2001 Annual Report

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Mississippi Assessment System

Note: The spring 2000 norm-referenced assessment results cannot be directly compared to the results of the norm-referenced assessments administered from 1994 through 1998 because the tests are different, the national norming samples are different, and the norming dates are different.
 

Fall 1999 Functional Literacy Examination (FLE)

	Number of  Students Tested	Mean	% of First Time Test Takers that Passed
Reading Scaled Score	28,041	270.1
Mathematics	28,039	265.0
Written Communication	27,922	267.7
Composite	27,895	803.0	90.0%

Percentage in Lower Quarter FLE Composite Score: 24.7%

Spring 2000 Subject Area Testing Program (SATP)

There are no test results available for the spring 2000 Subject Area Testing Program. The spring 2000 administration was the item tryout for the new subject area tests in Algebra I, Biology I, U.S. History from 1877, and English II with a writing component.

· "MEAN" (average) CTBS/5 scores are reported in Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE). The scale is 0-100, with higher scores being better than lower ones.

· "MEAN" FLE scores are reported as scale scores and are not compared to a national norming sample.

· "PR" refers to the percentile equivalent for a given NCE score.

· The symbol "%<Q1" indicates the percentage of students found in the bottom 25 percent.

The Mississippi statewide tests are being revised to better reflect recent changes in the Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks. These frameworks now provide integrated content standards across grades with specific curriculum objectives and skills for each subject area.

The current Functional Literacy Examination, a minimal competency high school exit examination administered in grade 11 for reading, mathematics, and written communication, will be phased out over a period of years. The state will continue with the Mississippi Career Planning and Assessment System (MS-CPAS). The MS-CPAS, composed of the Work Keys® (readiness) and occupational-specific tests, is administered to all vocational completers.

The state is currently implementing a new Grade Level Testing Program (GLTP) in grades 2-8. The GLTP will include custom developed, criterion-referenced tests in grades 2-8 assessing reading, mathematics, and language arts in both multiple-choice and extended-response format. Custom developed writing assessments will be administered in grades 4 and 7. These tests will be aligned with the Mississippi curriculum while under development. In addition, norm-referenced assessments in reading and mathematics will be administered in grades 3-8. The writing assessments and norm-referenced components of the new GLTP were initially administered in spring 2000, with criterion-referenced test items for grades 2-8 initially administered in fall 2000.

The state is implementing a new Subject Area Testing Program (SATP) in Algebra I, Biology I, English II (with a writing component), and U.S. History from 1877. Each of these tests is an end-of-course, criterion-referenced test custom developed from the Mississippi curriculum. An item validation administration was given in spring 2000. The Algebra I, Biology I, and U.S. History from 1877 assessments include both multiple-choice and extended-response questions. The English II assessment includes multiple-choice questions and a writing assessment using direct writing prompts. Passing scores for the SATP assessments will be established, and these tests will eventually replace the FLE as requirements for high school graduation.

The state issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for K-2 observational informal diagnostic assessments. Vendors that met the minimum requirements were placed on an approved vendor list. In the 2000-2001 school year, observational and informal diagnostic reading, reading and mathematics readiness, and mathematics assessments will be given to all students in kindergarten, first, and second grades. The K-2 assessments will be developmentally appropriate diagnostic tests administered individually. These assessments will not be standardized large-group tests and will not be used in the Mississippi Accreditation System. The results will provide critical decision-making information to classroom teachers.

Norm-Referenced Test

· Survey battery tests in mathematics and reading/language in grades 3-8

· CTBS/5 (which is part of the TerraNova® assessment series published by

· CTB/McGraw-Hill)

· Approximately 140 multiple-choice items

· Timed and administered under standard conditions

· State, district, and school-level reports provided by Mississippi

· No plans for this test to be included in the accreditation model

· Student performance on the norm-referenced test can be compared to a 1996 national norm group
 

Writing Assessments

· Grades 4 and 7

· Two writing prompts: narrative, informative, or persuasive

· Fourth grade assessment contains visual prompt(s)

· Scoring rubrics designed by Mississippi teachers
 

Criterion-Referenced Tests (Mississippi Curriculum Tests)

· Based on Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks

· Grades 2-8

· Assesses reading, language, and mathematics

· 50 multiple-choice items and 5 open-ended items for each content area

· Item validation (pilot) in fall 2000

· Un-timed, with many accommodations allowed for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

· The entire score range established for grades 2-8 will form a developmental scale on which student performance, as well as annual student growth, can be measured

· Proficiency levels to be set by Mississippi teachers in fall 2001 (Advanced, Proficient, etc.)

