Target Group Improvement Action Research Plan - Check In #1 - April 12, 2015
This post can also be located at this link: http://bit.lly/1IWCAQO
Target Group Improvement Action Research Plan - Check In #1 - April 12, 2015
Data Highlights and Target Group Identification
1. What type of student achievement data did you analyze?
I have been analyzing the results of the interim assessment given to the sixth grade math students at my school using the Illuminate application for data gathering and reports in use by my district. The other sixth grade teachers in my department provided me with reports, from Illuminate, that showed how students scored on the assessment, and we were able to break down the results to show achievement on individual Common Core standards tested. In addition, our PLC was given a report produced by administration that showed how various sub-groups scored on the assessment. I also examined demographic data on the California Department of Education Educational Demographics Unit.
2. What were the main findings generated from the analysis of your data?
In analyzing the data, it was determined that none of our students scored proficient on this new exam (intended to be a predictor of how students will do on the new Smarter Balance Assessment, testing mastery of the Common Core standards), that white students had a higher percentage of correct answers on the assessment, and that English learners and special education students scored particularly low. It was also noted that students tended to do more poorly on questions that had more than one correct answer (this is a procedural change in testing expectations from the previous standardized tests students have been taking.)
In reviewing demographic data for 2013-14, I found that more than 50% of the students at my school identified as White, 33% identified as Hispanic (with a total of 47 of those students being identified as English learners in sixth grade), and less than 1% of our student population identified as African American. A slightly higher percentage of our students identified as two or more races, non Hispanic.
3. Share 5 questions that the data sparked.
4. Name 3 priority needs and mention which one of these seemed most urgent.
5. Which target group did you select to work with and why?
I’ve selected English learners as my target group. I’m interested in taking a closer look at possible causes for these students to be scoring lower than our White students, and looking at both the understanding of math concepts and also other root causes that may be contributing to these results. Another reason for selecting this group is that QTEL strategies have been an area of focus for our site professional development this year and I’m interested in including the strategies into an action plan for our math classes.
This post can also be located at this link: http://bit.lly/1IWCAQO
Target Group Improvement Action Research Plan - Check In #1 - April 12, 2015
Data Highlights and Target Group Identification
1. What type of student achievement data did you analyze?
I have been analyzing the results of the interim assessment given to the sixth grade math students at my school using the Illuminate application for data gathering and reports in use by my district. The other sixth grade teachers in my department provided me with reports, from Illuminate, that showed how students scored on the assessment, and we were able to break down the results to show achievement on individual Common Core standards tested. In addition, our PLC was given a report produced by administration that showed how various sub-groups scored on the assessment. I also examined demographic data on the California Department of Education Educational Demographics Unit.
2. What were the main findings generated from the analysis of your data?
In analyzing the data, it was determined that none of our students scored proficient on this new exam (intended to be a predictor of how students will do on the new Smarter Balance Assessment, testing mastery of the Common Core standards), that white students had a higher percentage of correct answers on the assessment, and that English learners and special education students scored particularly low. It was also noted that students tended to do more poorly on questions that had more than one correct answer (this is a procedural change in testing expectations from the previous standardized tests students have been taking.)
In reviewing demographic data for 2013-14, I found that more than 50% of the students at my school identified as White, 33% identified as Hispanic (with a total of 47 of those students being identified as English learners in sixth grade), and less than 1% of our student population identified as African American. A slightly higher percentage of our students identified as two or more races, non Hispanic.
3. Share 5 questions that the data sparked.
- How might language issues affect both math achievement and performance on the assessment?
- How might reading disabilities affect math achievement and performance on the assessment?
- What strategies were used by teachers to prepare students for the change in expectations of this assessment (specifically, the possibility of more than one correct answer)?
- Were there specific Common Core standards that students were notably stronger or weaker?
- What might be root causes underlying the differences in performance levels of White students, Hispanic students, and special education students?
4. Name 3 priority needs and mention which one of these seemed most urgent.
- Mastery of math content by English learners. I believe this is most urgent as this group represents a reasonably large group of students at our school.
- Mastery of math content by Special Educations students
- An understanding of students of ways this assessment is different from standardized assessments given in the past.
5. Which target group did you select to work with and why?
I’ve selected English learners as my target group. I’m interested in taking a closer look at possible causes for these students to be scoring lower than our White students, and looking at both the understanding of math concepts and also other root causes that may be contributing to these results. Another reason for selecting this group is that QTEL strategies have been an area of focus for our site professional development this year and I’m interested in including the strategies into an action plan for our math classes.