what does all this testing mean
DESCRIPTION
Standardized Testing Overview presented at Mt. Bethel'sTRANSCRIPT
What Does All This Testing Mean?
MBES PTA General Meeting 11/7/13 @ 6:30pm
Tests We Will Discuss Tonight:
CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
Iowa Test: Achievement
CRCT: Criterion Referenced Competency Test
• The CogAT is a norm-reference test designed to measure students’ learned reasoning abilities that closely relate to success in school
• The Iowa is a norm-reference, multiple choice test that measures student achievement compared to a national sample of students who took the same test at the same time of year under the same conditions
• Taking the CogAT and the Iowa at the same time allows for a comparison of ability to achievement
Norm Reference Testing
Norm-Reference Testing
National
Percentile Raking
The NPR indicates the status or relative rank of a student’s score compared with a nationally representative sample of examinees.
This score is useful for discussing a student’s test results with parents and for determining areas of relative strength and weaknesses for a class, grade, group.
Stanine
GE - Grade EquivalencyA decimal number that describes a student’s location on an achievement continuum in terms of grade and months at which the typical student received this score.
Most useful for tracking growth over time.
Cognitive Abilities Test
Nationally Normed Mental Ability Test
Measures general and specific reasoning abilities in three domains
Abilities reflect the overall efficiency of cognitive processes and strategies that allow individuals to
learn new tasks and solve problems.
CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
1st Grade – Teacher paced
3rd Grade – Independent
7th Grade - Independent
CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
CogAT: So What?
How do we use the scores?
Guiding efforts to adapt instruction to the needs and abilities of the students.
Measuring cognitive development to help identify academically talented students.
Identify students whose predicted levels of achievement differ from levels of academic
achievement.
Iowa Test
Nationally Normed Achievement Test
Identify strengths & weaknessesInform instructionMonitor growth
Determine college readinessMeasure core standards
Implement Response to InterventionInform placement decisions
Make comparisonsEvaluate programs
Predict future performanceSupport accountability
Iowa Test: Achievement
Iowa Test Score Report
Iowa Test Score Report
Provides a measurement of academic achievement.
Provides data on students who may fail the CRCT in the Spring.
Allows teachers to bolster weaknesses and play on strengths.
Iowa Test: So What?
Georgia CRCT
Students mastery of GPS & CCSS
Required by the State of Georgia
Assessment of how well students learned content areas of Reading (CCSS), English Language Arts
(CCSS). Math (CCSS), Science (GPS), Social Studies (GPS).
Provides information on strengths and weaknesses
Measures knowledge taught in Georgia classrooms
CRCT: Criterion Referenced Competency Test
“Gateway” test for:
3rd graders – Reading
5th Graders – Reading & Math
8th Graders – Reading & Math
CRCT: Criterion Referenced Competency Test
Does Not Meet = Below 800Meets = 800 – 849
Exceeds = 850 +
CRCT Scores
On Criterion Referenced Tests a committee (usually consisting of educators, content area specialists, and state administrators) look at a battery of questions matched to the curriculum and for each question they determine if a “minimally competent” student in that subject area would get the question correct or incorrect. After all the items have been examined the committee’s recommendations are taken and used to create “cut scores.” These scores will mark the difference between a student who “Meets” standards or “Does not Meet.”
an example, a math test might have 60 questions with a cut score of 33. This would mean that a student who gets 33 out of 60 questions correct would “Meet” standards while a student who correctly answers 32 out of 60 questions would be classified as “Does Not Meet.” For Criterion Referenced Tests the State of Georgia commissions committees each year to set the cut scores for each assessment. The cut score for a given test might be different depending on the subject, grade, and year.
CRCT: Criterion Referenced
Competency Test
How are we teaching?
How are students learning?
Do students qualify for special programs?
Accountability
CRCT: So What?
What Are Other Standardized Assessments?
GKIDS – Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills
3rd Grade Writing
5th Grade Writing
ACCESS for ELL’s
GAA – Georgia Alternative Assessment
NAEP – National Assessment of Educational Progress
What Does All This Testing Mean?
We have a balanced approach to determine student strengths and weaknesses and plan curriculum and programs based on scores.