By: Alan Yancey and Vince Farrugia

*Norm Reference Tests

*• What is the purpose of NRTs?

*This assessment method assumes that human traits and characteristics, such as intelligence, academic achievement, and behavior, are distributed along a normal probability or bell-shaped curve (hereafter, referred to as the normal curve), this test determines a student's placement on a normal distribution curve

* A standardized test that compares a student's test performance with that of a sample of similar students who have taken the same test

*Grading on a Curve….

This comparison permits a more meaningful interpretation of the

individual's score.

*Different NRTs

* ITBS- Iowa Test of Basic Skills

* Georgia law mandates that a nationally norm-referenced test, such as the ITBS, be administered annually to students in grades three, five, and eight. The purpose of a norm-referenced test is to obtain information about the performance of Georgia's students and compare it with that of students in a national sample. The results are used for evaluation, decision-making, and instructional improvement.

* TerraNova

* A series of standardized achievement tests used in the United States designed to assess K-12 student achievement in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, vocabulary, spelling, and other areas. Used by many Department of Defense Dependents Schools (serve dependents of US Military- and other non-US - personnel outside the US. The schools themselves are operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity.

* MAP – Measures of Academic Progress

* MAP dynamically adapts to a student’s responses – as they take the test. Answer a question correctly and the test presents a more challenging item. Miss a question, and MAP offers a simpler item. In this way, the test narrows in on a student’s learning level, engaging them with content that allows them to succeed.

* CogAT- Cognitive Abilities Test

* A test of reasoning skills. It's not like a spelling or a math test where if you know the words or the facts you can get 100%. There is no defined curriculum for the CogAT. It is a norm-referenced test and the national average is 50th percentile. To identify students for SAGE and MERLIN programs, Issaquah School District administers advanced versions of the CogAT to all students in grade 2 and to selected students in grades 3-5.

*Advantages of NRTs?

* There is no need to develop all new items for each form of the test.

* Tests can be unique each year due to the development of multiple forms of the norm-referenced core.

*Reports allow a comparison to student performance across the nation as well as information about student performance on the state’s particular content standards.

* The extensive research conducted on each item in the NRT core and in the company’s item bank maximizes the reliability, fairness, and validity of the assessment.

*A vertical scale made possible by the NRT core allows the tracking of student progress from grade to grade.

*Who takes NRTs?

*Students from first grade up through middle schools mostly, a few in High School.

*Most state DOEs require NRTs earlier in education.

* In Ga, test must be administered in grade three, four, or five and in grade six, seven, or eight, subject to available appropriations, with assistance to such school systems by the State Board of Education with regard to administration guidance, scoring, and reporting of such assessments.

*Who Administers these Tests?

*Local school systems administer the test, via the teachers.

*Georgia Dept.of Education has contracted with Riverside Publishing Company to provide the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, Form A for students in one grade within grade bands 3-5 and one grade within grade bands 6-8 at no cost to local systems. Each local system may administer the ITBS/A at some time during the school year.

*Local systems may choose to administer a norm-reference test other than the ITBS/A at its own expense. Local systems may also choose to administer other grades at the system’s own expense

*Public’s Interest…..?

*Students, Parents, Teachers, School Administrators, Local School Board, State Dept. of Ed., Local, State, and National Legislators, National Education Leaders, Test Makers, Textbook Companies, and so on. Everyone involved in education has some level of interest in these test.

*Score reports to local systems will

include the following:

* individual student performance report for parents

* self-adhesive, individual permanent record labels which present normative scores for each student

* an alphabetical list report by classroom teacher, which list students in a class alphabetically and provides normative scores for each subtest and the total battery

* school-level and system-level grade summary reports, which provide normative data for each subtest and a composite score for the battery for all students in a particular grade level

* a classroom summary report, which includes class average scores for each subtest and the total battery

* school summary reports, which provide normative data for each subtest and a composite score for the battery for each school

* score reports to the local systems and to GDOE will include the following

* school, system, and state demographic summaries, which provide normative data for all students and disaggregated by groups specified in state and federal law for score reporting, and standard and non-standard administrations

*How scores are used….

*The purpose of state-mandated assessment is to allow the public, legislators, parents, and other interested persons to see how well students in County and Georgia are learning as compared to other students in the state and in the nation. The assessment program also provides principals and teachers with diagnostic information and assists the schools and system in identifying strengths and weaknesses in order to establish priorities in planning improvements for educational programs.

*Recent results of this assessment

at different levels

* ITBS Results Grade 8

* ITBS Results Grade 5

* ITBS Results Grade 3