West End Elementary AdvancED Student Performance Data Document

West End Elementary AdvancED Student Performance Data Document West End Elementary uses a variety of research-based formative and summative assessments to accurately measure student progress throughout the school year and adjust instruction as necessary. Some of these assessments include DIBELS, GRASP, ACCESS, SRI, and the CRCT. A description of these assessments, including student performance data for three years, is included below. DIBELS Next Data Summary Grades K-5 According to the University of Oregon Center on Teaching and Learning, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. The DIBELS measures were specifically designed to assess the big ideas in reading. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. These research-based measures are linked to one another and predictive of later reading proficiency. The measures are also consistent with many of the Common Core state standards in reading, especially the foundational skills. Combined, the measures form an assessment system of early literacy development that allows educators to readily and reliably determine student progress. The role of DIBELS as indicators is described in Kaminski, Cummings, Powell-Smith, and Good (2008) as follows: DIBELS measures, by design, are indicators of each of the Basic Early Literacy Skills. For example, DIBELS do not measure all possible phonemic awareness skills such as rhyming, alliteration, blending, and segmenting. Instead, the DIBELS measure of phonemic awareness, Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF), is designed to be an indicator of a student's progress toward the long-term phonemic awareness outcome of segmenting words. The notion of DIBELS as indicators is a critical one. It is this feature of DIBELS that distinguishes it from other assessments and puts it in a class of assessments known as General Outcome Measures. West End Elementary and Rome City Schools have used DIBELS as an assessment for many years. The data that is gleaned from each round of assessments (beginning, middle, and end of each school year) is used to inform and adjust instruction, especially in grades kindergarten through second. A table summarizing West End s DIBELS performance over the last three years is included below. Grade Level Kindergarten: Phoneme Segmentation Fluency First: Individual Sounds First: Whole Words Read Second Oral Reading Fluency 2012-2013 Students At or Above Benchmark 2013-2014 Students At or Above Benchmark 2014-2015 Students At or Above Benchmark 92% 81% 97% 78% 68% 65% 86% 74% 76% 62% 54% 59%

Third Oral Reading Fluency Fourth Oral Reading Fluency Fifth Oral Reading Fluency 59% 66% 60% 57% 60% 66% 56% 40% 52% Analysis of 2014-15 DIBELS Next Data (Former Goals) Kindergarten Kindergarten students made significant progress this school year. For the first administration of PSF using the DIBELS Next assessment (mid-year) 86% of students scored at, or above, benchmark. This increased to 97% of students at, or above, benchmark on the Phoneme Segmentation Fluency measure at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. The 2015 results indicate an improvement from the 2013-2014 school year, when only 81% of students scored at, or above, benchmark. Kindergarten teachers rolled out the Walpole and McKenna model of differentiated reading instruction in February of 2015. We believe scores will continue to increase as this model is followed with fidelity and implemented the entire school year. First Grade We were a little disappointed with our DIBELS results for this school year. While we saw a small increase from last year at the mid-year administration, we were hoping scores to be significantly higher with the implementation of the Walpole and McKenna model of differentiated reading instruction. Our teachers differentiated their small group reading instruction beginning in August using a blended design of Imagine It Phonics and Walpole and McKenna. After attendance at the SRLG Differentiation Institute in January, our small groups followed the Walpole and McKenna model with fidelity. Looking at the raw data, the percentage of students at or above benchmark in Nonsense Word Fluency for sounds showed a decrease from 71% to 65%. What stands out is the mid-year administration where 77% of students were at, or above, benchmark. There are multiple variables for this finding that we are in the process of adjusting for next year. There was a significant increase on the Whole Words Read measure in the Nonsense Word Fluency section of the assessment. Students at, or above, benchmark grew from 56% to 76%. The oral reading fluency (ORF) decreased by a single percent (63% to 62%). Second Grade Our second grade scores have stayed stagnant the last three years. Based on the data, students are not growing as fluent readers. Their ORF scores at the first administration showed 61% at, or above, benchmark, and by the final administration it was 59% at, or above, benchmark. Third Grade Our third grade scores also seem to have stagnated. There is a decrease, specifically, in last year s (ORF) scores from 66% to 60%. However, when you look at where these students were in second grade (59%), it is evident that there has been little progress to the end of this school year (60%). One of the three literacy teachers implemented the Walpole and McKenna model for differentiated reading instruction at the beginning of the year (while the other two began using this model in January). There is little difference in their

