stopthe leaks and over holes in the corncrib to stop the mice and rats from eating the corn A wooden crate was considered a real prize.would take it apart for future projects, being careful not to split the boards. We even straightened the bent nails and stored them in acan.

10) Although we tend to think of recycling as something fairly new, in the 1930s it was part of everyday life. “Waste not, want not” was a familiar and often repeated phrase during those Depression years.

High School Reading Passages

136

Reading Passages

High School


137

Originally titled “The Puzzling Business of Sam Loyd & Enro Rubik” by Natalie M. Rosinsky, from ODYSSEY magazine, Oct. 2002 issue: Magic in Math, copyright © 2002 by Carus Publishing Company, published by Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All rights reserved. Used by permission of the publisher. High School 2009 Sample Items “Emme Loves Bees” by Jane Resides, photos by Linda Brewster, from Highlights for Children, June 2006, copyright © 2006 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Used by permission. “Kelsey’s Cash Cow” by Frances Robinson, from Mother Earth News, Oct./Nov. 2005, copyright © 2005 by Frances Robinson. Used by permission of Mother Earth News. High School 2009 Sample Items “The Trailblazer: Jackie Robinson” by Larry Canale. From FOOTSTEPS’ March/April 2000 issue: Negro Leagues Baseball, © 2000, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of Carus Publishing Company. Photo of Jackie Robinson: Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC‐USZ62‐119886. Photo of Robinson/Berra: by Ralph Morse © Time Life Pictures/Getty Images. High School 2008 Sample Items “Mystery Flight” by Dee DeTarsio. From Kids’ Wall Street News, July/August 1997, Vol. 2 Issue 3. Used by permission of the author. © Dee DeTarsio. High School 2008 Sample Items “In the Air for Amelia” by Dee DeTarsio. From Kids’ Wall Street News, July/August 1997, Vol. 2 Issue 3. Used by permission of the author. © Dee DeTarsio. High School 2008 Sample Items “Silk: The Caterpillar Thread” by Laurel Kendall. From FACES’ December 1987 issue: Cloth, © 1987, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of Carus Publishing Company. Photo of silkworm caterpillar: © Cary Wolinsky/Aurora Photos. Photo of inspector examining silk cloth: © Cary Wolinsky/Aurora Photos. High School 2008 Sample Items “Journey on the Silk Road” by Luann Hankom. From APPLESEEDS’ October 2002 issue: Children of China Long Ago, © 2002, Carus Publishing Company, published by Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of the publisher. High School 2008 Sample Items “Turkeys” by Bailey White. From MAMA MAKES UP HER MIND AND OTHER DANGERS OF SOUTHERN LIVING by BAILEY WHITE. Copyright © 1993 by Bailey White. Reprinted by permission of DA CAPO PRESS, a member of Perseus Books Group. High School 2007 Sample Items “In the Beginning” by Janet Wyman Coleman with Elizabeth V. Warren. Reprinted from Baseball for Everyone © 2003. Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers Photographs: Reprinted by permission of Paul Reiferson. High School 2007 Sample Items “Baseball Smarts” by Bill Wise. Illustrations by Gary Torrisi from Highlights for Children, April 2004. Copyright © 2004 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Joseph Bruchac, “Desert Tortoise in the Rain” from No Borders. Copyright © 1999 by Joseph Bruchac. Used with the permission of Holy Cow! Press, www.holycowpress.org. High School 2007 Sample Items

http://www.holycowpress.org/


Copyright © 2009.



Enro Rubik—“Exponent” of Play by Natalie M. Rosinsky

1) As a boy in the 1950s, Hungarian Enro Rubik played with the Fifteen Square. He has said that

this brainteaser may have inspired his own invention, in 1974, of the Cube that today remains the world’s best‐selling puzzle. A Rubik’s Cube consists of 26 little cubes (or “cubies”)—12 edge and eight corner pieces (all twistable), with six unmovable center pieces. In the center of the large cube is a small, unmovable mechanism to which each of the six center faces is attached. A trained sculptor and architect, Rubik was also inspired by forms in nature to figure out the best way to hold these pieces together. Watching rounded pebbles swirl in the Danube River, which flows through his homeland, Rubik came up with the cylindrical interior mechanism. This device, together with precise construction of each piece, sets his Cube apart from comparable puzzles.

Popularity of the Cube 2) Each of the Cube’s six surfaces displays nine facets of the same color. The fun begins when—

after mixing up these colors by twisting the little cubes—someone tries to return each side of the Cube to one solid face of color! As people soon discovered after the Cube came out in 1977, this is an addictive and frustrating activity. People would interrupt both work and play to toy with the Cube. Restaurants began to place Rubik’s Cubes on tables right next to the salt and pepper shakers. Some addicts spent so much time continuously manipulating their Cubes that they developed repetitive stress injuries called “Rubik’s wrist” and “Cubist’s thumb”! In 1980, one recovering addict even started a “Cubaholics Anonymous” group to help others kick their habit!

3) Clubs were formed for fans of the Cube; more than 60 books were printed that offered tips on solving the puzzle; and competitions were held to see how quickly someone could restore order to the Cube. The 1982 World Rubik’s Cube Championship competition was won by the U.S. champion, 16‐year‐old Minh Thai from Los Angeles. That teen’s world record—since broken—was an astonishing 22.95 seconds! By 1982, this puzzle was so much a part of everyday life that the term “Rubik’s Cube” was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Between 1980 and 1982, it is estimated that more than 100 million Cubes were sold internationally. Ironically, while Enro Rubik became Hungary’s first millionaire, he—like Sam Loyd—also experienced problems in patenting his invention. Outside of Hungary, Rubik was able to patent only the name and image of “Rubik’s Cube” and not the actual device itself.

Mathematical Solutions


Copyright © 2009.



ube 4) Mathematics holds the key to the fascinating difficulty of

Rubik’s Cube. Because a change to any individual cubie of the Caffects other individual cubies in it, the number of possible configurations is astronomical. The nine cubes forming one face can be rotated through 45 rotations. There are 45,252,003,274,489,856,000 different arrangements of the small cubes, only one of these arrangements being the initial position in which all colors match on each of the six sides. (A column of Cubes showing all the possible Cube positions would stretch out about

250 light‐years!) Mathematicians use Rubik’s Cube as a tool for studying group theory, which is the branch of algebra concerned with symmetry and transformations. They have also become involved in determining the shortest method of restoring order to the Cube. So far, using a computer and the rules of group theory, British mathematician Morwen Thistlethwaite has been able to unscramble Rubik’s puzzle in just 52 moves. Although the minimum number of moves required from an arbitrary starting position is still unknown, in 1995 Michael Reid proved that the minimum number is less than or equal to 29 turns.


Copyright © 2008.



The Trailblazer: Jackie Robinson by Larry Canale

Introduction:

In 1947, Jackie Robinson took a bold, fearless step into the major leagues, paving the way for African Americans who dreamed of playing our nation’s highest caliber of baseball.

1. When a truly outstanding baseball player decides his

career is over, one way his team honors him is to retire his uniform number. Some day, for example, the Baltimore Orioles will put away Cal Ripkin Jr.’s No. 8 and the St. Louis Cardinals will retire Mark McGwire’s No. 25.

2. Jackie Robinson may have received the ultimate honor, however, when all of baseball retired his number in 1998. That means no major‐league baseball player will ever again sport No. 42 on his uniform.

3. So why did baseball honor Jackie Robinson with sucha special tribute? Certainly, his accomplishments on the field were impressive. During his 10‐year career (19456), he hit .311, with 137 home runs and 197 stolen bases. Still, other players before and after Robinsofar exceeded his numbers. Baseball retired RobinsonNo. 42 both for his skill and because of the courage he demonstrated in breaking baseball’s color line.

7–

n’s era ’s

ime to Address Racism in Baseball

. Such key baseball figures as Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who was the commissioner from 1919

the time was a star shortstop in the Negro Leagues,

T

4

to 1944, did all they could to keep African Americans from playing in the majors. Then came Branch Rickey. In the 1940s, Rickey had a plan to help African Americans get a shot at playing in the big leagues, and he aimed to make it happen.

5. Rickey believed Jackie Robinson, who atcould compete with the best in the major leagues. But Rickey wanted to make sure Robinson had the composure to withstand the racial taunts of fans and opposing players.


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6. Robinson asked Rickey whether he wanted a player who would fight back when provoked. Rickey answered, “No, Jackie, I want a player with guts enough not to fight back. You will symbolize a crucial cause. One incident, just one incident, can set it back 20 years.”

7. Rickey also said, “I’ve been looking for a great black ball player, but I need more than a great player, I need a man who will carry the flag for his race.” After the meeting, Rickey knew that he had his man.

Jackie Robinson and His Career 8. Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. His grandfather was a slave,

and his father was a sharecropper who left the family when Jackie was young. Robinson, his mother, and his siblings relocated to Pasadena, California, where Jackie went on to attend the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He starred in four sports at the university—track, basketball, football, and baseball. He later joined the U.S. Army and served as an officer in World War II.

9. In 1944, Robinson signed with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues. He received $400 a month. It was during this period that he caught Branch Rickey’s attention and earned a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

10. For seasoning, Rickey sent Robinson to the Dodgers’ Montreal farm team in 1946. That year, he led the team to the Little World Series. The following season, Robinson made the step up to the major leagues. He won a job as the Dodgers’ starting first baseman and had a spectacular year, leading the National League in stolen bases (29) while hitting .297, with 12 home runs, 125 runs, and 48 runs batted in.

11. For Robinson, playing baseball was the easy part. The hard part was staying calm when racist players called him names, spiked him, or tried to pick fights. Even some of his teammates resented him. Fred “Dixie” Walker, who was raised in the South, asked to be traded.

12. True to his word to Branch Rickey, Robinson let his bat and glove do his talking. During his career, he became known as an excellent hitter and daring baserunner who made things happen. He was a six‐time All‐Star.

An American Legend


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13. Then, at age 37, he hung up his spikes. Six years later, in 1962, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Sadly, Robinson died in 1972 at the age of 53, having suffered from high blood pressure, heart trouble, diabetes, and blindness in one eye.

14. When Major League Baseball retired Robinson’s number, it was attempting to recognize his permanent contributions to baseball. Without Robinson’s resolve and inner strength, many more years might have passed before African Americans took that first courageous step at gaining equality in major‐league baseball.


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Mystery Flight by Dee DeTarsio

1. Amelia Earhart, born in Atchison, Kansas, on July 24, 1897, recorded many firsts in aviation

history before attempting her greatest feat of all—the first round‐the‐world flight via the equator. Earhart carefully mapped her route, originally heading west from Oakland, California, only to crash in Hawaii.

2. She survived, but her Lockheed Electra 10E plane was shipped back and repaired. On May 21, 1937, Earhart set off again, this time heading east. The trip was going well, with all America watching and waiting to hear news of her progress. But, on one of the last legs of her 30,000‐mile trip, 20 hours after leaving New Guinea with her navigator, Fred Noonan, Earhart was lost.

3. On July 2, 1937, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca intercepted brief, desperate transmissions for help. But the ship couldn’t home in on her navigational position and problems with Earhart’s radio left her unable to receive messages.

4. Over sixty years after her disappearance, and over 100 years after her birth, no one knows what really happened. No trace of her plane was ever found. Stories about her tragic end are still being talked about and investigated. The most widely accepted theory is that she ran out of gas, crashed and drowned. Other accounts have Earhart and her navigator straying off course on purpose to go on a secret spy mission for President Franklin Roosevelt.

5. Currently, a group of researchers is combing a desolate island in the Pacific Ocean called Nikumaroro. They have found intriguing clues: the heel of a woman’s shoe that matches Earhart’s size, and pieces of aluminum and parts that may have come from her plane.

Amelia Earhart: A Life of Accomplishments

1921–Completed her first flying lesson and bought her first aircraft, the Kinner Airster

1922–Set an unofficial women’s flying altitude record of 14,000 feet

1928–Completed the first transcontinental flight by a woman

1930–Organized and was elected president of The Ninety‐Nines, the first national organization of female pilots

1930–Set the women’s world flying speed record of 181.18 mph

1931–Completed her first solo transcontinental flight in an Autogiro for the Beechnut Company


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1932–Became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in her single‐engine Lockheed Vega

1933–Broke her own transcontinental record with a flying time of 17 hours, 7 minutes and 30 seconds

1935–Was the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean from

Honolulu, Hawaii, to Oakland, California

1937–Began her around‐the‐world flight, completing 22,000 miles before

Disappearing


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In the Air for Amelia by Dee DeTarsio

1. Many of us have a hero in history, someone we think was totally amazing. Forty‐six‐year‐old

Linda Finch of San Antonio, Texas, retraced her hero’s footsteps, or in this case, flight paths.

2. This spring Finch followed her dream of re‐creating the round‐the‐world flight attempted 60 years ago by legendary aviator Amelia Earhart. Earhart never completed her journey and her disappearance remains a mystery to this day.

3. Finch’s plane is almost an exact replica of Earhart’s—a gleaming 1935 Lockheed Electra 10E. Finch spent the last two years painstakingly restoring and modernizing the plane. She even sheltered it in the same hangar from which Earhart’s craft was rolled out in 1937. Other pilots have completed the Earhart flight, but not in an Electra.

4. Calling the adventure World Flight 1997, Finch’s flight took about two and one‐half months and covered about 30,000 miles. Following a route similar to the one planned for Earhart, she made more than 30 stops in 20 countries.

5. Finch reported that the memory of Earhart was particularly inspirational to her when she crossed the Atlantic. It was a long trip, nearly 13 hours, through thunderstorms and in the dark. She said it was like flying into a black hole, with no way to tell the difference between the water and the sky. To think of Amelia Earhart doing this 60 years ago is amazing.


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6. “World Flight was created to share Amelia Earhart’s vision with young people. The heart of the World Flight project is its outreach to inner city and at‐risk youth with her message about reaching above and beyond perceived limitations,” Finch said.

7. As part of World Flight 1997, engine‐maker Pratt & Whitney spent $4.5 million for the education program “You Can Soar.” Half a million students participated, learning about geography, science, the weather and aviation.

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Silk: The Caterpillar Thread by Laurel Kendall

1. Thousands of tiny jaws crunch mulberry

leaves, hour after hour and day after day, all day and all night, with a pause now and again to shed an outgrown skin. This is the lifelong banquet of the Bombyx mori, the tiny caterpillar we call “silkworm.” In twenty‐five days or more, the feast is done, and the silkworm spins its thick cocoon, a continuous strand of liquid silk that hardens when it touches the air. If left undisturbed in its waterproof sleeping bag, the well‐fed caterpillar will become a moth in about two weeks. It will emerge from its wrapping and fly away to lay eggs that will become more hungry silkworms. Cocoons for silk, however, are steamed or boiled before the full‐grown moth can destroy the silk thread.

2. The cocoons must be washed in very hot water to remove the sticky coating from the silken strand. Nimble fingers, usually women’s fingers, gather thin threads from several cocoons and reel them into a single long and lustrous thread, strong enough for sewing or weaving. One hundred ten cocoons yield enough thread to weave a silk necktie, six hundred thirty make a blouse, and three thousand make a Japanese woman’s fine kimono.

3. Silk is perhaps the world’s most wondrous fabric. We say “silky” or “silken” to describe lovely skin and hair and often use the expression “as soft as silk.” But silk is also strong, stronger than a steel wire the same size as a thin silken thread. Japanese samurai used silk cords to bind together the pieces of their armor. Surgeons use silk thread to stitch wounds and incisions. Pilots trust their lives to the sturdy silk of their parachutes. And silk is beautiful. Sometimes we say “silken” when we

mean luxurious. Silk robes embroidered with dragons of silk thread were clothing fit for a Chineseemperor. Today, even a simple dress or shirt madof silk is a very special piece of clothing.

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4. Nearly four thousand years ago, Chinese farmers living along the Yellow River in north‐central China unraveled the caterpillar’s threads and began to spin and weave silk. From at least the second century B.C., Chinese silk was traded over great distances to the world outside China. Silk reached the Roman Empire nearly two thousand years ago, and the luxury‐loving Romans paid great sums of gold to clothe themselves in silk.


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For many centuries, Chinese silk was worn in Persia, in Indian kingdoms, in the Middle East, and around the Mediterranean Sea.

5. Brave traders traveled the Silk Road, a network of difficult, often dangerous roads over mountains and across deserts. Some silk traveled a distance of nearly forty‐five hundred miles from western China, over the high Pamir Mountains, and through what is now Iran. Silk for the European and North African market was carried to ports in the eastern Mediterranean and shipped by sea.

6. No single merchant caravan traveled the entire length of the Silk Road. Silk and other valuable goods changed hands many times as they were traded and re‐traded along the way. If merchants survived attacks by bandits, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion, they would grow rich. States along the Silk Road encouraged trade by protecting caravans, and through trade, their cities prospered.

7. As a link between East and West, the Silk Road influenced world history. Buddhist monks followed the Silk Road and brought Buddhism to China. Many splendid Buddhist shrines still remain in central Asia. Other travelers began to venture further along the trade routes and to write about the peoples they encountered. The most famous Western traveler was Marco Polo, who left Venice as a boy in 1271 and followed the Silk Road to China. He returned twenty‐four years later and wrote about his adventures in the land of Kublai Khan. The wonders he described were so fantastic that many refused to believe him. Others, such as Christopher Columbus, wanted nothing more than to follow in Marco Polo’s footsteps. Columbus, seeking a route to China by sea, bumped into the New World before he ever reached the Orient.

8. Even though silk cloth traveled thousands of miles, the marvel of the silk producing caterpillar was, for a long time, China’s secret. Romans thought that the shimmering cloth came from “the hair of a sea shrimp.” Eventually, the secret reached other lands—Japan and Korea in the third century, central Asia in the fourth, Byzantium, in the eastern Mediterranean, in the sixth. According to one legend, monks arrived in Byzantium with the silkworm hidden in their hollow walking sticks. Even though silk could be manufactured outside China, Chinese silk remained a very special commodity. Today, although the secret is out, China is still the world’s foremost producer of silk.

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Journey on the Silk Road by Luann Hankom

1. My name is Fa Zang. I am 12

years old, and the year is A.D. 742. I am excited! I am joining my father on my first caravan to a far‐off city called Dunhuang. My father has obtained porcelain, rhubarb, herbal medicine, and silk cloth to trade. What treasures will we find on our journey?

2. We begin our journey in Chang’an, China, where we live. Chang’an is a bustling city with twomy father, Chinese government officials, and of course, camels. Camels may be slow, but they are sturdy animals that can carry our heavy loads.

3. Our prized

million people. Our caravan includes private merchants such as

trading item is silk, which comes from silkworms. People in foreign lands use our silk

and travel through the Wei River Valley along the Imperial Highway. The

. Our caravan stops at a shelter, so we don’t have to

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days and nights continue. We stop at farms for food along the way and meet caravans

my

lored glass, and exotic perfumes. My

cloth for fancy clothes. 4. We leave Chang’an

landscape is green and yellow—bright green fields and mulberry trees. The ground is yellow with loess, a fine dust that blows in the wind. If the wind is harsh, I will put a mask over my face, so the dust doesn’t get inside my mouth or eyes.

5. At night, my feet are sore from walkingsleep out in the open. Other traders are at the shelter, too. They have dates, pistachio nuts, peaches, and pears. Someone tosses me a pear. Its sweet, slippery juice drips down my chin whileeat it.

6. Thecoming and going. We continue northwest through forests and hills and cross the Huang River, sloshing through the water. We travel the foothills of the Nan Shan Mountains until we reach Dunhuang. I am tired and sore from the journey that has lasted many weeks. I am intrigued as father starts exchanging goods with caravans from the West.

7. There are rare items such as green and white jade, fine‐cofather trades his silk for white jade and Persian metalwork. He trades the rhubarb for pistachio nutsand walnuts. He exchanges the herbal medicine for musical instruments. The government officials trade silk for horses. The officials are pleased—the horses will be for the emperor’s army.


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8. The men from the West describe unusual, foreign places on their journeys:Tyre and Byzantium. I have not heard of these cities before. They speak of the difficult journeys through the Taklamaken Desert and the Pamirs. Such adventures!

9. I can barely fall asleep, for thoughts of these exotic places and peoples fill my brain. I will travel to these cities someday! My father and I will travel back to Chang’an, so I must get my rest. It has been an exciting journey. I dream of the travels yet to come.


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In the Beginning by Janet Wyman Coleman with Elizabeth V. Warren

Bats and Balls 1. Before there was a game called baseball, Americans had discovered the fun of swinging a stick

at a ball. In the early 1800s, children held tree limbs above their shoulders and swatted at walnuts wrapped in rags. Adults swung at balls with the same enthusiasm. Broomsticks made great bats, as did large pieces of wood called “wagon tongues,” naafter the part of a wagon that jutted out and held thehorses’ reins. If players had the skill and time, they carved and sanded pieces of ash or hickory into long, graceful bats. Sometimes the bats were painted with afaux (false) grain to imitate the look of expensive woods and then used as trophies of good games. Balls were also made by hand, of rags, pieces of old mattress fabric,or horsehide.

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2. The simple equipment made it possible to play “ball” almost anywhere. Soldiers enjoyed a game at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War, and the Indian leader Geronimo fielded a team of Apaches against the U.S. Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the late 1800s. The Apaches won.

Everyone Wants to Play 3. In the 1840s and 1850s, thousands of ambitious young men left their families in Europe and

immigrated to New York. They took jobs as policemen, firemen, and shipbuilders, and discovered baseball. Many of the immigrants were proud to be Americans and they wanted to play the

American game. Teams evolved out of the different professions. Shipbuilders pitched to firemen. Undertakers caught fly balls hit by doctors. Schoolteachers tagged out bartenders on fields and lots around the city. 4. However, there was a problem with the balls. They couldn’t be thrown very far, because they were so light. Doc Adams of the Knickerbocker Club found a saddler who taught him how to sew horsehide and stuff it with rubber cuttings. At first, Adams made the balls himself “not only for our club but for other


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clubs when they were organized,” but soon workers in the leather trade were also producing and selling balls. By the late 1860s, demand was so great, baseballs had to be mass‐produced in factories.

5. In 1857, the Knickerbockers and fifteen other clubs that played by the same rules created a league, the National Association of Base Ball Players. Doc Adams was the president. It was decided that baseball must continue to be an amateur game. Money would be its ruination, so the players should never be paid.

Historical Note:

By 1861, there were sixty‐two teams in various states. In 1869, admission was charged and players were paid for the first time. As heroes of the game emerged in the 1880s, baseball cards were created and circulated among fans. In America, baseball remains a popular sport and continues to grow in popularity in other parts of the world.


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Baseball Smarts by Bill Wise

1. Put yourself in Charlie Waitt’s shoes for a moment. 2. It’s 1875 and you play big‐league baseball for the St. Louis Brown Stockings. You’re a 21‐year‐old

rookie outfielder who’ll be filling in at first base for your team’s next game. 3. The thought of playing first base makes you wince. You’ve played there twice before, and it’s

nothing like playing the outfield. At first base, you’ll be catching sharply hit ground balls, whistling line drives, and stinging throws, all from close range. The last time you played first base, your hands ached for days.

4. In 1875, baseball is played bare‐handed! 5. Charlie knows that fielding a baseball without a glove is

tricky. Players hold their hands in the shape of a box to keep the ball from hitting their palms. This works well for outfielders; by the time the ball has traveled that far, it usually has slowed down quite a bit.

6. Infielders and catchers, however, aren’t so lucky. They often get cuts, bruises, and even broken bones from the hard‐hit balls.

7. Players think the banged‐up fingers and hands are just a part of the game. But Charlie Waitt decides to do something about it.

8. Waitt takes an ordinary leather glove and cuts off the fingers. He hopes that the leather will reduce the sting of the ball.

9. Other players and the fans watching the game don’t like Waitt’s idea. They think wearing a glove is a sign of weakness. But Waitt finds that the glove does make a difference, and he continues to wear it in other games.

10. Eventually, other players begin to wear gloves, too. Albert Spalding, a star pitcher for the Boston Red Stockings, asked Waitt about his glove.

11. “Waitt confessed that he was ashamed to wear it, but he said he had it on to save his hand,” Spalding later wrote. “He also admitted that he had chosen a color as inconspicuous as possible because he didn’t care to attract attention.”

12. Waitt’s invention made a lasting impression on Spalding. Later, after becoming a first baseman, Spalding began wearing a glove. But he went one step further and added a thin layer of padding inside the glove for more protection.

13. Spalding was highly respected, and his use of the glove convinced others that it was all right to wear one. Some players even began to wear gloves on both hands.


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14. This new Spalding‐style glove worked fine for everyone except the catchers. They needed more protection. Recognizing this need, former player Harry Decker designed a heavily padded mitt in 1890. It wasn’t nearly as big as today’s catcher’s mitts, but it was a big improvement over the thin gloves worn by the rest of the fielders.

15. By 1896, every big‐league player was using a glove. There were far fewer injuries and errors as a result.

16. Albert Spalding went on to found the Spalding Sporting Goods Company. But what about Charlie Waitt?

17. Charlie played in 113 professional games from 1875 to 1883, never spending more than one season with any team. He was what baseball folks call a journeyman ballplayer.

18. A newspaper article in 1882 declared that “a more honest and harderworking player than Charles Waitt would be hard to find.”

19. It would also be hard to find a player who did more to change the way a baseball is fielded.

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Desert Tortoise in the Rain by Joseph Bruchac

His shell glistens with the moisture of early winter rain. Small drops have drawn him from his earth‐dug bed beneath porch steps— 5 all that remains of a house washed away by fire. The backyard fence, which once kept him from the sight of ocean 10 or winding canyon, has also been returned to ash. The chirr of a wren can now be heard from camellia branches 15 which survived, somehow, the red flow of flame to hold new blossoms, fluttering purple and red as perfect as Chinese silk. 20 The tortoise, his head like a lump of lava, takes one club foot step after another, bumps his way across heaved red bricks. He opens his mouth to let his almost human tongue 25 loll out to lap up drops of moisture dark as his eyes. He turns his gaze away from the sea below to begin his trek back toward the Mohave 30 where human hands a decade ago picked him up to carry him here, away from his own kind.

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As I watch him move with what some call patience 35 it seems that words can barely express what the tortoise knows, of the rain and the fire here at the fenced‐in edge of a continent where 40 our human desires have come again to nothingness.

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Turkeys by Bailey White

1) Something about my mother attracts ornithologists. It all started years ago when a couple of

them discovered she had a rare species of woodpecker coming to her bird feeder. They came in the house and sat around the window, exclaiming and taking pictures with big fancy cameras. But long after the red cockaded woodpeckers had gone to roost in their sticky little holes in the red hearts of our big old pine trees, and the chuck‐will’s‐widows had started to sing their night chorus, the ornithologists were still there. There always seemed to be three or four of them wandering around our place, discussing the body fat of hummingbirds, telling cruel jokes about people who couldn’t tell a pileated woodpecker from an ivory bill, and staying for supper.

2) In those days, during the 1950s, the big concern of ornithologists in our area was the wild turkey. They were rare, and the pure‐strain wild turkeys had begun to interbreed with farmers’ domestic stock. The species was being degraded. It was extinction by dilution, and to the ornithologists it was just as tragic as the more dramatic demise of the passenger pigeon or the Carolina parakeet.

3) One ornithologist had devised a formula to compute the ratio of domestic to pure‐strain wild turkey in an individual bird by comparing the angle of flight at takeoff and the rate of acceleration. And in those sad days, the turkeys were flying low and slow.

4) It was during that time, the spring when I was six years old, that I caught the measles. I had a high fever, and my mother was worried about me. She kept the house quiet and dark and crept around silently, trying different methods of cooling me down.

5) Even the ornithologists stayed away—but not out of fear of the measles or respect for a household with sickness. The fact was, they had discovered a wild turkey nest. According to the formula, the hen was pure‐strain wild—not a taint of the sluggish domestic bird in her blood—and the ornithologists were camping in the woods, protecting her nest from predators and taking pictures.

6) One night our phone rang. It was one of the ornithologists. “Does your little girl still have measles?” he asked.

7) “Yes,” said my mother. “She’s very sick. Her temperature is 102.” 8) “I’ll be right over,” said the ornithologist. 9) In five minutes a whole carload of them arrived. They marched solemnly into the house, carrying

a cardboard box. “A hundred two, did you say? Where is she?” they asked my mother. 10) They crept into my room and set the box down on the bed. I was barely conscious, and when I

opened my eyes, their worried faces hovering over me seemed to float out of the darkness like giant, glowing eggs. They snatched the covers off me and felt me all over. They consulted in whispers.

11) “Feels just right, I’d say.” 12) “A hundred two—can’t miss if we tuck them up close and she lies still.” 13) I closed my eyes then, and after a while the ornithologists drifted away, their pale faces bobbing

up and down on the black wave of fever.

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14) The next morning I was better. For the first time in days I could think. The memory of the ornithologists with their whispered voices and their bony, cool hands was like a dream from another life. But when I pulled down the covers, there staring up at me with googly eyes and wide mouths, were sixteen fuzzy baby turkeys and the cracked chips and caps of sixteen brown speckled eggs.

15) I was a sensible child. I gently stretched myself out. The eggshells crackled, and the turkey babies fluttered and cheeped and snuggled against me. I laid my aching head back on the pillow and closed my eyes. “The ornithologists,” I whispered. “The ornithologists have been here.”

16) It seems the turkey hen had been so disturbed by the elaborate protective measures that had been undertaken in her behalf that she had abandoned her nest on the night the eggs were due to hatch. It was a cold night. The ornithologists, not having an incubator on hand, used their heads and came up with the next best thing.

17) The baby turkeys and I gained our strength together. When I was finally able to get out of bed and feebly creep around the house, the turkeys peeped and cheeped around my ankles, scrambling to keep up with me and tripping over their own big spraddle‐toed feet. When I went outside for the first time, the turkeys tumbled after me down the steps and scratched around in the yard while I sat in the sun.

