How to "Excel" at Benchmark Assessment

CTAP Region IV Administrator Workshop #3

Activity C:  Bottom 5/Top 5

Team C-4

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. Identify the Bottom 5/Top 5 students.

Student numbers:  1,14,13,15,2 = Bottom Top 5 students:  7;,8,12,3,16,11,5

2. Look at the individual scores for each student to detect patterns in the bottom 5 for each strand.  Take particular note of  those students who don't show up in all of the categories for the Bottom 5.   Record all of your observations. How would you use this information on low performers in planning?

Students don't score poorly consistently e.g. student #14 shows up in the bottom 5  in 4 of the 5 categories, but also shows up in the top 5 in reading comprehension.  #15 is in 3 of the 5; student 2 is in 3 of the 5, etc.   We would look deeper into other issues with the student to get a more wholistic picture, e.g. are there learning disabilities, transfer students, language learning issues, etc.

3. Develop a plan to differentiate instruction to bring the bottom five students up in each strand.   State your goals and define what classroom strategies teachers might use to improve student performance based on these results?

We would differentiate lessons; offer small group instruction, on-on-one, pull-out intervention; resource programs, --- some form of remediation.   Could use information on individual test scores for each standard with intervention teachers so they know where to apply the strongest focus.

4. How might you work with the top 5 students?

We need to perhaps provide more engaging and challenging text for those top 5, e.g. Jr. Great Books.  We also need to advise the GATE advisory people so that they will also be served and continue to be challenged.  Even improving scores among proficient students can help improve overall test scores.