Understanding Testing in New Jersey

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Understanding Testing in New Jersey

• Montville Township School District

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History of Testing
1975 NJ Legislature- Public School Education
Act . . . to provide to all children in New
Jersey, regardless of socioeconomic status or
geographic location, the educational opportunity
which will prepare them to function politically,
economically, and socially in a democratic
society.
1981-1982 Minimum Basic Skills Test All 9th
Grade Students
1976 An amendment to establish
uniform standards of minimum achievement in basic
communication and computation skills.
1983 HSPT9 Adopted
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History of Testing
1998 GEPA replaced EWT
1988 HSPT moves from Grade
9 to Grade 11 EWT is given to grade 8
1997 EPSA is given to Grade 4 students
2001 No Child Left Behind Adopted

2002 HSPA replaces HSPT 11
2003 NJASK 3-4
2006 NJASK 5-6-7
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Common Terminology Used for Analysis
Reliability The extent to which a measure
provides a consistent result.
Standardized Ensuring that certain conditions
pertinent to the test are consistent.
Variance Assessment of how much of the variance
in some outcome can be explained by another
variable.
Validity The degree to which a measure truly
measures the attribute it intends to measure.
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Common Terminology Used for Analysis
Population A group of persons who possess
certain characteristics.
Students in Same Testing Grade
District Factor Group (DFG) The New Jersey
Department of Educations system for ranking
school districts by their socioeconomic status.
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Precautions of Using High Stakes Testing for
Decision Making
In New Jersey, the report card provides a
snapshot of different input and output variables
including comparative assessment data from
statewide high-stakes tests. (Tramaglini, 2008,
p.19) percent proficient is a weak and
inadequate reporting tool (p.19) interpreting
academic achievement using percent proficient may
not be an accurate method of determining academic
progress (p. 20)
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Reliability of Assessment Scores
Researchers argued that the results of most
high-stakes assessments are not reliable measures
of academic achievement (Linn 2005, Ramaley,
2005, Rogosa, 2005, Tienken Wilson, 2005)
Tienken and Wilson (2005) indicated that the
use of assessment instruments such as the GEPA to
determine academic achievement do not represent a
complete measure of mandated content
standardstest results lack reliability.
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Reliability of Assessment Scores
Not having the complete picture of academic
achievement might cause educational leaders and
community members to make faulty decisions or
apply misguided remedies (Ramaley, 2005).
Without knowing the variability associated with
test scores, readers interpretations may lead to
false negative or false positive errors.
(Tramaglini, 2008 , p. 23)
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Effect of Size
When using only proficiency percentages, there
is a failure of the percentages to indicate that
differences in sample size (number of students
taking the test) could distort the comparative
relationships among the samples (Tramaglini,
2008, p.23) Tramaglini (2008) also noted that
when comparing data from year to year, a
difference in the sample size of the population,
differences in schools sample sizes could skew
the statistical interpretations. (p. 25)
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Suggestions for Interpretation
Understand Practical vs. Statistical Significance
Practical Reviewing the changes in assessment
scores and noticing that those changes appear to
be large enough where they are not a result of
chance. This is less accurate than using a
statistical test to determine if the observed
effects are noteworthy.
Statistical Test of significance used to
determine if the reported effects are large
enough to rule out that the changes occurred by
chance.
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Suggestions for Interpretation
Use Scaled Scores
Statistically converted raw scores which
...allow actual scores to determine how an
average group (i.e. class, school, or district)
compares to others. Scaled scores are a more
accurate representation of the results of the
assessment (Tramaglini 2008).
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How Are We Really Doing?
According to the 2007 NJASK 3, the average
percent passing for the Montville Township
Elementary Schools was 96 in Language Arts and
in Mathematics.
According to the 2007 NJASK 4, the average
percent passing for the Montville Township
Elementary Schools was 91 in Language Arts,
Mathematics, and Science.
According to the 2007 NJASK 5, the average
percent passing for the Montville Township
Elementary Schools was 97 in Language Arts and
94 in Mathematics.
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How Are We Really Doing?
According to the 2007 NJASK 6, the percent
passing for Lazar Middle School was 93 in
Language Arts and 86 in Mathematics.
According to the 2007 NJASK 7, the percent
passing for Lazar Middle School was 96 in
Language Arts and 83 in Mathematics.
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How Are We Really Doing?
According to the 2007 NJ ASK 8, the percent
passing for Lazar Middle School was 92 in
Language Arts and in Mathematics and 97 in
Science.
According to the 2007 HSPA, the percent passing
for Montville Township High School was 92 in
Language Arts and 89 in Mathematics.
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NCLB Requirement
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How Are We Really Doing?
10 National Merit Scholars
28 Bloustein Scholars
22 Perfect Scores on the SAT Math, Critical
Reading, Writing, or Subject Test
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How Will We Improve?
To support improvements in the area of Language
Arts Literacy in the Elementary Schools
Reading Specialists are conducting monthly after
school book club meetings at each elementary
school. The focus is on Writing
Workshop.
Teachers have been trained and continue to
receive ongoing staff development provided by
the Reading Specialists in the
area of Guided Reading.
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How Will We Improve?
Professional Days have been used to provided
staff development to elementary teachers in the
area of Teaching Comprehension.
Basic Skills teachers have received training in
Using Assessment to Drive Instruction.
To support the implementation of Balanced
Literacy, Guided Reading materials have been
ordered for each elementary school. Several
schools have created book rooms to house
leveled materials.
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How Will We Improve?
To support improvements in the area of Language
Arts Literacy at Lazar Middle School
Language Arts teachers have participated in book
club meetings to support and discuss the
implementation of Writing
Workshop.
Professional Days have been used to provided
staff development to Literature Teachers in the
area of Teaching Comprehension.
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How Will We Improve?
To support improvements in the area of Language
Arts Literacy at Montville
Township High School
Department meeting time is being used to provide
staff development in the area of Brain Based
Learning.
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How Will We Improve?
To support improvements in the area of
Mathematics at Lazar Middle
School
Department meeting time is being used to provide
staff development in the area of State Standard
Focal Points
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How Will We Improve?
To support improvements in the area of
Mathematics at the elementary schools
Mathematics teachers have participated in staff
development to implement the new textbook series

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Thank you

• Alan Lucibello, Supervisor of Social Studies
• Karen Chase, Supervisor of Language Arts
• Jennifer Sowa, Supervisor of Special Services
• Joseph Keiser, Assistant Principal Lazar Middle
  School
• Madelyn Wechsler, Supervisor of Science
• Martin Wall, Assistant Principal MTHS
• Michael Raj, Ed.D., Principal Cedar Hill School
• Michael Ventura, Director of Guidance
• Patricia Kennedy, Ed.D., Principal Valley View
  School
• Sandra Alon, Ph.D., Supervisor of Mathematics