18) Finally, in late summer, the day came when they were ready to fly for the first time as adult birds. The ornithologists gathered. I ran down the hill, and the turkeys ran too. Then, one by one, they took off. They flew high and fast. The ornithologists made V’s with their thumbs and forefingers, measuring angles. They consulted their stopwatches and paced off distances. They scribbled in their tiny notebooks. Finally they looked at each other. They sighed. They smiled. They jumped up and down and hugged each other. “One hundred percent pure wild turkey!” they said.

19) Nearly forty years have passed since then. In many ways the world is a worse place now. But there’s a vaccine for measles. And the woods where I live are full of pure wild turkeys. I like to think they are all descendants of those sixteen birds I saved from the vigilance of the ornithologists.

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Randy I Dorn


Science

WAAS-Portfolio Extensions

Fall 2010

ii

Table of Contents

Grade 5 pg.1 EALR 2: Inquiry pg.2 Big Idea: Inquiry (INQ) Core Content: Planning Investigations

Content standard INQ-A Scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answers with evidence from the real world.

Performance Expectation: • Identify the questions being asked in an investigation. Gather scientific evidence that helps to

answer a question.

EALR 3: Application pg.4 Big Idea: Application (APP) Core Content: Different Technologies Content standard APP-A Technology involves changing the natural world to meet human needs

or wants. Performance Expectation:

• Describe ways that people use technology to meet their needs and wants. (e.g., text messages to communicate with friends, use bicycles or cars for transportation).

EALR 4: Physical Science pg.5 Big Idea: Force and Motion (PSI) Core Content: Measurement of Force and Motion Content Standard PS1-B The relative speed of two objects can be determined in two ways: (1) If

two objects travel for the same amount of time, the object that has traveled the greatest distance is the fastest. (2) If two objects travel the same distance, the object that takes the least time to travel the distance is the fastest.

Performance Expectation: • Measure the distance that an object travels in a given interval of time and compare it with the

distance that another object moved in the same interval of time to determine which is fastest. • Measure that time it takes two objects to travel the same distance and determine which is

fastest.

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EALR 4: Physical Science pg. 6 Big Idea: Energy: Transfer, Transformation, and Conservation (PS3) Core Content: Heat, Light, Sound, Electricity

Content Standard PS3-C Heat Energy can be generated a number of ways and can move (transfer) from one place to another. Heat energy is transferred from warmer things to colder things.

Performance Expectation: • Identify several ways to generate heat energy (e.g., lighting a match, rubbing hands together, or

mixing different kinds of chemicals together). • Give examples of two different ways that heat energy can move from one place to another, and

explain which direction the heat moves (e.g., When placing a pot on the stove, heat moves from the hot burner to the cooler pot.)

EALR 4: Earth Science and Space Science pg. 7 Big Idea: Earth Systems, Structures, and Processes (ES2) Core Content: Formation of Earth Materials

Content Standard ES2-A Earth materials include solid rocks and soil, water and gases of the atmosphere. Materials have different physical and chemical properties which make them useful in different ways. Earth materials provide many of the resources that humans use.

Performance Expectations: • Describe Earth materials and list their physical and chemical properties.

EALR 4: Life Science pg .8 Big Idea: Structure and Function of Living Organisms (LS1) Core Content: Structures and Behaviors

Content Standard LS1-B Each animal has different structures and behaviors that serve different functions.

Performance Expectations: • List parts of an animal's body and describe how it helps the animal meet its basic needs (e.g.,

The bones support the body so it can move; the blood carries food and oxygen throughout the body.)

EALR 4: Life Science pg. 9 Big Idea: Ecosystems (LS2) Core Content: Food Webs

Content Standard LS2-A An ecosystem includes all of the plant and animal populations and nonliving resources in a given area. Plants and animals depend on one another and the nonliving resources in their ecosystem to help them survive.

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Performance Expectations: • Identify the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem

Grade 8 pg. 10 EALR 2: Inquiry pg. 11 Big Idea: Inquiry (INQ) Core Content: Questioning and Investigating

Content Standard INQ-C: Collecting, analyzing, and displaying data are essential aspects of all Investigations.

Performance Expectation: • Communicate results using pictures/images, tables, charts, diagrams, graphic displays and text

that are clear, accurate and informative.

EALR 3: Application pg. 12 Big Idea: Application Core Content: Science, Technology, and Problem Solving

Content Standard APP-B: Scientists and technological designers (including engineers) have different goals. Scientists answer questions about the natural world; technological designers solve problems that help people reach their goals.

Performance Expectation: • Investigate several professions in which an understanding of science and technology is required.

Explain why that understanding is necessary for success in each profession.

EALR 4: Physical Science pg. 13 Big Idea: Force and Motion (PS1) Core Content: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Content Standard PS1-D: The same unbalanced force will change the motion of an object with more mass more slowly than an object with less mass.

Performance Expectation: • Given two different masses that receive the same unbalanced force, predict which will move

more quickly.

EALR 4: Physical Science pg. 14 Big Idea: Energy: Transfer, Transformation, and Conservation (PS3) Core Content: Interactions of Energy and Matter

Content Standard PS3-A Energy exists in many forms: heat, light, chemical, electrical, motion of objects, and sound. Energy can be transformed from one form to another and transferred from one place to another.

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Performance Expectation: • Describe ways in which energy is transformed from one form to another and transferred from

one place to another (e.g., chemical to electrical energy in a battery, electrical to light energy in a bulb.)

EALR 4: Earth Science and Space Science pg. 15 Big Idea: Earth in Space (ES1) Core Content: Solar System

Content Standard ES1-C Most objects in the Solar System are in regular and predictable motion. These motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon and eclipses.

Performance Expectation: • Use a simple physical model or labeled drawing of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to explain day

and night, phases of the moon and eclipses of the Moon and Sun.

EALR 4: Life Science pg. 17 Big Idea: Structure and Function of Living Organisms (LS1) Core Content: From Cells to Organisms

Content Standard LS1-E In classifying organisms, scientists consider both internal and external structures and behaviors.

Performance Expectation: • Use a classification key to identify organisms, noting use of both internal and external structures

as well as behaviors.

EALR 4: Life Science pg. 19 Big Idea: Ecosystems (LS2) Core Content: Flow of Energy through Ecosystems

Content Standard LS2-B Energy flows through an ecosystem from producers (plants) to consumers to decomposers. These relationships can be shown for specific populations in a food web.

Performance Expectation: • Analyze the flow of energy in a local ecosystem and draw a labeled food web showing the

relationships among all of the ecosystem's plant and animal populations.

High School pg. 21

EALR 1: System: The student knows and applies scientific concepts and principles to understand the properties, structures, and changes in physical, earth/space, and living systems.

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Component 1.1: Properties: Understand how properties are used to identify, describe, and categorize substances, materials, and objects and how characteristics are used to categorize living things. pg. 22

GLE 1.1.2: Apply an understanding of directions, speed, and acceleration when describing the linear motion of objects.

• Describe the linear motion (speed, direction, and acceleration) of an object over a given time interval relative to Earth or some other object (ex., as a car accelerates onto a freeway the car speeds up from 30 km/hr to 90 km/hr in 10 sec.)

Component 1.2: Structures: Understand how components, structures, organizations, and interconnections describe systems. pg. 23

GLE 1.2.1: Analyze how systems function, including the inputs, outputs, transfers, transformations, and feedback of a system and its subsystems.

• Describe the function of a system’s parts or subsystems.

Component 1.3: Changes: Understand how interactions within and among systems cause changes in matter and energy. pg. 24

GLE 1.3.10: Analyze the living and nonliving factors that affect organisms in ecosystems. • Describe the living and nonliving factors that limit the size and affect the health of a

population in an ecosystem.

EALR 2: Inquiry: The student knows and applies the skills, processes, and nature of scientific inquiry

Component 2.1: Investigating Systems: Develop the knowledge and skills necessary to do scientific inquiry. pg. 25

GLE 2.1.2: Understand how to plan and conduct systematic and complex scientific investigations. • Generate a logical plan for, and conduct, a systematic and complex scientific controlled

investigation with the following attributes: o prediction o appropriate materials, tools, and available computer technology o controlled variables o one manipulated variable o responding (dependent) variable o gather, record, and organize data using appropriate units, charts, and/or graphs o multiple trials o experimental control condition when appropriate o additional validity measures

Grade 5 Science Extensions for the WAAS-Portfolio

Science Extensions: Fall 2010 1 | P a g e

Science Extensions: Grade 5



EALR: Inquiry

Core Content: Planning Investigations

INQ-A: Scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and comparing the answers with evidence from the real world.

Extensions for Science INQ-A Key Terms for Science INQ-A

Essential Question: How are asking and answering questions used to guide scientific investigations?

Student will:

5.a) Write the question and materials for a specific scientific investigation.

5.b) Label the question and materials for a specific scientific investigation.

5.c) Choose the question and materials for a specific scientific investigation.

5.d) Identify the question and materials for a specific scientific investigation.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Two (2) or more materials and the question are required for each on each piece of evidence.

#2: Questions and materials must be labeled.

#3: A different investigation must be used for each data point.


#5: Inquiry extensions should be considered for pairing with any one of the physical, earth, or life science extensions.


Scientific Investigation: A scientific study which includes activities such as:

1. Question(s) 2. Prediction(s) 3. Materials 4. Procedures 5. Summary statements

Write: Student puts pencil to paper, dictates to a scribe, or uses assistive technology to compose an answer.






EALR: Application

Core Content: Different Technologies

APP-A: Technology involves changing the natural world to meet human needs or wants.

Extensions for Science APP-A Key Terms for Science APP-A

Essential Question: How is technology used to meet daily needs?

Student will:

5.a) Name technologies and describe how they are used.

5.b) Match technologies to their daily uses.

5.c) Choose technologies that meet daily needs.

5.d) Identify technologies that meet daily needs.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The technologies and their daily uses/needs must be labeled on each piece of student evidence. See examples embedded in grades 5-6 PowerPoint. #5: Each data point must include different technologies.


#6: Do NOT include personal hygiene or personal behavior-related information in any student evidence.

Technology: The specific methods, materials, and devices used to meet daily needs (e.g., paper bag carries items; a cell phone helps communicate over a long distance, water glass meets the need of staying hydrated, a pen/pencil helps communicate in writing, etc.)

Name: Write the answer. Writing is putting pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose an answer.

Describe: To develop detailed pictures, or characterizations using diagrams and/or words, written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribed.



Identify: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of two choices with one believable answer and one distracter




EALR: Physical Science

Core Content: Measurement of Force and Motion

PS1-B: The relative speed of two objects can be determined in two ways: (1) if two objects travel for the same amount of time, the object that has traveled the greatest distance is the fastest. (2) If two objects travel the same distance, the object that takes the least time to travel the distance is the fastest.

Extensions for Science PS1-B Key Terms for Science PS1-B

Essential Question: How is speed measured and recorded?

Student will:

5.a) Measure and record the distance that objects travel in a given time.

5.b) Measure and record the time it takes objects to travel given distances.

5.c) Order objects based on the distance traveled in a set time.

5.d) Identify the objects that traveled fastest.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The objects, times, and distances must be labeled. #3: Each data point must include different objects, times, and distances.


Distance: A specific amount of space designated using standard units of measurement.

Motion: A constant change in the location of a body.

Speed: The measure of the rate of motion. The distance traveled divided by the time of travel.

Measure: Using measuring tools to gather information about size, length, width or height in inches, feet, centimeters, etc.

Record: Write the measurement in a graphic organizer, list, spreadsheet, Word document, etc.

Order: To put into a methodical, systematic arrangement (e.g., which object went fastest, etc.)






Core Content: Heat, Light, Sound, Electricity

PS3-C: Heat Energy can be generated a number of ways and can move (transfer) from one place to another. Heat energy is transferred from warmer things to colder things.

Extensions for Science PS3-C Key Terms for Science PS3-C

Essential Question: How is heat energy transferred?

Student will:

5.a) Draw arrows to show the direction that heat energy is transferred between objects.

5.b) Choose the direction that heat energy is transferred between objects.

5.c) Identify the direction that heat energy is transferred between objects.

5.d) Indicate if an object is hot or cold.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: All pictures and/or objects must be labeled with words with the exception of the indicate complexity level, (5.d).

Energy Transfer: Movement of energy from one location to another. For example: From the element on the stove, energy is transferred to the pot boiling on the stove.

Heat: A form of energy produced by the motion of atoms and molecules.

Heat Energy: A form of physical, electrical or chemical energy that moves from a warmer to a cooler place.



Indicate: To answer “yes” or “no” to a question about an object’s representation of specific content. The student responds by using a gesture (eye gaze, head switch, hand movement, etc.) to indicate the correct yes” or “no” response. The student work must reflect 1) the aligned content activity and 2) the student responses of “yes” or “no.”




EALR: Earth Science and Space Science

Core Content: Formation of Earth Materials

ES2-A: Earth materials include solid rocks and soil, water and gases of the atmosphere. Materials have different physical and chemical properties which make them useful in different ways. Earth materials provide many of the resources that humans use.

Extensions for Science ES2-A Key Terms for Science ES2-A

Essential Question: What are the physical properties of Earth materials?

Student will:

5.a) Describe the physical properties of color, weight, and/or texture of specific Earth materials.

5.b) Match specific Earth materials to their physical properties of color, weight, and/or texture.

5.c) Choose the physical properties of color, weight, and/or texture that describe specific Earth materials.

5.d) Indicate if an object is an Earth material.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The name of the Earth material and the physical properties of color, weight and texture of each Earth material must be labeled.


Earth materials: Naturally occurring materials found on Earth; minerals, rocks, soil, water, gases of the atmosphere.

Physical Properties: Essential physical attributes shared by members of a group. For example, color, weight, texture, particle size, etc.

Describe: To develop detailed pictures, or characterizations by using diagrams and/or words, written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribed.







EALR: Structure and Function of Living Organisms

Core Content: Structures and Behaviors

LS1-B: Each animal has different structures and behaviors that serve different functions.

Extensions for Science LS1-B Key Terms for Science LS1-B

Essential Question: How does an animal’s physical structure support its basic needs?

Student will:

5.a) Name the physical structures of an animal and describe how each meets an animal’s need(s).

5.b) Match an animal’s physical structures to its basic needs.

5.c) Choose physical structures of an animal.

5.d) Identify physical structures of an animal.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (5.a), the animal, physical structure, and need must be labeled. Using one (1) animal with one (1) physical structure that describes three (3) or more needs is recommended.

A chart or graphic organizer is recommended for student evidence. See examples embedded in grades 5-6 PowerPoint.

#3: Each data point must include a different animal classification, birds, mammals, or reptiles.


Classifications: The assignment of organisms to groups within a system of categories distinguished by structure, origin, etc. For LS1-B, the classifications are the following: birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Basic Need: Air, water, food, shelter, safety, and other survival needs.

Physical Structure: A distinguishing feature or quality. For example, webbed feet, spots, extra thick fur, blubber, feathers, camouflage, etc.

Name: Write the answer. Writing is putting pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose an answer.


Match: To show a connection between two corresponding parts (e.g., by drawing a line, cut and pasting, etc.). Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three choices with two believable answers and one distracter.





EALR: Life Science

Core Content: Food Webs

LS2-A: An ecosystem includes all of the plant and animal populations and nonliving resources in a given area. Plants and animals depend on one another and the nonliving resources in their ecosystem to help them survive.

Extensions for Science LS2-A Key Terms for Science LS2-A

Essential Question: What are the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystems?

Student will:

5.a) Describe living and/or nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

5.b) Choose living and/or nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

5.c) Identify living and/or nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

5.d) Indicate if an object is found in an ecosystem.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: Ecosystems must be labeled on each piece of student evidence.

#3: A different ecosystem must be used for each data point.


Ecosystems: A natural unit consisting of all plants, animals, and microorganisms in an area functioning together with all of the physical factors of the environment. (e.g., ocean, backyard, rain forest, etc.)

Organisms/Parts: A living parts of an ecosystem such as an animal, plant, fungus, or microorganism. Nonliving parts of an ecosystem are rock, sand, etc.








Science Extensions: Grade 8



EALR: Inquiry

Core Content: Questioning and Investigating

INQ-C: Collecting, analyzing, and displaying data are essential aspects of all investigations.

Extensions for Science INQ-C Key Terms for Science INQ-C

Essential Question: How are results of a scientific investigation communicated?

Student will:

8. a) Write summary statements about the results of a specific scientific investigation.

8.b) Describe the results from a specific scientific investigation when a variable is changed.

8.c) Construct a table that contains the data from a specific scientific investigation.

8.d) Order the procedures of a specific scientific investigation.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For (8. a), three (3) or more summary statements are required.

#2: For (8. b), describe the results by using pictures, tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, graphic displays, and/or texts.

#2: All student evidence must be connected to specific scientific investigations. A different investigation must be used for each data point.

#3: Three (3) pieces of data or procedures are required for each data point.


#5: Inquiry (INQ) extensions should be considered for pairing with any one of the physical, earth, or life science extensions.

Communicate results: Pictures, tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, graphic displays and/or text to share results from the scientific investigation.

Data: Information communicated in words, numbers, pictures and/or objects that are gathered during a scientific investigation.

Scientific Investigation: A scientific study which may include activities such as

1. Question(s) 2. Prediction(s) 3. Materials 4. Procedures 5. Summary statement(s)

Table: A method of displaying data in rows or columns.



Construct: To build, assemble, or form by putting parts together by using numbers or pictures.

Order: To put into a methodical, systematic arrangement.




EALR: Application

Core Content: Science, Technology, and Problem Solving

APP-B: Scientists and technological designers (including engineers) have different goals. Scientists answer questions about the natural world; technological designers solve problems that help people reach their goals.

Extensions for Science APP-B Key Terms for Science APP-B

Essential Question: How is technology used to perform different jobs?

Student will:

8.a) Describe the technologies required for different jobs.

8.b) Match the required technologies to their specific jobs.

8.c) Choose the required technologies for specific jobs.

8.d) Identify required technologies for specific jobs.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Each data point must reflect a different job. Each job must include three (3) or more difference technologies.

#2: The technologies and their jobs must be labeled. See examples embedded in grades 7-8 PowerPoint.


Job: A specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation.

Technology: The specific methods, materials, and devices used to perform tasks related to employment. (e.g., a squirt bottle with cleaner and a towel are necessary to clean tables at a job; a stapler, envelopes, and pen would be necessary to work in an office to prepare for mailings; a shredder and trash can would be necessary to shred and dispose of documents.)

Describe: To develop detailed picture, or characterizations by using diagrams and/or words, written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribed.








Core Content: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

PS1-D: The same unbalanced force will change the motion of an object with more mass more slowly than an object with less mass.

Extensions for Science PS1-D Key Terms for Science PS1-D Essential Question: What affect does mass have on the motion of an object?

Student will:

8.a) Construct a graph with the distances that objects with different masses move in a set time.

8.b) Order objects with different masses by their speed traveled.

8.c)Choose the distance that objects with different masses move in a set time.

8.d) Identify the distance that objects with different masses move in a set time.

8.e) Indicate if an object is moving.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The objects’ masses, individual distances, and times are required on each piece of evidence with the exception of the indicate level of complexity, (8.e).

#3: Different objects with different masses (weights) are required for each data point.

#4: The same object with different masses (weights) can be used for individual data points.


Distance: Extent or amount of space between two things, points, lines, etc.

Mass: A measure of how much matter (weight) there is in an object shown as grams, pounds, tons, etc.


Motion: The action or process of moving or of changing place or position.

Speed: The measure of the rate of motion. The distance traveled divided by the amount of time traveled.

Order: To put into a methodical, systematic arrangement (e.g., from slowest to fastest or fastest to slowest, etc.)




IMPORTANT CAUTION: All student evidence including teacher materials incorporated in the portfolio must be appropriate for all audience.s




Core Content: Interactions of Energy and Matter

PS3-A: Energy exists in many forms: heat, light, chemical, electrical, motion of objects, and sound. Energy can be transformed from one form to another and transferred from one place to another.

Extensions for Science PS3-A Key Terms for Science PS3-A

Essential Questions: What are the forms of energy?

Student will:

8.a) Label forms of energy

8.b) Match forms of energy to their sources.

8.c) Choose the form of energy shown in a given diagram/illustration.

8.d) Identify the form of energy shown in a given diagram/illustration.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


For (8.a), a minimum of 3 or more forms of energy must be included and labeled on each piece of student evidence. See example embedded in grades 7-8 PowerPoint.

#2: Each data point must use a different form of energy: chemical, electrical, kinetic, light, sound, and/or thermal.


Energy: The amount of work that can be done by a force.

Forms of Energy:

• Chemical Energy: the potential of a chemical substance to undergo a transformation through a chemical reaction.

• Electrical Energy: A variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. For example, lightning and static electricity, or the electromagnetic field and electromagnetic induction, etc.

• Kinetic Energy: Energy possessed by a body due to its motion; rest to velocity.

• Light Energy: Interacts with matter and allows us to see things.

• Sound Energy: A form of energy produced by vibrating matter. For example, a guitar is plucked: the vibrating string makes the air around it vibrate. Vocal cords vibrate, etc.

• Thermal Energy: Energy related to temperature: the higher the temperature, the greater the molecular movement and the greater the energy.

Energy Sources: The point of origin of an energy form.

Energy Transfer: Movement of energy from one location to another. For example: From the element on the stove, energy is transferred to the pot boiling on the stove.




EALR: Earth Science and Space Science

Core Content: Solar System

ES1-C: Most objects in the Solar System are in regular and predictable motion. These motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of the moon, and eclipses.

Extensions for Science ES1-C Key Terms for Science ES1-C

Essential Questions: What are the objects in our Solar System? How are planets positioned in relationship to the sun? What are the phases of the moon?

Student will:

8.a) Illustrate objects in the solar system.

8.b) Label objects in the solar system.

8.c) Choose objects in the solar system.

8.d) Identify objects in the solar system.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

1: The three (3) data points for all of the Solar System extensions must be represented as follows:

• First Data Point: Three (3) or more objects of the solar system must be included on each piece of student evidence. For example, stars, asteroids, moons, meteoroids, black holes, planets, etc.

• Second Data Point: Three (3) or more phases of the moon must be included on each piece of student evidence.

• Third Data Point: Three (3) or more planets and their positions related to the sun must be included on each piece of student evidence.

Phases of the Moon: Refers to the appearance of the illuminated portion or stage (8) of the Moon during its revolution around the earth. The moon has 8 key stages during its revolution around the earth.

• New moon occurs when the moon is positioned between the earth and sun.

• Full moon the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us.

• The first quarter and third quarter moons (both often called a "half moon"), happen when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun.

• After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half, so it is waxing crescent.

• After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more than half, so it is waxing gibbous.

• After the full moon (maximum illumination), the light continually decreases. So the waning gibbous phase occurs next.

• Following the third quarter is the waning crescent which wanes until the light is completely gone -- a new moon.




Important Note: The data/student evidence from the solar system topics must be collected in the order above. If one data point is missed, move to the next data point.


Planets: Any of the eight large heavenly bodies revolving about the sun and shining by reflected light: 1) Mercury 2) Venus 3) Earth 4) Mars 5) Jupiter 6) Saturn 7) Uranus 8) Neptune Relationship: Connection or association.

Solar system: The sun and those celestial objects bound to it by gravity, including 8 planets, moons, dwarf planets, plutoids, asteroids, meteoroids and other small bodies.

Sun: The Sun is an ordinary star about half way through its lifetime. It generates energy by the process of nuclear fusion occurring in its core.








EALR: Life Science

Core Content: From Cells to Organisms

LS1-E: In classifying organisms, scientists consider both internal and external structures and behaviors.

Extensions for Science LS1-E Key Terms for Science LS1-E

Essential Question: How are animals classified?

Student will:

8.a) Sort animals by classifications.

8.b) Match animals to their classifications.

8.c) Choose animals from a classification.

8.d) Identify animals from a classification.

8.e) Indicate if an object is an animal.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Three (3) or more different animals are required for each data point.


#3: Each data point must be a different classification, birds, mammals, or reptiles only.

Birds: Warm-blooded vertebrate having a body covered with feathers, forelimbs modified into wings, scaly legs, a beak, and no teeth, and bearing young in a hard-shelled egg.

Classifications: The assignment of animals to groups within a system of categories distinguished by structure, origin, etc. For LS1-E, the classifications are the following: birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Mammals: Warm-blooded vertebrate animals, including humans, characterized by a covering of hair on the skin and, in the female, milk-producing mammary glands for nourishing the young.

Reptiles: Cold-blooded vertebrate comprising of turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodilians, and various extinct members including the dinosaurs. Reptiles crawl or creep.

Structure: A distinguishing feature or quality. (e.g., webbed feet, extra thick fur, blubber, feathers, spots, camouflage, etc.)

Sort: To place or organize into categories.






EALR: Life Science

Core Content: Flow of Energy through Ecosystems LS2-B: Energy flows through an ecosystem from producers (plants) to consumers to decomposers. These relationships can be shown for specific populations in a food web.

Extensions for Science LS2-B Key Terms for Science LS2-B

Essential Question: How do organisms interact in an ecosystem?

Student will:

8.a) Label organisms in a food web as decomposers, consumers, and/or producers.

8.b) Draw arrows to show interactions among decomposers, consumers, and/or producers in a food web.

8.c) Sort organisms into decomposers and consumers from a food web.

8.d) Identify decomposers and/or consumers from a food web.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The Ecosystem must be included and labeled on each piece of evidence.

#3: For (8.c), both composers and consumers must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#4: Decomposers, consumers and/or producers must be labeled on each piece of student evidence.

#5: A different ecosystem must be used for each data point.


Consumer: Organisms that get their energy for growth from other organisms. Animals in a food web are consumers that can obtain food energy by eating other animals or plants.

Decomposers: Organisms that consume the remains of dead organisms and in doing so break down the tissues into simpler forms of matter that can be used as nutrients for other forms of matter in other living organisms.

Ecosystem: A natural unit consisting of all plants, animals, and microorganisms in an area functioning together with all of the nonliving physical factors of the environment. e.g., rain forest, dessert, back yard, etc.

Food web: Networks of feeding relationships that shows how each living thing gets its food. A food web is displayed graphically.

Interact: To act one upon the other or in close relation with each other.

Organisms: A living thing such as an animal, plant, fungus, or microorganism. In at least some form, all organisms are capable of reacting to stimuli, reproduction, growth and maintenance as a stable whole. Decomposers, consumers, and producers are organisms.

Producer: An organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple inorganic molecules using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions.





Draw: Illustrate with pictures or other artwork intended for explanation.

Sort: To place or organize into categories.





Science Extensions: High School

Note: The 2010-2011 HS science extensions are based on the science GLEs and not on the new science standards. New HS science extensions based on the new science standards will be developed for use in fall of 2011-2012.



Component 1.1: Properties: Understand how properties are used to identify, describe, and categorize substances, materials, and objects and how

characteristics are used to categorize living things.

GLE 1.1.2: Apply an understanding of directions, speed, and acceleration when describing the linear motion of objects.

Extensions for Science GLE 1.1.2 Key Terms for Science 1.1.2

Essential Question: What is the direction or speed of an object moving in linear motion?

Student will:

HS.a) Record the speed of objects in linear motion.

HS.b) Choose the direction of objects moving in linear motion.

HS.c) Identify the direction of objects moving in linear motion.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: For (HS.a), objects, speeds, and directions must be labeled.

#3: For (HS.a), student calculations must be included.

#4: For (HS.b) and (HS.c) object and direction must be labeled.

#5: Each data point must include different objects.


Direction: The route, path or track of an object. For example, the lava moved down the hill.

Linear motion: Movement along a straight line.

Speed: The measure of the rate of motion. The distance traveled divided by the time of travel.

Record: Write the measurement in a graphic organizer, list, spreadsheet, Word document, etc.







Component 1.2: Structures: Understand how components, structures, organizations, and interconnections describe systems.

GLE 1.2.1: Analyze how systems function, including the inputs, outputs, transfers, transformations, and feedback of a system and its subsystems.


Essential Question: What is the function of a system’s parts or subsystems?

Student will:

HS.a) Describe the functions of a system’s parts.

Hs.b) Choose the functions of a system’s parts.

HS.c) Identify the functions of a system’s parts.

HS.d) Label the functions of a system’s parts.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The function, system and its parts must be labeled.

#3: Each data point must include different systems.


Function: Purpose or role of a system’s parts.

System: Parts working together to perform a function. A system’s parts include but are not limited to the system’s subsystems.

Describe: To develop detailed pictures or characterizations by using diagrams and/or words, written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribed and must be communicated in sentence form.







Component 1.3: Changes: Understand how interactions within and among systems cause changes in matter and energy.

GLE 1.3.10: Analyze the living and nonliving factors that affect organisms in ecosystems.


Essential Question: How do living and nonliving factors affect organisms in ecosystems?

Student will:

HS.a) Describe the living and/or non-living factors that affect organisms in an ecosystem.

HS.b) Choose the living and/or non-living factors that affect organisms in an ecosystem.

HS.c) Identify the living and/or non-living factors that affect organisms in an ecosystem.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: All 1) factors and 2) organisms and 3) affects and 4) ecosystems must be labeled.

#3: The affects must be written as a sentence.

#4: Each data point must include a different ecosystem.


Ecosystems: A natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and microorganisms in an area. The unit functions together with all the non-living physical factors of the environment.

Factor: An element that contributes to a particular result.

Organisms: An individual form of life such as a plant, animal, or bacterium.

Sentence: At a minimum, a sentence consists of a noun and a verb. Sentences should include qualifiers to enhance the verbal and written expression.

• Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) • Enhanced: My dog ran down the driveway.

(Qualifiers added.)

Describe: To develop detailed pictures or characterizations by using diagrams and/or words, written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribe.






Component 2.1: Investigating Systems: Develop the knowledge and skills necessary to do scientific inquiry.

GLE 2.1.2: Understand how to plan and conduct systematic and complex scientific investigations.


Essential Question: How are scientific investigations conducted?

