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To Test or Not To Test, That is The Question

Washington State Assessment ConferenceSeattle Airport Hilton December 5, 2008

Peter Hendrickson, Ph.D.Everett Public Schools

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District Overview 12th largest school district in the state

18,708 students 32.5% ethnic diversity 32% students qualify free/reduced lunch 26 schools

5 Middle Schools 4+ High Schools (3 comprehensive and 1

alternative), Denny JDC, Home School, Goal 787 Dreamliner, Verona, CVN 72 Lincoln

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9th Grade Testing Participation Prior to Spring, 2008

Reading Math Writing

2006 927 students

(63%)

611 students

(42%)

909 students

(62%)

2007 1308* students

(92%)*14 pp

1261* students

(88%)*0 pp

1564* students

(91%)*12 pp

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9th Grade Testing: Percent Meeting Standard (Who Tested)

Reading Math Writing

2006 84.6% 58.1% 67.5%

2007 73.2% 39.7% 78.5%

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Our Decision to Expand

Growing consensus across schools Many students met standard Strong teacher, admin appetite for fresh data

Parents see no penalty, only plus No barriers from Administration,

Board Students: Get WASL monkey off my

back! OSPI reluctance wanes

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Our Plan—Much Autonomy

Test most 9th Grade students in reading and writing Individual decisions made with ELL and

disabilities

Near census math testing Wishing better grip on met/not met

reasons

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Everett’s Process to 2008 Winter 2006 window opened

Parent letter crafted Fall 2006 saw no down side

Fresh parent letter Mailed parent letters in January 2007

“Connect Ed” deployed Registered students in January

Most registered at school Wished mass load available

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Everett’s 2008 Results

Percent Tested in Reading: 92.8%

Percent Tested in Writing:92.6%

Percent Tested in Math: 89.6%

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Number and Percent of 9th Graders Who Tested in Spring 2008

95%

19%

55%62%

74% 76%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Asian

Amer

ican

Indian

Black

Hispan

ic

Mult

i Eth

nic

White

Ethnicity

Per

cen

t o

f E

nro

lled

Tes

ted

161

6

49101

24842

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Number and Percent of IEP Students: Reading WASL Spring 2008

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Nu

mb

er o

f S

tud

ents

Tes

ted

Not 60 227

Tested 88 1223

Special Education Not Special Education

55% Tested

33% Met

84% Tested

84% Met

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Number and Percent of IEP Students: Writing WASL Spring 2008

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Nu

mb

er o

f S

tud

ents

Tes

ted

Not 67 246

Tested 81 1204

Special Education Not Special Education

55% Tested41% Met

83% Tested

93% Met

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Number and Percent of IEP Students: Math WASL Spring 2008

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Nu

mb

er o

f S

tud

ents

Tes

ted

Not 89 236

Tested 59 1214

Special Education Not Special Education

40% Tested3% Met

84% Tested45% Met

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Percent of 9th Graders Who Took & Met Standard Spring 2008 WASL

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Per

cen

t T

este

d W

ho

Met

Series1 80.9% 89.3% 42.7%

Reading Writing Math

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Everett’s Writing—A Six Year Story

Literacy IFLs each secondary school Curriculum maps, instructional calendars Common writing benchmark assessments

Developed unique 4 X 4 writing rubric Argumentative Paper grad requirement Annual professional development for teachers

Collaborative scoring local writing prompts Review of evidence beginning, middle year

Middle School focus essential >90% meet (1)

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Writing Scoring Teachers score WASL, table leader Teachers score fall, winter prompts

Most as large group Anchor to 4 X 4 rubric Score others’ papers Data to Instructional Management

System Coached assessments COE tutoring hones analysis

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By the numbers… Before IFMs (Math Facilitators)

Tested all students, regardless of math course being taken

Some discouraged when should’ve allowed

Course taking relates strongly to scores

COEs reduce some anxiety But, we’re still in big trouble

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Grade 9 Scores by Math Course

Gr 9 Math Course & WASL Percent Met

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Alg2 Trig

Geometry

Algebra 1

Alg1 C Learning

Alg1 Bridge

SpEdMath

Percent Not Met Percent Met

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Grade 8, 9 Math Correlation-Algebra 1 Students r=0.52

Correlation Grade 8, 9 Math

320

340

360

380

400

420

440

460

320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 480

Gr 8 Math WASL

Gr

9 W

AS

L A

lge

gra

1

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Everett’s Reading Story IFLs each secondary school

Baseline, coached, benchmark assessments grades 6 to 10

Read 180 Tier 2, 3 intervention Increasing ELL enrollment, near 10% Students with IEPs, ELL, attendance

issues remain Silent, Sustained Reading Program

Evaluation

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Correlation Gr 8, 9 Reading

340

360

380

400

420

440

460

480

500

520

360 380 400 420 440 460 480 500 520

Grade 8 Reading

Gra

de

9 R

ead

ing

Correlation Grades 8 to 9 Reading All Students r=0.58

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IEP WASL Reading Gr 8 to 9 r=0.67

IEP Reading WASL Gr 8, 9

300320340360380400420440460480

320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460

Gr 8 WASL Reading

Gr

9 R

ead

ing

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Issues/Struggles/Concerns

Test four HS grades plus alternatives, options TGFSC*

Manage loosely coupled test protocols All HS OSPI reports slippery above the

test event roster level Provide sudden data to stakeholders

*Thank God for Success Coordinators

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Fresh Opportunities

Rework grade 10+ curriculum…belay the WASL prep

Sharper focus on acceleration, intervention

Raise sights to college ready Broaden genre for writing, reading Exercise creative focus on math (as

we did with literacy)

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Will the music play in 2009? Mais, oui! The culture demands…

OPT Window 9 Dec to 13 Jan

Letter to parents, process included

Work plans flex with weekly OTG (On Time Graduation) meetings

Contact :Peter Hendrickson, Ph.D. phendrickson@everettsd.org