Imagine Learning Performance Series Workbook

November 2014

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Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4

My Site Information .................................................................................................................................. 4

Resources .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Understanding the Classroom Profile ........................................................................................................... 5

How to View a Class Profile: ..................................................................................................................... 5

Organizing your Class by Scaled Score ...................................................................................................... 6

How to Sort by Scaled Score ..................................................................................................................... 6

Performance Bands ................................................................................................................................... 7

Placement Indicators ................................................................................................................................ 7

Instructional Groups ................................................................................................................................. 7

Learning Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 8

How to View a Class Profile ...................................................................................................................... 9

To View the Suggested Learning Objectives report .................................................................................. 9

Curriculum Alignment Guides ................................................................................................................. 10

Search a Student Record ......................................................................................................................... 11

To Search for a Specific Student Secord ................................................................................................. 11

To View a Specific Record from the Class Profile .................................................................................... 12

Student Profile ........................................................................................................................................ 12

Scaled Score (SS) ................................................................................................................................. 13

Standard Error of Measure (SEM) ....................................................................................................... 13

Unit Score Range (USR) ....................................................................................................................... 13

Standards Item Pool (SIP) .................................................................................................................... 13

National Percentile Ranking (NPR) ...................................................................................................... 14

Reading Rate ....................................................................................................................................... 14

District Reports ........................................................................................................................................... 15

How to Run a District Report .................................................................................................................. 15

How to Access a Summary Report for Reading: ..................................................................................... 16

Student Profile Reports ............................................................................................................................... 18

How to Print the Student Profile Reports: .............................................................................................. 18

Example of Student List .......................................................................................................................... 19

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Example of Class List ............................................................................................................................... 19

Example of a Parent Extended Report .................................................................................................... 20

Performance Test ........................................................................................................................................ 21

To View A Student’s Assessment Status ................................................................................................. 21

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From the Preferences Tab From the Documents Tab From the Help Tab

• Change your password

• Change the number of items viewed per page

• Edit your profile

• User guides

• Proctoring scripts

• PDF quick start guides

• Administrator guides

• Curriculum Alignment Guides (CAG)

• Suggested learning objectives by SS range on the CAG

• Search feature by topic

• Help will auto open to the context of the page clicked

Module 1: Introduction

Introduction

The purpose of this workbook is to help you understand the data and scores in Performance Series. Imagine Learning is utilizing the Reading and Reading Foundations tests. This workbook will help you:

Gain a deeper understanding of Performance Series scores and reports. Use the scaled scores and placement indicator ranges to group students with similar needs.

You will accomplish this by:

Reviewing the Performance Series Class Profile Reports. Creating instructional groups based on scaled scores (SS) and performance bands by scaled

score quartiles. Understanding the various reports available.

My Site Information

My site ID: ________________________________________________ My staff ID: ________________________________________________ My password hint: ________________________________________

Resources

There are a number of ways for an educator to find resources within Performance Series. Below you will find a quick listing of some of the documents and areas used most often.

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Module 2: Classroom Reports

Understanding the Classroom Profile The Class Profile report allows educators to view data for all students in a specific class and view the commonalities in performance among those students.

The Class Profile looks at the score distribution and learning objectives of all students in the class. You will see the classroom as a whole and learn how to understand the distribution of scores, how to reach them, and how to organize students based on scaled score. This section will also explain the learning objectives (SLOs) seen on the right hand side of the class profile page.

This report identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses to help identify instructional next steps. Information is provided about overall class performance on a learning objective, linking Performance Series objectives to the State Performance indicators and standards.

Breaking down Performance Series data into smaller pieces provides educators with an opportunity to create targeted instruction. Performance Series can provide resources for targeted instruction through both the Class Profile report and the individual Student Profile report.

How to View a Class Profile:

1. Click the Classroom tab or the Classroom icon in the center of the homepage 2. Select a class from the drop down list 3. Select a subject to view from the Class Profile area 4. Select a subunit in that subject

The classroom page will open showing the most recent completed Performance Series test.