Student will:

HS.a) Describe a specific scientific investigation by using the 5 steps.

HS.b) Order the steps of a specific scientific investigation.

HS.c) Identify the steps of a specific scientific investigation.

HS.d) Indicate if and object relates to a specific scientific activity.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: HS scientific investigations must include ALL of the following steps of a scientific investigation:

1. Question(s) 2. Prediction(s) 3. Materials 4. Procedures 5. Summary statements

#2: Summary Statements and Predictions must be written in sentences. #3: All steps to the scientific investigation must be labeled. #4: Each data point must include different investigation.

Scientific Investigation: A scientific study which may include activities such as:

1. Question(s) 2. Prediction(s) 3. Materials 4. Procedures 5. Summary statement(s)


o Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) o Enhanced: My dog ran down the

driveway. (Qualifiers added.)

Describe: To develop detailed pictures, or characterizations using diagrams and/or words, written or oral. Can be student written or teacher scribed.

Order: Sequence the steps to the scientific process from step 1 to step 4.






#5: Inquiry (INQ) extensions should be considered for pairing with any one of the physical, earth, or life science extensions.




Acknowledgments

These WAAS-Portfolio Extensions have been developed by a group of Washington Special Educations teachers, district trainers, Special Education faculty, and Content Specialists with support from Staff of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The individuals who have played key roles in this project are listed below.

Science Lori Larson, Longview SD Lisa Combs, Selah SD Samantha McGarry, Issaquah SD Pamala Tebeau, Olympia SD Emma Packard, Snohomish SD Lynne Glasspool, Chelan SD Cathy Huston, Grand Coulee Dam SD Nikki Connor, Granite Falls SD Annalisa Brewster, Marysville SD Mary Davis, Stevenson-Carson SD Melissa Strobridge, Pasco SD Miranda Brothers, Evergreen SD Tina Smith, Mead SD Virginia Phillips, Edmonds SD Ellen Cavanaugh, Central Valley SD

Review Panel Dr. Gregg Schraw, University of Las Vegas Jan Galvin, Physical Therapy Association of Washington Ann Abraham, Central Kitsap SD Karen Adams-Griggs, Olympia SD Marita Heckart, Peninsula SD Michelle Ulke,, Everett SD

OSPI Project Support Staff Alternate Assessment Office Judy Kraft, Alternate Assessment Margaret Nerison, Alternate Assessment TOSA Michael Middleton, Alternate Assessment Director

Other OSPI Staff Joe Willhoft, Assistant Superintendent, Assessment Doug Gill, Special Education Director Janice Tornow, Special Education


Randy I Dorn


WAAS‐Portfolio Extensions

Writing

Fall 2010

Grade 4 Writing Extensions for the WAAS‐Portfolio

Table of Contents Grade 4 pg. 1 EALR 1 The student understands and uses a writing process.

Component 1.1 Prewrites to generate ideas and plan writing. pg. 2

GLE 1.1.1: Applies more than one strategy for generating ideas and planning writing. • Records information or ideas at prewriting and/or drafting stages (e.g., notes, lists, free

writing, webs, or graphic organizers). Component 1.2 Produces drafts. pg. 3 GLE 1.2.1: Produces more than one draft of multiple paragraphs.

• Uses a prewriting plan to draft text. EALR 2 The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.

Component 2.4 Writes for career applications. pg. 4

GLE 2.4.1: Produces documents used in a career setting. • Fills out forms (e.g., library card application, contest entry, survey). • Writes in forms associated with specific tasks or careers (e.g., letters, directions to house,

charts or tables within a report.)

EALR 3 The student writes clearly and effectively.

Component 3.1 Develops ideas and organizes writing. pg. 5

GLE 3.1.1: Analyze ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific details and/or examples. • Selects details relevant to the topic to elaborate (ex., adds detail to each main point using

more than one sentence; uses specific words and phrases, reasons, anecdotes, facts, descriptions, and examples.)

GLE 3.1.2: Organizes writing using a logical organizational structure. pg. 6 • Constructs a recognizable introduction and conclusion.

Component 3.2 Uses appropriate style. Pg. 7

GLE 3.2.3: Uses a variety of sentences. • Writes a variety of sentence lengths. • Writes a variety of sentence structures (e.g., “My dog enjoys music and howls when we

listen to certain songs. It makes me laugh. After his song is over, I give him a treat.”).

Writing Extensions: Fall 2010 ii

http://www.k12.wa.us/ealrs/Glossary/GlossaryPopup.aspx?ca=4&glId=5&gleId=1610&eolId=3542&word='free+writing'

http://www.k12.wa.us/ealrs/Glossary/GlossaryPopup.aspx?ca=4&glId=5&gleId=1610&eolId=3542&word='free+writing'

http://www.k12.wa.us/Ealrs/Glossary/GlossaryPopup.aspx?ca=4&glId=5&gleId=1611&eolId=3544&word='prewriting'

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Grade 7 pg. 8 EALR 1 The student understands and uses a writing process.


GLE 1.1.1: Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and planning writing. • Uses a variety of prewriting strategies (e.g., story mapping, listing, webbing, jotting,

outlining, free writing, and brainstorming).

Component 1.2 Produces drafts. pg. 10

GLE 1.2.1: Analyzes task and composes multiple drafts when appropriate. • Refers to prewriting plan.

EALR 2 The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.


GLE 2.4.1: Produces Documents used in a career setting. • Writes in forms associated with specific tasks or careers (e.g., class office resume,

persuasive letter requesting school funds).



GLE 3.1.1: Analyze ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific, relevant details and/or examples. • Selects specific details relevant to the topic to extend ideas and develop elaboration (e.g,

multiple examples, statistics, anecdotes, reasons).

GLE 3.1.2: Analyzes and selects an effective organizational structure. • Writes unified, cohesive paragraphs (e.g., supporting examples in order of importance,

paragraph topic connected by transitions). pg. 13 • Composes an engaging introduction (eg., meaningful rhetorical question, interesting facts,

and relevant anecdote).

Component 3.2 Uses appropriate style. pg. 14

GLE 3.2.3: Uses a variety of sentences. • Writes a variety of sentences lengths for effect (e.g., “Up in her bedroom, behind her closed

door, the girl stamped her feet in rage, wishing she could go to the picnic. Grounded!”).

Writing Extensions: Fall 2010 iii


Writing Extensions: Fall 2010 iv

Grade 10 pg. 16 EALR 1 The student understands and uses a writing process.


GLE 1.1.1: Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and planning writing. • Uses prewriting stage to generate ideas, determine purpose, analyze audience, select form,

research background information, formulate a thesis, and organize text.

Component 1.2 Produces drafts. pg. 19

GLE 1.2.1: Analyzes task and composes multiple drafts when appropriate. • Refers to prewriting plan.

EALR 2 The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.


GLE 2.4.1: Produces documents used in a career setting • Writes technical and nontechnical documents for career audiences (e.g., proposal, résumé,

abstract), taking into consideration technical formats (e.g., bullets, numbering, subheadings, blank space).



GLE 3.1.1: Analyzes ideas, selects a narrow topic, and elaborates using specific details and/or examples. • Selects specific details relevant to the topic to extend ideas or develop elaboration (e.g.,

quotations, data, reasons, and multiple examples that build on each other).

GLE 3.1.2: Analyzes and selects effective organizational structures. pg. 24 • Writes unified, cohesive paragraphs (e.g., repetition of key terms; parallel structure). • Selects from a variety of opening strategies and composes an engaging introduction (e.g.,

vivid, detailed description; historical/cultural background; contrasting situation).

Component 3.2 Uses appropriate style. pg. 25

GLE 3.2.3: Uses a variety of sentences consistent with audience, purpose, and form • Writes a variety of sentence structures (e.g., absolutes to add detail and elaborate: “Fingers

gripping the table, the student waited for the results.

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Writing Extensions: Fall 2010 1 | P a g e

Writing Extensions:

Grade 4



Component 1.1: Prewrites to generate ideas and plan writing.

1.1.1: Applies more than one strategy for generating ideas and planning writing.

Extensions for Writing 1.1.1 Key Terms for W.1.1.1

Essential Question: How are prewriting ideas organized for a personal story?

Student will:

4.a) Write details for a personal story topic.

4.b) Match details for a personal story topic.

4.c) Choose details for a personal story topic.

4.d) Identify details for a personal story topic.

4.e) Indicate if an object relates to a detail from a personal story topic.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Fourth (4th) grade writing must be student‐generated personal story topic(s) and details.

#2: Student evidence must include a minimum of three (3) or more details relating to personal story topic.

#3: Pre‐writing details should not be written in sentences.

#4: Use of a graphic organizer is recommended for 1.1.1.

#5: A different personal story topic must be used for each data point.


Important Writing Evidence Clarification: Writing is defined as communicating thoughts with words, pictures, objects and/or gestures. All writing entries must be student‐generated. The evidence can be produced by the student’s use of assistive technology, sentence strips, and/or pictures. The evidence can also be written by the student or scribed for the student. A student‐generated product is required for each piece of writing evidence.

Important Instructional Clarification for 1.1.1: The focus for GLE 1.1.1 is on planning writing after a brainstorming activity in which the student has generated ideas about a writing topic. GLE 1.1.1 is NOT the brainstorm; it is examining the brainstorm to determine which details fit the story’s topic.

Details: Words or groups of words that qualify, limit, or modify by enhancing the meanings of other words or phrases.

Graphic Organizer: A visual representation of knowledge, concepts or ideas and their relationships within an organized frame (e.g., concept map, word web, story board/map, Venn diagram, etc.)

Personal Story: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual. Personal stories are usually written with first person pronouns: I, me, my, mine, we us, our, and ours.

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the details for an essay.







IMPORTANT CAUTION: All personal story topics and details must be appropriate for all audiences.



Component 1.2: Produces drafts.

1.2.1: Produces more than one draft of multiple paragraphs.


Essential Question: How is a prewriting plan used to write a draft of a personal story?

Student will:

4.a) Write a personal story.

4.b) Order the sequence of events for a personal story.

4.c) Use pictures and/or words to produce a personal story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Fourth (4th) grade writing must be a student‐generated personal story. Personal stories are usually told with first person pronouns.

#2: Student evidence in 1.2.1 must be represented in three (3) or more sentences. If the prewrite from 1.1.1 is paired with the draft in 1.2.1, the draft (1.2.1) must demonstrate growth/change from the prewrite in 1.1.1.

#3: A different personal story must be used for each data point.


Important Writing Evidence Clarification: Writing is defined as communicating thoughts with words, pictures, objects and/or gestures. All writing entries must be student‐generated. The evidence can be produced by the student’s use of assistive technology, sentence strips, and/or pictures. The evidence can also be written by the student or scribed for the student. A student‐generated product is required for each piece of writing evidence. Personal Story: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual. • Personal stories are usually written with first

person pronouns: I, me, my, mine, we us, our, and ours.

Sentence: At a minimum, a sentence consists of a noun and a verb. Sentences should include qualifiers to enhance the verbal and written expression. • Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) • Enhanced: My dog ran down the driveway.

(Qualifiers added.)

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the sentences a personal story.

Order: Sequence events from first to last.

Produce: To write using pictures and/or words.

IMPORTANT CAUTION: All personal stories and details must be appropriate for all audiences.



Component 2.4: Writes for career applications.

2.4.1: Produces documents used in a career setting.


Essential Question: What information is required for a specific task or form?

Student will:

4.a) Write the activities to complete a school schedule.

4.b) Choose the activities to complete a school schedule.

4.c) Identify the activities to complete a school schedule.

4.d) Indicate if an object relates to a school schedule.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: School schedules must include at least one (1) of the following schedules for each data point: • Daily, weekly, monthly schedules • Sequence of events in specific group

schedule (e.g., reading, music class, physical education or library time, etc.,

• Steps to classroom “jobs” (e.g., caring for the classroom animal, doing lunch count, weather and attendance charts, etc.)

#2: A minimum of four (4) or more school activities within a single schedule are required for each data point.

#3: For (4.b) and (4.c), the schedule and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.



School schedules must include at least one of the following schedules for each data point: • Daily, weekly, monthly schedules • Sequence of events in specific group schedule

(e.g., reading, music class, physical education or library time, etc.,

• Steps to classroom “jobs” (e.g., caring for the classroom animal, doing lunch count, weather and attendance charts, etc.)

Schedule: A series of things to be done or of events to occur at or during a particular time or period at school.

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to complete a schedule.





#4: A different school schedule must be used for each data point.


#6: Do NOT include personal hygiene or personal behavior‐related information in any student evidence.





Component 3.1: Develops ideas and organizes writing.

3.1.1: Analyze ideas, selects a narrow topic, and elaborates using specific details and/or examples.


Essential Question: How are details used to elaborate on information in personal stories?

Student will:

4.a) Write details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from a personal story.

4.b) Choose details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from a personal story.

4.c) Identify details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from a personal story.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Fourth (4th) grade writing must be a student‐generated personal story. The student‐generated personal story must be a minimum of three (3) or more related sentences.

#2: Evidence for 3.1.1 must also include three (3) or more details lifted from the personal story.

#3: Elaborating details do not need to be written in sentences, however the details lifted from the student’s personal story must be elaborated on or changed.

#4: Both the personal story and the elaborating details must be included in the student evidence.

#5: For (4.b) and (4.c), the essay and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.


Important Writing Evidence Clarification: Writing is defined as communicating thoughts with words, pictures, objects and/or gestures. All writing entries must be student‐generated. The evidence can be produced by the student’s use of assistive technology, sentence strips, and/or pictures. The evidence can also be written by the student or scribed for the student. A student‐generated product is required for each piece of writing evidence. Details that elaborate: Words or groups of words that qualify, limit, or modify by enhancing the meanings of other words or phrases. • For example: I went to my grandfather’s

house for Sunday dinner. • Adding details: I went to my grandfather’s

house in Toledo to watch the football game and to eat fried chicken for Sunday dinner.

Personal Story: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual. Personal stories are usually written with first person pronouns: I, me, my, mine, we us, our, and ours. Sentence: At a minimum, a sentence consists of a noun and a verb. Sentences should include qualifiers to enhance the verbal and written expression. • Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) • Enhanced: My dog ran down the driveway.

(Qualifiers added.) Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the sentences for an essay. Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three (3) choices with two believable answers and one distracter. Continued on next page….





3.1.2: Organizes writing using a logical organizational structure.


Essential Question: How are introductions used in organizing paragraphs?

Student will:

4.a) Write a personal story and label the introduction.

4.b) Use pictures and/or words to produce a personal story and choose the introduction.

4.c) Use pictures and/or words to produce a personal story and identify the introduction.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Fourth (4th) grade writing must be a student‐generated personal story.

#2: The personal story must be a minimum of three (3) or more related sentences.

#3: Evidence for 3.1.2 must also include introductions added to the student‐generated person story.

#4 Introductions must be written sentences and must be labeled, “Introduction.”

#5: Both the introductions and the student‐generated personal story must be included on each piece of student evidence. #6: The student score must reflect that both the conclusion and the student‐generated personal story were graded.

#7: For (4.b) and (4.c), the story and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.


Important Writing Evidence Clarification: Writing is defined as communicating thoughts with words, pictures, objects and/or gestures.

All writing entries must be student‐generated. The evidence can be produced by the student’s use of assistive technology, sentence strips, and/or pictures. The evidence can also be written by the student or scribed for the student. A student‐generated product is required for each piece of writing evidence.

Introduction: The beginning of an essay that grabs a reader’s attention and provides a lead‐in to the essay. Personal Story: A series of events in a purposeful sequence telling a story which is either fictional or factual. Personal stories are usually written with first person pronouns: I, me, my, mine, we us, our, and ours.


(Qualifiers added.)

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the sentences for an essay.







#10: Writing 3.1.2 could be used with Writing 3.1.1 or the draft from Writing 1.2.1.





Component 3.2: Uses appropriate style.

3.2.3: Uses a variety of sentences.


Essential Question: How is word choice used to create sentence variety?

Student will:

4.a) Write adjectives that describe a variety of nouns.

4.b) Match adjectives to the nouns that they modify.

4.c) Choose adjectives that describe a variety of nouns.

4.d) Identify adjectives that describe a variety of nouns.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Each piece of student evidence must include five (5) or more adjectives and their modifiers.

#2: Nouns and adjectives must be labeled as, “nouns” and “adjectives” in the student evidence.

#3: Each data point must include different adjectives.

#4: Pictures must be labeled with words.



Adjective: A word that describes a noun.

Noun: A person, place, thing or idea.

Word Bank/Word Wall: Literacy tool composed of an organized collection of words that are displayed in large visible letters on a wall, bulletin board or other display surfaces in a classroom. Word banks/walls are considered to be interactive and collaborative tools, as they are student‐created and student‐centered artifacts. Variations of word banks/walls exist including some that feature illustrations of the words and color‐coded lists. Word walls are recommended as a vocabulary building strategy that will assist students in creating sentence variety.

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose adjectives.






Writing Extensions:

Grade 7




1.1.1: ‐ Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and planning writing.


Essential Question: How are prewriting ideas organized for an expository essay?

Student will:

7.a) Write facts for an expository essay topic.

7.b) Match facts to an expository essay topic.

7.c) Choose facts for an expository essay topic.

7.d) Identify facts for an expository essay topic.

7.e) Indicate if an object relates to an expository essay topic.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Seventh (7th) grade writing must have student‐generated expository essay topics.

#2: Student evidence must include a minimum of three (3) or more facts relating to an essay topic.

#3: Pre‐writing details should not be written in sentences.

#4: Use of graphic organizers is recommended for 1.1.1.


#6: A different expository essay topic must be used for each data point.


Important Instructional Clarification for 1.1.1: The focus for GLE 1.1.1 is on planning writing after a brainstorming activity in which the student has generated ideas about a writing topic. GLE 1.1.1 is NOT the brainstorm; it is examining the brainstorm to determine which details fit the essay’s topic.

Expository: Writing that explains or communicates details, facts, and/or information.

Fact: Something known to exist or to have happened.


Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the facts for an essay.







IMPORTANT CAUTION: All expository essay topics and details must be appropriate for all audiences.



Component 1.2.1: Produces drafts.

1.2.1: Analyzes task and composes multiple drafts when appropriate.


Essential Question: How is a prewriting plan used to write a draft of an expository essay?

Student will:

7.a) Write an expository essay.

7.b) Choose the facts to produce an expository essay.

7.c) Use pictures and/or words to produce an expository essay.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Seventh (7th) grade writing must be a student‐generated expository essay.



#4: A different expository essay must be used for each data point.


Essay: An essay is a minimum of three (3) related sentences.



• Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) • Enhanced: My dog ran down the

driveway. (Qualifiers added.)




IMPORTANT CAUTION: All expository essays and details must be appropriate for all audiences.






Essential Question: What information is required for a specific task or form?

Student will:

7.a) Write the personal information that completes a community form.

7.b) Choose the personal information to complete a community form.

7.c) Identify the personal information to complete a community form.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Community forms must include at least one (1) of the following per data point:

• Transit application • Food handlers’ permit • Public library card application • Athletic clubs, grocery stores, movie

stores, memberships and/or applications, etc.

#2: Each community form must contain a minimum of five (5) or more pieces of personal information. The following five (5) facts are required:

1. Name 2. Date 3. Address 4. Phone number 5. Email address

#3: For (7.b) and (7.c), the forms and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.

#4: Do NOT use electronic social networking membership forms.



Community forms must include at least one of the following per data point:

• Transit application • Food handlers’ permit • Public library card application • Athletic clubs, grocery stores, movie stores,

memberships and/or applications, etc.

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to complete a community form.






#5: Do NOT include social security numbers on student evidence.


#6: A different community form must be used for each data point.




3.1.1: Analyze ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific, relevant details and/or examples.


Essential Question: How are details used to elaborate on information in expository essays?

Student will:

7.a) Write details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from an expository essay.

7.b) Choose details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from an expository essay.

7.c) Identify details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from an expository essay.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The student‐generated expository essay must be a minimum of three (3) or more related sentences.

#3: The evidence for 3.1.1 must also include three (3) or more details lifted from the expository essay.

#4: Elaborating details do not need to be written in sentences, however the details lifted from the student’s essay must be elaborated on or changed for this standard.

#5: Both the expository essay and the elaborating details must be included in the student evidence.

#6: For (7.b) and (7.c), the essay and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.


Details that elaborate: Words or groups of words that qualify, limit, or modify by enhancing the meanings of other words or phrases.

• For example: I went to my grandfather’s house for Sunday dinner.

• Adding details: I went to my grandfather’s house in Toledo to watch the football game and to eat fried chicken for Sunday dinner.




• Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) • Enhanced: My dog ran down the driveway.

(Qualifiers added.)






3.1.2: Analyzes and selects an effective organizational structure.



Student will:

7.a) Write an expository essay and label the introduction.

7.b) Use pictures and/or words to produce an expository essay and choose the introduction.

7.c) Use pictures and/or words to produce an expository essay and identify the introduction.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:


#2: The expository essay must be a minimum of three (3) or more related sentences.

#3: Evidence for 3.1.2 must also include introductions added to the student‐generated expository essay.

#4Introductions must be written in sentences and must be labeled, “Introduction.”

#5: Both the introductions and the student‐generated expository essay must be included on each piece of student evidence. #6: The student score must reflect that both the conclusion and the student‐generated expository essay were graded.

#7: For choose (7.b) and identify (7.c), the essay and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.



Important Writing Evidence Clarification: Writing is defined as communicating thoughts with words, pictures, objects and/or gestures. All writing entries must be student‐generated. The evidence can be generated by the student’s use of assistive technology, sentence strips, and/or pictures. The evidence can also be written by the student or scribed for the student. A student‐generated product is required for each piece of writing evidence.


Expository Essay: Writing that explains or communicates details, facts, and/or information.

Introduction: The beginning of an essay that grabs a reader’s attention and provides a lead‐in to the essay.


(Qualifiers added.)









3.2.3: Uses a variety of sentences.



Student will:

7.a) Write adverbs that describe a variety of verbs, adjectives and/or other adverbs.

7.b) Match adverbs to the verbs, adjectives and/or other adverbs that they modify.

7.c) Choose adverbs that describe a variety of verbs, adjectives, and/or other adverbs.

7.d) Identify adverbs that describe a variety of verbs, adjectives, and/or other adverbs.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Each piece of student evidence must include five (5) or more adverbs and their modifiers.

#2: Verbs, adjectives, and adverbs must be labeled as”verbs” and “adjectives” and “adverbs” in the student evidence.

#3: Each data point must include different adverbs.



Adverb: A word that describes a verb, adjective or another adverb.

• Adverb describing a verb: The dog ran quickly down the street.

• Adverb describing an adjective: The usually quiet dog barked a warning as the visitor walked up the driveway.

• Adverb describing another adverb: The startled boy bolted very abruptly out of the house.

Verb: A word that shows action or a state of being.


Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose adverbs.




Writing Extensions:

Grade 10




1.1.1: Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and planning writing.


Essential Question: How are prewriting ideas organized for a persuasive essay?

Student will:

HS.a) Write facts that support a position statement for a persuasive essay topic.

HS.b) Match facts to a position statement for a persuasive essay topic.

HS.c) Choose facts that support a position statement for a persuasive essay topic.

HS.d) Identify facts that support a position statement for a persuasive essay topic.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: HS writing must be student‐generated persuasive essays.

#2: Student evidence must include a clear position (opinion) statement and a minimum of two (2) or more supporting facts/arguments/details.

#3: Position statements must be written in sentences and labeled. Facts, arguments, or details about the position statement do not need to be in sentences.

#4: Use of a graphic organizer is recommended for 1.1.1.


#6: A different persuasive essay topic must be used for each data point.


Important Instructional Clarification for 1.1.1: The focus for GLE 1.1.1 is on planning writing after a brainstorming activity in which the student has generated ideas about a writing topic. GLE 1.1.1 is NOT the brainstorm; it is examining the brainstorm to determine which facts, arguments, or details fit the persuasive essay’s topic.

Fact: Something known to exist or to have happened.


Persuasive Essay: Writing that convinces the reader to support a point of view, make a decision, or take an action. All persuasive essays include a position (opinion) statement and supporting facts/ arguments.

Position (opinion) statement: The declaration of where someone or a group stands on a given topic or issue. Position (opinion) statements must be written in sentences.




(Qualifiers added.)

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the facts for an essay.




IMPORTANT CAUTION: All persuasive essay topics, details, and position (opinion) statements must be appropriate for all audiences.



Component 1.2.1: Produces drafts.

1.2.1: Analyzes task and composes multiple drafts when appropriate.


Essential Question: How is a prewriting plan used to write a draft of a persuasive essay?

Student will:

HS.a) Write the position statement and supporting facts for a persuasive essay.

HS.b) Use pictures and/or words to write a position statement and supporting facts for a persuasive essay.

HS.c) Use pictures and/or words to produce the supporting facts for a given position statement in a persuasive essay.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: HS writing must be a student‐generated persuasive essay.


#3: Position (opinion) statements must be written in sentences and labeled on each piece of student evidence.


#5: A different persuasive essay must be used for each data point.

IMPORTANT CAUTION: All persuasive essay topics, details, and position (opinion) statements must be appropriate for all audiences.



Persuasive Essay: Writing that convinces the reader to support a point of view, make a decision, or take an action. All persuasive essays must include a position (opinion) statement and supporting facts or arguments.



(Qualifiers added.)

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose sentences for a persuasive essay.







Essential Question: What format is used to write for a career application?

Student will:

HS.a) Apply for a job by completing a job application, writing a letter of interest and resume.

• Data point #1: Job application • Data point #2: Letter of interest • Data point #3: Resume

HS.b) Write the information to complete a job application.

HS.c) Choose the information to complete a job application.

HS.d) Identify information to complete a job application.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: Each job application and resume must include six (6) or more of the following:

1. Name 2. Home address 3. Email address 4. Phone number 5. Job Objective 6. Work Skills 7. Education 8. Activities 9. References



Letter of Interest: Letter sent to inquire about job opportunities at a company.

Resume: A formal document that presents personal skills, knowledge and experiences to prospective employers. Functional Resumes list skills acquired at home or at school as well as educational history and job history.

Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to complete the tasks to apply for a job.






#2: Each letter of interest must include four (4) or more of the following:

1. Heading (Writer’s address and date) 2. Inside Address (Reader’s name and

address) 3. Salutation (Greeting) 4. Body

a. Paragraph 1: Statement of interest

b. Paragraph 2: Highlight of personal skills

c. Paragraph 3: Contact information and thank you

5. Closing 6. Signature

#3: For (HS.c) and (HS.d), the job application and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.

#4: For (HS.b) and (HS. c) and (HS.d), a different job application must be used for each data point.


#6: Do NOT include social security numbers on any student evidence.




3.1.1: Analyze ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific, relevant details and/or examples.


Essential Question: How are details used to elaborate on information in persuasive essays?

Student will:

HS.a) Write the details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from a persuasive essay.

HS.b) Choose the details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from a persuasive essay.

HS.c) Identify the details that elaborate on words or groups of words lifted from a persuasive essay.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: HS writing must be a student‐generated persuasive essay.

#2: The student‐generated persuasive essay must be a minimum of three (3) or more related sentences.

#3: Evidence for 3.1.1 must also include three (3) or more details lifted from the student‐generated persuasive essay.

#4: Both the persuasive essay and the elaborating details must be included in the student evidence.

#5: Elaborating details do not need to be written in sentences, however the details lifted from the student’s essay must be elaborated on or changed for this standard.

#6: For (HS.b) and (HS.c), the essay and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.


Details that elaborate: Words or groups of words that qualify, limit, or modify by enhancing the meanings of other words or phrases. • For example: I went to my grandfather’s

house for Sunday dinner. • Adding details: I went to my grandfather’s

house in Toledo to watch the football game and to eat fried chicken for Sunday dinner.

Essay: An essay is a minimum of three (3) related sentences. Persuasive Essay: Writing that convinces the reader to support a point of view, make a decision, or take an action. All persuasive essays must include a position (opinion) statement and supporting facts/arguments. Sentence: At a minimum, a sentence consists of a noun and a verb. Sentences should include qualifiers to enhance the verbal and written expression. • Minimum: Dog ran (Noun and verb) • Enhanced: My dog ran down the driveway.

(Qualifiers added.)






Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the sentences for an essay. Choose: Student selects the answer(s) from a minimum of three (3) choices with two believable answers and one distracter.


IMPORTANT CAUTION: All persuasive essays, details, and position (opinion) statements must be appropriate for all audiences.




3.1.2: Analyzes and selects an effective organizational structure.



Student will:

HS.a) Write a persuasive essay and label the conclusion.

HS.b) Use pictures and/or words to produce a persuasive essay and choose the conclusion.

HS.c) Use pictures and/or words to produce a persuasive essay and identify the conclusion.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: HS writing must be a student‐ generated persuasive essay.

#2: The persuasive essay must be a minimum of three (3) or more related sentences.

#3: Evidence for 3.1.2 must also include conclusions added to the persuasive essay.

#4: The conclusion must be written in a sentence and must be labeled, “Conclusion.”

#5: Both the conclusions and the student‐generated persuasive essay must be included on each piece of student evidence. #6: The student score must reflect that both the conclusion and the student‐generated persuasive essay were graded.

#7: For (HS.b) and (HS.c), the essay and all student options (choices) must be on each piece of student evidence.




Conclusion:


Persuasive Essay: Writing that convinces the reader to support a point of view, make a decision, or take an action. All persuasive essays must include a position (opinion) statement and supporting facts/ arguments.



(Qualifiers added.) Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose the sentences for an essay.








IMPORTANT CAUTION: All persuasive essays, details, and position (opinion) statements must be appropriate for all audiences.





3.2.3: Uses a variety of sentences consistent with audiences, purpose, and form.



Student will:

HS.a) Write adjectives that describe a variety of nouns and adverbs that describe a variety of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

HS.b) Match adjectives to the nouns that they describe and adverbs to the verbs, adjectives and/or other adverbs that they describe.

