Post to BCPSS Parents @ 2009 Summer Learning Program Missteps

BCPSS continuing further missteps in student proficiency test data accountability for our local district grades K-8 schools 2009 Summer Learning Program. Schools Benchmark Test Assessment Data outcomes taken from the issued February 09 Benchmarks proficiency test results measure the grade K-8 student proficiency rates test scores in math/reading, which is being use for the first time in this years citywide 2009 Summer Learning Program for assigning Tiering I, Tiering II, levels determine which schools by a central office-driven decision assign tiering to each local district site school by grade level are being mislabeled Tiering categories Tier I, Tier II.

Early proficiency test data scores in math/reading, accuracy rates questions were ignored by central office academic executives in May 09 echo’s sent from parents raised, aimed at central office school system staff, and executives officers that some schools central office-driven assigned Tiering categories I, II, were questioned in suspect of being in error by parents who expressed major concerns regarding the data accuracy rates proficiency assessment test data being reviewed by the office of Academic Achievement and DREAA?

Parents further questioned if the school principals are accomplished in the how-to comprehension to engage the Tier waiver, petition/appeal process for correcting any missteps originating in the central office-driven data accuracy process being used for changing incorrectly assigned categories tiers?

Subsequently, reluctantly another review was performed for a check and balance clarification by central office which confirmed this month in 09 June, 09 February Benchmark proficiency assessment test scores data was found missing and/or was realized missing from some local district schools by grade levels. If essential proficiency assessment test data scores results and assigning Tiering categories in primary/secondary schools, grades level K-8, proficiency test data scores in math/reading, accuracy rates for some of the local district schools were not considered then how good is the newly created central office-driven Tiering process?

Immediate central office corrective action was to be implemented Two Weeks before the Summer Learning Program starting date on Monday, June 29th by grade level.

Systemic tiering-do-over review position by parents is being ignored by the central offices Academic Achievement and DREAA for test data scores in math/reading, accuracy is in order for the citywide Summer Learning Program from the February 09 Benchmarks proficiency rates test in math/reading, which determined which school grade level were tiered into two categories Tier I, Tier II were found to be in error. Let’s hope for better BCPSS central office practices in the future….

Is it me? could someone please translate as I think there is a story in the above post.

Is it me? Could someone please translate as I think there is a story in the above post.

I&EP-
Huh?

I get a headache just trying to comprehend this.

If you're an English teacher and one of your students protests that grammar is not important you can print out an I&EP comment to prove that without grammar (including punctuation) there is no information conveyed by words merely strung together. I like to read them out loud to my children - guaranteed laughs in our house.

I remember high school English teachers throwing away papers when she got to the 3rd or 5th grammatical error. I probably didn't say it at the time, but thank you so much.

Reply to Inside Ed recipients Re:BCPSS Parents @ 2009 Summer Learning Program Missteps.

Each of your comments is correct. Tiering school assignment category using student academic proficiency test results assessment data process subject is some what complex.

"But tiering when not applied with total data accuracy the process is not innocuous." All children’s high quality of summer learning program that will remediate, maintain and enrich their skills in preparation for the new school year are critically placed at being at risk. Thank s to each of your input. “Post @ wise educator you are on point.”

Perhaps the person above should change his or her name to "Dazed and Confused Parent of City Schools"! What a waste of space....

Hint: Brevity is the soul of wit.

Is there any way to interpret what our children's raw score on the MSA means? The report sent to us indicates the very broad categories in which they fall (e.g., proficient, advanced), but there's absolutely no way to tell what percentile they're in.

@Ravens - I'm not sure I have enough faith in the MSA to really look at percentiles. The report I got had a graph that showed where my child scored compared to his/her school, district and state. I think the comparative data is interesting (i.e. my kid is doing better or worse than the school's average or my kid's school is doing better or worse than the average school in the city or in the state). I also think which category you child falls in is important because it might indicate remedial or G&T services. Also how close they were to the cut off is interesting because it indicates if the category determination is within the margin of error of these ratings.

The test scores that are really poorly communicated to parents are the HSA's. Last year there was no report at all until the first quarter's report card and there the only indication was number of HSA's passed. With the HSA's being minimum standards, I'd like to see my kids scores were well above the passing line. Maybe we'll get better reports this year, but I'm not holding my breath.

@ Anonymous - I'd go for "Incomprehensible & Enraged", but that's just me.

I can't make hide nor hair out of that first post. It looks like English...