fluency scores (the one who used the model the entire school year had 60% of her students at, or above, benchmark while the other two teachers were at 59%). There has been an increase in their accuracy from 61% to 69%, so while they are not necessarily reading more words per minute, they are reading more accurately. Fourth Grade Our fourth grade scores are on a steady climb upward. ORF scores increased by 6% from last year (60% to 66%). The data also shows a 6% increase from third grade as well (60% to 66%). From this year s first benchmark to the final benchmark, the percent at, or above, benchmark increased from 61% to 66%. The accuracy data shows similar findings with an increase from 68% to 76%. One of the variables for which we attribute this positive growth is moving a former first grade teacher (strong in small group instruction) to fourth grade to be a model, or leader, for small group instruction. We hope to see a continued upward progression at this grade level. Fifth Grade Looking at ORF (words correct), our scores show significant progress from the first to final administration: 44% to 56% at, or above, benchmark. However, when you look at these same students in fourth grade, their final percentage at, or above, benchmark was 66%. This means the students decreased by 10% from fourth grade to fifth grade. Teachers at the fifth grade level have consistently spent instructional time on fluency, but the instructional pedagogy changed mid-year (from Quick Reads to the Walpole and McKenna model for differentiated reading instruction). School Summary, Grades K-5 While overall, our DIBELS results do not yield significant gains in fluency, students have shown remarkable growth from the beginning of the school year until now. It is amazing what can be delineated looking at the individual student level. Using the Informal Decoding Inventory (IDI) has illuminated where each child needs to grow, and we believe that as we continue to use this assessment and meet student needs during small group time, our DIBELS scores will improve. Future Goals We plan to continue small group instruction following the Walpole and McKenna model for differentiation reading. Teachers were trained on this instruction in February, following the return of the Literacy Coach and three teachers from the SRLG Differentiation Institute. Teachers now feel much more confident and capable to pinpoint students needs after administering the IDI and providing them with appropriate strategies to help decode texts. Progress monitoring students has always been an expectation at West End. This year, teachers were required to progress monitor their students monthly (which was an increase from years past). It is evident that while teachers are working with students, they are not all following the protocol provided by DIBELS for progress monitoring. We will make this a schoolwide initiative for 2015-2016. Teachers will be required to submit this data, and we will meet as a data team to discuss the findings and determine an action plan to meet the needs of these students. We also plan on meeting with our students one-on-one to create individual reading goals. Teachers will conference with students after each administration of the SRI to construct a path for continued progress and monitor their progress.

Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) is an interactive computer-adaptive assessment designed to measure how well students read literature and expository texts of varying difficulties. This formative instrument is used as a diagnostic tool to assess students Lexile levels so that intervention and acceleration can be implemented to meet the needs of each student. SRI has been the subject of six validation studies. The research ranges from a norming study with a sample of 512,224 students (this study was not conducted with the SRI) to an analysis of gender, race, and ethnic differences among fourth through ninth grade students. The following table demonstrates students average growth by grade as measured by Lexile over the past three years. Scholastic Reading Inventory Data Summary Grades 3-6 2014-2015 Scholastic Reading Inventory Date of first administration August 2014, second administration December 2014, and third administration May 2015. This data highlights the final administration of the SRI. Spring Below Basic Proficient Advanced Administration Basic 2013: Second 12% 11% 40% 36% 2014: Second 27% 15% 42% 15% 2015: Second N/A N/A N/A N/A 2013: Third 6% 30% 42% 22% 2014: Third 10% 29% 34% 28% 2015: Third 9% 35% 40% 16% 2013: Fourth 5% 24% 49% 22% 2014: Fourth 5% 32% 37% 26% 2015: Fourth 7% 24% 47% 23% 2013: Fifth 2% 13% 62% 22% 2014: Fifth 3% 22% 50% 25% 2015: Fifth 8% 20% 50% 22% 2013: Sixth 2% 15% 51% 32% 2014: Sixth 3% 17% 40% 39% 2015: Sixth 5% 21% 37% 36%