· All items reviewed by Mississippi teachers

Purpose

· Provides a meaningful assessment of secondary academic content tied to the Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks

· Promotes instructional strategies integrating both content and problem solving

· Offers a meaningful tool for accountability of local schools and districts

· Provides student accountability--the four subject area assessments will ultimately replace the Functional Literacy Examination as high school graduation criteria
 

Type of Assessment

Biology I and U.S. History from 1877

· Multi-mode assessments that consist of eighty-five multiple-choice and two open-ended questions

· Enhanced multiple-choice questions require student demonstrations of fundamental knowledge and proficiency in using various types of information

· Open-ended questions offer opportunities for student demonstration of greater depth of knowledge through student-generated written responses to questions
 

Algebra I

· Multi-mode assessments that consist of approximately seventy items and two open-ended items

· Students are required to use graphing calculators
 

English II Writing

· Administered earlier in the school year to allow for hand scoring

· Students are asked to respond to one of two narrative prompts and one of two informative prompts

· Provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate writing skills
 

English II Multiple-Choice

· Administered along with the other subject area tests (Algebra I, Biology I, U.S. History from 1877)

· Consists of eighty-five multiple-choice questions covering reading comprehension and language conventions
 

Implementation Schedule

· Spring 2000: item validation administration to all students enrolled in Algebra I, U.S. History from 1877, Biology I, and English II with a writing component

· Fall 2000-Spring 2001: first administration of operational assessments to students in 4x4 districts (fall 2000) and to students in all districts enrolled in the subject area courses (spring 2001)
 

Reporting

· A full range of score reports that include individual student reports to state reports will be generated from the fall 2000 and spring 2001 administrations

· Student data will be reported in a format to facilitate decisions about student remedial needs

Purpose

· To comply with MS Code Sections 37-16-1 and 37-16-7 to ensure mastery of minimum competency performance standards in reading, mathematics, and written communication skills

· Is a prerequisite for high school graduation
 

Type of Assessment

· A criterion-referenced assessment based on core objectives from the high school curriculum structure in the areas of reading, mathematics, and written communication

· An assessment developed by Mississippi teachers who wrote test items, served on test item review committees to monitor the quality of test items used for test development, and screened test items for compliance with established Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Student Assessment item bias criteria
 

Assessment Administration

· The primary administration is given in the fall of the junior year.

· Retests are given in the spring following each fall administration.

· Pupils retake only those tests not passed.
 

Reporting

· District and School Summary Reports provide comparison data for the state, the district, and schools within the district.

· School Performance Reports provide data for instructional decision-making purposes.

· Pupil Reports provide individual pupil performance in the areas of reading, mathematics, and written communication.

· Parent Reports provide individual pupil performance and list the description of skills, the number of items answered correctly, the number of items measuring a skill, and interpretative information.
 

Use of Data

· Assists in the identification of educational needs at the district and school levels to ensure that all pupils possess minimum competencies in reading, mathematics, and written communication

· Identifies individual educational needs of pupils

· Verifies compliance with requirement for the standard high school diploma

· Verifies Required as an accountability measure for the performance-based accreditation system

Purpose

· To assess local program performance in producing students with workplace readiness skills

· To create meaningful measure of accountability of the level of instruction and resulting student performance in occupational program areas
 

Type of Assessment

· Combination of assessments measuring academic workplace readiness and occupation-specific skills

· Assessments measuring workplace readiness skills are written assessments composed of 30-40 selected response (multiple-choice) items

· Occupation-specific assessments are based upon content of Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks for selected occupational programs

· Occupation-specific written assessments are composed of 70 selected response (multiple- choice) items

· Performance assessments have been developed for some occupation-specific programs

· Measures the level of performance on work-force competencies to ensure the quality of educational programs to maximize student achievement

· Administered to vocational completers at secondary and post-secondary levels

Reporting

· Student performance reported in a manner which shows individual student performance as compared to other group performance and which may be used as an indicator of employment readiness

· Program and state information reported in a format to be used for improved classroom instruction, curriculum modifications, and professional development
 

Use of Data

· Mechanism for articulation between secondary occupational courses and post-secondary programs which would allow students to obtain advanced standing including possible course waiver(s) in post-secondary programs based upon demonstrated achievement

· Resource for developing instructional-specific professional development and program improvement

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