HS.c) Choose adjectives that describe a variety of nouns and adverbs that describe a variety of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

HS.d) Identify adjectives that describe a variety of nouns and adverbs that describe a variety of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

EVIDENCE REMINDERS:

#1: For (HS.a) and (HS.b) and (HS.c), five (5) or more adjectives, adverbs and their modifiers must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#2: For (HS.d), three (3) or more adjectives and three (3) or more adverbs and their modifiers must be included on each piece of student evidence.

#3: Adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs must be labeled as “adjectives” and “adverbs” and “nouns” and”verbs” in the student evidence.

#4: Different adjectives and adverbs must be used for each data point.



Adjective: A word that describes a noun.

Adverb: A word that describes a verb, adjective or another adverb.

• Adverb describing a verb: The dog ran quickly down the street.

• Adverb describing an adjective: The abnormally beautiful sunset peaked through the clouds.

• Adverb describing another adverb: The boy bolted very quickly out of the house.

Noun: A person, place, thing or idea.

Verb: A word that shows action or a state of being.





Write: Put pencil to paper, dictate to a scribe, or use assistive technology to compose adjectives and adverbs.






Acknowledgments

These WAAS‐Portfolio Extensions have been developed by a team of Washington Special Educations teachers, District Trainers, Special Education faculty, and Content Specialists with support from Staff of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The individuals who have played key roles in this project are listed below.

riting

Pasco SD

sap SD

mpia SD

Review Panelversity of Las Vegas

Washington

Project Support Staff

WJamie Caoile, Erin Weage, Kelso SD

itKim Goodwin, North KDee Hill, Kent SD

er SD Ben Hill, White RivGina Donahue, Parent

lyKaren Adams‐Griggs, ORebecca Keim, Mukilteo SD Pia Gardner, Tacoma SD

o SDKimberly Perisho, Mukilte

Dr. Gregg Schraw, UniJan Galvin, Physical Therapy Association ofAnn Abraham, Central Kitsap SD Karen Adams‐Griggs, Olympia SD Marita Heckart, Peninsula SD Michelle Ulke,, Everett SD

OSPIAlternate Assessment Office Judy Kraft, Alternate AssessmMargaret Nerison, Alternate AssessmMichael Middleton, Alternate Assessment Direc

Other OSPI Staff

ent ent TOSA

tor

Joe Willhoft, AssisDoug Gill, Special Education Director Janice Tornow, Special Education

tant Superintendent, Assessment

Appendix C—Grade Level Expectation 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Distributions

Appendix C—GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATION

DISTRIBUTIONS


Distributions

Table C-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Mathematics

Grade Grade Level Expectations

Alignment No Skill Given Full Near Little No

3

3.1B/4.1E. 9 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 2 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 7 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 57 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 41 0 2 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 65 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 24 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 34 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 23 0 0 0 1

3.1C/4.5E. 64 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 229 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 213 0 0 0 0

3.2A/4.1F. 18 0 0 0 0

3.2A/4.1F. 16 0 0 0 0

3.2A/4.1F. 11 0 0 0 1

3.3AB/4.2B 1 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 22 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 6 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 24 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 77 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 22 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 0 0 0 0 1

3.4AD/4.3C 24 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 8 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 26 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 95 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 7 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 10 0 0 0 1

3.5B/4.4C. 16 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 40 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 214 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 93 0 0 0 0

4

3.1B/4.1E. 6 0 0 0 2

3.1B/4.1E. 5 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 22 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 62 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 34 0 0 0 0

3.1B/4.1E. 46 2 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 31 0 0 0 2

3.1C/4.5E. 68 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 26 1 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 65 0 0 0 1

3.1C/4.5E. 153 0 0 0 0

3.1C/4.5E. 212 0 0 0 0

3.2A/4.1F. 2 0 0 0 0

3.2A/4.1F. 27 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



4

3.2A/4.1F. 18 0 0 0 0

3.2A/4.1F. 6 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 2 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 28 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 12 0 0 0 1

3.3AB/4.2B 35 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 46 0 0 0 0

3.3AB/4.2B 18 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 7 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 21 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 6 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 25 0 0 0 0

3.4AD/4.3C 87 0 0 0 1

3.5B/4.4C. 8 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 11 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 20 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 32 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 202 0 0 0 0

3.5B/4.4C. 51 0 0 0 1

5

5.1C/6.6D. 1 0 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 7 0 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 19 0 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 12 0 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 116 0 0 0 0

5.2AB/6.1B 18 0 0 0 0

5.2AB/6.1B 106 0 0 0 0

5.2AB/6.1B 21 0 0 0 0

5.2AB/6.1B 1 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 2 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 91 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 15 0 0 0 1

5.2EF/6.1D 63 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 0 0 0 0 1

5.3AB/6.4G 37 0 0 0 1

5.3AB/6.4G 8 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 182 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 183 0 0 0 1

5.4A/6.2A. 11 0 0 0 0

5.4A/6.2A. 21 0 0 0 0

5.4A/6.2A. 197 0 0 0 1

5.4A/6.2A. 13 0 0 0 0

5.4A/6.2A. 247 0 0 0 1

6

5.1C/6.6D. 6 0 0 0 1

5.1C/6.6D. 4 0 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 13 1 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 11 0 0 0 0

5.1C/6.6D. 89 0 0 0 0

5.2AB/6.1B 25 0 0 0 1

continued


Distributions



6

5.2AB/6.1B 85 0 0 0 0

5.2AB/6.1B 15 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 14 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 2 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 80 0 0 0 0

5.2EF/6.1D 18 0 0 0 1

5.2EF/6.1D 74 0 0 0 2

5.2EF/6.1D 1 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 10 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 23 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 14 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 156 0 0 0 0

5.3AB/6.4G 161 0 0 0 0

5.4A/6.2A. 6 0 0 0 0

5.4A/6.2A. 29 0 0 0 1

5.4A/6.2A. 181 0 0 0 1

5.4A/6.2A. 19 1 0 0 0

5.4A/6.2A. 181 0 0 0 0

7

7.1A/8.4D. 7 0 0 0 0

7.1A/8.4D. 23 0 0 0 0

7.1A/8.4D. 200 0 0 0 0

7.1A/8.4D. 220 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 27 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 5 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 27 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 304 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 1 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 15 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 6 0 0 0 1

7.4B/8.3F. 64 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 66 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 6 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 29 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 37 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 72 0 0 0 0

8

7.1A/8.4D. 10 0 0 0 0

7.1A/8.4D. 22 0 0 0 0

7.1A/8.4D. 178 0 0 0 0

7.1A/8.4D. 182 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 22 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 5 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 31 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 258 0 0 0 0

7.1C/8.5A. 1 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 3 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 19 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 60 0 0 0 0

7.4B/8.3F. 50 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



8

7.4B/8.3F. 1 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 3 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 8 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 24 0 0 0 0

7.6A/8.2AB 45 0 0 0 0

HS

A1.1.A.a 2 0 0 0 0

A1.1.A.b 13 0 0 0 0

A1.1.A.c 103 0 0 0 0

A1.1.A.d 169 0 0 0 0

A1.1.A.e 171 0 0 0 0

A1.2F/1.2E 28 0 0 0 0

A1.2F/1.2E 37 0 0 0 0

A1.2F/1.2E 37 0 0 0 0

A1.2F/1.2E 114 0 0 0 0

A1.4A.a 6 0 0 0 0

A1.4A.b 38 0 0 0 0

A1.4A.c 171 0 0 0 0

A1.4A.d 277 0 0 0 0

A1.4A.e 1 0 0 0 0

A1.4C.c 102 0 0 0 0

A1.4C.d 99 0 0 0 0

A1.4C.e 22 0 0 0 0

A1.6A.a 8 1 0 0 0

A1.6A.b 28 0 0 0 0

A1.6A.c 88 0 0 0 0

A1.6A.d 104 0 0 0 0

A1.6A.e 64 0 0 0 0

Table C-2. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Reading



3

1.3.2.a 10 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.b 287 0 0 0 1

1.3.2.c 330 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.d 72 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.e 1 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 12 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.b 211 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.c 164 0 0 0 1

2.1.3.d 69 1 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 7 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 2 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 19 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 25 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.a 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.b 2 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



3

2.2.2.c 14 0 0 0 1

2.2.2.d 3 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.a 6 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.b 56 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 44 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 23 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 48 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 33 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 60 0 0 0 0

4

1.3.2.a 11 0 0 0 1

1.3.2.b 296 0 0 0 1

1.3.2.c 313 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.d 47 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 16 0 0 0 1

2.1.3.b 207 2 0 0 1

2.1.3.c 177 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.d 63 2 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 5 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 3 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 12 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 19 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.a 2 0 0 0 1

2.2.2.b 9 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.c 11 0 0 0 1

2.2.2.d 3 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.a 4 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.b 49 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 33 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 8 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.a 3 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 36 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 22 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 35 0 0 0 0

5

1.3.2.a 17 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.b 311 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.c 295 0 0 0 1

1.3.2.d 37 0 0 0 1

1.3.2.e 1 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 16 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.b 213 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.c 166 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.d 71 0 0 0 1

2.1.5/2.1. 3 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 3 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 16 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 21 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.a 1 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



5

2.2.2.b 6 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.c 13 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.d 4 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.a 9 0 0 0 1

2.2.3.b 60 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 21 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 26 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.a 3 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 21 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 1 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 35 0 0 0 0

6

1.3.2.a 13 1 0 0 0

1.3.2.b 249 0 0 0 2

1.3.2.c 282 0 0 0 2

1.3.2.d 28 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 11 1 0 0 1

2.1.3.b 155 0 0 0 2

2.1.3.c 139 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.d 75 0 0 0 1

2.1.3.e 1 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 3 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 3 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 30 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 19 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.a 5 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.b 3 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.c 12 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.d 2 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.a 2 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.b 78 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 24 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 14 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.a 3 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 17 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 10 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 36 0 0 0 0

7

1.3.2.a 16 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.b 188 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.c 263 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.d 37 0 0 0 1

1.3.2.e 1 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 13 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.b 126 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.c 138 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.d 73 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 10 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 3 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 14 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



7

2.1.5/2.1. 18 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.a 5 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.b 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.c 16 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.d 22 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.e 8 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.a 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.b 10 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 32 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 20 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.a 6 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 23 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 11 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 55 0 0 0 0

8

1.3.2.a 9 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.b 179 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.c 204 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.d 37 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 8 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.b 113 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.c 117 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.d 56 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 7 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 14 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 15 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.a 12 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.b 3 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.c 10 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.d 16 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.a 3 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.b 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 45 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 17 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.a 7 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 13 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 10 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 38 0 0 0 0

HS

1.3.2.a 31 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.b 342 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.c 375 0 0 0 0

1.3.2.d 68 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.a 17 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.b 282 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.c 224 0 0 0 0

2.1.3.d 104 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 1 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 4 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 32 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



HS

2.1.5/2.1. 22 0 0 0 0

2.1.5/2.1. 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.b 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.c 5 0 0 0 0

2.2.2.d 1 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.c 10 0 0 0 0

2.2.3.d 51 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.a 9 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.b 69 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.c 6 0 0 0 0

3.2.2.d 72 0 0 0 0

Table C-3. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Science



5

APP-C.a 0 0 0 0 1

APP.A.a 36 0 0 0 0

APP.A.b 89 0 0 0 2

APP.A.c 62 0 0 0 1

APP.A.d 66 0 0 0 0

ES2.A.a 7 0 0 0 0

ES2.A.b 39 0 0 0 1

ES2.A.c 38 0 0 0 0

ES2.A.d 27 0 0 0 0

INQ.A.a 16 0 0 0 0

INQ.A.b 22 0 0 0 0

INQ.A.c 128 0 0 0 0

INQ.A.d 99 1 0 0 0

LS1.B.a 30 0 0 0 0

LS1.B.b 62 0 0 0 0

LS1.B.c 41 0 0 0 0

LS1.B.d 96 0 0 0 1

LS2.A.a 12 0 0 0 1

LS2.A.b 173 0 0 0 0

LS2.A.c 91 0 0 0 1

LS2.A.d 31 0 0 0 1

LS2.B.b 1 0 0 0 0

LSI.E.d 1 0 0 0 0

PS3.A.c 1 0 0 0 0

PS3.A.d 2 0 0 0 0

PS3.C.a 8 0 0 0 0

PS3.C.b 3 0 0 0 0

PS3.C.c 1 0 0 0 0

PS3.C.d 103 0 0 0 1

PSI.B.a 11 0 0 0 0

PSI.B.b 8 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



5 PSI.B.c 7 0 0 0 1

PSI.B.d 31 0 0 0 0

8

APP.B.a 9 0 0 0 0

APP.B.b 28 0 0 0 0

APP.B.c 50 0 0 0 0

APP.B.d 76 0 0 0 0

ES1.C.a 4 0 0 0 0

ES1.C.b 37 0 0 0 0

ES1.C.c 49 0 0 0 0

ES1.C.d 37 0 0 0 0

INQ.C.a 10 0 0 0 0

INQ.C.b 13 0 0 0 0

INQ.C.c 13 0 0 0 0

INQ.C.d 156 0 0 0 0

INQ.C.e 1 0 0 0 0

LS2.B.a 7 0 0 0 0

LS2.B.b 6 0 0 0 0

LS2.B.c 11 0 0 0 0

LS2.B.d 12 0 0 0 0

LSI.E.a 23 0 0 0 0

LSI.E.b 13 0 0 0 0

LSI.E.c 159 0 0 0 0

LSI.E.d 99 0 0 0 0

LSI.E.e 30 0 0 0 0

PS1.D.a 2 0 0 0 0

PS1.D.b 5 0 0 0 0

PS1.D.c 5 0 0 0 0

PS1.D.d 4 0 0 0 0

PS1.D.e 8 0 0 0 0

PS3.A.a 7 0 0 0 0

PS3.A.b 1 0 0 0 0

PS3.A.c 18 0 0 0 0

PS3.A.d 19 0 0 0 0

HS

1.1.2.a 11 0 0 0 0

1.1.2.b 57 0 0 0 0

1.1.2.c 155 0 0 0 0

1.1.2.e 1 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.a 9 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.b 68 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.c 109 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.d 27 0 0 0 0

1.3.10.a 8 0 0 0 0

1.3.10.b 78 0 0 0 0

1.3.10.c 160 0 0 0 0

1.3.10.d 1 0 0 0 0

2.1.2.a 12 0 0 0 1

2.1.2.b 74 0 0 0 0

2.1.2.c 266 1 0 0 0

2.1.2.d 14 0 0 0 0


Distributions

Table C-4. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Writing



4

1.1.1.a 98 0 0 0 1

1.1.1.b 17 0 0 0 1

1.1.1.c 138 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.d 172 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.e 26 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.a 82 1 0 0 1

1.2.1.b 84 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.c 119 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.e 0 0 0 0 1

2.4.1.a 12 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.b 121 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.c 81 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.d 43 0 0 0 1

3.1.1.a 13 1 0 0 0

3.1.1.b 11 0 0 0 1

3.1.1.c 7 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.a 9 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.b 8 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.c 12 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.a 26 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.b 111 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.c 78 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.d 113 0 0 0 0

7

1.1.1.a 60 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.b 2 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.c 149 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.d 127 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.e 25 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.a 68 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.b 41 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.c 132 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.a 80 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.b 64 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.c 114 0 0 0 0

3.1.1.a 5 0 0 0 0

3.1.1.b 6 0 0 0 0

3.1.1.c 22 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.a 7 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.b 3 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.c 10 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.a 13 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.b 17 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.c 47 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.d 106 0 0 0 0

HS 1.1.1.a 69 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.b 40 0 0 0 0

continued


Distributions



HS

1.1.1.c 162 0 0 0 0

1.1.1.d 242 0 1 0 0

1.1.1.e 1 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.a 46 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.b 87 0 0 0 0

1.2.1.c 139 0 1 0 0

1.2.1.d 1 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.a 19 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.b 190 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.c 121 0 0 0 0

2.4.1.d 198 0 0 0 0

3.1.1.b 26 1 0 0 0

3.1.1.c 28 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.a 10 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.b 5 0 0 0 0

3.1.2.c 10 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.a 27 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.b 67 1 0 0 0

3.2.3.c 144 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.d 213 0 0 0 0

3.2.3.e 1 0 0 0 0

Appendix D—Teachers’ Guide to WAAS-Portfolio 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix D—TEACHERS’ GUIDE TO

WASHINGTON ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM-PORTFOLIO


Teachers’ Guide

to the WAAS-Portfolio

Fall 2010

Randy I Dorn State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Randy I Dorn State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Washington Alternate Assessment System Teachers’ Guide to the

WAAS-Portfolio

Prepared by Judy Kraft Alternate Assessment Specialist

Randy I Dorn Superintendent of Public Instruction

Ken Kanikeberg

Chief of Staff

Joe Willhoft Assistant Superintendent

Assessment and Student Information

Michael Middleton Director of Alternate Assessments

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Old Capitol Building

P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200

For more information about the contents

of this document, please contact: Judy Kraft, OSPI

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 360.725.6089

This document is available online at: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/Portfolio.aspx

This material is available in alternative format upon request. Contact the Resource Center at (888) 595-3276, TTY (360) 664-3631.

Contents PART ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2

WAAS-Portfolio Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 4

Assessment Options for Students Chart ....................................................................................................... 5

Developmental Continua .............................................................................................................................. 5

WAAS-Portfolio Participation Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 8

Blooms Taxonomy/Cognitive Demand ....................................................................................................... 15

Extension Structure ..................................................................................................................................... 16

Compiling Student Evidence ....................................................................................................................... 18

ProFile™ Forms ........................................................................................................................................... 18

PART TWO: PROCEDURAL REMINDERS Procedural Reminders ................................................................................................................................. 19

Before Beginning: ................................................................................................................................ 19

During the Process of Collecting Student Evidence ............................................................................ 19

After Finishing Evidence Collection:.................................................................................................... 20

PART THREE: SCORING AND REPORTING A Completed WAAS-Portfolio Content Entry .............................................................................................. 22

Scoring Rubric ............................................................................................................................................. 23

2010-2011 Portfolio Rubric Explanation ..................................................................................................... 24

Scoring FAQs: Scoring and Cut Scores......................................................................................................... 26

WAAS-Portfolio Teacher Feedback Form ................................................................................................... 29

PART FOUR: RESOURCES TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the WAAS-Portfolio ................................................................ 33

2010-2011 WAAS-Portfolio Validation Form .............................................................................................. 36

WAAS-Portfolio Important Dates ................................................................................................................ 37

2010-2011 Extenuating Circumstance Form ....................................................................................... 38

WAAS-Portfolio ......................................................................................................................................... 38

OSPI Contact Information: .......................................................................................................................... 64

Measured Progress Contact Information: .................................................................................................. 64

1

Part 1 – General Information

Introduction

WAAS-Portfolio Purpose

Assessment Options Chart

Developmental Continua

WAAS-Portfolio Participation Guidelines and

Descriptors

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Demand

GLE/PE Extensions Structure

2

Introduction

State assessment programs provide one of many methods for determining student academic achievement. Washington’s Assessment System provides accountability for program and educational opportunities for all students. The goals of the statewide comprehensive assessment and accountability plan are to:

Measure student progress to the state standards.

Measure student progress over time.

Inform the teaching and learning process in classrooms.

Assist classroom teachers in designing instruction.

Identify areas needing intervention/remediation.

Identify areas requiring acceleration and challenge.

Inform parents of their child’s progress.

Assist school districts in making needed curriculum adjustments.

Students who qualify for and receive special education services have options in the Washington’s Assessment System. The WAAS-Portfolio, Washington’s Alternate Assessment based on alternate achievement standards, ensures a unified system, program and student accountability linked to the common core of learning within the general curriculum. The WAAS-Portfolio process was developed by the Washington Alternate Assessment Task Force and expanded by subsequent Alternate Assessment Advisory Councils in response to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 which dictated that states develop alternate assessments which are:

Aligned with the states’ academic content standards. (SECTION 602 (3) of IDEA 97)

Improve the results for students with disabilities through improved teaching and learning.

Raise expectations for students with disabilities.

Increase access to the general curriculum.

Provide parents information about their child’s achievement in relationship to the performance of other children in their school.

3

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and 2003, as well as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) also known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), require that all students with disabilities, even those with the most significant cognitive challenges, participate in state and district assessment programs. In particular, the No Child Left Behind legislation ensures: “…that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality

education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.” (2001)

All students are to be assessed based on grade-level content standards. (2003)

These pieces of legislation have complemented each other in their insistence that alternate assessments: Are academic in nature. Are aligned with the “same challenging state standards” as for all other students. Promote access to and demonstrate performance in the general education curriculum. Provide meaningful access to their assigned grade-level content in the areas of reading,

writing, mathematics, and science.

State, district, and school accountability based on federal regulations remain the purpose of the WAAS-Portfolio. A greater purpose is to ensure effective instructional practice so all students in Washington will move toward achieving the same academic content standards. The WAAS-Portfolio is designed for a small percentage of the total school population for whom traditional assessments, even with accommodations, are not an appropriate measure of progress. This manual is designed to assist teachers and district personnel in implementing the WAAS- Portfolio assessment. The number of students participating in alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards as compared to the total population of student learners and students with disabilities:

88%

11%

1%

Total population of student learners

Students with disabilities

Students participating in alternate

assessment

4

WAAS-Portfolio Purpose The purpose of the WAAS-Portfolio is two-fold: To provide an appropriate method of measuring performance on Grade-Level and

Performance Expectations (PEs and GLEs) for students who are not able to participate on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), even with accommodations, and

To ensure that students are able to generalize their academic skills to the maximum extent possible.

The basic building block of the WAAS-Portfolio is student work. Each of the portfolio entries documents performance toward the grade-level content standards as well as generalization of those skills in various contexts. In order to meet the requirements of federal legislation, all of the targets and related evidence must be “aligned” or “linked” to the content standards of the individual student’s assigned grade. Targets and evidence are “aligned” or “linked” to the content standards through the use of Washington State’s extended standards, the Extensions. The content standards were extended by teacher work groups in reading, mathematics, science and writing. Those work groups, consisting of special education teachers and content specialists, examined the standards in each content, developed “essence” statements and essential questions, and then extended some of them to meet the needs of students with significant cognitive challenges. Washington State’s federal peer review panel has fully approved the work completed by these teacher work groups.

5

Assessment Options for Students Chart

Assessment Options for Students with Disabilities

Used for NCLB Grade Level(s) High School Graduation

Assessment with/out accommodations

√ 3-8, 10-12 √

Basic Assessments (Level 2 cut score) with/out accommodations

3-8, 10-12 √

WAAS-Portfolio

√ 3-8, 10-12 √

Developmentally Appropriate Proficiency Exam (WAAS-DAPE)

11-12 √

Locally Determined Assessment (LDA)

12 √

“Awareness Level” Waiver

11-12 √

Developmental Continua In an effort to support IEP teams in their assessment decisions for their students, the Continua of Cognitive Development have been included as a resource. The Continua lists the continuum of student learning behaviors and suggests possible assessment options by category. Students in grades 3-8 who receive special education services have 3 assessment options including the WAAS-Portfolio listed on this page. High School students receiving special education services have 5 assessment options including the WAAS-Portfolio listed in subsequent pages.

6

Continuum of Cognitive Development and Assessment Options for Grades 3-8

Level of Cognitive Development Assessment Option

Abstract Conceptual: Comprehends, interprets, and analyzes on-grade level text; understands and applies on-grade level mathematics concepts and skills; communicates in writing using elaboration and complex structures

Concrete Conceptual - on Grade Level: Reads and comprehends on-grade level text; masters a limited number of on-grade level mathematics concepts and skills; communicates ideas in writing with limited elaboration and simple structures

Concrete Conceptual - on or below grade level: Reads and comprehends below-grade level or modified on-grade level print text; masters below grade level or a very limited number of on-grade level mathematics concepts and skills; communicates basic ideas in writing using simple structures

Abstract Symbolic: Reads sight words and picture symbols; writes using sight words or picture symbols to communicate; counts objects and recognizes symbolic numbers; comprehends modified texts composed of sight words and picture symbols

Early-symbolic: Recognizes pictures; may also use a range of pictures/objects to communicate ideas

Pre-symbolic: Uses objects or gestures to communicate; relies on immediate context and uses objects to communicate

Awareness: Limited consciousness.

Assessments with or

without accommodations

Basic Assessments with or without accommodations

WAAS-Portfolio

7

Continuum of Cognitive Development and Assessment Options for High School

Level of Cognitive Development Assessment Option

Abstract Conceptual: Comprehends, interprets, and analyzes on-grade level text; understands and applies on-grade level mathematics concepts and skills; communicates in writing using elaboration and complex structures

Concrete Conceptual - on Grade Level: Reads and comprehends on-grade level text; masters a limited number of on-grade level mathematics concepts and skills; communicates ideas in writing with limited elaboration and simple structures

Concrete Conceptual - on or below grade level: Reads and comprehends below-grade level or modified on-grade level print text; masters below grade level or a very limited number of on-grade level mathematics concepts and skills; communicates basic ideas in writing using simple structures

Abstract Symbolic: Reads sight words and picture symbols; writes using sight words or picture symbols to communicate; counts objects and recognizes symbolic numbers; comprehends modified texts composed of sight words and picture symbols

Early-symbolic: Recognizes pictures; may also use a range of pictures/objects to communicate ideas

Pre-symbolic: Uses objects or gestures to communicate; relies on immediate context and uses objects to communicate

Awareness: Limited consciousness

Assessments with or without accommodations (Grades 10-12)

Basic Assessments with or without accommodations (Grades 10-12)

WAAS-Portfolio (Grades 10-12)

WAAS-DAPE* with or without accommodations

(Grades 11-12) or LDA (Grade 12)

―Awareness Level‖ Waiver (Grades 11-12)

8

WAAS-Portfolio Participation Guidelines (IEP) Individualize Education Program Team Decision-Making Guidelines for Student Participation in Statewide Assessments The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team makes many important decisions regarding the program and services available for students eligible for special education and related services. One of those important decisions involves a determination of how a student will participate in (1) the general student assessment system in grades 3-8 plus once in high school, with or without allowable accommodations, or (2) if the student will participate in the Washington Alternate Assessment System (WAAS). Essential to an appropriate decision by the IEP team regarding a student’s participation at any level of the statewide assessment system is a fundamental belief in the integrity of the overall IEP process. IEP teams should begin this decision-making process with the proposition that all students, including all students eligible for special education, can learn grade level content and should participate in the general assessment system to the maximum extent possible. However, there are times in which the IEP team can decide that the alternate assessment is necessary and appropriate for a relatively small segment (approximately 1%) of the total tested population, or roughly 10% of the total number of special education eligible students being tested. For example, if the total tested population in a school district is 4,000, then 40 students would represent 1% of the total tested population. Similarly, if 400 students eligible for special education were tested in the same school district, then 40 would represent 10% of the students eligible for special education that were tested. GENERAL CRITERIA The decision about how an eligible student participates in the statewide assessment is an IEP team decision, and not an administrative decision. The IEP team should use the following criteria for determining the extent to which a student can participate in the general assessment, with or without accommodations, or if the student should participate in the alternate assessment system (WAC 392-172A-03090 through 03110).

1. The student must be eligible for special education and must have an individualized

education program (IEP) in effect at the time of the decision.

2. IEP team decisions regarding a student’s participation in the statewide assessment must

be based on both current and historical evaluation and instructional data relevant to the

student.

3. IEP team decisions should be based on the student’s present levels of educational

performance, need for specially designed instruction, annual goals, learner

characteristics and access to the general education curriculum.

9

4. IEP Team decisions regarding a student’s participation in statewide assessments must

be made at a scheduled IEP team meeting that precedes administration of the statewide

assessment.

GENERAL ASSESSMENT The IEP team should consider the following factors when determining whether or not the student can participate in the general statewide assessment with or without accommodations.

1. Has the student received instruction in the areas to be tested?

2. Can the student work with other students in the testing environment?

3. Can the student work for a reasonable period of time consistent with the timed

elements of the test, if any?

4. Can the student follow test protocol directions?

5. Can the student use a pencil and paper and/or computer-based format to answer open

ended questions?

6. Can the student respond to multiple-choice questions?

7. Can the student use a “bubble sheet” format?

8. Can the student work independently or with assistance from someone such as a scribe?

9. Has the student been taught to read or to use books on tape?

10. Does the student’s IEP include accommodations/modifications that are allowable for

use on the statewide test?

If the IEP team answers “no” to any of the above 10 questions, the team must then carefully consider what if any, other generally acceptable accommodations/modifications would be necessary to allow the student to participate in the general assessment without invalidating the test results.

ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT The alternate assessment is a statewide testing option in lieu of the regular assessment. It is an option only for students with significant cognitive challenges. The term “significantly cognitively challenged” does not represent a new or separate category of disability. It is a designation applied to a small number of students (generally 10% or less) eligible for special education and related services participating in the statewide testing program.

The Alternate Assessment, the WAAS-Portfolio, is the assessment for students who are significantly cognitively challenged and who require intensive or extensive levels of direct support that is not of a temporary or transient nature. Students with significant cognitive challenges also require specially designed instruction to acquire, maintain or generalize skills in multiple settings in order to successfully transfer skills to natural settings including the home, school, workplace, and community. In addition, these students score at least two (2) standard deviations below the mean on standardized, norm-referenced assessments for adaptive behavior and intellectual functioning.

10

For a student to be considered as having a significant cognitive challenge and therefore, appropriate for consideration as a candidate for the alternate assessment, ALL of the following statements should be carefully considered by the student’s IEP team:

The student’s demonstrated cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior in school,

work, home and community environments are significantly below chronological age

expectations, even with program modifications, adaptations and accommodations.

The student’s course of study is primarily functional and life skills oriented.

The student requires extensive direct instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple

settings to acquire, maintain and generalize academic and functional skills necessary for

application in school, work, home and community environments.

