Think about what you'd most like to know about student achievement in your district, at any level.

• Should you invest your limited dollars in a math program for early learners, or would a new literacy initiative provide the greatest benefit?
• Maybe you're not sure which programs add the most value in your district. Is achievement growth the same in your charter school as it is in the regular program, for example?

By using existing data to see how students are learning over time, districts can pinpoint problems and target resources as well as track success of specific programs and forecast for the future.

Analyzing student test data - which can be intimidating and hard to understand, at best - is easy, understandable and affordable with the customized research, evaluation and analysis capabilities of the new tool. Using a growth model, we can track where students start and end up in one school year, or across several years, or throughout their elementary school years. 

By tracking growth to better understand student achievement - instead of merely noting whether performance standards are met or not met - boards can make informed policy decisions armed with the best research possible.

Once our district decides to participate, how do we access the information? 

Districts can take advantage of this new data tool in several ways:

1. OSBA created an online dashboard for participating districts to use on their own in developing comprehensive analyses of student achievement.
2. Small- and medium-sized districts may prefer to have OSBA give them a tour of the system. We can provide one-on-one technical support for the software, including recommendations for using and interpreting the data. 
3. A third option is to have OSBA develop an in-depth data analysis from a district's information.

 What is a growth model?

Growth models track the progress of students over time and evaluate programs and instructional efficacy based on student rates of learning - not a meets/fails scenario. In other words, growth models take into account that not all students start in the same place.

Is it true that AYP does not take into account growth rates when determining whether a school meets AYP standards? 

Yes. Oregon uses what is known as the present status model to determine whether schools meet AYP. An individual student's point of entry has little bearing on whether a school is deemed successful or not. Present status models generally assume that all students are near or close to meeting benchmarks. OSBA has developed several tools to re-package student level data to give boards a "growth-model" view of student achievement.

I have heard a lot about different kinds of growth models. What should a district be looking for in a growth model? 

There are many forms of growth models, all with pros and cons. Every district will have its own use for a growth model - and will want certain features for their purposes. It is important to understand that a one-size-fits-all growth model is probably not as useful as one that has been tailored to the needs of an individual district. OSBA has the capacity to customize a growth model to meet individual district needs. 

What are some common uses for a growth model? 

Growth models track students over time and look at their rate of growth in measured areas, holding constant the student's point of entry. This is a highly valid method for: 

• Determining instructional and program efficacy
• Reframing AYP results 
• Presenting community constituents with an alternative view of student achievement
• Determining the efficacy of intervention programs
• Determining whether more personnel are needed on a specific project or other changes need to be made to instruction or systems.
• Informing any policy or governance decision related to student achievement

The better question is, "what isn't a growth model useful for?" 

Can board members identify which schools have high-growth, low-achievement using this service? Or, could a board determine whether a school is high-achieving, low-growth? 

Board members and district personnel can analyze growth data at the state, district, building, and if necessary, student level.

Can we track different groups of learners over time? For instance, I am really interested in knowing whether our district's limited English-proficiency students are learning at a commensurate rate. 

Yes. OSBA can provide "disaggregated" reports based on several student categories.

What data is included?

Using information already available in state and district data, OSBA built a database of student achievement data from across the state of Oregon, beginning in 2001. We use this database to generate our reports. The data is transferred directly from the Oregon Department of Education. 

When will this service be available?

OSBA is currently preparing service contracts with districts. 

I am really worried about getting back a sheet filled with numbers. Is there assistance understanding the data? 

Yes. Most of the data is displayed graphically in an easy-to-understand format. OSBA research staff members are available for whatever consulting and training you need.

What are the costs associated with this service? 

OSBA is offering this service at significantly below market rates. Costs vary depending on size of district, length of service contract, and customization options.

Whom do I contact to learn more?

Greg Sampson-Gruener, OSBA's achievement research specialist, can answer your questions and help you determine how you can use DATA+ Accesspoint in your district.