How to "Excel" at Benchmark Assessment

CTAP Region IV Administrator Workshop #3

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Activity B: Class Analysis

 

Team B-1

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Download Grade 3 or Grade 8 ELA results from the sample benchmark results at http://www.ctap4.org/pi/. Click on Class Analysis.

Open the Excel spreadsheet on one or two adjacent computers. Open the wiki on a third computer. Everyone on the team should contribute ideas. Choose a different scribe as the team moves from one station to another. Click on the edit button above to get started typing in the wiki. Click on the save button below when you finish. Once you've saved, click on the sidebar over to the right of the screen to view how other teams have answered.

1. Review the Strand Analysis results for the five language arts strands. Which ones are you concerned about and why?  Discuss how the strands are weighted on the exam.

The greatest concern would be in the area of writing.

2. If you wanted to raise test scores, where would you put the focus to show the greatest impact?

Focus on writing convention.

3. Looking at the spreadsheet data, choose a standard that concerns you. Now, look at the actual test questions booklet to see how these standards are tested.  What new information does it give you about what students know/don't know?

writing conventions 1.8, 1.5, 1.4, 1.1 focus areas:  your/you're; they're/there/their                     underlining titles                     lack of understanding / complete sentences                     supporting the main idea of a paragraph

4. You are one month out from the CST. How could class time best be used? Record your goals and strategies.

Focus on individual standards where the needs are the greatest (see above).