The student demonstrates complex cognitive challenges and poor adaptive skill levels

determined to be significantly (at least two standard deviations) below chronological

age expectations by the student’s most recent individualized eligibility determination

which prevents the student from meaningful participation in the standard academic

core curriculum or achievement of the appropriate grade level expectations.

The student’s disability causes dependence upon others for many, if not all, daily living

needs, and the student is expected to require extensive on-going support in adulthood.

The student’s inability to complete the standard academic curriculum at grade level is

not primarily the result of: (a) poor attendance, excessive or extended absences, (b) lack

of access to quality instruction, (c) social, cultural, linguistic, or economic differences, (d)

below average reading or achievement levels, (e) expectations of poor performance, (f)

the anticipated impact of the student’s performance on the school/district performance

scores, and (g) the student’s disability category, educational placement, type of

instruction, and/or amount of time receiving special education services.

When an IEP team determines that the student should take an alternate assessment, the team must document why the student cannot participate in the regular assessment, and why the alternate assessment is appropriate for the student. Please note that an IEP team could document and justify that the alternate assessment could be an appropriate statewide assessment for an individual not necessarily meeting all of parameters of the state definition of significantly cognitively challenged on a case-by-case basis. SUMMARY All students should participate in the statewide assessment system. Like all IEP team decisions, the decision about whether the general assessment, the general assessment with allowable accommodations, or the alternate assessment is appropriate for a given student must be carefully considered. Data and practice suggest that an alternate assessment is necessary and appropriate for approximately 10% of the special education population or 1% of the total

11

student population being tested in the required grades. While the IEP team is ultimately responsible for determining the most appropriate assessment option for a student, these guidelines present some of the questions and considerations IEP team members must contemplate in their statewide assessment decision making process. Utilizing these guidelines will help to ensure that the required measures of student progress are relevant, meaningful, and accurately depict the student’s accomplishments and needs for continued growth and development. These guidelines may also be used for IEP team decisions regarding any district wide assessments.

For more information or questions concerning participation criteria, IEPs and IEP team decision-making, contact the OSPI Special Education Division: (360) 725-6075

Washington Alternate Assessment System Descriptors for Participation Requirements in the WAAS Portfolio

According to federal regulations all students must be assessed on grade-level curriculum. The Washington Alternate Assessment System (WAAS) is a statewide testing option in lieu of the regular assessment. It is an option only for students with significant cognitive challenges. The term “significantly cognitively challenged” is a designation applied to a small number of students eligible for special education and related services (generally 10% or less) for purposes of their participation in the statewide and/or district-wide student assessment system for all students. . Significant cognitive disability is determined by the IEP committee and is not linked to a specific disability. The student must have a documented cognitive disability that affects intellectual potential. The IEP committee may decide that a student’s knowledge and skills can best be assessed with WAAS Portfolio if the student meets all of the following participation criteria. The way a student is routinely assessed (multiple choice or performance-based) should be considered when the IEP Committee is determining a student’s WAAS eligibility.

12

The Student:

Descriptors:

Demonstrates cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior in school, work, home and community environments that are significantly below chronological age expectations, even with program modifications, adaptations and accommodations.

The student accesses and participates in Washington’s grade level Learning Standards through activities that focus on prerequisite skills. Even when provided access to a differentiated general education curriculum, the student is unable to derive reasonable educational benefit without significant individualized modifications to content and performance expectations. The student requires access to the general education curriculum through goals and objectives in the IEP that focus on prerequisite skills that are functionally linked to the grade-level curriculum and requires supports to access the general curriculum that may include assistance involving communication, response style, physical access, or daily living skills.

Participates in a course of study is primarily functional and life skills oriented

The student demonstrates performance objectives that may include real life applications of the grade-level Learning Standards as appropriate to the student’s abilities and needs. The goals and objectives listed in the student’s IEP focus on progress within functional achievement indicators and extensions to the Washington Learning Standards. The student strives to achieve the most basic self-help and communication skills and is seeking opportunities throughout the day to accomplish very individual goals. The student may demonstrate academic skills by applying them in environments where the needed skill may naturally occur such as the use of reading, math and science skills during a cooking activity in a kitchen.

Requires extensive direct instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings to acquire, maintain, and generalize academic and functional skills necessary for application in school, work, home and community environments.

The student needs specialized instruction and techniques over a period of time to ensure that he or she can learn, retain information, and transfer skills to other settings. However, even with extensive, intensive, pervasive, frequent, and individualized instruction in all settings, the student may be unable to acquire, maintain, generalize, and apply academic skills across environments.

13

The student demonstrates complex cognitive disabilities and poor adaptive skill levels determined to be significantly (at least two standard deviations) below chronological age expectations by the student’s most recent individualized eligibility determination which prevents the student from meaningful participation in the standard academic core curriculum or achievement of the appropriate grade level expectations.

There is empirical evidence of a severe disability that precludes the acquisition of Washington Learning Standards. The student demonstrates knowledge and skills routinely in class by methods other than paper and pencil tasks The student may be able to perform some paper-and-pencil tasks (tracing words, copying spelling words, completing simple worksheets, even writing simple phrases or sentences). However, the student is typically evaluated by methods other than paper and pencil such as by observing student performance while the student manipulates items, verbalizes responses, eye gazes or activates an augmentative communication device.

The student’s disability causes dependence upon others for many, if not all, daily living needs, and the student is expected to require extensive on-going support in adulthood.

The student may need specialized academic help as well as help throughout the day in areas such as expressing his/her needs, getting from place to place, eating lunch, negotiating social situations and/or taking care of personal needs.

The student’s inability to complete the standard academic curriculum at grade level is not primarily the result of: (a) poor attendance, excessive or extended absences, or lack of instruction, (b) social, cultural, linguistic, or economic differences, (c) below average reading or achievement levels, (d) expectations of poor performance, (e) the anticipated impact of the student’s performance on the school/district performance scores, and (f) the student’s disability category, educational placement, type of instruction, and/or amount of time receiving special education services.

The student’s cognitive and adaptive skill performance are not the result of external factors such as absences, lack of instruction, etc., and require intensive or extensive levels of direct support that is not of a temporary or transient nature.

14

When an IEP team determines that the student should take an alternate assessment, the team must document in the IEP why the student cannot participate in the regular assessment, and why the alternate assessment is appropriate for the student. Please note that an IEP team could document and justify that the alternate assessment could be an appropriate statewide assessment for an individual not meeting all of parameters of the state definition of significantly cognitively challenged on a case by case basis. For more information or questions concerning participation criteria, IEPs and IEP team decision-making, contact the OSPI Special Education Division: (360) 725-6075

15

Blooms Taxonomy/Cognitive Demand In developing the WAAS-Portfolio Extensions, teachers referred to Bloom’s Taxonomy to differentiate the content complexity for students. Verbs from the first three levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy can be found throughout the GLE Extensions in all content areas and in all four grade bands. Those levels and their corresponding verbs are below. The verbs specifically used in the extensions are bolded below.

1. KNOWLEDGE: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, and reproduce state.

2. UNDERSTANDING: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate,

3. APPLICATION: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.

Teachers can be assured that their WAAS-Portfolio targets and evidence are aligned when the Extensions are used. See the figure 2 for a sample of an Extension page in Washington State’s Extensions Documents. Extensions can be found on OSPI’s website for Alternate Assessments: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/Portfolio.aspx

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/Portfolio.aspx

16

Extension Structure

Extensions can be found on OSPI’s website for Alternate Assessments: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/PortfolioGLE.aspx

Content Area

and Specific

GLE/PEs

Grade

level

extensions

Specific Extension reminders for

teachers

Key Terms

necessary to

understand

content

specific

vocabulary

Guiding

question

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/AlternativeAssessment/PortfolioGLE.aspx

17

Part 2 – Procedural Reminders

Compiling Student Evidence

ProFile™

Procedural Reminders

Before Beginning

During the Process of Collecting Student

Evidence

After Finishing Evidence Collection

18

Compiling Student Evidence The Entry Cover Sheet provides information about the grade-level content Extension being assessed.

ProFile™ Forms: If the electronic ProFile™ feature (highly recommended) is used and the teacher has completed a new student file, follow Steps 1 and 2 below:

Step 1 - The entry cover sheet will be automatically populated with the following information after the principal validation form is completed with:

Content area

Student name

Student grade

Extension code

Extension chosen from a content and grade specific electronic pull-down menu

Targeted Skill populated from the extension and after performance criterion (%) is chosen.

Step 2 - The teacher will need to add the following to each entry cover sheet:

Dates for each data point collected

Context information

Student scores for each data point

MS Word/Handwritten Forms If the Entry Cover Sheet is completed in a Word document or by hand, the Entry Cover Sheet must be filled out completely.

Download the Entry Cover Sheet

Fill in the student’s full name according to CSRS

Add student’s grade

Add Extension code

Extension copied word for word

Targeted skill which is copied word-for-word as the Extension with a performance goal written at the end as a percentage

Dates for each data point collected

Context information

Student scores for each data point

If any one of these elements is missing or completed incorrectly, the entry might not be scored. In addition, the data collection dates recorded on the Entry Cover Sheet must match those found on the corresponding student evidence. Teachers can find an Entry Cover Sheet on the OSPI web site and electronically via the Measured Progress’s Profile™ system. All 2010-2011 WAAS-Portfolio entries are required to use the 2010-2011 Entry Cover Sheet.

19

Procedural Reminders

Before Beginning:

□ Access the training Power Points from the website. □ Use Extensions documents for more detailed information than contained in the Power

Points. □ Extensions must be from the student’s assigned grade-level and must be from the 2010-

2011 Extensions’ documents. □ Read the essential question for each extension to understand the essence of the skill

that is being assessed. □ Develop instructional tasks that are meaningful, purposeful, and challenging for each

individual student. □ Create activities that are aligned with the grade-level extensions. □ Use grade-level materials which have been adapted and modified to meet the student’s

learning needs. □ Share the WAAS-Portfolio student work plan(s) with your building administrator before

beginning the collection of data

During the Process of Collecting Student Evidence: □ Populate Portfolio forms by accessing the electronic ProFile™ from the link on the OSPI

website. □ Use two (2) different standards for each content area: one for Targeted Skill #1 and a

different standard for Targeted Skill #2. □ Use one (1) entry cover sheet for each Targeted Skill. Do NOT use a separate Entry

Cover Sheet for each data point. □ Midline and ending data points must be above zero percent (0%). □ Make sure that each piece of evidence has a student footprint.

o A student footprint is the student attempt at the work. The student attempt/footprint must be clearly obvious.

□ Photocopied worksheets can be used, but each must contain individual student footprints.

□ Teaching and formative assessments on the chosen Targeted Skill should be on going with the baseline data point the result of several, if not many, checks on the student understanding of the content and his/her ability to perform the skill.

o The baseline data point should not begin with the most difficult worksheet and work down. Rather, the baseline data point should be the point at which the content skill’s instruction begins with working-up toward the student’s potential by data point the instructional goal.

□ Student’s name, performance and the date of the performance are easily spotted on all pieces of student evidence.

□ All pictures/objects have words and in some instances, sentences. □ NO student/classroom/field trip photos are included. □ All topics, details, facts, stories, essays, schedules, forms, and word choices are

appropriate for the student.

20

□ No student or teacher materials relate to violence, ethnic stereotyping, or personal habits or hygiene, etc.

□ Social security numbers or other sensitive, personal student information is not used on any student evidence.

□ Collaborate with staff members in the building and from other buildings in the district who also work with students who have significant cognitive challenges.

□ Use the WAAS-Portfolio extensions documents as the primary resource. Individual extensions have specific evidence requirements. See the content reminders in the extensions’ documents and the key terms for detailed information.

o Do NOT rely only on the Teachers’ Guide or the power points or ProFile as your primary sources of information.

After Finishing Evidence Collection:

□ Check that dates of the Entry Cover Sheets and the student-generated evidence samples are the same.

□ Work with colleagues to double-check each other’s portfolios to ensure that all forms have been completed, and the portfolio is organized according to the manual’s instructions.

□ Share the final student work in the WAAS-Portfolio with a building administrator and have him/her sign the Portfolio Validation form.

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Part 3 – Scoring and Reporting

A Completed Content Entry

The Scoring Rubric: An Explanation

Scoring FAQs

WAAS-Portfolio Cut Scores

Teacher Feedback Form

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A Completed WAAS-Portfolio Content Entry

Student Work Evidence x 3

WAAS-Portfolio ENTRY COVER SHEET: TS #2

Student Work Evidence x 3

WAAS-Portfolio ENTRY COVER SHEET: TS #1

Extenuating Circumstance if needed and approved.

Principal Validation Form

Student demographic booklet

WAAS-Portfolio Components

Contents required per grade: 3rd: Reading & Mathematics 4th: Reading, Mathematics & Writing 5th: Reading, Mathematics & Science 6th: Reading & Mathematics 7th: Reading, Mathematics & Writing 8th: Reading, Mathematics & Science 10th: Reading, Mathematics, Writing & Science 11th/12th: Reading, Mathematics, Writing, if the student did not meet standard in 10th grade. Do not submit Science; it is not a graduation requirement.

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Scoring Rubric

Part I: Alignment of Targeted Skill and Evidence to Grade Level and Performance Expectations

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE

Part A: Skill Aligned to GLE/PE

Full alignment: Academic skill, within content area, and aligned with GLE/PEs (YES)




No skill given (NO)


All evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (3 pieces)

Most evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (2 pieces)

Some evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (1 piece)


No evidence is aligned to the targeted skill

Part II. Performance

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE







Part II: Generalization of Targeted Skill

2 1 IE

Part D: Contexts

Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in a variety of contexts.


Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in one context.

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2010-2011 Portfolio Rubric Explanation The following are definitions and clarifications of the scoring rubric. PART I: ALIGNMENT OF TARGETED SKILL TO GRADE-LEVEL/ PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

Part I.A – GLE/PE and Skill Alignment To be scored, the portfolio must have targeted skills that are aligned to the student’s assigned grade-level GLEs/PEs.

Targeted Skill: Specific measurable, observable, challenging and attainable behaviors in the content area to be assessed that must be linked to the assigned, grade-level GLE/PE.

Each portfolio entry is assessed first on the question:

Is the Targeted Skill aligned to the student’s grade-level GLE/PE?

Each targeted skill in each content area will go through this first question before the scoring of Parts B, C, or D of the rubric.

Important: If the targeted skill is not fully aligned (Score of 4) to the assigned grade

level GLE/PE, the portfolio entry WILL NOT BE SCORED for Performance and Context.

Part I.A Scoring Question: Is the Targeted Skill chosen from the student’s assigned grade and taken from the 2010-2011Extensions?

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE


Full alignment: Academic skill, within content area, and aligned with GLEs (YES)




No skill given (NO)

Part I.B Scoring Question: Is the student evidence is aligned to the targeted skill?

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE


All evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (3 pieces)

Most evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (2 pieces)

Some evidence is aligned to the targeted skill (1 piece)


No evidence aligned to the targeted skill

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PART II: PERFORMANCE AND GENERALIZATION Once the targeted skill is determined to be aligned to the student’s assigned, grade-level GLE/PE, and the evidence is determined to be aligned to the targeted skill, the student’s level of performance is assessed. Part II.C Performance: Evidence that demonstrates the extent to which the student has performed targeted skill. Part II.C Scoring Question: Does the evidence demonstrate performance of the targeted skill?

Scores 4 3 2 1 IE







Part II.D Generalization: The student evidence is assessed not only for performance, but also for the generalization of that performance in varied and authentic contexts. Part II.D Scoring Question: Does the evidence demonstrate the performance of the targeted skill in varied and authentic contexts?

Scores 2 1 IE

Part D: Contexts

Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in a variety (3) of contexts.


Evidence that student demonstrates skill(s) in only one context.

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Scoring FAQs: Scoring and Cut Scores How is student evidence scored? For all content areas, reading, writing, math and science, the same scoring guide (rubric) is used. The scoring guide (rubric) used at the summer scoring institute is the same one used in portfolio trainings throughout the school year. So that student responses are scored consistently, professional scorers are trained on each dimension of the 4 part rubric and must qualify to become a scorer. Who scores the WAAS-Portfolio? Professional scorers, hired by the State’s contractor, Measured Progress, score the WAAS-Portfolios. All scorers are monitored daily to ensure their scores meet criteria of accuracy and consistency. Scorers who are unable to score according to these criteria are dismissed. How are “passing” scores determined? “Passing” scores are set through a process called “standard setting.” Setting standards for the WAAS-Portfolio is a thoughtful and involved process incorporating the feedback of many people. First, a standard-setting panel for each WAAS-Portfolio subject (reading, writing, mathematics and science) and grade band (3/4, 5/6, 7/8 and high school) is convened. Members include teachers, parents and community members representing Washington’s geographically and ethnically diverse population. The panelists for each content area review “performance-level descriptors” which are the written descriptions of what special education students who have significant cognitive challenges should know and be able to do in that subject and grade band. The panel’s work is done in rounds. After the first round of deliberations, panelists discuss each others’ perspectives and then conduct a second round of review. A third round is done before the panel, as a whole, makes final recommendations. Next, an “articulation” committee is convened to ensure that the suggested standards relate sensibly to one another across the different grade bands. The articulation committee members represent standard-setting committee members from different subjects and grade bands. The articulation committee reviews the standard-setting panels’ recommendations, and can approve them or can make its own set of recommendations. Both the recommendations from the standard-setting panels and articulation committee are forwarded to the State Board of Education for review and adoption. The State Board of Education decides which recommendation to adopt. That recommendation becomes the performance a student must achieve in order to “meet standard” or pass the WAAS-Portfolio. Are standards reset each year? No. Once the State Board of Education adopts a set of standards for a WAAS-Portfolio, the state carries that expected level of performance from year-to-year. WAAS-Portfolio standards are customarily reviewed every 5-7 years for validity.

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What is a good score on the WAAS-Portfolio? Student performance on the WAAS-Portfolio is reported using “scale scores.” Scale scores are numbers that are used to place the student into one of four levels: Advanced (Level 4), Proficient (Level 3), Basic (Level 2) and Below Basic. Students scoring in Level 4 are said to have exceeded the state standard. Students with scores in Level 1 or Level 2 have not met standard. The levels are determined by the Cut Scores set by the standards setting panels and adopted by the State Board of Education. The scale scores for the WAAS-Portfolio are determined by only two dimensions of the scoring guide or rubric: Parts C and D, Performance and Context. See Resource 4.13 for the Rubric. Perfect scores on those two dimensions for each Targeted Skill are: 4 for Performance plus 2 for Context which equals 6 total points. Two Targeted Skills are required for each content entry, so a perfect score in a content entry is 12. High school WAAS-Portfolios are scored by two separate scorers whose scores are summed, so a perfect score for a high school portfolio becomes 24. WAAS-Portfolio current cut scores are as follows:

WAAS-Portfolio Cut Scores in Each Category

Grade/Subject Approaches Standard Cut

(level 2)

Meets Standard Cut

(level 3)

Exceeds Standard Cut

(level 4)

3-4 Reading 3 6 9

3-4 Mathematics 3 6 9

4 Writing 3 6 9

5-6 Reading 4 7 10


5 Science 4 7 10

7-8 Reading 4 7 10


7 Writing 4 7 10

8 Science 4 7 10

HS Reading 6* 12 20

HS Mathematics 6 12 20

HS Writing 6 12 20

HS Science 8 14 20

*All High School WAAS-Portfolios are individually scored by two separate scorers, therefore the final

scores are doubled.

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What steps are taken to make sure that WAAS-Portfolio scoring is valid and reliable? The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) uses rigorous methods to ensure that the scoring process yields valid and reliable results. Valid scoring means that one scorer assigns the same score to a student response as would be assigned by another scorer. Reliable scoring means that different scorers consistently assign the same score to student responses. The following quality control measures are used when scoring the WAAS-Portfolio.

Double-scoring: One hundred (100%) percent of all high school WAAS-Portfolios are scored twice to verify that scoring is consistent and aligned to the scoring rubrics.

Supervisors Reread Scored WAAS-Portfolios: In addition to double-scoring, supervisors reread portfolios from scorers every day. If a supervisor discovers that a scorer begins to assign scores that do not match the scoring guidelines, the supervisor consults with the scoring director and together they retrain that scorer, using the original training materials. This on-the-spot checking helps keep the scoring consistent. If a scorer has drifted from the scoring guidelines, the scores he/she has recently-assigned are removed and those portfolios are reinserted into the queue to be re-scored. Scorers who prove unable to score consistently after retraining are dismissed from scoring.

Protocols to Handle Unique Responses: Scorers are trained only to assign a score to student portfolio entries that are consistent with the examples provided in training. If a scorer encounters a student portfolio entry that is unique, novel or otherwise unfamiliar, the scorer seeks advice from the Supervisor. If the entry is new to the Supervisor, the Scoring Director intervenes. At this point, the Scoring Director can decide either that the entry is merely a nuance of what is already described in the scoring rubric or that the entry is truly unique. If the entry is a nuance, all the scorers are notified and re-trained on that particular type of entry. If the entry is one that has not yet been encountered, a designated group of scoring supervisors meet to determine what score should be assigned, after which scorers are re-trained.

Communication between OSPI and the Contractor: OSPI representatives are on site at Measured Progress’s facilities during training and scoring to monitor the quality processes, address any questions that may surface, and to serve as the “expert” scorers for resolution scoring.

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WAAS-Portfolio Teacher Feedback Form A Teacher Feedback form for each WAAS-Portfolio submitted for scoring is returned to the district. Each scorer records the scores on this form during the scoring institute. In addition, a list of standardized comments is available for scorers to give additional information to the individual teachers. The entire rubric is listed on the scorer worksheet, so the teacher is apprised where the strengths and areas of growth were in the prepared portfolio. All high school WAAS-Portfolios are scored twice, so high school teachers may have two Teacher Feedback Forms returned to the districts. The two scorers’ scores are summed for the final student score. In cases where the high school portfolios only have a single Teacher Feedback form, a third expert scorer scored the portfolio because the first two scorers did not agree. In those cases, the third score becomes the score of record and is doubled for the final student score. A copy of both pages of the scorer worksheet can be found on the following pages.

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2010-2011 WAAS-PORTFOLIO TEACHER FEEDBACK FORM

Place student demographic label here

Score Chart

A 4 3, 2, 1 IE

B Score Score Blank

C Score Blank Blank

D Score Blank Blank

READING – REQUIRED ALL GRADES 3-8 AND 10-12

Reading Skill 1 Reading Skill 2

A Skill Aligned to GLE/PE 4 3 2 1 IE A Skill Aligned to GLE/PE 4 3 2 1 IE

B Evidence Aligned to Targeted Skill 4 3 2 1 IE B Evidence Aligned to Targeted Skill 4 3 2 1 IE

C Skills Score 4 3 2 1 IE C Skills Score 4 3 2 1 IE

D Context 2 1 IE D Context 2 1 IE

Scorer Comments: _______ _______ _______ Scorer Comments: _______ _______ _______

MATH – REQUIRED ALL GRADES 3-8 AND 10-12

Math Skill 1 Math Skill 2






WRITING – REQUIRED GRADES 4, 7 AND 10-12

Writing Skill 1 Writing Skill 2






SCIENCE – REQUIRED GRADES 5, 8 AND 10

Science Skill 1 Science Skill 2






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2010-11 WAAS-PORTFOLIO SCORER MENU OF COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK Score Explanation and Comments

1. Signed Principal Validation Form missing

2. Entry Cover Sheet missing or ECS does not match evidence

3. Extensions were not from 2010-2011

4. Wording of targeted skill was not consistent with the Extension

5. Targeted skill selected was not from the appropriate grade and is not aligned (NA)

6. Contained inappropriate teacher or student material B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

7. One piece of evidence not aligned to targeted skill B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

8. Two pieces of evidence not aligned to targeted skill B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

9. All three pieces of evidence were not aligned to the targeted skill (NA)

10. Evidence missing B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

11. Evidence was missing student’s name B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

12. Evidence was missing date of student performance B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

13. Student work sample was not scored by the teacher B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

14. Evidence was not grade appropriate

15. Student met or exceeded goal on baseline data point

16. Data Point 1 was not collected by November 24, 2010; NO Extenuating Circumstance Form m

17. Data Point 2 was not collected between November 29, 2010 and January 21, 2011; No Extenuating Circumstance Form

18. Data Point 3 was not collected between January 24 and March 11, 2011; No Extenuating Circumstance Form

19. Pictures/objects did not include required text B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

20. Student evidence was photocopied B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

21. Zero per cent (0%) was the student score M. Midline E. Ending

22. Evidence did not contain a minimum of 3 items B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

23. Second Skill was A. Missing B. Not from a different Standard

24. Scorer could not read the material. B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

25. Personal student information was included B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

26. Extension Evidence Reminders were not followed B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

27. Indicate content evidence was missing B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

28. Indicate student “Yes or No” response was missing B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

29. Reading passage references were not present B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

30. Reading evidence did not include the title of the text B. Baseline M. Midline E. Ending

31. No growth demonstrated between W.1.1.1 & W.1.2.1 or W.3.1.1 & W.3.1.2 B. M. E.

32. Documentation was well presented and easy to score

33. Evidence reflected rich, challenging, and varied approaches to learning

34. Exemplary model: administration procedures were followed precisely and student work portrayed well.

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Part 4 – Supporting Resources

Resource #1: Frequently Asked Questions

Resource #2: Portfolio Validation Form

Resource #3: Entry Cover Sheet Samples

o Reading: Targeted Skill #1 and #2

o Mathematics: Targeted Skill #1 and #2

o Writing: Targeted Skill #1 and #2

o Science: Targeted Skill #1 and #2

Resource #4: Data Dates for 2010-2011

Resource #5: Extenuating Circumstances Form

Resource #6: Teacher Feedback Form

Resource #7: OSPI/Measured Progress Contacts

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the WAAS-Portfolio Q: Why assess students with disabilities on the alternate assessment?

A: It’s the law. Both IDEA and No Child Left Behind require that all students including those with disabilities participate in the state’s assessment system, with or without accommodations, or that they take an alternate assessment if they cannot take the tests due to the severity of their disabilities. The WAAS-Portfolio is our state’s alternate assessment and assesses students with significant cognitive challenges in their performance of skills and knowledge of content found in the state’s GLE/PEs. By participating in alternate assessments, students become more “visible” in their schools and have a greater chance of being considered when decisions are made to allocate staff and resources.

There is more to the alternate assessment than “passing.” The alternate assessment gives feedback that can be used to identify challenging goals and instruction for each student. The evidence submitted in a portfolio ensures that students with the most intensive challenges have an opportunity to “show what they know” and to receive instruction at a level that is challenging and attainable.

Q: Why not use a different set of standards for these students?

A: One reason to include students with significant challenges in standards-based instruction is to explore their capabilities. Although “life skills” are critical for these students to function as independently as possible, academic skills are also important. Learning standards are defined as “valued outcomes for all students.” Why, then, should separate standards be identified for some students and not for others? And who, if anyone, should decide which students should receive standards-based instruction and which should not? Some students with disabilities have never been taught academic skills and concepts, even at very basic levels. Yet, all students are capable of learning at a level that engages and challenges them. Teachers who have incorporated learning standards into their instruction cite unanticipated gains in students’ performance and understanding. An additional advantage is that some social, communication, motor, self-help, and other daily living skills can be addressed during activities in which learning standards are taught.

Q: Does teaching the general curriculum violate the IEP?

A: IDEA states that the IEP must include goals that:

(aa)meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the

child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum;

and

34

(bb) meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s

disability….” Sec.614. (d) (1) (A) (i) (I)

Q: If students with significant cognitive delays could work on the general education curriculum, wouldn’t they be in general education? A: Special education is designed to “…enable the child to be involved in and make progress

in the general education curriculum…” Sec.614. (d) (1) (A) (i) (I) (aa)

Q: How do we know portfolios truly reflect what students have learned? A: If teachers follow instructions outlined in the 2010-2011 Teachers’ Guide for the WAAS-

Portfolio, they can be assured that the portfolio will be scored based on the student evidence submitted. Basic instructional modeling is inherent in the WAAS-Portfolio data collection process. Teachers instruct a new skill by beginning with the introduction the skill and taking a baseline check of their students’ present levels of performance. Teachers constantly adjust their teaching to meet the identified needs of their students as well as model the skill, guide their students’ skill practice, and take another check or more of the skill acquisition (the midline data point). The teaching continues with potentially another adjustment to teaching, more modeling, guided and independent practice and finally the celebration of the students’ accomplishment at acquiring the skill. Assessing the student’s progress throughout the instructional process is intuitive to teachers. For the WAAS-Portfolio, teachers document that progress at three intervals (data points). Because compiling the WAAS-Portfolio is built upon good instructional practice, the student evidence truly reflects what they have learned.

Q: Portfolios require some effort. How can teachers manage the portfolio process efficiently? A: OSPI is making the effort to communicate to all school administrators the need to

coordinate this process at the building level and to meet regularly with teachers who conduct alternate assessments to identify teacher resources. All adults who work with a student are encouraged to be involved in developing his or her portfolio.

Teachers should begin collecting student work early in the school year and to complete all required forms and cover sheets according to the established data collection windows and in advance of the end of the data collection windows. Teachers have incorporated collecting the data for the WAAS-Portfolios as an integral part of their daily instruction and have begun to use the that student evidence to plan instruction, identify educational goals for students, write progress reports, and share information with parents.

Finally, teachers are encouraged to request assistance from the OSPI Alternate Assessment Staff, if they need it.

35

Q: Are teachers required to use the electronic forms? A. The electronic forms and extensions in ProFile™ were developed to assist teachers but

are not required. The forms and extensions in ProFile™ will eliminate administrative errors and save teacher time; however teachers can still download the forms after completing them in Word and can also handwrite the WAAS-Portfolio forms.

Q: Are academic skills functional for students with significant cognitive delays?

A: Literacy and numeracy are the 2 most functional skills in our society.

Q: How do teachers teach both academic and functional curriculums? A: Most functional skills, including but not limited to social, motor, behavioral and

communication, can be taught within the context of general education activities. Q: If the reading, writing, science and high school mathematics extensions have changed

little from 2008-2009 to 2010-2011, can we use last year’s extensions and/or forms for the 2010-2011 WAAS-Portfolio?