Grade Fall Winter Spring Growth 3 261 373 454 193 4 520 576 641 121 5 663 711 748 85 6 758 794 836 78 Third Grade, 2015 3 rd grade first administration Lexile mean = 261 3 rd grade last administration Lexile mean = 454 3 rd grade average Lexile growth = 193 points Final SRI: Advanced 16%, Proficient 40%, Basic 29%, Below Basic 10% Fourth Grade, 2015 4 th grade first administration Lexile mean = 520 4 th grade last administration Lexile mean = 641 4 th grade average Lexile growth = 121 points Final SRI: Advanced 23%, Proficient 47%, Basic 24%, Below Basic 7% Fifth Grade, 2015 5 th grade first administration Lexile mean = 663 5 th grade last administration Lexile mean = 748 5 th grade average Lexile growth = 85 points Final SRI: Advanced 22%, Proficient 50%, Basic 20%, Below Basic 8% Sixth Grade, 2015 6 th grade first administration Lexile mean = 758 6 th grade last administration Lexile mean = 836 6 th grade average Lexile growth = 78 points Final SRI: Advanced 36%, Proficient 37%, Basic 21%, Below Basic 5% Analysis of 2014-15 SRI Data Third Grade For the first SRI administration of the year, 4% of third grade students scored in the advanced range. By the final administration, 16% of our students scored in the advanced range. We believe that following the

Walpole and McKenna model for differentiated reading made a huge impact on these scores. Once students became more fluent, they were able to read to learn. We also believe that the use of the Independent Reading Assessment helped teachers pinpoint the specific comprehension weaknesses and identify specific strategies to help these students. The students in the proficient range increased from 28% to 40%, which means that 56% of the third students are reading at, or above, their Lexile range. Students in the basic range increased from 31% to 35%. At the below basic range, there was a significant decrease of 31% at the first administration to 9%. The average growth for third graders who took the SRI was 193 points. Fourth Grade For the first SRI administration of the year, 18% of fourth grade students scored in the advanced range. By the final administration, 23% of students scored at the advanced level. The students in the proficient range increased from 40% to 47%. Students in the basic category decreased from 30% to 24%. In the below basic range, there was a decrease from 13% to 7%. Once again, we attribute this progress to the use of the Walpole and McKenna model for differentiated reading. We also believe that the use of the Independent Reading Assessment helped teachers pinpoint the specific comprehension weaknesses and identify specific strategies to help these students. The average growth for fourth graders who took the SRI was 121 points. Fifth Grade For the first SRI administration of the year, 18% of fifth grade students scored in the advanced range. By the final administration, 22% of students scored at the advanced level. Students in the proficient range had a significant increase from 32% to 50%. In the past, fifth grade did not usually have regular small groups that met the needs of students at the decoding level. We attribute this growth to the use of the Walpole and McKenna model for differentiated reading. We also believe that the use of the Independent Reading Assessment helped teachers pinpoint the specific comprehension weaknesses and identify specific strategies to help these students. The basic category also had a significant decrease from 37% to 20%. In the below basic range, there was a decrease of 12% to 8%. The average growth for fifth graders who took the SRI was 85 points. Sixth Grade For the first administration of the year, 25% of sixth grade students scored in the advanced range. By the final administration, 36% of students scored at the advanced level. We believe students grew in the advanced level due to following the Independent Reading Assessment with fidelity. Students were equipped with strategies, specific to their needs, which helped improve their comprehension. Students also became better multi-syllabic decoders due to the use of the REWARDS program based on IDI data. The students in the proficient range increased from 35% to 37%. This means that 73% of sixth grade students are reading at, or above, their Lexile range. Students scoring in the basic category decreased from 31% to 21%. Students scoring in the below basic category also decreased from 8% to 5%. The average growth for sixth graders who took the SRI was 78 points. School Summary, Grades 3-6 There were 444 total students assessed with the SRI during the 2014-2015 school year. Reviewing the data as a whole, there was an increase moving advanced scores from 16% to 24%. In the proficient range, there was an increase of 34% to 44%. There was a decrease in the basic range from 34% to 25% and in the below basic range a significant decrease of 16% to 7%. At West End, at the final administration of the SRI, approximately 68% of our students are reading at, or above, their Lexile range. It is safe to state that our

