Vertical Scales and the Assessment of Growth

What is Growth?

• Growth describes change in student achievement over time

• Focus of growth is on individual students or on matched groups of students

What is Growth?

NCLB Testing – Not Growth

NCLB NCLB NCLB

NCLB NCLB NCLB

NCLB NCLB NCLB

Fall ’09 Spring ’10 Fall ’10 Spring ’11 Fall ’11 Spring ‘12

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Fall Testing for Growth

ITBS ITBS

ITBS ITBS ITBS

ITBS ITBS

Fall ’09 Spring ’10 Fall ’10 Spring ’11 Fall ’11 Spring ‘12

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Measuring Growth

• Determining expected growthfor all students

• Setting goals basedon any starting place

• Measuring student growth using vertically articulatedstandards

Why is Growth Important?

• Individuals learn at different rates• Learning is continuous• Focus on growth avoids arbitrary labels• Puts focus on setting long-term goals• Understanding progress towards college- and

career-readiness

What is required of an assessment to measure growth?

Assumptions

• Learning is a continuum, not a set of discrete steps and achievement levels

• Measurable differences along the learning continuum

• Test development process can focus on growth along the continuum

• Growth scale for reporting results

Growth Scale• Standard scores that describe a student’s location on an

achievement continuum • Tracks year-to-year growth regardless of where the student

started on the continuum • A vertical scale that describes student growth over time, as

multiple measures on individual students using different, age-and grade-appropriate test forms are available

• Typical annual growth is defined and expectations for growth can be established and monitored

130

180

230

280

330

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Vert

ical

Sc

ale

Sco

re

Grade

Standard Score Growth Model at Five Achievement Levels in Mathematics

CCR

Level 5

Level 4

Level 3

Level 2

Level 1

Vertical Scales

How can information on growth be used to help students and teachers?

Using Growth Information

• Setting goals– What are the expectations for growth?– How do I set goals for my students?

• Monitoring progress– Did my student reach their goal?– Did my student grow as expected?

198190

217

228

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

350

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7

Stan

dard

Sco

reSetting Math Goals – Example

Student On Track for Expected GrowthStudent Scores

Projected Growth Range

199

205225

251

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

350

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7

Stan

dard

Sco

reSetting Math Goals – Example

Data Suggests Growth Beyond Expected

Student Scores

Projected Growth Range

Expected Growth onIowa Scales

Reading Math

Grade ScaleScore

ExpectedGrowth

ScaleScore

ExpectedGrowth

2 168 168

3 185 17 185 17

4 200 15 200 15

5 214 14 214 14

6 227 13 227 13

7 239 12 239 12

8 250 11 250 11

9 260 10 260 10

10 268 8 268 8

Expect Growth at Low and High Achievement Levels

Reading Math

Grade LowAchiever

ExpectGrowth

HighAchiever

ExpectGrowth

LowAchiever

ExpectGrowth

HighAchiever

ExpectGrowth

2 146 198 172 191

3 157 11 222 24 182 10 213 22

4 166 9 242 20 191 9 235 22

5 173 7 258 16 197 6 255 20

6 179 6 274 16 200 3 272 17

7 185 6 290 16 203 3 286 14

8 190 5 303 13 207 4 300 14

9 195 5 318 15 217 10 310 10

10 200 5 326 8 228 11 319 9

187

205

225

242

253

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

350

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7

Stan

dard

Sco

re S

cale

Expected Growth for High Performing Student Student …

Projected Growth Range

175

191

188

212

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

350

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7

Stan

dard

Sco

reSetting Math Goals – Example

Need for Additional Information

Student Scores

Projected Growth Range

173

206 217 215

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

350

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7

Stan

dard

Sco

reSetting Math Goals – Example

Data Suggests Growth Less Than Expected

Student Scores

Projected Growth Range

SS

210

200

190

180

SS

210

200

190

180

SS

210

200

190

180

SS

210

200

190

180

SS

210

200

190

180

SS

210

200

190

180

Math

MathMathMath

MathMath

MathMath

Math

SS

210

200

190

180

MathMathMath

MathMath

SS

210

200

190

180

Resources for Monitoring Growth

• Longitudinal Reports on Iowa Assessments• eITP• Iowa DE Data Warehouse• New onliine tools from Iowa Testing Programs

(2011-2012)

Iowa Profiles of Growth and Status

Sources of Additional Information

• Overall information from student profile• Iowa Reports

• Individual/Group Performance Profile• Class Item Analysis• Class Item Response Record

• Multiple measures

Use of Multiple Measures• Growth information can be obtained from a

variety of sources.• Multiple measures of student learning, such

as assessments, essays, portfolios of students’ work, group projects that require analysis, investigation, and written, oral, or graphic presentation of findings, should be combined to measure growth.

Catherine WelchCatherine-welch@uiowa.edu

Steve DunbarSteve-dunbar@uiowa.edu

Questions or Comments?