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Comparing California Standards Test (CST) Results
When comparing results for the CSTs, compare results only within the same
subject and grade, that is, grade two English-language arts compared to grade
two English-language arts or grade six mathematics compared to grade six
mathematics. No direct comparisons should be made between grades or between
content areas.
Two types of comparisons are possible: 1) comparing the average scale score or
2) comparing the percentage of students scoring at each performance level. The
reviewer may compare results for the same grade and subject across years within
a school, between schools, or between a school and its district, county, or the
state. When making comparisons, the reviewer should consider comparing the
percentage of students scoring proficient and advanced, since the state target
is for all students to score at or above proficient.
Comparisons may also be made by calculating the overall percentage of students
within a school who scored proficient and advanced and comparing this to the
overall percentage of students in another school, the district, the county, or
the state who scored proficient or advanced. To do this first calculate the
number of students who scored proficient and advanced for the subject area at
each grade level ([%PRO + %ADV] x number tested for the grade and subject area
= number scored PRO/ADV). Then add the number scored PRO/ADV for all grades and
divide by the total enrollment.
Comparing California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6
Survey) Results
See "Term and Score Explanations" for an explanation of national percentile ranks (NPRs).
When comparing CAT/6 Survey results, compare results only within the same subject.
The most defensible comparison is the Percent of Students Scoring At or Above
the 50th NPR. This is the percentage of students in the group purported to have
demonstrated achievement at or above grade level and tells you the percentage of
students in the tested group that scored at or above the score achieved by half
(50%) of the students in the national sample (norm group). If the percent of
students that scored at or above the 50th NPR is greater than 50, the group
performed better than the national sample. The percentages of students that
scored at or above the 50th NPR can be compared between and among schools and
school districts, as well as used to compare a school's test results to those of
its school district, county, or the state.
The grade three or grade seven results can be compared from year to year, either
by comparing within grade and subject the percentage of students scoring at or above
the 50th NPR or by comparing the mean scale score from year to year. When making
comparisons across years, it is important to understand that even when the number
of students is the same that the group's composition from year to year may be
quite different if student mobility (transiency) is high. Generally there will
be more variance in scores from year to year when small numbers of students are
tested.
Comparing Aprenda: La prueba de logros en español, Tercera edición
(Aprenda 3) Results
A reviewer may compare the performance of students at different grade levels within
a school on the Aprenda 3. Similarities and differences in student performance in
the same subject may be seen by comparing the Percent of Students Scoring at or
Above the 50th NPR for each grade. When making this comparison, it is important to
remember that the number of students in the group affects the confidence of the
inferences that can be made. The smaller the group the more cautious one should be
in making comparisons. It is also important to note that the national norm groups to
which California's Spanish-speaking English learners' scores are compared were
unique for each grade level.
Like the CAT/6 Survey, the most defensible comparison is the Percent of Students
Scoring At or Above the 50th NPR. This is the percentage of students in the group
purported to have demonstrated achievement at or above grade level in Spanish and
tells you the percentage of students in the tested group that scored at or above the
score achieved by half (50%) of the students in the national sample (norm group). If
the percent of students that scored at or above the 50th NPR is greater than 50, the
group performed better than the national sample. The percentages of students that scored
at or above the 50th NPR can be compared between and among schools and school districts,
as well as used to compare a school's test results to those of its school district,
county, or the state.
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