Post @ Maryland School Assessments coming soon

FYI all school system parents that can not comprehend the Benchmark assessment test HSA, MSA, Stanford 10 report results attend this month the Family and Community Engagement Training
and Support—Summer 2009 Parent Training and Support Opportumities as follows:

Understanding Testing
Learn about the tests your child is required to take:
Stanford 10 for grades 1 and 2, the Maryland School
Assessment (MSA) for grades 3 through 8 and the High School Assessment (HSA).July 28, 5-7 p.m., Baltimore Polytechnic Institute; August 5, 5-7 p.m., Baltimore City
College

I&E, How are these sessions advertised to parents and others?

One interesting thing to note is thee way that MSA scores continue to change - this year for example, there is even less information that would help parents, students or schools in using the data to help guide instruction on an individual level or on a systemic level. In years past the test came with a small breakdown in the components of each of the domains under math and ELA. This year, not so much. Now the only score being provided is a raw score that is compared to the school, system and state. This information is useless except as a referenced test to compare students to others.

I like what MSA asks, but think that the data provided is worthless. And trying to use this data to do any type of year to year tracking of individual students, grade levels within a school or system, or a school's overall performance has become what the experts refer to as "elfin magic" and nothing more. I know that BCPSS is going to try and use a growth model to see how schools are doing as opposed to just a score model for success. I think this is a great idea. When we look at schools with good scores I wonder if they simply get good scoring kids in and keep them that way or if they are really moving kids up levels. With the growth model we can hopefully see when a school is actually moving kids forward or if they are simply keeping kids where they are when they enter. I do wonder however, how the data provided by the tests used in grades 3 - 8 can be used when the data provided is so limited in what it tells us. I would love to hear from DREA on this.

Further, I wonder if Liz and company have taken a look at the cost and success of using tests in grades 1 and 2. For those of us who have given these tests, one wonders what they actually assess other than who can sit through such a long test without rolling on the ground. Kids at this age should, IMHO, not be subjected to these tests (and they are not required by NCLNB). Along with this, the tax payers should not be made to pay for tests that provide dubious data.

What do others think?

I like what MSA asks, but think that the data provided is worthless. And trying to use this data to do any type of year to year tracking of individual students, grade levels within a school or system, or a school's overall performance has become what the experts refer to as "elfin magic" and nothing more. I know that BCPSS is going to try and use a growth model to see how schools are doing as opposed to just a score model for success. I think this is a great idea. When we look at schools with good scores I wonder if they simply get good scoring kids in and keep them that way or if they are really moving kids up levels. With the growth model we can hopefully see when a school is actually moving kids forward or if they are simply keeping kids where they are when they enter. I do wonder however, how the data provided by the tests used in grades 3 - 8 can be used when the data provided is so limited in what it tells us. I would love to hear from DREA on this.

Further, I wonder if Liz and company has taken a look at the cost and success of using tests in grades 1 and 2. For those of us who have given these tests, one wonders what they actually assess other than who can sit through such a long test without rolling on the ground. Kids at this age should, IMHO, not be subjected to these tests (and they are not required by NCLNB). Along with this, the tax payers should not be made to pay for tests that provide dubious data.

What do others thing?

IE&P - Pure gold.

How's that for brevity.

Reply @ Post by Wise Educator good query.

BCPSS main web page go to the column WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW click on the fifth bullet Parent Training and Support Opportunities open up the complete flyer schedule.

If the other Inside Ed blog empty barrels would do their research and homework they would not post such uninformed comments of no value at all! Folks using this format show why some of our school children in the city don’t succeed in the public schools academic arena no at home guidance “All Talk and Saying Nothing.”

@ Intrerested and Engaged Parent! Here we go with the insults again!!! I quit this blog for that very reason.Then I decided to try it again. I am really out now! I&E, I was merely asking a question. How would the average parent even know to look where you described? Many on my students are not online! I am done ever reading this blog again. I work to hard every day to have so-called interested people with too much time hurl insults. You need not respond as I will no be reading. Get off the computer and go actually help a kid.

@wise educator (assuming you change your mind and do read this comment) -
I think I&EP actually did like your question the insults were thrown at others.

Reply @ Post by Wise Educator

Your choice to do what ever! Etiquette when you ask for my input to guide you to a resourse which I did. Adapt I get to respond and comment in the manner that I choose."You don't get to control the order of that."

@Bill -
My last post seems to have gotten lost, so forgive me if this ends up being redundant.

Honestly (no sarcasm) I'd love to be able to understand I&EP's post as I have a lot of issues with summer placements myself (as I've blogged about). If you see "pure gold", how about a translation? Not just for me, but for the vast majority of commenters that are baffled.

Well, we've received our child's individual results on the MSA and other than showing the broad catergory (e.g., proficient, advanced, etc.) there's absolutely no other way to understand what his raw score means or how it compares to his score from last year. Is there any way to find out how the scoring scale translates to percentiles, or to decipher any meaningful individual data from his results?