The Tennessee Perspective

1
The Tennessee Perspective

• Longitudinal Growth Modeling Session
• Fall EIMAC Meeting
• October 5, 2005

2
Overview

• Tennessee analyzes individual student academic
  achievement over time to improve educational
  opportunities for all students at all achievement
  levels.
• A few definitions
• Primer on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment
  System (TVAAS)
• State policy
• Data system
• Current applications
• Integration with NCLB/AYP

3
Definitions

• From Rolf Blank and Lori Cavell (2005).
  Memorandum to Chief State School Officers
  Growth Models Primer, March 16, 2005.
• Growth models generally refer to models of school
  accountability that measure progress by tracking
  the achievement score or proficiency level of a
  student cohort from one year to the next with the
  intent of determining the progress made.
• Value-added models are one type of growth model
  in which states or districts use student
  background characteristics and other data as
  statistical controls in order to isolate the
  specific effects of a particular school, program
  or teacher on student academic progress.
  Achievement growth over time at the school level
  is then the aggregate of growth for individual
  students controlling for each students
  background and prior achievement.
• Status models are often held in direct contrast
  to growth models. A status model (such as
  Adequate Yearly Progress AYP under NCLB) takes
  a snapshot of a subgroup or schools level of
  student proficiency at one point in time and
  compares that proficiency level with an
  established criterion.

4
TVAAS State Policy

• The TN Education Improvement Act of 1992 mandated
  that TVAAS
• Estimate the impact of districts, schools, and
  individual teachers on the educational progress
  of students effect
• Hold districts and schools accountable for making
  expected academic growth

5
TVAAS State Policy

• TCA 49-1-603 Value Added Assessment System
• (a) Value added assessment means
• (1) A statistical system for educational outcome
  assessment which uses measures of student
  learning to enable the estimation of teacher,
  school, and school district statistical
  distributions and 
• (2) The statistical system will use available
  and appropriate data as input to account for
  differences in prior student attainment, such
  that the impact which the teacher, school and
  school district have on the educational progress
  of students may be estimated on a student
  attainment constant basis. The impact which a
  teacher, school, or school district has on the
  progress, or lack of progress, in educational
  advancement or learning of a student is referred
  to hereafter as the "effect" of the teacher,
  school, or school district on the educational
  progress of students. 
• (b) The statistical system shall have the
  capability of providing mixed model methodologies
  which provide for best linear unbiased prediction
  for the teacher, school and school district
  effects on the educational progress of students.
  It must have the capability of adequately
  providing these estimates for the traditional
  classroom (one (1) teacher teaching multiple
  subjects to the same group of students), as well
  as team taught groups of students or other
  teaching situations, as appropriate. 

6
TVAAS State Policy

• TCA 49-1-601 Performance Goals at the Local Level
• (b)(2) All public schools and local education
  agencies shall have academic growth for each
  measurable academic subject within each grade
  greater than or equal to standards for expected
  academic growth set by the commissioner with the
  approval of the state board. Growth shall be
  determined through the value added assessment
  provided for in 49-1-603 - 49-1-608. 

7
TVAAS Data System

• Data system has followed each individual student
  as he or she is tested under the states
  assessment program
• Unique Student Identifier
• Assessment Data
• Student Data

8
TVAAS Data System

• Unique Student Identifier
• Assigned based on students SSN, first name,
  last name, middle initial, birth date, gender and
  ethnicity codes.

9
TVAAS Data System

• Assessment Data
• (1991-2004) Math, reading/language arts, science,
  and social studies grades 3-8
• (1994-2004) Writing - various grades
• (2002-2004) Algebra I, Biology, English II
  Gateway EOC/exit exams
• (2003-2004) Math Foundations, English I EOC
• (1993-2004) ACT
• no alternative assessment data for students with
  disabilities or English Language Learners

10
TVAAS Data System

• Student Data
• District and school
• Teacher(s) linked to each subject taught
• Special education status
• ELL status
• Free or Reduced Price Lunch status
• Race/ethnicity
• Migrant status
• Gender

11
TVAAS Applications

• Tennessee policymakers, educators, parents, and
  citizens use TVAAS in several ways
• Accountability
• Teacher quality
• Instructional improvement

12
TVAAS Applications

• Accountability

13
TVAAS - Applications

• Teacher quality
• Highly qualified HOUSSE option based on teacher
  effect scores
• Hamilton County (Chattanooga) performance bonus
  for teachers with good teacher effect scores who
  teach in high-poverty schools

14
TVAAS Applications

• Instructional improvement
• TVAAS website offers powerful analytical tools
• Principals and teachers can analyze each
  individual students academic growth over time
  and projected trajectory to high school, ACT
  exams parents can also access at schools
• The Tennessee Department of Education provides
  intensive professional development to district
  and school personnel through Assessment Literacy
  workshops

15
TVAAS - Applications
Gateway Algebra I (Proficient) Projection
Report for Student
16
Integration with NCLB/AYP

• TNs performance goals by 2013-14
• 100 proficiency
• 90 graduation rate
• To reach these goals,
• The Tennessee Department of Education must
  precisely identify the schools and districts in
  greatest need of state technical assistance
• Schools must precisely identify the individual
  students in greatest need of academic and other
  supports to meet state standards

17
Integration with NCLB/AYP

• TNDOE has proposed to include an additional
  methodology to the AYP safe harbor provision to
  encourage and recognize schools and districts
  that are successfully placing students on a gain
  trajectory to proficiency.
• The progress at these schools is such that, if
  maintained, the students trajectories of
  achievement meet or exceed the states Gateway
  graduation exam standards.

18
Integration with NCLB/AYP

• Questions and discussion