A: No, we have refined the 2010-2011 extensions and forms to reflect teachers’ requests that we extend extensions lower and simplify the forms. Therefore, using last year’s extensions and forms could lead to a non aligned portfolio which means the portfolio will not be scored for performance and context.

Q: How are WAAS-Portfolio scores calculated and reported? A: The scores are calculated by summing Parts C and D, Performance and Context, for

the two targeted skills in each content area. For example, the top performance score is a 4 and the top context score is a 2. If Reading Skill 1 receives 4 for performance and a 2 for context and reading skill 2 receives a 4 for performance and a 2 for context, the sum would be 12. At the high school level, High school WAAS-Portfolios are scored by two separate scorers whose scores are summed, so a perfect score for a high school portfolio them becomes 24.

Q. Why can’t we waive the students in the Awareness Level on the Continuum for Cognitive Development from the assessments before 11th grade?

A. The No Child Left Behind requirements do not allow any state to waive the assessment of any student taking the state’s accountability assessments, including the alternate assessment, the WAAS-Portfolio. Washington State’s Federal accountability includes assessing all students in grades 3-8 and 10. At grade 11, Washington State can consider waiving students from the graduation assessment requirements; therefore the state has established a policy that students in the awareness category on the Continuum for Cognitive Development, the 1% of the 1% of the state’s student population, can be waived from graduation assessment requirements. This waiver allows the students to graduate, but they do not receive a Certificate of Individual Achievement.

Include the student’s scored and dated evidence behind this sheet.

2010-2011 WAAS-Portfolio Validation Form

Student First Name:____________________________ Student Last Name:_________________________

Date of Birth:_________________________________ SSID number (from CSRS):_________- ________- ______

Grade (from CSRS):__________________________

School:_________________________________________ District: ______________________________________

Teacher: In assembling this portfolio, I certify that: I have followed all administration procedures and requirements as outlined in the 2010-2011 WAAS-Portfolio Teachers’ Guide. In addition, I certify that all teacher and student materials incorporated in this state assessment are appropriate for all audiences.

______________________________________ ___________________________________________ Signature of Teacher (Required) Print Name (Required)

Building Administrator: Complete the following section regarding this student’s WAAS-Portfolio.

Important Note: The WAAS-Portfolio will not be scored without a building-level administrator’s signature on this form. The signed form must be included in the front each student’s binder.

I have reviewed this completed portfolio with the teacher named above, and I support its submission for scoring because all of the requirements for the 2010-2011 WAAS–Portfolio were followed. In addition, I certify that all teacher and student materials incorporated in this state assessment are appropriate for all audiences.

_____________________________________________ _______________________________________________

Signature of Building Administrator (Required) Print Name (Required)

_____________________________ Date WAAS-Portfolio Was Reviewed With Teacher (Required)

Email: ____________________________________________(Required)

Phone Number:(_______)__________________________________(Required)


WAAS-Portfolio Important Dates

Data Collection Windows for 2010-2011: 1. First Data Point: September – November 24, 2010

2. Second Data Point: November 29, 2010 – January 21, 2011

3. Third Data Point: January 24, 2011 – March 11, 2011

March 21, 2011 is the single-day pickup of WAAS-Portfolio binders for shipping and scoring.

June 2011: High School Score Reports will arrive in districts. September 2011: Grades 3-8 Score Reports will arrive in districts.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

TEACHER SIGNATURE (Required) DATE Signed (Required)

____________________________________________________________________________________________ TEACHER NAME (PRINT) (Required) PHONE NUMBER

I have reviewed, and I support the teacher’s request: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________ SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR SIGNATURE (Required) DATE Reviewed/Signed

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR NAME (PRINT) (Required) PHONE NUMBER (Required)

I have reviewed, and I support the teacher’s request:

DISTRICT ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR SIGNATURE (Required) DATE Reviewed/Signed

_____________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________

DISTRICT ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR NAME (PRINT) (Required) PHONE NUMBER (Required)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS (PRINT) (Required) FAX NUMBER (Required)

Submit this form if extenuating circumstances delayed the collection of a data point(s) during one or more collection window(s). This form must be approved BEFORE portfolios are shipped and must be included in the front of the binder for scoring. DACs fax the completed form to (360) 725-0424. After approval, the form will be faxed back to the DAC, for placement in the front of student’s WAAS-Portfolio.

OSPI USE ONLY

APPROVED DENIED _______________________________________________________________________ ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

SPECIALIST

OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION Assessment and Student Information

Fax Number: (360) 725-0424

2010-2011 Extenuating Circumstance Form WAAS-Portfolio

PLACE THE APPROVED FORM IN THE FRONT OF THE STUDENT’S PORTFOLIO.

Student Information

FIRST NAME, MI, LAST NAME

SSID (from CSRS)

GRADE (from

CSRS)

SCHOOL DISTRICT

DESCRIPTION OF SITUATION

REQUIRED: 2010-2011 Requested/Revised DATA Collection Date(s):

Baseline: Midline:

AL

L I

NF

OR

MA

TIO

N A

ND

SIG

NA

TU

RE

S

AR

E R

EQ

UIR

ED


2010-2011 WAAS-Portfolio ENTRY COVER SHEET

READING TARGETED SKILL 1

Important Note: Use ProFile™ to complete this form.

Student’s Name: Grade:

Extension Code: 2010-2011 Extension:

Targeted Skill:

Data Collection Periods

Date of Performance Context

Student Score

Baseline Data Point Up to and including 11/24/2010

Midline Data Point 11/29/2010-1/21/2011

Ending Data Point 1/24/2011-3/11/2011



READING TARGETED SKILL 2




Targeted Skill:



Student Score






MATH TARGETED SKILL 1




Targeted Skill:



Student Score






MATH TARGETED SKILL 2




Targeted Skill:



Student Score





WRITING TARGETED SKILL 1




Targeted Skill:



Student Score





WRITING TARGETED SKILL 2




Targeted Skill:



Student Score





SCIENCE TARGETED SKILL 1




Targeted Skill:



Student Score





SCIENCE TARGETED SKILL 2




Targeted Skill:



Student Score




OSPI Contact Information:

Michael Middleton Director, Alternate Assessment [email protected] (360) 725-6434 Judy Kraft Alternate Assessment Specialist [email protected] (360) 725-6089

Margaret Nerison Part-time Support Teacher [email protected]

Sydney Therese Alternate Assessment Assistant [email protected] (360) 725-6068

Measured Progress Contact Information: Alicia Cuttle [email protected]

(603) 749-9102, Ext. 2233

mailto:[email protected]





Appendix E—WAAS-Portfolio Participation Guidelines 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix E—WAAS-PORTFOLIO PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) TEAM DECISION-MAKING GUIDELINES REGARDING

STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team makes many important decisions regarding the

program and services available for students eligible for special education and related services. One of

those important decisions involves a determination of how a student will participate in (1) the general

student assessment system in grades 3-8 plus once in high school, with or without allowable

accommodations, or (2) if the student will participate in the Washington Alternate Assessment System

(WAAS). Essential to an appropriate decision by the IEP team regarding a student’s participation at any

level of the statewide assessment system is a fundamental belief in the integrity of the overall IEP

process.

IEP teams should begin this decision-making process with the proposition that all students, including all

students eligible for special education, can learn grade level content and should participate in the

general assessment system to the maximum extent possible. However, there are times in which the IEP

team can decide that the alternate assessment is necessary and appropriate for a relatively small

segment (approximately 1%) of the total tested population, or roughly 10% of the total number of

special education eligible students being tested. For example, if the total tested population in a school

district is 4,000, then 40 students would represent 1% of the total tested population. Similarly, if 400

students eligible for special education were tested in the same school district, then 40 would represent

10% of the students eligible for special education that were tested.

GENERAL CRITERIA

The decision about how an eligible student participates in the statewide assessment is an IEP team

decision, and not an administrative decision. The IEP team should use the following criteria for

determining the extent to which a student can participate in the general assessment, with or without

accommodations, or if the student should participate in the alternate assessment system (WAC 392-

172A-03090 through 03110).

1. The student must be eligible for special education and must have an individualized education

program (IEP) in effect at the time of the decision.

2. IEP team decisions regarding a student’s participation in the statewide assessment must be

based on both current and historical evaluation and instructional data relevant to the student.

3. IEP team decisions should be based on the student’s present levels of educational performance,

need for specially designed instruction, annual goals, learner characteristics and access to the

general education curriculum.

4. IEP Team decisions regarding a student’s participation in statewide assessments must be made

at a scheduled IEP team meeting that precedes administration of the statewide assessment.

GENERAL ASSESSMENT

The IEP team should consider the following factors when determining whether or not the student can

participate in the general statewide assessment, with or without accommodations.

1. Has the student received instruction in the areas to be tested?

2. Can the student work with other students present in the testing environment?

3. Can the student work for a reasonable period of time consistent with the timed elements of the

test, if any?

4. Can the student follow test protocol directions?

5. Can the student use a pencil and paper and/or computer based format to answer open ended

questions?

6. Can the student respond to multiple-choice questions?

7. Can the student use a “bubble sheet” format?

8. Can the student work independently or with assistance from someone such as a scribe?

9. Has the student been taught to read or use books on tape?

10. Does the student’s IEP include accommodations/modifications that are allowable for use on the

statewide test?

If the IEP team answers “no” to any of the above 10 questions, the team must then carefully consider

what if any, other generally acceptable accommodations/modifications would be necessary to allow the

student to participate in the general assessment without invalidating the test results.

ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT

The alternate assessment is a statewide testing option in lieu of the regular assessment. It is an option

only for students with significant cognitive challenges. The term “significantly cognitively challenged”

does not represent a new or separate category of disability. It is a designation applied to a small

number of students (generally 10% or less) eligible for special education and related services

participating in the statewide testing program.

For purposes of the Washington Alternative Assessment System (WAAS), students who are significantly

cognitively challenged means those students who require intensive or extensive levels of direct support

that is not of a temporary or transient nature. Students with significant cognitive challenges also require

specially designed instruction to acquire, maintain or generalize skills in multiple settings in order to

successfully transfer skills to natural settings including the home, school, workplace, and community. In

addition, these students score at least two (2) standard deviations below the mean on standardized,

norm-referenced assessments for adaptive behavior and intellectual functioning.

For a student to be considered as having a significant cognitive challenge and therefore, appropriate for

consideration as a candidate for the alternate assessment, ALL of the following statements should be

carefully considered by the student’s IEP team:

The student’s demonstrated cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior in school, work, home

and community environments are significantly below chronological age expectations, even with

program modifications, adaptations and accommodations.

The student’s course of study is primarily functional and life skills oriented.

The student requires extensive direct instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings

to acquire, maintain and generalize academic and functional skills necessary for application in

school, work, home and community environments.

The student demonstrates complex cognitive disabilities and poor adaptive skill levels

determined to be significantly (at least two standard deviations) below chronological age

expectations by the student’s most recent individualized eligibility determination which

prevents the student from meaningful participation in the standard academic core curriculum or

achievement of the appropriate grade level expectations.

The student’s disability causes dependence upon others for many, if not all, daily living needs,

and the student is expected to require extensive on-going support in adulthood.

The student’s inability to complete the standard academic curriculum at grade level is not

primarily the result of: (a) poor attendance, excessive or extended absences, (b) lack of access to

quality instruction, (c) social, cultural, linguistic, or economic differences, (d) below average

reading or achievement levels, (e) expectations of poor performance, (f) the anticipated impact

of the student’s performance on the school/district performance scores, and (g) the student’s

disability category, educational placement, type of instruction, and/or amount of time receiving

special education services.

When an IEP team determines that the student should take an alternate assessment, the team must

document why the student cannot participate in the regular assessment, and why the alternate

assessment is appropriate for the student. Please note that an IEP team could document and justify that

the alternate assessment could be an appropriate statewide assessment for an individual not necessarily

meeting all of parameters of the state definition of significantly cognitively challenged on a case by case

basis.

SUMMARY

All students should participate in the statewide assessment system. Like all IEP team decisions, the

decision about whether the general assessment, the general assessment with allowable

accommodations, or the alternate assessment is appropriate for a given student must be carefully

considered. Data and practice suggest that an alternate assessment is necessary and appropriate for

approximately 10% of the special education population or 1% of the total student population being

tested in the required grades. While the IEP team is ultimately responsible for determining the most

appropriate assessment option for a student, these guidelines present some of the questions and

considerations IEP team members must contemplate in their statewide assessment decision making

process. Utilizing these guidelines will help to ensure that the required measures of student progress

are relevant, meaningful, and accurately depict the student’s accomplishments and needs for continued

growth and development. These guidelines may also be used for IEP team decisions regarding any

district wide assessments.

Washington Alternate Assessment System Descriptors for Participation Requirements in the WAAS Portfolio

According to federal regulations all students must be assessed on grade-level curriculum. The Washington Alternate Assessment System (WAAS) is a statewide testing option in lieu of the regular assessment. It is an option only for students with significant cognitive challenges. The term “significantly cognitively challenged” is a designation applied to a small number of students eligible for special education and related services (generally 10% or less) for purposes of their participation in the statewide and/or district-wide student assessment system for all students. . Significant cognitive disability is determined by the IEP committee and is not linked to a specific disability. The student must have a documented cognitive disability that affects intellectual potential. The IEP committee may decide that a student’s knowledge and skills can best be assessed with WAAS Portfolio if the student meets all of the following participation criteria. The way a student is routinely assessed (multiple choice or performance-based) should be considered when the IEP Committee is determining a student’s WAAS eligibility.

The Student:

Descriptors: Demonstrates cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior in school, work, home and community environments that are significantly below chronological age expectations, even with program modifications, adaptations and accommodations.

The student accesses and participates in Washington’s grade level Learning Standards through activities that focus on prerequisite skills. Even when provided access to a differentiated general education curriculum, the student is unable to derive reasonable educational benefit without significant individualized modifications to content and performance expectations. The student requires access to the general education curriculum through goals and objectives in the IEP that focus on prerequisite skills that are functionally linked to the grade-level curriculum and requires supports to access the general curriculum that may include assistance involving communication, response style, physical access, or daily living skills.

Participates in a course of study is primarily functional and life skills oriented

The student demonstrates performance objectives that may include real life applications of the grade-level Learning Standards as appropriate to the student’s abilities and needs. The goals and objectives listed in the student’s IEP focus on progress within functional achievement indicators and extensions to the Washington Learning Standards. The student strives to achieve the most basic self-help and communication skills and is seeking opportunities throughout the day to accomplish very individual goals. The student may demonstrate academic skills by applying them in environments where the needed skill may naturally occur such as the use of reading, math and science skills during a cooking activity in a kitchen.

Requires extensive direct instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings to acquire, maintain and generalize academic and functional skills necessary for application in school, work, home and community environments.

The student needs specialized instruction and techniques over a period of time to ensure that he or she can learn, retain information, and transfer skills to other settings. However, even with extensive, intensive, pervasive, frequent, and individualized instruction in all settings, the student may be unable to acquire, maintain, generalize, and apply academic skills across environments.

The student demonstrates complex cognitive disabilities and poor adaptive skill levels determined to be significantly (at least two standard deviations) below chronological age expectations by the student’s most recent individualized eligibility determination which prevents the student from meaningful participation in the standard academic core curriculum or achievement of the appropriate grade level expectations.

There is empirical evidence of a severe disability that precludes the acquisition of Washington Learning Standards. The student demonstrates knowledge and skills routinely in class by methods other than paper and pencil tasks The student may be able to perform some paper-and-pencil tasks (tracing words, copying spelling words, completing simple worksheets, even writing simple phrases or sentences). However, the student is typically evaluated by methods other than paper and pencil such as by observing student performance while the student manipulates items, verbalizes responses, eye gazes or activates an augmentative communication device.

The student’s disability causes dependence upon others for many, if not all, daily living needs, and the student is expected to require extensive on-going support in adulthood.

The student may need specialized academic help as well as help throughout the day in areas such as expressing his/her needs, getting from place to place, eating lunch, negotiating social situations and/or taking care of personal needs.

The student’s inability to complete the standard academic curriculum at grade level is not primarily the result of: (a) poor attendance, excessive or extended absences, or lack of instruction, (b) social, cultural, linguistic, or economic differences, (c) below average reading or achievement levels, (d) expectations of poor performance, (e) the anticipated impact of the student’s performance on the school/district performance scores, and (f) the student’s disability category, educational placement, type of instruction, and/or amount of time receiving special education services.

The student’s cognitive and adaptive skill performance are not the result of external factors such as absences, lack of instruction, etc., and require intensive or extensive levels of direct support that is not of a temporary or transient nature.

When an IEP team determines that the student should take an alternate assessment, the team must document in the IEP why the student cannot participate in the regular assessment, and why the alternate assessment is appropriate for the student. Please note that an IEP team could document and justify that the alternate assessment could be an appropriate statewide assessment for an individual not meeting all of parameters of the state definition of significantly cognitively challenged on a case by case basis.

Appendix F—Scoring Processl Document and 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report. Scoring Decision Rules

Appendix F—SCORING PROCESS DOCUMENT AND

SCORING DECISION RULES


2010-11 WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Procedures Handbook

Randy I. Dorn State Superintendent of Public Instruction

May 2011

2010-11 WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Procedures Handbook Page 2 of 6 rev. 042111v7

2010-11 WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Procedures Handbook

Preparing to Score STEP 1 Remove the portfolio from the plastic envelope.

STEP 2 Cross check the ALT LOGIN label, the binder label and the score booklet to confirm the codes match. If there is any discrepancy, consult the Table Leader.

STEP 3 Complete the top portion of the Teacher Feedback form: Affix student demographic labels to the upper left hand corner of each page. If a student label is not available, transcribe the student’s name, district

and grade to the space where the label would be on the form. Record your Scorer ID# and table number in the upper right hand corner of the form. Indicate () whether you are the 1st or 2nd scorer to review this portfolio. Carefully “X” out the content area(s) that will NOT be scored based on the student’s grade as indicated on the demographic label.

STEP 4 Is the “2010‐11 WAAS‐Portfolio Validation” form present and signed by the Teacher and an Administrator?

YES Yes, the validation form is signed, go to Step 5.

NO Confirm with Table Leader

MISSING or INCOMPLETE: Scorer hands portfolio off to Table Leader. OSPI will resolve the issue with the District and return the portfolio to be scored. If the Principal’s signature is present but the teacher signature is missing, continue scoring.

STEP 5 Is an “Extenuating Circumstance form” present?

YES This form will be referenced in Step 10A. Continue with Step 6.

NO The form is not required. Continue with Step 6.

Scoring: Review Reading – Targeted Skill 1 and then Skill 2; score Math TS#1 and TS#2 next. Continue with Writing, Science as appropriate per grade. Beginning of Rubric Part A

STEP 6 Is an entry cover sheet (ECS) present for this Targeted Skill?

YES The entry cover sheet is present and complete, continue with Step 7.

NO

Confirm with Table Leader

MISSING: No ECS is submitted for a required content and Targeted Skill. QAC/Scoring Manager must review the portfolio to determine if it can be scored. If entry cannot be scored QAC/Scoring Manager initials this Targeted Skill, scorer records IE for A, B, C, D, record comment #2. Do NOT record extension codes on the Teacher Feedback form.

DISCREPANT: Grade documented on the ECS and the student label are discrepant, consult the Table Leader. Score as instructed.

INCOMPLETE: At a minimum the student’s name and Targeted Skill must be documented on the ECS. If minimum is not met QAC/Scoring Manager initials this Targeted Skill, scorer records IE for Part A, B, C and D and records comment #2.

STEP 7 Review the Extension text on the entry cover sheet: Does it exactlymatch the text in the Extension booklet?YES If text is exact, record the Extension code on the Teacher Feedback form now. Continue with Step 8.NO Confirm with Table Leader

If text is not exact, it may indicate the Extension is from a different assessment year. QAC/Scoring Manager must review. If QAC/Scoring Manager confirms the Extension is not from the 2010‐11 assessment, they initial the Teacher Feedback form.

Scorer records 3, 2, 1 or IE as directed for Part A. Score Part B: Does the evidence demonstrate the skill indicated? Record 4, 3, 2, 1 or IE. Leave Parts C and D blank. Record comment #3.

2010‐11 WAAS‐Portfolio Scoring Procedures Handbook Page 3 of 6 rev. 042111v7

R

ubri

c P

art

A:

Skill Aligned to PE/GLE, checks the extent to which the chosen Targeted Skill is aligned to the corresponding PE/GLE Score 4 Score 3 Score 2 Score 1 Score IE

Full alignment: Academic skill in content area and aligned to PE/GLEs (YES)

Near alignment: Academic skill within content area (NO)



No skill given (NO)

STEP 8 Is the Targeted Skill aligned to the Extension?

YES The Targeted Skill contains the same text as the Extension plus a goal (%) (i.e. “Student/Name will….with 80% accuracy”). If yes, record 4 for Part A. If Skill 1, continue with Step 10A. If Skill 2, continue with Step 9.

NO


If “NO”: Part A must be initialed by a QAC/Scoring Manager. If the QAC/Scoring Manager confirms that the Targeted Skill is not fully aligned to the documented Extension, but is:

An academic skill within the content area but not in the assigned grade level or is an extension from previous year, record 3 (NO) for Part A. Score Part B and leave Parts C and D blank.

An academic skill not within the content area, record 2 (NO) for Part A. Score Part B and leave Parts C and D blank.

Functional life skill, record 1 (NO) for Part A. Score Part B and leave Parts C and D blank. If no Targeted Skill #1 is documented on the entry cover sheet, QAC/Scoring Manager must review evidence. If no skill can be determined, the QAC/Scoring Manager must initial Part A. Scorer records IE for Parts A, B, C and D.

If no goal (%) is indicated in the Targeted Skill and the Table Leader confirms, follow the remaining steps and score Part C based on 100% accuracy.

If skill 1 continue with Step 10A. If Skill 2 continue with Step 9.

STEP 9 2nd SKILL

If this is the 2nd Targeted Skill for this content area, is the Targeted Skill from a different standard (different menu) than the first skill?

YES Continue with Step 10A.

NO


If the 2nd Targeted Skill is:

MISSING – the QAC/Scoring Manager must initial Part A. Leave Parts A, B, C and D blank for the second skill. Record comment #5A.

SAME EXTENSION or from the SAME STANDARD as the first Targeted Skill, the QAC/Scoring Manager must initial Part A. Leave Parts A, B, C and D blank for the 2nd skill. Record comment #5B.


Important Note: To score Parts B, C, and D of the rubric: Review each piece of evidence individually. One piece of evidence may be multiple pages, pay careful attention to page numbers and dates. Multiple pages completed on the same date = 1 piece of evidence. VALID (Step 10A): Evidence includes non‐negotiables and the requirements specified in the Evidence Reminders. ALIGNED (Step 10B): Evidence demonstrates the student’s skill for the targeted skill indicated on the entry cover sheet. If fewer than 3 pieces of evidence present, score entry using valid and aligned evidence. The first piece of valid and aligned evidence is considered the baseline.

Rubric Part B: Evidence Aligned to Targeted Skill, the extent to which the evidence reflects the behavior and content of the Targeted Skill Score 4 Score 3 Score 2 Score 1 Score IE Scoring Notes:

B 4 3, 2, 1 IE C Score Score Blank

D Score Score Bank

All evidence is aligned to the Targeted Skill: 3 pcs of evidence

Most evidence is aligned to the Targeted Skill: 2 pcs of evidence

Some evidence is aligned to the Targeted Skill: 1 pc of evidence

Very little evidence aligned to the Targeted Skill

No evidence aligned to the Targeted Skill

STEP 10A

Reviewing each piece of evidence submitted for each data point: Is it valid?YES Evidence is valid, when:

Student’s name is documented (first name or nick name is acceptable; recorded by student or teacher) Dated within the collection periods specified by OSPI. Dates outside these periods should match alternate dates on Extenuating

Circumstance Form approved & signed by Judy Kraft/Sydney Therese. Confirm evidence dates are within extended period. Baseline – prior to and including November 24, 2010; Midline – between and including November 29, 2010 and January 21, 2011; Ending – between and including January 24, 2011 and March 11, 2011

Corrected or graded by the teacher (Accept teacher’s documentation; do not analyze grading). Requirements specified in Evidence Reminders are met. Includes student footprint indicating student attempted skill; responses may be made by student or scribed by teacher. If in doubt,

consult the Table Leader. Appropriate for state‐level assessment: does not include violent, stereotypical, insensitive, or graphic images. If photographs of the student are included in evidence, consult the Table Leader.

NO


Evidence is invalid and cannot be used for Step 10B, if the Table Leader confirms evidence is: Missing the student’s name = comment #7 Is not dated or dates are outside period specified by OSPI = comment #8 or 9 Is not graded/scored by the teacher = comment #10 Does not include footprint = comment #13 Contains violent or graphic images or student pictures = comment #11 Does not meet requirements listed in evidence reminders = comment(s) #14 or 15‐20 as appropriate

If it is confirmed that all 3 pcs of evidence are invalid, record IE for Part B. Leave Parts C and D blank. Record appropriate comment(s) #6‐21. Any evidence determined not to be valid can NOT be considered in Steps 10B‐15.

STEP 10B

Does each piece of valid evidence align to the Targeted Skill? Does the evidence demonstrate the Targeted Skill?YES If all three pieces of valid evidence align to the Targeted Skill, record 4 for Part B.

If two pieces of valid evidence align to the Targeted Skill, record 3 for Part B. Record comment #21 B, M or E. If one piece of valid evidence aligns to the Targeted Skill, record 2 for Part B. Record comment #21 B, M or E.

NO If no valid evidence aligns to Targeted Skill, record IE for Part B. Leave Parts C and D blank. Record comment #21BME.If fewer than 3 pieces of evidence are present, score the entry using the pieces that are determined to be valid and aligned. The first piece of


valid and aligned evidence is considered the baseline.

Part C: Evidence of Performance on Targeted Skill (Skill Score) Skill Score 4 Skill Score 3 Skill Score 2 Skill Score 1 Skill Score IE

Evidence of performance demonstrates that student exceeded the goal for the Targeted Skill. Must have 3 pcs of aligned evidence.

Evidence of performance demonstrates that student met the goal for the Targeted Skill. Must have 2 or 3 pieces of aligned evidence.

Evidence of performance demonstrates that student approached (not met) the goal for the Targeted Skill. Must have 2 pieces of aligned evidence.

Evidence of performance demonstrates that the student is not approaching the goal for the Targeted Skill.

No evidence of student’s level of proficiency on the Targeted Skill.

STEP 11

Did the student meet the goal (%) indicated in the Targeted Skill?. YES

Rubric Part C

Valid/Aligned Evidence:

The evidence shows the goal (%) was…

Exceeded,record:

Met, record:

Approached, record:

No Growth, record:

Goal was met or exceeded on

Baseline, record:

3 pcs of evidence 4 3 2 1 IE

2 pcs of evidence 3 3 2 1 IE

1 pc of evidence X X X 1 IE

No evidence IE IE IE IE NA

If no goal (%) is indicated in the Targeted Skill, assume 100% and score accordingly. Record comment #22.

If the goal indicated in the Targeted Skill is 100%, the student cannot exceed. Record comment #22.

If the baseline data meets or exceeds the goal, record IE for Part C and D. Record comment #23.

NO Confirm with Table Leader

If evidence shows any growth but does not meet the goal (e.g., 0%, 10%, 15% and goal was 35%) record 2 for Part C.

If highest level of growth is demonstrated on baseline score as No Growth based on chart above.

If no growth is demonstrated in the evidence (i.e. valid/aligned evidence indicates the same level of performance), record 1 (not approaching) for Part C and Score D based on valid/aligned evidence. Record comment #24.

2010-11 WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Procedures Handbook Page 6 of 6 rev. 042111v7

Part D: Context Score 2 Score 1 Score IE

Evidence that student generalizes the skill to 3 contexts.

Evidence that student generalizes the skill to 2 contexts.

Evidence that student demonstrates skill in only 1context.

STEP 12 Is it evident that the student generalized (applied the skill to another academic format, activity or method of presentation) the skill in more than one context? Context is not a place. Consider only valid/aligned evidence. Refer to the context notes under Evidence Reminders in blue Extension Booklets.

YES

If evidence includes… And evidence demonstrates… Record score:

3 pcs of valid/aligned evidence 3 contexts 2 for Part D

2 pcs of valid/aligned evidence 2 contexts 1 for Part D

1 pc of valid/aligned evidence 1 context IE for Part D

STEP 13 Follow Steps 6‐12 to score the second Targeted Skill for the content area.

STEP 14 Follow Steps 6‐13 to score Mathematics, then Writing and Science, as appropriate per the grade assessed.

STEP 15 Review the Teacher Feedback form to confirm all ratings have been recorded accurately and comments have been provided for each Targeted Skill as appropriate.

Darken circles on Teacher Feedback form to ensure clear on both copies.

Include positive feedback for each portfolio unless not appropriate. If Scorer cannot determine appropriate comment, consult the Table Leader.

If mistakes are made on the teacher feedback form, do not erase. Complete a new form.

STEP 16 Complete the score page by transcribing scorer ID#, grade, and rubric ratings for each Targeted Skill assessed. Complete the GLE Extension page by transcribing the Extension codes for each skill assessed.

STEP 17 Compare the portfolio ID# to the litho code on the scannable booklet. Compare the student ID on the envelope to the bar code label on the front of the binder. If there are any discrepancies, consult the Table Leader.

STEP 18 Insert the Teacher Feedback form, scannable booklet and any extra labels in the front inside pocket of the binder and place the binder back into the plastic envelope. Return the scored portfolio to the Table Leader.

Additional Notes: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2010-11 WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Decision Rules for Table Leaders

2010-11 WAAS-Portfolio Scoring Decision Rules for Table Leaders Page 1 Rev. 042911

Step Decision Rule Issue/Question Decision Rule – How to proceed with scoring…

Ste

p 2 A Discrepancy between the tracking

numbers on the binder, envelope and/or scannable score booklet.

