Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System Overview:

PVAAS

Hatboro-Horsham School DistrictFebruary 15, 2013

Session Essential Questions:

During this session, you will begin to form answers to these questions:

• What is PVAAS? What is a growth model?• How is PVAAS data different from PSSA or

Keystone data?• How will this impact my yearly evaluation?• What resources are available if I’d like to learn

more?

Measuring Growth, or Progress

Students don’t all start the year at the same place academically

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Measuring Growth or Progress• Standard for PA Academic Growth– Regardless of their entering achievement level,

students should not lose ground academically

• Is it not a reasonable goal to maintain the achievement level of a group of students?– Not necessarily increase their achievement level,

but maintain their achievement level.

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

PVAAS Growth Measure &Color Indicator

• The Growth Measure represents the amount of growth a group of students has made.

• The Growth Color Indicator represents the level of evidence we have in the data to say whether or not the group of students increased, decreased, or maintained their achievement levels on average.

PVAAS yields a Growth Measure AND a Growth Color Indicator.

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Prior Achievement for Group Most Recent School Year for GroupHigher Achievement

Concept of Measuring Growth in PVAAS – Grades 4-8 Math & Reading

- Represents the mean achievement level of the group of students

Lower Achievement

Higher Achievement

Lower Achievement

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Prior Achievement

Higher Achievement

Concept of Measuring Growth in PVAAS Science, Writing, Grades 9-11 Math & Reading

Lower Achievement

Predicted AchievementMean Predicted Achievement

- Represents the mean achievement level of the group of students- Represents the mean predicted achievement level of the group of students

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Schools with Lower Achievement

- Represents the mean achievement level of the group of students

Is a “green” in PVAAS sufficient for moving students to higher levels of achievement?

Higher Achievement

Lower Achievement

Prior Achievement for Group Most Recent School Year for Group

Higher Achievement

Lower Achievement

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

(100% Advanced)

Schools with High Achievement

- Represents the mean achievement level of the group of students

Can this group of high achieving students still meet the standard for PA Academic Growth?

Higher Achievement Higher Achievement

Lower Achievement Lower Achievement

Prior Achievement for Group Most Recent School Year for Group(100% Advanced)

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Measuring Growth at aDeeper Level

• PVAAS does NOT use the percentages of students at various PSSA performance levels to measure growth.

• Instead, estimated growth measures for groups of students in PVAAS are in terms of NCE units (grades 4-8 Math & Reading) or scaled score points (Science, Writing, & grades 9-11 Math & Reading).

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Regardless of the entering achievement level of the group…

• Students should not lose ground academically

• A reasonable goal would be to at least maintain the achievement level of the group

• All groups of students can make progress or growth

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

Practice!• Turn to a partner• Explain the concept of growth

Previous School Year Current School Year

Higher Achievement

Lower Achievement

Higher Achievement

Lower Achievement

C. G. – pg. 2

PVAAS + Other Data Consultation 2012

How is PVAAS data different from the PSSA data I am used to seeing?

• Achievement (PSSA and Keystones) vs. Growth (PVAAS)• Achievement – student is measured against a static level of

proficiency based on their grade level and rated advanced, proficient, etc. For many students, this may not reflect changes year to year (ex – many students rate “advanced” every year).

• Growth – measures student performance relative to that student’s previous performances. Did a student move from below basic to basic? From advanced to proficient? From “low advanced” to “high advanced?” Growth models are more sensitive to individual student progress over time, and compare that progress to an expected standard for growth.

How will this impact my yearly evaluation?

Additional Resources

• Overview of today’s session handouts• The best way to learn more about PVAAS is through

exploring the PVAAS site: https://pvaas.sas.com/• There are a number of video learning modules

available for viewing. After logging in to the PVAAS site, select the e-learning tab in the top right of the screen.

• Other materials – common district document location