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The left side of the page displays the students and their scaled scores. This view is a great way to understand the class as a whole and how the whole might be performing. The scaled score is their overall score in that subject area. Later in this workbook we will discuss the individual unit scores. The right side displays the learning objectives for the selected subunit for the class as a whole.

Educators can toggle between subunits to display objectives specific to the subunit selected. The left side of the screen will remain constant with the overall scaled score for that subject. The right side of the screen will update as subunits are selected.

Organizing your Class by Scaled Score

From the Class Profile page, looking at the left side of the view, it is possible to organize your class by scaled score. Educators may use this view to start the process of creating an instructional group based on similar instructional levels of students.

How to Sort by Scaled Score

Click on the Scaled Score title at the tip of the column to sort the view by scaled score.

Sorted by student last name Sorted by scaled score

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Performance Bands

The Class Profile report shows performance band ratings to help educators identify levels of proficiency based on the student’s National Percentile Ranking (NPR) score. The default bands seen above will appear when a student tests within the national norm testing windows for fall, winter, and spring in a grade level and subject included in our study. By default, the performance bands are broken down into quartile.

Below Average Low Average High Average Above Average

< 25 NPR 26–50 NPR 51–74 NPR > 75 NPR

Placement Indicators

Placement indicators are used to group students together against the national norm group by grade level and subject area. The scores and the cut ranges are determined by time of year. A copy of the Performance Series Placement Indicators can be found in the Documents tab.

Instructional Groups

Knowing more about the scaled score and performance band ratings, you can now look at the class distribution of scores and begin to create instructional groups. In the example below, the class is sorted by scaled score. You can see the categories in the band set, but educators still need to pay close attention to the scaled score in conjunction with the performance band.

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In the example above, notice how Ralph and Irma belong to two different performance bands. The band assignment is tied directly to each student’s NPR score. However, notice there are only 40 scaled score points between the two scores. If you were creating instructional groups, chances are Ralph and Irma would be at the same instructional level and could be included in the same instructional group.

Learning Objectives

Learning objectives help educators understand how the class as a whole or an individual student is performing relative to the subunit selected. The objectives are on the right side of the Class Profile page.

The objectives shown reflect the subunit selected when you open this screen. In this example, “Vocabulary” is selected as the subunit of Reading. The subunit selected will be noted at the top in the light blue band “Reading: Vocabulary.” To choose another subunit, click on the name Long Passage and the page will refresh to show objectives relative to the new subunit selected.

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How to View a Class Profile

1. Click Classroom from the home page 2. Select a class from the drop-down list 3. Select a subject to view 4. Select a subunit for that subject

The objectives are ordered by difficulty and span the scaled score range of the class.

Each objective has a difficulty level assigned, based on the calibration of items (questions) aligned to that objective. Each student’s scaled score determines if he or she would be expected to complete an objective or not.

If the difficulty of an objective is below the student’s scaled score, it is expected that the student would be able to complete that objective. If the difficulty of the objective is above the student’s scaled score, the student would not be expected to complete the objective.

A closer look at the objectives shows a green line with numbers on either side. This denotes which students are expected to attain that objective and which students did not complete that objective based on the student’s scaled score. From this view, you can choose an objective and look right, sliding your cursor over to the student icon. When you click the student icon, a list of which students have or have not completed the objective will show.

To View the Suggested Learning Objectives report

1. Locate the objective you wish to see student details 2. Slide you cursor right, to the student icon

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This view is helpful when trying to determine which students might need differentiated instruction based on their individual needs relative to a specific objective or skill.

Remember, the students’ scaled score determines if they have completed the objective or not. Objectives are assigned a level of difficulty in the Curriculum Alignment Guide (CAG). If the student scored higher than the difficulty on this objective, their name will be on the left side of the report, showing they have completed the objective. If the student scored lower than the level scaled score range on the objective, their name will appear in the objective column indicating they have not completed it.