students are growing as readers. While we were hoping the data from the SRI would show a greater percentage of our students in the proficient and advanced categories, especially at third and fifth grade, progress is being made. Both the Scholastic Independent Reading Assessment and the Walpole and McKenna design for differentiated reading were new to teachers this year. We believe that as the instruction from both are implemented with greater understanding and fidelity starting at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, a greater level of growth will be evident. GRASP Math Assessment GRASP (Georgia RESA Assessment of Student Progress) was developed by math specialists at the West Georgia Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA) to be used as a screening tool for mathematics in grades two through six. According to the West Georgia RESA website, the GRASP tools are designed to provide teachers with the data they need to plan rigorous instruction for all students. For students who require intervention in addition to regular classroom instruction, GRASP provides tools designed to track progress on skills from kindergarten through high school. The Math Computational Fluency screening instruments and probes measure if students in each grade level have acquired the basic math computational skills they require to be successful in applied mathematics. According to the West Georgia RESA GRASP website, the West Georgia RESA math specialists collaborated with math teachers and specialists across seven school systems to create standards-based math screening instruments and probes. In order to determine cut scores and time limits for the standards-based math instruments, the RESA team administered the screener to over 2,000 students across seven grade levels in nine schools. The screening scores for the students who achieved a performance level of 2 on the math portion of the CRCT were analyzed by grade level to determine the average score of students considered to be on grade level. The time limits for each screener were calculated using the same method. Research on the cut scores for the Math Computation Fluency instrument was obtained from Dr. Ed Shapiro, Director of the Center for Promoting Research to Practice at Lehigh University (1996). Dr. Shapiro s research has been duplicated by several other teams across the country, who agree that students are considered fluent in basic math computation when they can correctly compute 20 digits within a series of basic math problems in a two minute time period. West End Elementary School and Rome City Schools have used the GRASP screener since 2012. These assessments have allowed teachers to determine where foundational holes exist in students math thinking in both concepts and fluency. The GRASP screener is administered three times each year (beginning, middle, and end). The table below illustrates West End students performance on the GRASP math screener over a three year period. Three Year GRASP Data Scores indicate the percentage of students who met or exceeded the cut score. Concepts and Applications Screener Grade 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 Fall Winter Spring Fall Winter Spring Fall Winter Spring 2 nd 76.1% 70.9% 88.9% 54.2% 70.6% 84.1% 59.2% 86.2% 78.3% 3 rd 64.8% 75.5% 81.25% 71.3% 71.4% 76.9% 71.3% 73.7% 78.5% 4 th 41.8% 42.1% 62.1% 60.6% 29.8% 73.1% 54.8% 32.6% 65.7% 5 th 48.9% 52.2% 81.3% 60.8% 52% 74.5% 55.9% 54.6% 72.1% 6 th 16.9% 43.7% 63.6% 42.4% 56.7% 71.9% 62.5% 55.3% 64.4%

CRCT Computational Fluency Grade 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 Fall Winter Spring Fall Winter Spring Fall Winter Spring 2 nd 53.9% 83.7% 92% 30.2% 79% 87.7% 52.7% 71.2% 83.3% 3 rd 77.7% 87.9% 92.8% 75.8% 91.6% 93.3% 66.4% 65.1% 62.5% 4 th 58.9% 75.5% 76% 26.5% 63.4% 74.7% 55.8% 68.8% 48.4% 5 th 63.8% 83.5% 94.4% 14.7% 62.6% 79.6% 45.4% 65.4% 75.5% 6 th 74.3% 94.8% 98.5% 17.2% 58.8% 62.1% 72.5% 76% 77.7% The Criterion-Reference Competency Test (CRCT) is an assessment mandated by the state for students in third through eighth grade. We have reflected current achievement data that will help the school understand the subjects and skills in which teaching and learning need to be improved. While the most recent CRCT results from 2014 were largely positive, there were some areas that decreased in particular grade levels and subject areas. In addition, when compared with other schools within the system and state, our results demonstrate a need for improvement in those areas as well. Overall CRCT Results by Grade and Subject While CRCT scores increased, there is still room for improvement, particularly in science. Foundational holes still exist in some of the upper grades due to a lack of hands-on activities and vocabulary in the content areas. In some content areas, as the assessment and content become increasingly more difficult due to the implementation of Common Core, the students performance decreases, and these holes become even more evident. Recent Georgia Milestones results indicate a need for increased rigor in literacy, math, science, and social studies, while English Language Arts and math scores were equal to, or above, the state average. Analysis of CRCT by Grad Third Grade Third grade CRCT scores increased in all subject areas except science. The graph below illustrates third grade performance over the past four years in every subject area. There was a significant increase in math and social studies scores as well as a marginal increase in English Language Arts. Some of these increases can be attributed to the implementation of two-man teams with each teacher focusing on particular subjects. Third Grade CRCT Results 120 98 91 94 94 95 95 93 96 90 88 92 96 100 87 84 89 90 78 82 80 83 80 60 40 20 0 Reading ELA Math Science Social Studies 2011 2012 2013 2014

