VGA arrived in mail today

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone fallen under the ready to learn at the grade level threshold? I am assuming yes

Yes. Way under.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

I am reading the test and the benchmarks that they sent. The Grade 4 benchmark is 1401, my kid scored 1578. The same chart lists a benchmark of 1582 for 8th grade, my kid is just under that. The benchmarks they established, with the scoring the sent, sure seems to indicate that my kid is close to being "ready to learn" 8th grade materials. Their adaptive test could give questions that are above grade level. I have no idea if the questions that he got right were at the 4th grade level and the ones he got wrong are at a higher grade. Did he get questions right that were at a 5,6, and 7 grade level and then he got ones wrong at the 8th grade level? I have no clue. I just know that he got 6 questions wrong and his scaled score is a 1578, which on the PDFs and charts that you can find, is at an 8th grade level.

If the results that they sent shouldn't be read that way, then they need to send something that they 1) explain 2) can't be read that way.

Look, I don't buy that he is ready for 8th grade. Not for a second. But when you send me the results of an adaptive test and provide the percentiles and benchmark for each grade, don't be surprised that a parent looks at those and projects the score out when the kid is well over the benchmark and already at the supposed high score of the test. Send something out that parents can understand and not feel like they are clearly reading something wrong because the graph shows that their 4th grader is at the benchmark for an 8th grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

I am reading the test and the benchmarks that they sent. The Grade 4 benchmark is 1401, my kid scored 1578. The same chart lists a benchmark of 1582 for 8th grade, my kid is just under that. The benchmarks they established, with the scoring the sent, sure seems to indicate that my kid is close to being "ready to learn" 8th grade materials. Their adaptive test could give questions that are above grade level. I have no idea if the questions that he got right were at the 4th grade level and the ones he got wrong are at a higher grade. Did he get questions right that were at a 5,6, and 7 grade level and then he got ones wrong at the 8th grade level? I have no clue. I just know that he got 6 questions wrong and his scaled score is a 1578, which on the PDFs and charts that you can find, is at an 8th grade level.

If the results that they sent shouldn't be read that way, then they need to send something that they 1) explain 2) can't be read that way.

Look, I don't buy that he is ready for 8th grade. Not for a second. But when you send me the results of an adaptive test and provide the percentiles and benchmark for each grade, don't be surprised that a parent looks at those and projects the score out when the kid is well over the benchmark and already at the supposed high score of the test. Send something out that parents can understand and not feel like they are clearly reading something wrong because the graph shows that their 4th grader is at the benchmark for an 8th grader.

DP. That's a strange way to read the graph and information. You know that. But go ahead, double down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone fallen under the ready to learn at the grade level threshold? I am assuming yes

Yes, my third grader was 25 points under for reading. He reads well, is in Level 3 AAP, and has done well on all his unit tests. Not sure what happened, but I'll be following up with the teacher after break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone fallen under the ready to learn at the grade level threshold? I am assuming yes

Yes, my third grader was 25 points under for reading. He reads well, is in Level 3 AAP, and has done well on all his unit tests. Not sure what happened, but I'll be following up with the teacher after break.

Keep in mind this is one data point. It is one that was completed at the beginning of the year by a student who at third grade was likely not familiar with taking such a test. It was taken after much, if not all of the previous year was online. If multiple data points show otherwise, I wouldn’t be concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously how hard would it be to add some context. Include the info with the graph pp helpfully posted. I had no idea what I was looking at for my 3rd grader. She missed questions and were freaking out until we read the graph and realize she is way beyond the red line. So now we’re like what do the missed questions even mean if she scored so high? This test was stupid, but FCPS failing to include any helpful information to allow us to put the numbers in context was even dumber. Gatehouse proves itself more competent with each passing day.

The missed questions were likely questions that were adapted UP from expected grade level content. If she answered easier questions correctly, it challenged her to higher questions until she started answering incorrectly.

Agreed that there needs to be much more context for this. I'm a 3rd grade parent AND an ES teacher and I had to come to DCUM to understand it. Very frustrating.

[Anonymous]

This is so frustrating. My 3rd grader scored 1421 in Math, so apparently he is just above the threshold for being able to understand grade level content. (Except the same score for a 4th grader would be fine, too?)

In reading, he scored 1627, so I guess I can relax that he's not behind in that subject. But when I saw he scored a 6 out of 9 in fictional texts and only a 7 out of 9 in nonfiction, I was really worried.