Curriculum Alignment Guides

Curriculum Alignment Guides (CAGs) align subjects, units, and objectives in Performance Series assessments with your state standards. Looking at the alignment will help you better understand the connection between the scaled score and the difficulty range of the objectives.

You can see what document your school or district is aligned to at the top of the classroom profile.

You may navigate to the CAG by using the Help tab in the upper right corner while logged on. The specific path is Help>Reference Material by Feature>Curriculum Alignment Guides. You may then navigate to your state standards or Common Core link. From there you will see information explaining how the match was conducted. If you scroll down to the PDF links, your document will look something like below:

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Module 3: Student Profile and Scores

This section looks at the student profile to view scores for an individual student. Detailed score descriptions can be found in this section. You can use the student profile to do the following:

Analyze scores to determine the student’s skill-level abilities. Compare student progress against available objectives and against themselves over time via

the scaled score. Compare the student’s performance to the state item pool via the overall SIP score. Compare the student’s performance against his or her peer on a national level using the

National Percentile Ranking (NPR) score. View the student’s longitudinal progress over time. Compare student progress in subunits of each subject area via the unit score range.

Search a Student Record

There are a variety of ways to locate a specific student record. Educators can click on a student name from the Class Profile report or search for a student from the Site Admin tab.

To Search for a Specific Student Secord

1. Click the Site Admin tab from the home page 2. From the left-hand menu, click Search Students under Students 3. Enter a student ID, the student’s first name, or the student’s last name into the keyword

search field 4. Click Search (a list of matching records will appear) 5. Click the name of the student you wish to view 6. Click Performance Testing to access the profile

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To View a Specific Record from the Class Profile

1. Click the Classroom tab from the home page. 2. Choose a class 3. Select a subject from the Class Profile on the left 4. Select a subunit 5. Click on the student’s name once the class profile populates

Student Profile

The student profile page is the dashboard for all score and student information for a particular student. You can see along the top portion of the graphic below the tabs a teacher can select to see more information about the student’s demographic information, class enrollment, group assignment, and a historical view of all Performance Series testing sessions.

The far left shows a variety of links to toggle between subject areas if the student has taken both the Reading and Reading Foundations tests.

Under the Test Admin link, educators have access to the testing details of date and time of assessment.

As the student continues to take the Performance Series assessments, the graph will display the student’s progress over time, plotting each test session and connecting them with a green line. The graph will track the district’s progress with yellow plot points and a blue dotted line representing the grade level peers in the district as a whole.

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The right side of the menu is a detailed listing of all the individual scores. A legend of score definitions can be found at the very bottom of this screen.

Scaled Score (SS)

The SS is an estimate of the student’s instructional level using the Rasch single-parameter computer adaptive model. The SS range is 1300–3700 for all students.

Standard Error of Measure (SEM)

The SEM is presented in the scaled score and identifies the +/- factor defined by the Rasch model. It is the reliability statistic for adaptive assessments. For more information on SEM, see the Performance Series Technical Report in the Documents tab.

Unit Score Range (USR)

The USR is an independent estimate of ability based on actual responses from each subunit within a subject. The USR is calculated with one standard error of measure on either end, creating a range. Essentially the USR represents the range within which a student might score should he or she retake the test within a few days.

Standards Item Pool (SIP)

SIP scores are a translation of the scaled score and express the probability that a student will correctly answer items within the aligned items pool for his or her grade level.

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National Percentile Ranking (NPR)

NPR positions the students’ scaled score in relation to the National Norm Group of students for his or her grade level.

Reading Rate

The reading rate is based on silent reading rate and is calculated by counting the number of words in the passages and dividing that number by the time it took the student to read the passages. This score will only be accurate if the student reads the passage before clicking “I Am Finished Reading” and answers the questions.

