vthokie- re: test scores

[irishsara]

vthokie

I have a question. You're in TN, right?  So its all the same no matter where?

If that's the case, since you got a 6 point increase this year, does that mean that next year you need a 7 to do better?  Or is it based on the class/year? 

I'm not sure this makes sense?

[vthokie]

I just want my kids to always have gains. I don't need them to do increasingly better each year because its a new set of kids. It does sort of suck that I did really well though, because now ill be bummed when I have an off year

[irishsara]

I was just curious how it works. I'm in TN and my son is in first grade. When we hear about the numbers, I was just curious how it breaks down. Know what I mean?

Like, if you got a 6 point gain and they have a 16 going into the next grade (just an example, I have no idea how the numbers work), when they go into the next grade they start out with a 16 and that teacher needs to increase that score?

[irishsara]

And also...do you know how the other teachers in your grade/school did?

[vthokie]

The reaches are always trying to increase the child's scores. So if they are at a 28% going into 1st grade (meaning they scored at or higher than 28% of other kindergartners) their teacher is trying to bring that percentage up. It's much harder to work with the high kids because keeping a kid AT or ABOVE 95% each year is tough.
Teachers get points for how much kids o up in %, we also get more points if kids move up a level (like from basic to proficient) and we lose points when kids o down in percentage or drop a level.
The goal is that we keep growing their knowledge. I have no clue how they calculate it all because its so new to me, but a data geek, so I'm going to be messing with my numbers for a while.
My school did so much better this year. It helped that we brought 6th grade math up a lot. Hopefully we can keep the trend.

[irishsara]

That makes sense.

Sorry for all the questions. I hear a lot of teachers hate it, and I was sort of curious how it works. Especially in regards to my own child.

Congrats again! That's awesome!

[vthokie]

No problem. It's confusing to us (and sucks) but its good to figure out what the state expects. I'm stoked about it, so thanks!

[irishsara]

Side note: I assume you went to Tech? What year did you graduate (if you don't mind me asking)?

I grew up in VA so a lot of my friends went there. I know its a big school, but I thought I would throw it out there!

[vthokie]

Ha! I should have graduated in 2001. Started there in '97. But I changed majors/had fun/dropped out and meds up going to UAB to graduate many years later. My heart is still a hokie though. DH and I met there and he had a similar situation.

[irishsara]

Ah, ok. My friends would have started in '98.

I always had fun visiting friends at VT.

I almost went but decided to go to Tennessee instead.

[vthokie]

I was in the marching band, so I may know people if you had friends in the MVs. Other than that, I stuck to my own group of people