Fourth Grade While the fourth grade CRCT scores are consistently in the 90 th percentile, the English Language Arts, math, and science scores dropped. The graph below illustrates the rise and fall of fourth grade CRCT scores over the past four years. In particular, the drops in math and science were causes for concern. Of the students who failed the math CRCT, most students are in the ESOL program or special education. Interventions have been put in place for these students in the form of RTI small groups and the addition of push-in segments in math with English learners. The graph below illustrates the performance of fourth grade students at West End over the past three years. Fourth Grade CRCT Results 100 95 90 85 80 75 97 96 96 96 97 94 94 95 92 93 94 91 91 89 90 90 88 88 87 84 Reading ELA Math Science Social Studies 2011 2012 2013 2014 Fifth Grade The graph below demonstrates mixed results among the different subject areas in fifth grade. The majority of the results reflect above the 90 th percentile over the last four years. The two year drop in science has caused some concerns. However, the implementation of more hands-on opportunities, the purchase of more instructional resources, and a classroom set of microscopes will improve our science instruction. Fifth Grade CRCT Results 105 100 95 90 95 96 98 98 97 97 96 98 94 100 96 96 95 92 88 88 91 91 90 94 2011 2012 2013 85 2014 80 Reading ELA Math Science Social Studies Sixth Grade Sixth grade students performed well in four of the five subject areas accessed. The graph below demonstrates sixth grade s performance over the last four years. While scores dipped slightly from the previous year, the scores reflect high levels of achievement over the 90 th percentile in all subject areas except science.

Sixth Grade CRCT 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1009710097 99 9710098 88 90 93 95 85 88 87 92 94 73 71 64 Reading ELA Math Science Social Studies 2011 2012 2013 2014 CRCT Results Summary Overall, the four year comparison in math shows percentage gains in most content areas. Our student achievement levels at West End are always above the system and state average and range from the high 80 th percentiles to 100%. Science and social studies scores were disappointing for our school in 2011 and 2012. Although we had some increases, the overall percentages for these two subjects did not improve as hoped. These lower scores can be attributed to the fact that there is not enough time to teach these two subjects in depth. This is a problem each school year as the demands for more rigorous reading and math instruction increases. More time must be spent on reading and math, along with small groups to remediate and accelerate students. As the new Georgia Milestones assessments results come in and the CCRPI accountability measures are implemented, it will become increasingly important to focus more time and attention to science and social studies, especially in grades three through six. ACCESS ACCESS Summary Grades K-5 ACCESS for ELs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Learners) is a secure large scale English language proficiency assessment given to kindergarten through twelfth graders who have been identified as English learners (ELs). It is given annually in WIDA Consortium member states to monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English. All EL students are assessed annually during the winter. The numbers below indicate the average composite proficiency level of students on the three most recent assessments (Winter 2013, 2014, and 2015). Grade Level 2012-2013 Students 2013-2014 Students 2014-2015 Students Kindergarten - 2.7 - First - 3.8 3.9 Second 1.4 3 4.2 Third 2.5 4.4 4.2 Fourth 3.2 2.9 4.4 Fifth 3.3 4.4 3.5

Analysis of 2014-15 ACCESS Data Kindergarten Both of the ESOL teachers work with kindergarteners during reading small group time. One ESOL teacher also pulls kindergarten ELs for a pull-out segment in which social and academic language are the primary focus. First Grade One ESOL teacher is currently working with first graders in small reading groups. She is using the Walpole and McKenna model of Differentiated Reading Instruction as well as best practices in teaching vocabulary and language development. Second Grade Two ESOL teachers are currently working with second graders in small reading groups. We are using the Walpole and McKenna model for Differentiated Reading Instruction as well as best practices in teaching vocabulary and language development. Third Grade One ESOL teacher is currently working with fifteen third graders in small reading groups. We are using the Walpole and McKenna model for Differentiated Reading Instruction as well as best practices in teaching vocabulary and language development. Fourth Grade One ESOL teacher serves our fourth grade ELs in both their reading and math classrooms. This decision was made to support the rigorous math standards and enhance their math academic language. (The decision to only work in one math classroom was made to support our ELs language needs in their reading and writing classrooms.) Fifth Grade One ESOL teacher serves fifth grade ELs in both reading and writing. This decision was made because it is appropriate to begin developing ELs writing proficiency later in their elementary school career. Future Goals We plan to continue small group instruction following the Walpole and McKenna model for differentiation reading. One ESOL teacher attended the SRLG Differentiation Institute in January 2015. She helped redeliver this instruction to her colleague. The ESOL teachers plan to continue using this model in small group reading instruction. They also plan to focus on reading and math academic vocabulary during their small group instruction in the content area classrooms. ESOL teachers will also continue to progress monitor on a bi-weekly basis and confer with students as they are reading. Next school year, they will begin setting language goals for all ELLs with the help of their online EL database, ELLevation Education.