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Module 4: Reports

District Reports The District Reports tab provides an overview of district and school performance, supporting educators and administrators as they plan instructional strategies. You will find the reports useful when there is a need to disaggregate sub-groups and special populations. Report data can be disaggregated by locations (schools from the district level) or by students and classes at the school level.

You can access the following five reports:

Summary Reports show the number of students who have completed the assessment(s) selected.

Gains Reports show the growth or loss of scaled score between assessment periods or within a specific data range.

Gains Analysis Reports use normative data to establish growth targets after the fall test. In the spring the report will populate if that growth target was met or not and assign a growth category as to how close or far away that student scored to the target. Students must have both a fall and spring scaled score and have tested inside of the defined norm windows.

Percentile Reports, or the NPR report, shows the students’ scaled score in comparison to their grade level peers in our norm research.

Performance Band Reports show performance band ratings for the most recent test administration when students test within the defined norm windows.

The role you are assigned and the level at which you log on to Performance Series will control what level of report or aggregation you see. As an example:

A district-level administrator will have access to all schools from within the district they serve as well as all school, class, and student data.

A classroom teacher logged on at a school, will have view access to any of the classes they are assigned and those students who are enrolled in the classes.

How to Run a District Report

1 Click on the District Report icon 2 Locate your report on the vertical and horizontal axis 3 Click on Reading or Reading Foundations

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To use the District Report matrix, look across the page horizontally to find the report you wish to view. Notice each report has its own column listing all the subject area individually. As you look down the left side, you will see the aggregate levels to choose from. If you are a building level administrator, your highest level of aggregate will be the school as a whole. If you are a teacher, your highest level of aggregate will be the students and classes you teach.

Using the Summary Report as our example, please use the following general instructions for all district reports selected from the matrix above.

How to Access a Summary Report for Reading:

1. Click District Reports from the home page. 2. Select a Reading from the Summary Column at the student level

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Notice a couple of things about the report above. In all views, if the column heading is underlined, you may sort on that field. Also notice the red arrow for exporting your information to a .csv file that can be saved as .xls. Not pictured is a PDF link in the top right of the page that will take a screen shot of the report.

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Student Profile Reports Use the Student Profile report feature to print multiple or individual student profiles with a few clicks. You can choose from a few templates based on what information you wish to see included.

Portfolio Record: An extended list of student scores on testes taken in each subject completed.

Parent Review: The student’s current scores in the selected subjects and a trend graph. The report is also available in Spanish.

Parent Summary: All subject results on a single page per student. Parent Extended: All subject results included plus a list of three suggested learning

objectives.

How to Print the Student Profile Reports:

1. Click the Site Admin tab 2. Under Students, choose Profile Reports

Choose:

a. The time frame for the report b. The subject area (Reading and/or Reading Foundations) c. How to select students (by student list or by an entire class)

3. Click Next 4. Based upon the selections made in step 3, a list of classes or students appears. Click the box

in front of one or more students or classes to include them in the repots being generated.

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Example of Student List

Example of Class List

5. Select a template based upon the information you want to see in the individual student profile report. Click Next.

6. Confirm the selections made in previous screens and click Next to generate the report.

All reports will generate in PDF for printing, saving to your local desktop or emailing to colleagues or parents.

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Example of a Parent Extended Report

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Module 5: Unfinished and Inactive Tests

Performance Test After the assessment, the Performance Series Test Status reports allow you to check the progress of assessment administration. For a listing of all students with a test in pause, use the Performance Test tab.

To View A Student’s Assessment Status

1 Click on the Performance Test tab (seen below)

2 Click on Unfinished and Inactive Tests:

The report will provide a list of students and subject areas where the student has a test in pause. If you are a classroom teacher, you will only see those students assigned to you via the classes you teach. If you are a building level administrator, you will see all students at your school.

Notice all reports have the option to export to .csv in the upper near left corner. You may export the listing of students with a test in pause and use it as a checklist. Remember, once a test is placed in pause, students have 14 calendar days to return to the lab and complete their test.