Consult the Scoring Manager.

Ste

p 2 B Grade documented on student

demographic label contradicts grade assessed.

If the grade indicated on the Entry Cover Sheet/Extensions assessed is discrepant with the grade on the student demographic label, score according to the grade indicated on the Entry Cover Sheet. Scorer records grade assessed on Teacher Feedback Form (TFF) and scan form.

Ste

p 4

C WAAS‐Portfolio Validation form. MISSING – Forward the portfolio to Judy Kraft for resolution. Table Leader (TL) logs hand off to Judy on box inventory. When resolved log back to box. If Judy indicates the portfolio cannot be scored, instruct the scorer to record IE for Parts A‐D for each Targeted Skill.

INCOMPLETE – At a minimum the student’s first and last name, the principal and teacher signatures must be present in order to proceed with scoring the portfolio. If minimum is not present QAC/Scoring Manager must forward the portfolio to Judy Kraft. If the administrator signature is present but the teacher signature is missing, proceed with scoring.

Ste

p 5,

10B

D Extenuating Circumstance form. OSPI designated specific dates for data collection for the 2010‐11 WAAS‐Portfolio.

Baseline – prior to and including November 24, 2010 Midline – between and including November 29, 2010 and January 21, 2011 Ending – between and including January 24, 2011 and March 11, 2011

In instances where the designated dates could not be met, a waiver could be requested. An Extenuating Circumstance form is submitted with a portfolio when OSPI granted this waiver. The form is acceptable only if it is signed and approved by Judy Kraft or Sydney Therese. Alternate dates for the baseline and/or midline data point(s) will be provided on the form to be used for scoring. Those alternate dates may be circled.

If date(s) outside the specified data collection dates are found on student evidence, and the Extenuating Circumstance form is included, approved and signed by Judy Kraft/Sydney Therese, proceed with scoring using the alternate date(s) indicated on the form.

If date(s) outside the specified data collection dates are found on student evidence and no form is included, the evidence dated outside the specified data collection date(s) is considered invalid. Instruct scorer to score based only on valid/aligned evidence within the original collection periods set by OSPI.

If the form is included, but no signature is present on the bottom of the form or the form indicates that the request was denied, then the evidence outside the specified data collection date(s) is considered invalid. Instruct scorer to score based only on valid/aligned evidence.




Ste

p 6

E Entry Cover Sheet missing, incomplete or multiple ECSs were submitted for a single Targeted Skill.

One Entry Cover Sheet is required for each Targeted Skill (TS) in each content area.

If More than one Entry Cover Sheet is included for a single skill; use the most complete ECS to score the entry. Consult the Scoring Manager if there is any additional question.

ECS Missing /Incomplete– QAC/Scoring Manager must review evidence. If the TS is stated on the evidence, proceed with scoring based on that skill, and the name/grade listed on the validation form. If no TS can be found on the evidence the entry cannot be scored. QAC/Scoring Manager signs Part A on TFF. Instruct the Scorer to record IE for Part A, B, C and D for this Targeted Skill.

If TS is missing but Extension or code are present score using the Extension/code and based on 100% accuracy.

Ste

p 7

F Extension listed on the Entry Cover Sheet does not match the Extension Worksheets word‐for‐word.

If the Extension text does not match exactly, it may be an Extension from another grade, content or another year. Compare the Extension to the 209‐2010 Extension documents to confirm.

If one or two words of the Extension text are different, but the intent of the Extension is still apparent, accept the alignment and continue to score. For example “grade level text” vs. “grade level book”.

If it is determined that the Extension is not aligned to the grade/content, or the Extension is from a previous year, instruct the scorer to record 3 for Part A and have QAC/Scoring manager initial that skill on the TFF. Scorer scores the evidence in Part B based on the skill documented (go to Step 10A). Leave Parts C and D blank. If the text was changed enough to lose the intent of the Extension, instruct the scorer to record 2 for Part A, score the evidence in Part B based on the skill documented. Leave Parts C and D blank.

G The Entry Cover Sheet is completed by hand and the Extension text and Extension code documented on the Entry Cover Sheet are discrepant.

If the teacher completed the Entry Cover Sheet by hand, a transcription error is possible in documenting the Extension text and code.

If the Extension code (i.e. R.1.3.2, 3‐4a) or text can be confirmed against the Extension Booklets for the assigned grade, and the discrepancy appears to be a clerical error, accept the code or text that aligns with the TS assessed. If necessary, refer to the evidence submitted to confirm which skill was assessed/demonstrated. If any question remains, consult a QAC/Scoring Manager.

If an Extension from 2009‐10 or prior was used, this rule does not apply.

Ste

p 10

A

H Student footprint is unclear, evidence is inappropriate for state level assessment or student photographs were included.

Evidence must include a student footprint – an indication that the student attempted the skill. Responses can be scribed by the teacher. Evidence without student footprint is considered invalid, instruct scorer to score based only on valid/aligned evidence. If any question remains, consult a QAC/Scoring Manager.

Evidence which includes violent or graphic images is considered invalid, instruct scorer to score based only on valid/aligned evidence.

Photographs of the student can only be accepted on evidence if it is included as an option for response. Photos must be appropriate for statewide assessment and should not be a series of photographs of student posing/performing the TS. Photos cannot stand alone as evidence.




Ste

p 10

A

I Photocopied worksheets across multiple students and/or grades from same school or district.

If there is any question, consult the QAC/Scoring Manager for clarification and direction.

Ste

p 10

A, B

J Fewer than three pieces of student evidence were submitted for a Targeted Skill.

Three pieces of student evidence should be submitted for each Targeted Skill.

A single piece of evidence may contain multiple pages. Multiple pages for a single date are considered one piece of evidence.

If “extra” or “additional” evidence is included beyond three pieces only the first three pieces of evidence can be considered. Any extra/additional evidence is ignored even if any of the first 3 pieces of evidence are determined to be invalid or not aligned.

If fewer than 3 pieces of evidence are present, score the entry using the pieces that are determined to be valid and aligned. In this case, the first piece of valid and aligned evidence is considered the baseline.

Ste

p 10

A

K Student evidence is not valid. Evidence is considered valid when the “non‐negotiables” have been documented on at least one page (if multiple pages for a single date) and the Evidence Reminders requirements are met. Student evidence will be valid when:

Student name: first name or nick name is acceptable and name may be recorded by the student or teacher. If it is unclear whether the name matches the student name on the validation form consult the Scoring Manager

Dated: within the data collection periods. The dates on evidence should match the baseline, midline and ending dates indicated on the Entry Cover Sheet.

o If an Extenuating Circumstance form is submitted, the dates on the form should be consistent with the dates on the Entry Cover Sheet and student evidence.

Corrected/Graded: accept the teacher’s grading/scoring of the student work; do not attempt to confirm or validate the grading.

Meets content specific requirements indicated in the Extension Booklets under Evidence Reminders.

If the non‐negotiables or content specific requirements are not found on evidence for a data point, that piece of evidence is considered invalid and cannot be used to score.

If all three pieces of evidence are determined to be invalid, instruct the scorer to record IE for Part B, leave Parts C and D blank.

Ste

p 10

A

L Information on the Entry Cover Sheet and student evidence appears discrepant.

Student Evidence is the primary evidence. If there is a discrepancy, data (other than the Extension) documented on student evidence overrides data documented on the Entry Cover Sheet (secondary evidence). Score based on the data documented on the evidence.

If there is a discrepancy between the Extension on the Entry Cover Sheet and the Extension on the evidence, score based on the Extension from the Entry Cover Sheet.




Ste

p 10

A

M Student evidence indicates morethan what was described in Targeted Skill was assessed.

It is acceptable for student work to include items not related to the task, however, items related to the task must be present, identifiable and corrected. If grading includes items not indicated in the Targeted Skill, consult the QAC/Scoring Manager.

Ste

p 10

B

N Level of complexity demonstrated by the evidence is higher than what was required by the Targeted Skill.

In the menu of extension options teachers choose from, extensions are listed with increasing complexity with least complex at the bottom of the list.

If the evidence demonstrates a higher level of complexity than was required for the Extension, accept the evidence and score the entry. EXCEPTION –

o EXCEPTION – if Targeted Skill is Indicate (YES/NO in most extensions) level this rule does not apply. Indicate level cannot “go up”.

If the evidence demonstrates a lower level of complexity than was indicated by the Extension, that evidence is considered not aligned to TS.

Ste

p 10

B

O Student evidence is not aligned to Targeted Skill.

Evidence is not aligned when the work does not demonstrate the student’s knowledge or skill working toward the TS specified on the ECS and/or does not meet the requirements in Evidence Reminders.

If the Targeted Skill includes an “and” statement, the evidence must demonstrate all components of the “and” on each piece of evidence.

If there are fewer than three pieces of aligned evidence, score the entry using only the piece(s) of evidence aligned to the TS.

Consider the first piece of aligned evidence as the baseline, and score as indicated.

If all 3 pieces of evidence are not aligned record IE for Part B. Leave Parts C and D blank. Important Reminder – based on valid/aligned pieces of evidence, the criterion cannot be met or exceeded on the baseline data point.

Ste

p 11

P Criterion indicated in Targeted Skill was met or exceeded on baseline data point.

If the evidence for the baseline data point meets or exceeds the goal indicated in the Targeted Skill, instruct the scorer to record IE for Parts C and D.



Ste

p 12

S Context is not shown as varied format, activity or presentation.

Context is not a place (i.e., back yard, gym, or library). Examples:Reading – different books/texts, passages, stories Math – different numbers, problems, number lines, angles Writing – different topics, adjectives/adverbs Science – different investigations, materials, ecosystems, environments

A general template can be used to create worksheets. The content of the template must vary across the data points for the context score.

Worksheets presented as student evidence must be varied in format and presentation. If the student evidence appears to be the same worksheet submitted for more than one data point,

A QAC/Scoring Manager must confirm the exact same worksheet was completed by the student on two or more dates (data points). The first worksheet is accepted as single context.

The duplicate worksheet(s) cannot be counted for context score. Instruct scorers to score using only valid/aligned evidence, as determined Part B.

NOTE: Context issues impact ONLY Part D of the rubric.


Ste

p 11

Q Criterion (%) fluctuates across or no growth demonstrated across data points.

The student’s performance must demonstrate growth and increased performance of the TS after the baseline.

The criterion may fluctuate (first data point=0%, second data point=40%, third data point=20%) across the three dates of student performance as long as the goal is met or exceeded on the 2nd or 3rd date.

If all three dates indicate the same level of performance (i.e. the same percentage), there is no growth, instruct the scorer to record 1 for Part C.

If evidence shows any increase in growth from the baseline, but does not meet the goal (e.g., 0%, 10%, 15% and goal was 35%) record 2 for Part C.

If the highest level of performance is on the baseline (e.g., 75%, 50%, 25%), instruct the Scorer to record 1 for Part C.

0%, 0%, 100% is considered acceptable performance.

Appendix G—Raw Score Distributions 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix G—RAW SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS


Table G-1. 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Mathematics

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

3

0 3.99 3.99

6

7 1.31 15.69

1 0.27 4.26 8 2.45 18.14

2 0.40 4.66 9 2.62 20.76

3 0.93 5.59 10 12.77 33.53

4 1.46 7.05 11 16.69 50.22

5 3.60 10.65 12 49.75 99.97

6 9.99 20.64

7

0 1.07 1.07

7 3.33 23.97 1 0.89 1.96

8 7.06 31.03 2 0.00 1.96

9 2.53 33.56 3 0.18 2.14

10 12.65 46.21 4 1.43 3.57

11 11.72 57.93 5 2.50 6.07

12 42.08 100.01 6 8.39 14.46

4

0 3.58 3.58 7 1.79 16.25

1 0.57 4.15 8 3.57 19.82

2 0.57 4.72 9 2.68 22.50

3 0.29 5.01 10 12.14 34.64

4 1.72 6.73 11 13.75 48.39

5 4.73 11.46 12 51.61 100.00

6 10.60 22.06

8

0 2.37 2.37

7 2.44 24.50 1 0.22 2.59

8 3.44 27.94 2 0.00 2.59

9 3.01 30.95 3 0.86 3.45

10 11.32 42.27 4 0.65 4.10

11 13.90 56.17 5 1.94 6.04

12 43.84 100.01 6 6.24 12.28

5

0 2.92 2.92 7 0.86 13.14

1 0.44 3.36 8 2.15 15.29

2 0.00 3.36 9 1.29 16.58

3 0.29 3.65 10 11.83 28.41

4 1.60 5.25 11 14.62 43.03

5 1.75 7.00 12 56.99 100.02

6 7.00 14.00

10

0 2.99 2.99

7 1.46 15.46 2 0.75 3.74

8 4.52 19.98 3 0.00 3.74

9 2.19 22.17 4 0.19 3.93

10 12.24 34.41 5 0.37 4.30

11 14.87 49.28 6 0.37 4.67

12 50.73 100.01 7 0.00 4.67

6

0 3.27 3.27 8 2.24 6.91

1 0.00 3.27 9 0.19 7.10

2 0.65 3.92 10 2.80 9.90

3 0.65 4.57 11 0.19 10.09

4 2.45 7.02 12 7.48 17.57

5 1.47 8.49 13 0.56 18.13

6 5.89 14.38 14 0.00 18.13

continued


Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

10

15 0.56 18.69

11

20 18.00 44.00

16 3.93 22.62 21 0.67 44.67

17 0.00 22.62 22 9.33 54.00

18 1.31 23.93 23 4.00 58.00

19 0.19 24.12 24 42.00 100.00

20 9.16 33.28

12

0 6.25 6.25

21 1.12 34.40 2 1.25 7.50

22 13.27 47.67 3 0.00 7.50

23 1.12 48.79 4 0.00 7.50

24 51.21 100.00 5 0.00 7.50

11

0 4.00 4.00 6 0.63 8.13

2 2.00 6.00 7 0.00 8.13

3 0.00 6.00 8 1.25 9.38

4 1.33 7.33 9 0.00 9.38

5 0.67 8.00 10 1.88 11.26

6 1.33 9.33 11 0.00 11.26

7 0.00 9.33 12 6.88 18.14

8 1.33 10.66 13 0.00 18.14

9 0.67 11.33 14 0.63 18.77

10 3.33 14.66 15 0.00 18.77

11 0.00 14.66 16 5.63 24.40

12 3.33 17.99 17 0.00 24.40

13 0.00 17.99 18 1.88 26.28

14 0.00 17.99 19 0.00 26.28

15 0.67 18.66 20 12.50 38.78

16 4.67 23.33 21 1.25 40.03

17 0.00 23.33 22 11.88 51.91

18 2.67 26.00 23 1.88 53.79

19 0.00 26.00 24 46.25 100.04

Table G-2. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Reading

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

3

0 6.92 6.92

4

0 5.16 5.16

1 0.93 7.85 1 0.72 5.88

2 0.53 8.38 2 0.43 6.31

3 0.13 8.51 3 0.29 6.60

4 1.60 10.11 4 1.43 8.03

5 3.99 14.10 5 3.16 11.19

6 8.66 22.76 6 8.61 19.80

7 2.93 25.69 7 1.87 21.67

8 7.46 33.15 8 4.30 25.97

9 2.13 35.28 9 2.73 28.70

10 12.78 48.06 10 14.49 43.19

11 13.58 61.64 11 13.77 56.96

12 38.35 99.99 12 43.04 100.00

continued


Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

5

0 3.64 3.64

8

9 2.14 17.73

1 0.44 4.08 10 11.11 28.84

2 0.15 4.23 11 13.25 42.09

3 0.29 4.52 12 57.91 100.00

4 1.17 5.69

10

0 3.72 3.72

5 2.04 7.73 2 0.19 3.91

6 5.83 13.56 3 0.00 3.91

7 0.58 14.14 4 0.56 4.47

8 5.69 19.83 5 0.19 4.66

9 1.75 21.58 6 0.56 5.22

10 12.24 33.82 7 0.00 5.22

11 16.47 50.29 8 1.12 6.34

12 49.71 100.00 9 0.37 6.71

6

0 2.97 2.97 10 2.42 9.13

1 0.49 3.46 11 0.19 9.32

2 0.49 3.95 12 4.28 13.60

3 0.49 4.44 13 0.00 13.60

4 1.32 5.76 14 0.37 13.97

5 1.98 7.74 15 0.56 14.53

6 4.61 12.35 16 5.02 19.55

7 1.65 14.00 17 0.37 19.92

8 2.97 16.97 18 1.86 21.78

9 1.65 18.62 19 0.37 22.15

10 12.36 30.98 20 9.11 31.26

11 19.28 50.26 21 0.37 31.63

12 49.75 100.01 22 14.87 46.50

7

0 2.87 2.87 23 1.67 48.17

1 0.36 3.23 24 51.86 100.03

2 0.72 3.95

11

0 6.10 6.10

3 0.18 4.13 2 0.00 6.10

4 0.90 5.03 3 0.00 6.10

5 1.80 6.83 4 1.22 7.32

6 5.57 12.40 5 1.22 8.54

7 1.44 13.84 6 0.61 9.15

8 3.59 17.43 7 0.00 9.15

9 2.51 19.94 8 1.83 10.98

10 10.23 30.17 9 0.00 10.98

11 15.98 46.15 10 1.83 12.81

12 53.86 100.01 11 0.00 12.81

8

0 2.14 2.14 12 6.10 18.91

1 0.00 2.14 13 0.00 18.91

2 0.85 2.99 14 0.61 19.52

3 0.43 3.42 15 0.00 19.52

4 0.85 4.27 16 6.71 26.23

5 0.85 5.12 17 0.00 26.23

6 5.98 11.10 18 4.27 30.50

7 1.50 12.60 19 3.05 33.55

8 2.99 15.59 20 12.20 45.75

continued


Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

11

21 1.83 47.58

12

11 0.00 8.62

22 15.24 62.82 12 6.79 15.41

23 3.66 66.48 13 0.00 15.41

24 33.54 100.02 14 1.23 16.64

12

0 3.70 3.70 15 0.00 16.64

2 1.23 4.93 16 6.17 22.81

3 0.00 4.93 17 0.62 23.43

4 0.00 4.93 18 1.23 24.66

5 0.00 4.93 19 0.62 25.28

6 1.23 6.16 20 14.81 40.09

7 0.00 6.16 21 1.23 41.32

8 1.23 7.39 22 19.14 60.46

9 0.00 7.39 23 1.23 61.69

10 1.23 8.62 24 38.27 99.96

Table G-3. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Writing

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

4

0 5.50 5.50

10

3 0.00 5.05

1 0.43 5.93 4 0.00 5.05

2 1.01 6.94 5 0.37 5.42

3 0.72 7.66 6 0.37 5.79

4 2.75 10.41 7 0.00 5.79

5 1.74 12.15 8 2.62 8.41

6 10.56 22.71 9 0.00 8.41

7 2.03 24.74 10 1.69 10.10

8 3.47 28.21 11 0.19 10.29

9 3.04 31.25 12 7.12 17.41

10 12.01 43.26 13 0.00 17.41

11 12.59 55.85 14 1.50 18.91

12 44.14 99.99 15 0.37 19.28

7

0 5.08 5.08 16 4.87 24.15

1 0.73 5.81 17 0.19 24.34

2 0.00 5.81 18 2.81 27.15

3 1.27 7.08 19 0.37 27.52

4 3.09 10.17 20 7.49 35.01

5 2.54 12.71 21 1.31 36.32

6 7.44 20.15 22 10.67 46.99

7 1.45 21.60 23 2.43 49.42

8 3.27 24.87 24 50.56 99.98

9 3.99 28.86

11

0 5.47 5.47

10 10.89 39.75 2 0.00 5.47

11 12.89 52.64 3 0.00 5.47

12 47.37 100.01 4 0.50 5.97

10 0 4.49 4.49 5 0.00 5.97

2 0.56 5.05 6 0.00 5.97

continued


Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

11

7 0.00 5.97

12

4 1.59 8.47

8 1.99 7.96 5 0.00 8.47

9 0.00 7.96 6 1.06 9.53

10 2.99 10.95 7 0.00 9.53

11 0.50 11.45 8 1.06 10.59

12 6.97 18.42 9 0.53 11.12

13 0.50 18.92 10 2.12 13.24

14 2.49 21.41 11 0.53 13.77

15 0.50 21.91 12 6.35 20.12

16 4.98 26.89 13 0.00 20.12

17 1.99 28.88 14 1.59 21.71

18 3.48 32.36 15 0.00 21.71

19 0.50 32.86 16 8.99 30.70

20 15.92 48.78 17 0.00 30.70

21 1.49 50.27 18 1.59 32.29

22 14.43 64.70 19 0.00 32.29

23 2.49 67.19 20 10.58 42.87

24 32.84 100.03 21 1.06 43.93

12

0 6.35 6.35 22 12.17 56.10

2 0.53 6.88 23 3.70 59.80

3 0.00 6.88 24 40.21 100.01

Table G-4. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Raw Score Percent and Cumulative Percent Distributions—Science

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

5

0 6.38 6.38

8

8 2.61 25.05

1 0.74 7.12 9 1.53 26.58

2 0.30 7.42 10 7.19 33.77

3 0.00 7.42 11 10.68 44.45

4 1.48 8.90 12 55.56 100.01

5 2.97 11.87

10

0 3.48 3.48

6 10.53 22.40 2 0.39 3.87

7 0.30 22.70 3 0.00 3.87

8 4.30 27.00 4 0.19 4.06

9 1.19 28.19 5 0.00 4.06

10 10.53 38.72 6 0.77 4.83

11 16.47 55.19 7 0.19 5.02

12 44.81 100.00 8 2.13 7.15

8

0 2.40 2.40 9 0.00 7.15

1 0.65 3.05 10 2.51 9.66

2 0.22 3.27 11 0.19 9.85

3 0.87 4.14 12 6.58 16.43

4 2.83 6.97 13 0.00 16.43

5 3.05 10.02 14 0.58 17.01

6 10.02 20.04 15 0.19 17.20

7 2.40 22.44 16 6.19 23.39

continued


Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

Grade Raw

Score Percent

Cumulative Percent

10

17 0.39 23.78

11

21 0.00 66.68

18 1.35 25.13 22 0.00 66.68

19 0.77 25.90 23 0.00 66.68

20 10.25 36.15 24 33.33 100.01

21 0.77 36.92

12

0 0.00 0.00

22 10.25 47.17 2 0.00 0.00

23 1.93 49.10 3 0.00 0.00

24 50.87 99.97 4 0.00 0.00

11

0 0.00 0.00 5 0.00 0.00

2 0.00 0.00 6 20.00 20.00

3 0.00 0.00 7 0.00 20.00

4 16.67 16.67 8 0.00 20.00

5 0.00 16.67 9 0.00 20.00

6 0.00 16.67 10 0.00 20.00

7 0.00 16.67 11 0.00 20.00

8 16.67 33.34 12 0.00 20.00

9 0.00 33.34 13 0.00 20.00

10 16.67 50.01 14 0.00 20.00

11 0.00 50.01 15 0.00 20.00

12 16.67 66.68 16 0.00 20.00

13 0.00 66.68 17 0.00 20.00

14 0.00 66.68 18 0.00 20.00

15 0.00 66.68 19 0.00 20.00

16 0.00 66.68 20 60.00 80.00

17 0.00 66.68 21 0.00 80.00

18 0.00 66.68 22 20.00 100.00

19 0.00 66.68 23 0.00 100.00

20 0.00 66.68 24 0.00 100.00

Appendix H—Raw Score Summary Statistics 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

by Subgroup

Appendix H—RAW SCORE SUMMARY STATISTICS

BY SUBGROUP


by Subgroup

Table H-1. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Score Statistics by Subgroup—Mathematics

Grade Categorization Subgroup N Mean SD

3

All Students 751 9.50 3.18

Gender Male 520 9.48 3.17

Female 231 9.57 3.21

Ethnicity

Native American 19 8.79 3.41

Asian 56 9.11 3.40

Black 38 9.26 3.22

Hispanic 152 9.70 3.21

White 431 9.53 3.17

Hawaiian 7 11.29 1.89

Multi 42 9.36 2.95

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 51 9.63 3.17

4



Female 254 9.59 3.19

Ethnicity


Asian 41 9.10 3.77

Black 48 9.77 3.10

Hispanic 134 9.96 2.98

White 401 9.51 3.27

Hawaiian 3 7.00 1.73

Multi 40 9.73 3.01

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 44 9.07 3.70

5


Gender Male 455 10.14 2.90

Female 231 10.29 2.71

Ethnicity


Asian 41 10.68 1.71

Black 31 9.84 2.96

Hispanic 112 9.46 3.42

White 427 10.31 2.80


Multi 40 10.43 2.49

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 22 8.59 4.22

6


Gender Male 403 10.19 2.90

Female 208 10.13 3.00

Ethnicity


Asian 39 10.33 2.50

Black 39 10.18 2.69

Hispanic 104 9.50 3.69

White 372 10.35 2.72

Hawaiian 3 11.33 0.58

Multi 37 9.65 3.28

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 9.54 3.71

continued


by Subgroup


7


Gender Male 367 10.22 2.66

Female 193 10.37 2.53

Ethnicity


Asian 29 10.07 2.83

Black 47 10.43 2.85

Hispanic 92 10.24 2.85

White 351 10.23 2.53

Hawaiian 4 11.00 1.41

Multi 20 11.55 0.69

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 10.13 2.91

8


Gender Male 287 10.53 2.66

Female 178 10.46 2.64

Ethnicity


Asian 36 11.00 1.85

Black 28 11.25 1.27

Hispanic 91 10.33 2.68

White 274 10.40 2.77


Multi 24 10.38 3.51

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 10 11.50 0.85

10


Gender Male 341 19.72 6.42

Female 194 20.64 5.56

Ethnicity


Asian 40 20.28 5.64

Black 32 21.25 4.32

Hispanic 78 19.77 6.62

White 341 19.91 6.36

Hawaiian 4 22.00 2.31

Multi 24 20.58 4.77

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 21.36 4.15

11


Gender Male 109 18.98 6.99

Female 41 19.88 6.35

Ethnicity


Asian 10 21.30 3.65

Black 10 21.30 2.91

Hispanic 34 18.74 6.22

White 84 18.94 7.44

Hawaiian 1 24.00

Multi 6 22.33 1.51

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 5 19.20 2.28

continued


by Subgroup


12


Gender Male 104 19.19 7.26

Female 56 19.80 6.21

Ethnicity


Asian 8 23.00 1.85

Black 11 17.45 8.86

Hispanic 28 17.68 8.33

White 98 20.31 5.93

Hawaiian 0

Multi 5 23.20 1.10

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 0

Table H-2. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Score Statistics by Subgroup—Reading


3



Female 231 9.42 3.48

Ethnicity


Asian 56 8.84 3.98

Black 38 10.29 2.61

Hispanic 152 8.93 3.83

White 430 9.17 3.51


Multi 43 9.44 3.19

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 50 9.60 3.74

4



Female 254 9.59 3.38

Ethnicity


Asian 42 9.60 3.29

Black 48 9.92 3.11

Hispanic 134 9.84 3.24

White 400 9.45 3.43


Multi 40 10.40 2.15

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 44 9.11 4.01

5


Gender Male 456 10.11 3.04

Female 230 10.29 2.68

Ethnicity


Asian 41 10.44 2.70

Black 31 10.29 2.60

Hispanic 111 9.59 3.66

White 428 10.28 2.80

continued


by Subgroup


5 Ethnicity


Multi 40 10.85 1.61

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 22 8.77 4.01

6


Gender Male 399 10.21 2.93

Female 208 10.44 2.63

Ethnicity


Asian 39 10.33 2.52

Black 39 10.44 2.63

Hispanic 104 9.57 3.80

White 369 10.55 2.41


Multi 36 9.58 3.58

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 25 9.00 4.12

7


Gender Male 366 10.28 2.80

Female 191 10.46 2.83

Ethnicity


Asian 29 10.34 2.70

Black 46 9.98 3.62

Hispanic 91 9.91 3.36

White 350 10.56 2.48

Hawaiian 4 10.25 2.87

Multi 20 11.40 0.94

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 10.21 2.93

8


Gender Male 291 10.54 2.58

Female 177 10.48 2.68

Ethnicity


Asian 36 10.92 1.65

Black 28 11.21 2.30

Hispanic 94 9.89 3.00

White 274 10.57 2.66


Multi 24 10.96 1.81

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 10 11.60 0.70

10


Gender Male 343 20.03 6.48

Female 195 20.97 4.99

Ethnicity


Asian 40 20.93 5.28

Black 31 20.03 6.61

Hispanic 78 20.54 5.93

White 343 20.34 6.10

Hawaiian 6 19.67 5.01

continued


by Subgroup


10 Ethnicity

Multi 24 20.13 6.16

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 20.00 7.16

11


Gender Male 110 18.56 7.04

Female 54 19.22 6.38

Ethnicity


Asian 13 13.23 11.06

Black 10 20.60 2.63

Hispanic 35 19.31 5.78

White 91 19.46 6.15

Hawaiian 3 22.33 2.89

Multi 6 18.67 6.92

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 6 16.83 6.40

12


Gender Male 103 19.06 6.95

Female 59 20.66 4.10

Ethnicity


Asian 10 20.60 4.72

Black 6 17.67 9.83

Hispanic 35 19.31 6.54

White 97 20.06 5.64

Hawaiian 1 22.00

Multi 7 20.57 4.72

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 1 24.00

Table H-3. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Score Statistics by Subgroup—Writing


4



Female 250 9.38 3.53

Ethnicity


Asian 41 9.54 3.99

Black 48 9.35 3.19

Hispanic 132 9.57 3.48

White 397 9.41 3.44


Multi 40 9.98 3.07

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 43 9.98 3.30

7



Female 190 9.71 3.43

Ethnicity Native American 10 9.80 2.35

Asian 29 10.00 3.39

continued


by Subgroup


7 Ethnicity

Black 47 9.94 3.12

Hispanic 90 9.31 3.72

White 345 9.67 3.39

Hawaiian 4 12.00 0.00

Multi 20 9.95 2.24

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 24 9.54 3.36

10


Gender Male 340 19.39 6.84

Female 194 20.46 5.73

Ethnicity


Asian 40 19.08 7.13

Black 31 21.29 4.89

Hispanic 77 19.92 6.38

White 341 19.69 6.61

Hawaiian 5 21.20 3.35

Multi 24 19.46 6.30

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 22.09 2.63

11


Gender Male 135 18.63 6.20

Female 66 19.26 6.87

Ethnicity


Asian 19 19.26 6.13

Black 12 18.08 7.34

Hispanic 40 19.23 4.69

White 109 19.12 6.61

Hawaiian 2 22.00 2.83

Multi 9 18.89 5.33

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 8 19.00 4.78

12


Gender Male 112 18.46 6.94

Female 77 19.21 7.29

Ethnicity


Asian 12 22.17 3.76

Black 13 17.77 7.24

Hispanic 31 19.71 6.20

White 113 18.30 7.59

Hawaiian 2 24.00 0.00

Multi 7 22.00 3.06

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 1 22.00


by Subgroup

Table H-4. 2009–10 WAAS-Portfolio: Score Statistics by Subgroup—Science


5



Female 227 9.57 3.60

Ethnicity


Asian 41 10.39 2.28

Black 31 9.42 3.31

Hispanic 111 9.14 3.83

White 420 9.58 3.45

Hawaiian 6 10.00 2.19

Multi 39 10.44 3.09

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 22 9.18 3.91

8



Female 176 10.16 2.82

Ethnicity


Asian 35 10.89 2.34

Black 28 10.75 2.22

Hispanic 89 9.79 2.92

White 272 9.89 3.26

Hawaiian 2 12.00 0.00

Multi 23 8.70 3.75

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 10 10.40 2.67

10


Gender Male 330 19.74 6.18

Female 187 20.42 6.04

Ethnicity


Asian 38 20.76 5.01

Black 30 20.90 4.67

Hispanic 76 19.47 6.91

White 329 19.78 6.38

Hawaiian 4 20.50 3.42

Multi 24 21.08 4.30

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 11 19.64 5.52

11



Female 2 24.00 0.00

Ethnicity

Native American 1 4.00

Asian 0

Black 0

Hispanic 2 11.00 1.41

White 2 16.00 11.31

Hawaiian 0

Multi 1 24.00

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 0

continued


by Subgroup


12



Female 2 13.00 9.90

Ethnicity

Native American 1 6.00

Asian 1 22.00

Black 0

Hispanic 2 20.00 0.00

White 1 20.00

Hawaiian 0

Multi 0

Not Provided 0

LEP LEP 0

Appendix I—Score of Record 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix I—SCORE OF RECORD

Washington Alternate Assessment System – Portfolio 1011 Score of record documentation – Version 1: 3/21/2011 Objective This document describes how the three individual scores are used to achieve a final score for each portfolio skill dimension and how those scores are used to assign a performance level to each student. Valid grades and subjects The following table identifies the valid subjects and grades: Subject Grades Reading 03 – 08, 10, 11, 12 Mathematics 03 – 08, 10, 11, 12 Writing 04, 07, 10, 11, 12 Science 05, 08, 10, 11, 12 Only valid subject for a grade will receive final scores. If a student submits work for a subject that is valid for the grade level, the raw scores are maintained however a final score and performance level are not computed. Portfolio skill scoring dimensions Each portfolio should contain two skills for each valid subject. Each of the skills is scored on the following four dimensions:

A. Skill Aligned to GLE (1 – 4, IE) B. Evidence aligned to targeted skill (2 – 4, IE, N) C. Performance score (1 – 4, IE, N) D. Context score (1 – 2, IE, N)

Each dimension is scored by at least one and up to three different scorers. In grades 10-12 all dimensions are scored by two scorers with dimension A requiring an exact match and dimensions B, C, and D allowing adjacent scores. The following table summarizes how the three scores are used in determining the final score for each skill dimension: Grades Dimensio

n If a third score is present

otherwise if first score and second score are present

otherwise only first score is present

03 - 08 A,B,C,D First score is final score

First score is final score First score is final score

10 - 12 A Third score is final score

First score is final score Does not apply

B,C,D Third score is doubled

The first score and second score are summed.