Same thing for math...he got only a 2 out of 6 in Measurement and Geometry, so I was really worried. But now, thanks to DCUM, I find that it's considered totally fine, and that it was 3rd grade material tested, so 3rd graders weren't necessarily expected to know it.

Worrying for nothing. This is NOT what I needed, FCPS. Very frustrating. A simple one-sheet double sided attachment with this info from VDOE would have saved a lot of worry and concern and confusion, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so frustrating. My 3rd grader scored 1421 in Math, so apparently he is just above the threshold for being able to understand grade level content. (Except the same score for a 4th grader would be fine, too?)

In reading, he scored 1627, so I guess I can relax that he's not behind in that subject. But when I saw he scored a 6 out of 9 in fictional texts and only a 7 out of 9 in nonfiction, I was really worried.

Same thing for math...he got only a 2 out of 6 in Measurement and Geometry, so I was really worried. But now, thanks to DCUM, I find that it's considered totally fine, and that it was 3rd grade material tested, so 3rd graders weren't necessarily expected to know it.

Worrying for nothing. This is NOT what I needed, FCPS. Very frustrating. A simple one-sheet double sided attachment with this info from VDOE would have saved a lot of worry and concern and confusion, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that!

I believe measurement and geometry were de-emphasized standards last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

I am reading the test and the benchmarks that they sent. The Grade 4 benchmark is 1401, my kid scored 1578. The same chart lists a benchmark of 1582 for 8th grade, my kid is just under that. The benchmarks they established, with the scoring the sent, sure seems to indicate that my kid is close to being "ready to learn" 8th grade materials. Their adaptive test could give questions that are above grade level. I have no idea if the questions that he got right were at the 4th grade level and the ones he got wrong are at a higher grade. Did he get questions right that were at a 5,6, and 7 grade level and then he got ones wrong at the 8th grade level? I have no clue. I just know that he got 6 questions wrong and his scaled score is a 1578, which on the PDFs and charts that you can find, is at an 8th grade level.

If the results that they sent shouldn't be read that way, then they need to send something that they 1) explain 2) can't be read that way.

Look, I don't buy that he is ready for 8th grade. Not for a second. But when you send me the results of an adaptive test and provide the percentiles and benchmark for each grade, don't be surprised that a parent looks at those and projects the score out when the kid is well over the benchmark and already at the supposed high score of the test. Send something out that parents can understand and not feel like they are clearly reading something wrong because the graph shows that their 4th grader is at the benchmark for an 8th grader.

Your 4th grader was not tested with the same questions that your 8th grader was tested with. Your 4th grader scored 1578 on the FOURTH GRADE TEST (using 3rd grade standards). An 8th grader is tested using the EIGHTH GRADE TEST (using 7th grade standards).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

I am reading the test and the benchmarks that they sent. The Grade 4 benchmark is 1401, my kid scored 1578. The same chart lists a benchmark of 1582 for 8th grade, my kid is just under that. The benchmarks they established, with the scoring the sent, sure seems to indicate that my kid is close to being "ready to learn" 8th grade materials. Their adaptive test could give questions that are above grade level. I have no idea if the questions that he got right were at the 4th grade level and the ones he got wrong are at a higher grade. Did he get questions right that were at a 5,6, and 7 grade level and then he got ones wrong at the 8th grade level? I have no clue. I just know that he got 6 questions wrong and his scaled score is a 1578, which on the PDFs and charts that you can find, is at an 8th grade level.

If the results that they sent shouldn't be read that way, then they need to send something that they 1) explain 2) can't be read that way.

Look, I don't buy that he is ready for 8th grade. Not for a second. But when you send me the results of an adaptive test and provide the percentiles and benchmark for each grade, don't be surprised that a parent looks at those and projects the score out when the kid is well over the benchmark and already at the supposed high score of the test. Send something out that parents can understand and not feel like they are clearly reading something wrong because the graph shows that their 4th grader is at the benchmark for an 8th grader.

Your 4th grader was not tested with the same questions that your 8th grader was tested with. Your 4th grader scored 1578 on the FOURTH GRADE TEST (using 3rd grade standards). An 8th grader is tested using the EIGHTH GRADE TEST (using 7th grade standards).

