Canadian Achievement Test Results:

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1 Canadian Achievement Test Results: December Prepared 8, 2015 by: Dr. Scott Tunison Coordinator: Research and Measurement 1 Mr. Shane Skjerven Deputy Director

2 Students in Saskatoon Public Schools complete the Canadian Achievement Test (CAT) annually. This large-scale assessment has two main purposes: It is used by principals and teachers as an aid for school-level strategic and instructional planning, and It is used at the division level to direct staff development planning and to inform our strategic plan. BACKGROUND The Canadian Achievement Test (CAT) compares students general knowledge and performance in various aspects of English Language Arts and Mathematics against either the performance of a large representative sample of students from across Canada, (also called the norm group ), or to a specific performance standard (also called criterion-reference ). In Saskatoon Public Schools, the CAT is administered in the fall of each school year to students in Grades 4, 8, and 10. The Grade 10 CAT was administered for the first time in (Note: Grade 10 students completed only mathematics-related subtests in ) Results The CAT assesses a broad range of student competencies. In this Board update, we focus on areas identified as metrics of progress in our division strategic plan. The specific metrics at each grade level differ from one another based on the areas of strength and opportunity identified in our division strategic plan A3 s. There are two scales used to report results: Stanines: performance is compared to a norm ; performance at stanines 1 to 3 is considered below expectations; performance at stanines 4 to 6 is considered at expectations; and, performance at stanines 7 to 9 is considered above expectations. Student achievement relative to Stanines is reported in terms of the percentage of students who performed at Stanine 4 and above (in other words, at or above expectations). Criterion-referenced: establishes student performance relative to criteria set by an expert panel (i.e, what should a Grade 4 student consistently be able to do?); this scale reports results at three performance levels (C)ompetent, (P)roficient, and (L)ow. Percentage of Students at Stanine 4 and Above Saskatoon Public Schools strategic direction guides our work implementing both the provincial Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) and our Board s priorities Literacy for Life and Collegiate Renewal. Our plan identifies school division achievement objectives in terms of the percentage of students who performed at Stanine 4 and above on both the Reading and Mathematics subtests. 2 P age

3 The results are as follows: Reading (see Figure 1): Grade 4: 66% performed at Stanine 4 and above; this figure is roughly in line with previous years results but is a 3% decline over achievement. Grade 8: 76% performed at Stanine 4 and above; performance over the last six years has consistently been within 1-2% of the Canadian Norm. Grade 10: Reading was not assessed with Grade 10 students this year. Figure 1: Percentage of Grade 4, 8, and 10 students at Stanine 4 and Above on Reading Subtest 3 P age

4 Mathematics (see Figure 2): Grade 4: 73% performed at Stanine 4 and above; this figure is roughly in line with previous years results but is a 1% decline compared to achievement. Grade 8: 74% performed at Stanine 4 and above; performance over the previous four years declined somewhat; performance stemmed that decline to recover to levels. Grade 10: 72% performed at Stanine 4 and above; performance over the last four years has consistently ranged from 69% to 72% at expected levels. Figure 2: Percentage of Grade 4, 8, and 10 students at Stanine 4 and Above on Mathematics Subtest 4 P age

5 Percentage of Students at Competent, Proficient, and Below In this section, student performance is compared to specific criteria set by an expert panel. Performance is measured as the percentage of students who were competent, proficient, or below in comparison to the expected standard. Results reported in this update show the percentage of students who were in each category for each subtest area. Grade 4 The percentage of Grade 4 students who were competent (C), proficient (P), and below (B) are as follows (a series of graphs illustrating the results over time follows the text See Figures Group 3): Comprehension of literary (fiction) text C=58%; P=6%; B=36% Informational (non-fiction) text C=52%; P=11%; B=37% Number Sense C=63%; P=5%; B=31%; Figures Group 3 - Grade 4 CAT/4 results graphs 5 P age

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7 Grade 8 The percentage of Grade 8 students who were competent (C), proficient (P), and below (B) are as follows (a series of graphs illustrating the results follows the text see Figures Group 4): Comprehension of literary (fiction) text C=71%; P=2%; B=27% Informational (non-fiction) text C=71%; P=2%; B=27% Number sense C=60%; P=6%; B=33%; Figures Group 4 - Grade 8 CAT/4 results graphs 7 P age

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9 Grade 10 The percentage of Grade 10 students who were competent (C), proficient (P), and below (B) in Number Sense is as follows (see Figure 5): NOTE: for , Grade 10 students were assessed only for mathematics-related subtests. Number Sense C=56%; P=3%; B=41% Figure 5: Grade 10 CAT/4 results graph Next Steps Results from the Canadian Achievement Test suggest that while our students tend to perform close to national norms in many cases, student achievement in the areas of Mathematics and Reading continue to require attention. In response to student achievement results, Trustees have established two significant long-term learning priorities: Literacy for Life and Collegiate Renewal. Through these priorities, we have analyzed our students achievement data, reviewed educational research, and consulted with external experts to identify and implement instructional and professional learning strategies shown to be effective in improving student achievement. The following are among the most 9 P age

10 significant initiatives either underway or in the planning stages in response to our large-scale assessment results. 1. Teacher workshops for are explicitly connected to student learning needs. They are aligned with provincial and division strategic plans and explicitly incorporate elements of Saskatchewan Reads. Our staff development team regularly examines a wide variety of data (e.g., school improvement plans, student achievement data, collaborative inquiry team plans) to identify specific areas for improvement. Then, workshop topics were developed based on these observations. Teachers are encouraged to attend workshops that align best with their professional learning plans and the needs of their students. 2. We are currently examining students responses to individual questions in the CAT, especially those focused on comprehension of literary and informational text and mathematics. We have been working with these data with groups of teachers to identify patterns in students understanding of specific concepts and designing professional learning to focus on instructional strategies to address those concepts with which students struggle. This process has been piloted with small groups of teachers and will expand over time. 3. We have a comprehensive range of instructional responses for students who struggle with learning to read. Specifically: The Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention a small-group support for struggling readers has expanded to all schools. Roadways to Reading a one-on-one instructional support for students who have had previous access to extra reading support but have still struggled with reading has recently been implemented in several schools. Literacy tutors alternative one-on-one instruction for struggling readers have recently been made possible through a grant from the Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation. We are in the midst of studying individual students assessment results over time to ensure that they receive the appropriate instructional supports to enhance their learning. 4. Teachers continue to focus on smooth transitions in the area of Mathematics. Our collegiate staffs have made regular meetings with their elementary counterparts a priority so that they can better understand the needs of the learners entering their schools. Math 9 Plus continues to evolve as an intervention program for students that enter our collegiates with gaps in their mathematics learning. 10 P age