Does not apply

Valid final skill dimension score combinations The following summarizes the allowable dimension scores based on the final score computation described in the previous section. If Skill Aligned is

and the Evidence Aligned is

then the Performance can be

and the Context can be

Skill raw score

4 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, IE Yes IE 1, 2, IE Yes (0)

IE N N Yes (0) 3 2, 3, 4, IE N N Yes (0) 2 2, 3, 4, IE N N Yes (0) 1 2, 3, 4, IE N N Yes (0) IE IE IE IE Yes (0) N N N No Participation status assignment Students are classified into one of 7 categories depending on the work submitted for a subject and the following steps: Evaluate reporting grade and binder score grade: (For HS- reporting grade of 10,11,12 is considered equal to a binder score grade of 10)

If the reporting grade is not equal to the binder score grade, then: 1. If no work submitted and the student is identified as Previously

Passed, then the student is Previously Passed. 2. Otherwise if no work submitted then the student is Not Tested. 3. Otherwise the student is Off Grade.

If the reporting grade is equal to the binder score grade, then:

1. If the student earns at least 1 score of alignment score of 4 and the student is identified as Invalidated, then the student is Invalidated.

2. Otherwise, if the student earns at least 1 score of alignment score of 4 then the student is Tested.

3. Otherwise if the student is identified as Previously Passed, then the student is Previously Passed.

4. Otherwise if the student is identified as Invalidated, then the student is Invalidated.

5. Otherwise if the student is identified as Refused, then the student is Refused.

6. Otherwise, if the student submitted at least 1 skill, but no skills have an alignment score of 4, then the student is Incomplete.

7. Otherwise if no work is submitted then the student is Not Tested.

Participation status

Description Raw score

Performance level

Tested At least one skill has alignment score of 4 Yes Yes Incomplete Submitted at least one skill, but none of

the skills had alignment score of 4 Yes Yes

Not tested Did not submit any work No No Refused Student is marked as refused No No Off Grade Student grade level doesn't match grade

level the Portfolio was scored at No No

Previously Passed

Student previously passed the content area at grade level

No No

Invalid Student is marked as invalidated No No Subject final raw score and performance level assignment The final raw score for each valid subject is the sum of the Skills and Context dimensions for the two required skills. Each student is classified into a performance level based on the raw score for the subject and the cut score range identified in the table below.

Examples: Grade 03 reading raw score = 4, performance level = Level 2 Grade 03 reading raw score = 9, performance level = Level 4

Students who are assigned to performance levels 3 and 4 are considered as Meeting Standards, while students in performance levels 1 and 2 are considered as Not Meeting Standards. Students who are identified as Not Tested do not have the Met Standards classification assigned.

Grade/Subject Not Approaching

Standard (level 1)

Approaches Standard (level 2)

Meets Standard (level 3)

Exceeds Standard (level 4)

03-04 Reading 0 – 2 3 – 5 6 – 8 9 – 12 03-04 Mathematics 0 – 2 3 – 5 6 – 8 9 – 12 04 Writing 0 – 2 3 – 5 6 – 8 9 – 12 05-06 Reading 0 – 3 4 – 6 7 – 9 10 – 12 05-06 Mathematics 0 – 2 3 – 5 6 – 8 9 – 12 05 Science 0 – 3 4 – 6 7 – 9 10 – 12 07-08 Reading 0 – 3 4 – 6 7 – 9 10 – 12 07-08 Mathematics 0 – 2 3 – 5 6 – 9 10 – 12 07 Writing 0 – 3 4 – 6 7 – 9 10 – 12 08 Science 0 – 3 4 – 6 7 – 9 10 – 12 10 Reading 0 – 5 6 – 11 12 – 19 20 – 24 10 Mathematics 0 – 5 6 – 11 12 – 19 20 – 24 10 Writing 0 – 5 6 – 11 12 – 19 20 – 24 10 Science 0 – 7 8 –13 14 – 19 20 - 24 The grade 10 cuts apply to grades 10, 11, and 12.

Appendix J—Sample Reports 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix J—SAMPLE REPORTS

STUDENT NAME :STATE STUDENT ID :

DISTRICT :SCHOOL :GRADE 10

How did JACOB perform on the WAAS-Portfolio? This individual score report provides information about your child’s

performance on the 2011 Washington Alternate Assessment System (WAAS) Portfolio. This assessment is for students in grades 3-8 and 10-12 with significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the state’s general assessment, even with maximum accommodations.

All the state’s assessments are based on academic knowledge and skills known as Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) for Reading and Writing; Performance Expectations (PEs) for Mathematics and Science. For the WAAS-Portfolio, the GLEs/PEs are adjusted to match the achievement expectations and learning characteristics of the individual students.

The scores for each subject submitted in your child’s portfolio are displayed on the reverse side. For further information, please refer to the WAAS-Portfolio Parent Guide or talk with your child’s teacher. The parent guide is enclosed with this score report and can also be found on our Web site, along with other information on the WAAS-Portfolio, at www.k12.wa.us/assessment/altassess.aspx.

About this score report

Passed tests? Score Student's

Proficiency Level

Reading

Math

Writing

Science

What do the proficiency levels mean?Level 4: Exceeds standard. Represents advanced mastery of the individualized academic goals for subject assessed. Considered as passing.Level 3: Meets standard. Represents mastery of the individualized academic goals for subject assessed. Considered as passing.Level 2: Approaches the standard. Represents some mastery of the individualized academic goals for subject assessed. Considered as not passing. Level 1: Well below standard. Represents little to no mastery of the individualized academic goals for subject assessed. Considered as not passing.

Page 1 of 2

For more information about state testing, please visit www.WAtesting.comFor statewide, district and school results, please visit the Washington State Report Card at http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us

YES

YES

YES

YES

Level 4 (Exceeds Standard)




JACOB Z. COOKD101 000 013

WAAS-Portfolio ISR Report Date: September 8, 2011 DEMOA-DEM2

DEMONSTRATION DISTRICT ADEMONSTRATION SCHOOL 2

WAAS-PortfolioWASHINGTON ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

INDIVIDUAL SCORE REPORT (SPRING 2011)

24

22

24

24

{DEMOADEM2}

STUDENT NAME: JACOB Z. COOK SSID: D101 000 013

How did JACOB perform on the WAAS-Portfolio?

Reading Math Writing ScienceJACOB met the WAAS-Portfolio Math standard. His score of 22 out of 24 exceeds standard.

JACOB met the WAAS-Portfolio Writing standard. His score of 24 out of 24 exceeds standard.

JACOB met the WAAS-Portfolio Science standard. His score of 24 out of 24 exceeds standard.

For more information about state testing, please visit www.WAtesting.comFor statewide, district and school results, please visit the Washington State Report Card at http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us

Page 2 of 2

JACOB met the WAAS-Portfolio Reading standard. His score of 24 out of 24 exceeds standard.

Reading Skill 1 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 1 in Reading.

Reading Skill 1 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Reading targeted skill 1 in three contexts.

Reading Skill 2 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 2 in Reading.

Reading Skill 2 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Reading targeted skill 2 in three contexts.

Math Skill 1 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB met the goal for the targeted skill 1 in Math.

Math Skill 1 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Math targeted skill 1 in three contexts.

Math Skill 2 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 2 in Math.

Math Skill 2 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Math targeted skill 2 in three contexts.

Writing Skill 1 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 1 in Writing.

Writing Skill 1 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Writing targeted skill 1 in three contexts.

Writing Skill 2 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 2 in Writing.

Writing Skill 2 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Writing targeted skill 2 in three contexts.

Science Skill 1 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 1 in Science.

Science Skill 1 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Science targeted skill 1 in three contexts.

Science Skill 2 (Performance): Evidence demonstrates that JACOB exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 2 in Science.

Science Skill 2 (Context): Evidence shows that JACOB generalizes Science targeted skill 2 in three contexts.

DEMOA-DEM2WAAS-Portfolio ISR Report Date: September 8, 2011

{DEMOADEM2}

WAAS - Portfolio School Roster Report Date: September 8, 2011 Page 1 of 3


WAAS-Portfolio School Roster of Student PerformanceGrade HS

Spring 2011

READING WRITING MATHEMATICS SCIENCE

A B C D A B C D A B C D A B C D A B C D A B C D A B C D A B C D

Student Name/SSID/Date of Birth

Grade

Alig

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to G

LE

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LE

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Reading Skill 1 Reading Skill 2 Writing Skill 1 Writing Skill 2 Mathematics Skill 1 Mathematics Skill 2 Science Skill 1 Science Skill 2

COOK, JACOB Z

CORBELLO, SABRINA K

KLIMKINA, DINA G

KRONICK, JOSHUA

MCGOLDRICK, SAMANTHA M

ROE, CHASE E

WIEDEMER, STACEY M

BROADHEAD, BENJAMIN A

D101 000 013

D101 000 001

D101 000 008

D101 000 002

D101 000 006

D101 000 007

D111 000 008

D111 000 011

01/05/1993

08/30/1993

05/17/1994

11/28/1992

09/09/1992

08/10/1994

01/06/1994

01/30/1991

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

11

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

IV

NT

Y(4)

PP

8

8

-

8

-

-

8

-

8

8

-

8

-

-

6

-

4

4

-

4

-

-

4

-

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

IV

NT

Y(4)

PP

8

8

-

8

-

-

7

-

8

8

-

8

-

-

5

-

4

4

-

4

-

-

2

-

24

24

NT

24

IV

NT

17

PP

L4

L4

L4

L3

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

IV

NT

PP

IV

8

8

6

8

-

-

-

-

8

8

6

8

-

-

-

-

4

4

2

4

-

-

-

-

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

IV

NT

PP

IV

8

7

6

8

-

-

-

-

8

7

6

8

-

-

-

-

4

3

2

4

-

-

-

-

24

22

16

24

IV

NT

PP

IV

L4

L4

L3

L4

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

IV

NT

NT

IV

8

8

-

8

-

-

-

-

6

8

-

8

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

4

-

-

-

-

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

IV

NT

NT

IV

8

8

-

8

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

8

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

4

-

-

-

-

22

24

NT

24

IV

NT

NT

IV

L4

L4

L4

Yes

Yes

Yes

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

NT

NT

8

IE

-

8

8

-

-

-

8

N

-

8

6

-

-

-

4

N

-

4

4

-

-

-

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

NT

NT

8

IE

-

8

8

-

-

-

8

N

-

8

IE

-

-

-

4

N

-

4

IE

-

-

-

24

0

NT

24

10

NT

NT

NT

L4

L1

L4

L2

Yes

No

Yes

No

DISTRICT: DEMONSTRATION DISTRICT ASCHOOL: DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL 2CDS CODE: DEMOA-DEM2

DEMOA-DEM2

Please see back page for score descriptors.

Score Calculation Performance Level Descriptors

Each high school portfolio is scored by two raters. The two raters must agree on the “Targeted Skill Aligned to GLE” score; if not, a scoring director assigns that score. For each of the two targeted skills, if the “Aligned to GLE” score is a “4,” and “Evi-dence Aligned” is at least a “1,” the raters assign Performance and Context scores. If the scores from the two raters differ by more than a single point, the scores are assigned by a scoring director. The total content score, ranging from 0 to 24, is the sum of the Performance and Context scores for both Targeted Skills.

L4 = Level 4 L3 = Level 3

Meets Standard

A detailed explanation of Score Descriptors can be found on our website at: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/altassess.aspx

L2 = Level 2L1 = Level 1

Does Not Meet Standard


WAAS-Portfolio Score DescriptorsHigh School

Aligned to GLE: Targeted Skill Aligned to GLE* (Columns A) Evidence Aligned: Alignment between the Evidence and the Skill (Columns B)

Y(4) Full Alignment: Academic skill within content area is aligned with GLEs 7-8 All (3 pieces) of evidence are aligned to the targeted skill

N(3) Near Alignment: Academic skill within content area not aligned 5-6 Most (2 pieces) of evidence are aligned to the targeted skill

N(2) Little Alignment: Academic skill not within content area 3-4 Some (1 piece) of evidence is aligned to the targeted skill

N(1) No Alignment: Non-academic skill IE No evidence aligned to the targeted skill

IE No skill given N Not aligned

N2 No skill 2 submitted (only applicable in Skill 2 columns) N2 No skill 2 submitted (only applicable in Skill 2 columns)

IV The work in this content area was invalidated – Continuance of NT, IV, OG, or PP

OG The work in this content area was completed at an inappropriate grade level

PP The student has already passed this content area at this grade level

NT Not tested in this content area (includes refusals)

*Aligned to GLE score must be Y(4) in order for the portfolio to be scored for Performance and Context.

Performance: Content Area Performance Score (Columns C) Context: Content Area Targeted Skill Context Score (Columns D)

7-8 Evidence demonstrates that the student exceeded the goal for the targeted skill 3-4 Evidence shows that student generalizes the skill in three contexts

5-6 Evidence demonstrates that the student met the goal for the targeted skill 1-2 Evidence shows that student generalizes the skill in two contexts

3-4 Evidence demonstrates that the student approached the goal for the targeted skill IE Evidence shows that student demonstrates skill in only one context

1-2 Evidence demonstrates that the student did not approach the goal for the targeted skill N Not aligned

IE No evidence of the student’s level of profi ciency was demonstrated on the targeted skill N2 No skill 2 submitted (only applicable in Skill 2 columns)

N Not aligned – Continuance of NT, IV, OG, or PP

N2 No skill 2 submitted (only applicable in Skill 2 columns)

– Continuance of NT, IV, OG, or PP

WAAS-Portfolio School Roster




Spring 2011




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LIVESAY, AUSTIN J

MEACHAM, CALEB R

POTVIN, JASMINE P

POULTON, ZACHARY C

WILLIAMS, MIQUEL

LITTLE, CANDACE

LOFARO, DONOVAN N

NOFTLE, JACOB S

D111 000 006

D101 000 012

D101 000 010

D111 000 004

D111 000 002

D121 000 002

D121 000 008

D121 000 004

11/21/1993

02/15/1994

06/11/1994

09/07/1993

11/07/1992

07/29/1992

02/13/1993

11/16/1989

11

11

11

11

11

12

12

12

PP

PP

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

PP

NT

Y(4)

-

-

IE

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

N

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

N

-

4

-

-

4

PP

PP

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

PP

NT

Y(4)

-

-

IE

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

N

-

8

-

-

4

-

-

N

-

4

-

-

3

PP

PP

0

NT

24

PP

NT

19

L1

L4

L3

No

Yes

Yes

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

PP

NT

Y(4)

8

8

8

-

8

-

-

8

8

8

6

-

8

-

-

8

4

4

4

-

4

-

-

4

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

Y(4)

PP

NT

Y(4)

8

8

8

-

8

-

-

8

8

8

8

-

8

-

-

6

4

4

4

-

4

-

-

4

24

24

22

NT

24

PP

NT

22

L4

L4

L4

L4

L4

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

PP

PP

PP

NT

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

NT

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

-

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

-

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

-

PP

PP

PP

NT

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

NT

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

-

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

-

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

-

PP

PP

PP

NT

24

24

NT

NT

L4

L4

Yes

Yes

NT

PP

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

NT

PP

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

NT

PP

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT


DEMOA-DEM2





Meets Standard































Spring 2011




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PEKARIK, AUDREY M

PELLEGRI, MATTHEW W

PEREZ, ANTHONY

PRATHER, ROBERT A

WILES, BOBBI G

WILLISON, TREVOR F

D111 000 007

D111 000 003

D121 000 006

D121 000 003

D121 000 007

D121 000 011

04/08/1991

11/06/1991

02/06/1993

09/06/1991

08/20/1990

04/21/1993

12

12

12

12

12

12

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

NT

PP

PP

8

8

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

-

-

-

Y(4)

Y(4)

NT

NT

PP

PP

8

8

-

-

-

-

8

8

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

-

-

-

24

24

NT

NT

PP

PP

L4

L4

Yes

Yes

PP

Y(4)

NT

NT

Y(4)

PP

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

4

-

-

4

-

PP

Y(4)

NT

NT

Y(4)

PP

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

8

-

-

4

-

-

4

-

PP

24

NT

NT

24

PP

L4

L4

Yes

Yes

NT

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

-

8

4

8

8

8

-

6

IE

8

8

8

-

4

IE

4

4

4

NT

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

Y(4)

-

8

4

8

8

8

-

6

2

8

8

8

-

4

IE

4

4

4

NT

20

2

24

24

24

L4

L1

L4

L4

L4

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

PP

Y(4)

NT

NT

NT

PP

-

8

-

-

-

-

-

6

-

-

-

-

-

4

-

-

-

-

PP

Y(4)

NT

NT

NT

PP

-

8

-

-

-

-

-

6

-

-

-

-

-

4

-

-

-

-

PP

20

NT

NT

NT

PP

L4 Yes


DEMOA-DEM2





Meets Standard




























Appendix K—Reporting Decision Rules 1 2010–11 WAAS-Portfolio Technical Report

Appendix K—REPORTING DECISION RULES

Version 2: 08/11/2011 1

Washington Alternate Assessment System – Portfolio 1011 Reporting Decision Rules- Version 2: 8/11/2011 Objective This document describes the rules associated with the production of the following reports:

1. Individual Score Report 2. School Roster of Student Performance

Please refer to the score of record documentation for a description of the valid portfolio scores and how the performance levels were assigned. Valid grades and subjects The following table identifies the valid subjects and grades: Subject Grades Reading 03 – 08, 10, 11, 12 Mathematics 03 – 08, 10, 11, 12 Writing 04, 07, 10, 11, 12 Science 05, 08, 10, 11, 12 Only valid subjects for a grade are reported. If a student submits work for a subject that is not valid for the grade level, a final score and performance level are not reported. If a student is not in grades 03 – 08, 10 – 12 then the student receives an Individual School Report but the student does not appear on the School Roster. Individual Score Report Rules General information

1. Students must test in at least one valid subject for the tested grade. If all valid subjects are ‘Not Tested’ then a score report is not generated.

2. Student names are always uppercased whenever they are presented on the report. Names are printed as: FirstName MiddleInitial. LastName

3. State student ID (SSID) is formatted as XXXX XXX XXX.

4. District and School names are uppercased and bold.

5. If any of the following data are not provided, the data are left blank on the report:

a. Student name b. SSID

Version 2: 08/11/2011 2

6. The following text appears on the footer of both sides of the report: a. Left side:

i. Original HS Release: WAAS - Portfolio ISR Report Date: June 8, 2011

ii. Original 3-8 Release: WAAS - Portfolio ISR Report Date: September 8, 2011

iii. First rerun: WAAS - Portfolio ISR Report Date: TBD b. Right side: [District code]-[School code] c. Center:

i. Line 1: For more information about state testing, please visit www.WAtesting.com

ii. Line 2: For statewide, district and school results, please visit the Washington State Report Card at http://reportcard.k12.wa.us

iii. Line 3: Page [#] of [#] Page 1 rules Header The following titles appear in the center of the header of page 1:

Title 1: WAAS-Portfolio Title 2: WASHINGTON ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM Title 3: INDIVIDUAL SCORE REPORT (SPRING 2011) Title 4: GRADE [student grade]

Student performance table The following statement is presented above the table: Line1: How did [STUDENT] perform Line2: on the WAAS-Portfolio? The following text is presented for each subject based on how the student participated and/or performed in each subject: If the participation status is:

Passed Tests? Score Student’s Proficiency Level

TS- Tested IC- Incomplete

NO (rawscore) Level 1 (Well below standard)


NO (rawscore) Level 2 (Approaches standard)


YES (rawscore) Level 3 (Meets standard)


YES (rawscore) Level 4 (Exceed standard)

NT- Not Tested

-- -- Did not Participate

RF- Refused -- -- Refusal IV- Invalid -- -- Invalid OG- Off Grade Level

-- -- Off Grade Level

PP- Previously Passed

-- -- Previously Passed

http://www.watesting.comeportcard.k12.wa.us/�

http://reportcard.k12.wa.us/�

Version 2: 08/11/2011 3

Page 2 rules The following statement is presented above the table: How did [STUDENT] perform on the WAAS-Portfolio? Total subject score heading – top of subject column If the participation status is:

The statement is:


[STUDENT] met/did not meet the WAAS-Portfolio [subject] standard. [Gender] score of [Rawscore] out of [possible points] is well below/approaches/meets/exceeds standard.

NT- Not Tested RF- Refused

[STUDENT] did not test is this subject.

IV- Invalid [STUDENT]’s work in this subject was invalidated. OG- Off Grade Level [STUDENT]’s work in this subject was completed at an

inappropriate grade level.

PP- Previously Passed [STUDENT] already passed the test for this subject.

1. [STUDENT] = student’s first name capitalized. 2. [Subject] = Reading, Math, Writing, or Science 3. [Gender] is dependent on the student’s gender:

If male: His If female: Her If no gender supplied: His/Her

4. [rawscore] = student’s earned raw score, bold and underlined. 5. [Possible points]=

a. Grades 03 – 08: 12 for all subjects b. Grades 10 – 12: 24 for all subjects c. The points will be bold and underlined.

Version 2: 08/11/2011 4

Variable skills text descriptions – lower portion of subject column If the student is Tested or Incomplete, variable text displayed based on the performance and context scores earned for each submitted skill will be displayed. Otherwise, this area will be blank.

Grades Score Type Score Text 03-08 Performance 1 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] did not approach the goal for the

targeted skill [SkillNumber] in [Subject]. 2 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] approached the goal for the targeted

skill [SkillNumber] in [Subject]. 3 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] met the goal for the targeted skill

[SkillNumber] in [Subject]. 4 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] exceeded the goal for the targeted skill

[SkillNumber] in [Subject]. - Not tested in this content area. IE No evidence of [STUDENT]'s level of proficiency was demonstrated on the

targeted skill. N The evidence submitted for Skill [Skill Number] is not aligned or no evidence

was submitted. N2 No skill 2 submitted.

Context 1 Evidence shows that [STUDENT] generalizes [Subject] targeted skill [SkillNumber] in two contexts.

2 Evidence shows that [STUDENT] generalizes [Subject] targeted skill [SkillNumber] in three contexts.

- Not tested in this content area. IE Evidence shows that [STUDENT] demonstrated [Subject] targeted skill

[SkillNumber] in one context. N The evidence submitted for Skill [Skill Number] is not aligned or no evidence


10 - 12 Performance 1, 2 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] did not approach the goal for the targeted skill [SkillNumber] in [Subject].

3, 4 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] approached the goal for the targeted skill [SkillNumber] in [Subject].

5, 6 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] met the goal for the targeted skill [SkillNumber] in [Subject].

7, 8 Evidence demonstrates that [STUDENT] exceeded the goal for the targeted skill [SkillNumber] in [Subject].

- Not tested in this content area. IE No evidence of [STUDENT]'s level of proficiency was demonstrated on the

targeted skill. N The evidence submitted for Skill [Skill Number] is not aligned or no evidence


Context 1, 2 Evidence shows that [STUDENT] generalizes [Subject] targeted skill [SkillNumber] in two contexts.

3, 4 Evidence shows that [STUDENT] generalizes [Subject] targeted skill [SkillNumber] in three contexts.

- Not tested in this content area. IE Evidence shows that [STUDENT] demonstrated [Subject] targeted skill

[SkillNumber] in one context. N The evidence submitted for Skill [Skill Number] is not aligned or no evidence


Version 2: 08/11/2011 5

1. [STUDENT] = student’s first name capitalized. 2. [SkillNumber] = 1 or 2 3. [Subject] = Reading, Math, Writing, or Science

School Roster of Student Performance Rules General information

1. All students with valid grades are listed on the report.

2. Student names are always uppercased whenever they are presented on the report.

3. SSID is formatted as XXXX XXX XXX.

4. If any of the following data are not provided, the data are left blank on the report:

a. Student name b. SSID c. Date of birth

5. The following text appears on the header of all pages of the report, except the

legend: a. Left side:

i. DISTRICT: [District Name], uppercased ii. SCHOOL: [School Name], uppercased iii. CDS CODE: [District code]-[School code]

b. Center: i. Title 1: Washington Alternate Assessment System ii. Title 2: WAAS-Portfolio School Roster of Student

Performance iii. Title 3: GRADE [grade] iv. Title 4: Spring 2011

6. The following text appears on the footer of all pages of the report, except the

legend: a. Left side:

iv. Original HS release: WAAS - Portfolio School Roster Report Date: June 8, 2011

v. Original 3-8 release: WAAS - Portfolio School Roster Report Date: September 8, 2011

i. First rerun: WAAS - Portfolio School Roster Report Date: TBD b. Right side: [District code]-[School code] c. Center: Page [#] of [#]

7. Student names are presented as [Last Name], [First Name] [Middle Initial]

8. Student sort order on report:

a. Grades 03-08: Last name, first name, middle initial. b. Grades 10-12: Grade, last name, first name, middle initial.

Version 2: 08/11/2011 6

Student score formatting

1. If a student is Not Tested or Refused in a valid subject for the grade then the following data are presented: Aligned to GLE (both skills) = NT Evidence Aligned (both skills) = - Performance (both skills) = - Context (both skills) = - Total score = NT Performance level = blank Met standard = blank

2. If a student is Previously Passed, Off Grade, or Invalid in a valid subject for the grade then the following data are presented: Aligned to GLE (both skills) = PP or OG or IV (as appropriate) Evidence Aligned (both skills) = - Performance (both skills) = - Context (both skills) = - Total score = PP or OG or IV (as appropriate) Performance level = blank Met standard = blank

3. If a student is Incomplete then the following data are presented for skill 2:

Aligned to GLE (both skills) = N2 Evidence Aligned (both skills) = N2 Performance (both skills) = N2 Context (both skills) = N2

4. For all other students, the submitted skills scores are formatted in accordance with the roster legend.