Also, the results they sent said nothing about 8th grade, you're reading that on the chart that I linked to from Prince William County without any context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

I am reading the test and the benchmarks that they sent. The Grade 4 benchmark is 1401, my kid scored 1578. The same chart lists a benchmark of 1582 for 8th grade, my kid is just under that. The benchmarks they established, with the scoring the sent, sure seems to indicate that my kid is close to being "ready to learn" 8th grade materials. Their adaptive test could give questions that are above grade level. I have no idea if the questions that he got right were at the 4th grade level and the ones he got wrong are at a higher grade. Did he get questions right that were at a 5,6, and 7 grade level and then he got ones wrong at the 8th grade level? I have no clue. I just know that he got 6 questions wrong and his scaled score is a 1578, which on the PDFs and charts that you can find, is at an 8th grade level.

If the results that they sent shouldn't be read that way, then they need to send something that they 1) explain 2) can't be read that way.

Look, I don't buy that he is ready for 8th grade. Not for a second. But when you send me the results of an adaptive test and provide the percentiles and benchmark for each grade, don't be surprised that a parent looks at those and projects the score out when the kid is well over the benchmark and already at the supposed high score of the test. Send something out that parents can understand and not feel like they are clearly reading something wrong because the graph shows that their 4th grader is at the benchmark for an 8th grader.

Your 4th grader was not tested with the same questions that your 8th grader was tested with. Your 4th grader scored 1578 on the FOURTH GRADE TEST (using 3rd grade standards). An 8th grader is tested using the EIGHTH GRADE TEST (using 7th grade standards).

This is correct. You can’t compare apples to oranges.

[Anonymous]

My child scored below High Basic in math, yet is currently in advanced math this year. Should I be concerned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child scored below High Basic in math, yet is currently in advanced math this year. Should I be concerned?

How is your child doing in advanced math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a fourth grader

Reading: 1657 (14/17)
Math: 1578 (18/24)


Based on the chart he is good to go until 8th grade. Not sure really what to take away from all of this.

You need to learn to read the chart. You can’t read results from one test against the other test benchmarks.

I am reading the test and the benchmarks that they sent. The Grade 4 benchmark is 1401, my kid scored 1578. The same chart lists a benchmark of 1582 for 8th grade, my kid is just under that. The benchmarks they established, with the scoring the sent, sure seems to indicate that my kid is close to being "ready to learn" 8th grade materials. Their adaptive test could give questions that are above grade level. I have no idea if the questions that he got right were at the 4th grade level and the ones he got wrong are at a higher grade. Did he get questions right that were at a 5,6, and 7 grade level and then he got ones wrong at the 8th grade level? I have no clue. I just know that he got 6 questions wrong and his scaled score is a 1578, which on the PDFs and charts that you can find, is at an 8th grade level.

If the results that they sent shouldn't be read that way, then they need to send something that they 1) explain 2) can't be read that way.

Look, I don't buy that he is ready for 8th grade. Not for a second. But when you send me the results of an adaptive test and provide the percentiles and benchmark for each grade, don't be surprised that a parent looks at those and projects the score out when the kid is well over the benchmark and already at the supposed high score of the test. Send something out that parents can understand and not feel like they are clearly reading something wrong because the graph shows that their 4th grader is at the benchmark for an 8th grader.

Your 4th grader was not tested with the same questions that your 8th grader was tested with. Your 4th grader scored 1578 on the FOURTH GRADE TEST (using 3rd grade standards). An 8th grader is tested using the EIGHTH GRADE TEST (using 7th grade standards).

The test is adaptive so we don't know what grade questions they were answering. He came home this year asking about exponents on his iReady test. His wording was "There were numbers with smaller number to the right and I didn't know what to do." We wrote out some examples, we told him what they were and how to solve them. He was bummed because they are easy enough to do. I doubt that they are working on exponents in third or fourth grade. At least, we have not seen any homework that includes exponents yet. The iReady includes more questions and takes longer but if the adaptive test tosses that out for one exam is it wrong to assume that he might get questions at a higher grade level on the VGA?

The point of the adaptive tests is to ask harder questions until the child gets some number wrong. It is within the range of possible that kids with higher answers would get questions that are in higher grades, which is why their explanation sucks. You are telling me the exam is adaptive but you don't put it in context. Did he get 100% on his grade level questions and then answered questions covering material in what grade? The 6 wrong answers in math were at what level? Because I see 6 wrong answers, three on one particular category, and that makes me worry about what he is learning about geometry. Did they limit the adaptive element to 5th grade material? That would make sense but then the score should only scale to a fifth grade level.

The SOL is pretty straightforward. Your kid scored X, they got a score of X in each section, it means Y. I have no clue why they need an adaptive test like the VGA or even the iReady. They don't seem to do anything with that information.