Grade-level Standards Research Articles

Assessing Expository Discourse Abilities Across Elementary, Middle, and High School

For academic success, it is increasingly important that students of all ages can produce and comprehend expository discourse. This article provides guidance to clinicians and educators on using language sample analysis (LSA) to assess the expository language abilities of students across grades. Focusing on microstructural and macrostructural characteristics and comparing with grade-level standards, clinicians can use LSA to assess a student's production and comprehension of academic language and to guide intervention planning. Example discourse samples are included, along with a brief discussion of how the LSA results for these samples can be used for intervention planning. Using curriculum-based materials, LSA in expository contexts can lead to improved identification of students who struggle with the complex language of the classroom. Educator–clinician collaboration to identify and address these struggles can lead to improved student success at school and beyond.

New Standards and Old Divides: Policy Attitudes About College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Students with Disabilities

Background/Context The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) requires that all students with disabilities (SWD) receive a free, appropriate public education designed to meet their unique needs to prepare them for post-school education and employment (American Psychological Association, 2018). In the past two decades, momentum has grown for a supplementary idea: that schools be held accountable for SWD achieving grade-level standards. Thus standards-based reform for SWD is often caught between ideals of standardization and principles of differentiation. Purpose and Research Questions The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which district administrators, principals, general educators, and special educators differ in their policy perceptions of the newest college- and career-readiness standards (CCRS) for SWD versus other learners. Our research questions were: To what extent do teachers of SWD report delivering similar or different instructional content compared to general education teachers? What types of instructional supports do teachers provide, what types of professional development do teachers receive, and how do these differ by teacher type? How do policy perceptions differ between teachers of SWD and general education teachers? How do district administrators, principals, and teachers differ in their policy perceptions of the CCRS as they relate to SWD? Research Design In three states (Texas, Ohio, and Kentucky), we surveyed a stratified sample of teachers, principals, and district administrators on the implementation of their state's standards and directed them to respond for SWD who participate in the regular accountability system. Conclusions/Recommendations Results indicate an environment where SWD continue to receive less grade-level content and, in Texas and Ohio, are served by personnel who do not believe that the standards are appropriate. Kentucky demonstrated greater consistencies between general education and SWD instruction and policy environments. Findings raise questions about whether CCRS are being implemented for all students.

Eléments de réflexion autour de la didactique de l’écriture/réécriture du FLE en contexte algérien

Enseñar a escribir es un ejercicio real en negociaciones permanentes, ajustes y adaptaciones; Los métodos y técnicas deben ser construidos y reconstruidos. En este sentido, lo que se cuestiona es la concepción misma de la escritura escolar. En estas condiciones, para basar una didáctica de la escritura en bases serias, es importante no trabajar más en la nostalgia de los métodos tradicionales caracterizados por la ausencia de una teoría articulada entre "escribir" y "reescribir". Este silencio sobre el interés en estas actividades ha llevado a su marginación por parte de los estudiantes. The teaching methods are evolving and being redesigned. Thus, the whole idea of the writing process, among scholars, is facing big criticism. In such academic climate, the hope is to bring the learning of this important subject into meeting grade level standards. The aim is, probably, to move away from the traditional teaching that is mainly based on strengthening the language abilities not, necessarily, the writing skills. These traditional practices have shown many limitations in terms of developing the appropriate writing skills needed to acquire a new language. Therefore, the need for a new approach is becoming an urgent challenge among educators.
 Enseñar a escribir es un ejercicio real en negociaciones permanentes, ajustes y adaptaciones; Los métodos y técnicas deben ser construidos y reconstruidos. En este sentido, lo que se cuestiona es la concepción misma de la escritura escolar. En estas condiciones, para basar una didáctica de la escritura en bases serias, es importante no trabajar más en la nostalgia de los métodos tradicionales caracterizados por la ausencia de una teoría articulada entre "escribir" y "reescribir". Este silencio sobre el interés en estas actividades ha llevado a su marginación por parte de los estudiantes.
 
 
 

Impact of Teachers’ Gender and Self-Efficacy on End of Year Elementary Students Mathematics Assessments in Rural South Texas Schools

The purposes of this study were to compare grade 3 math achievement based on gender of teacher and to investigate if teacher self-efficacy predicts grade 3 math achievement. This study was framed around the concept of teacher self-efficacy. An independent sample t-test revealed that teacher gender made a substantive difference in the outcome of students who met grade level standards for grade 3 2018 STAAR math. A bivariate linear regression showed that self-efficacy for teaching mathematics at the elementary level did not predict the proportion of students who met grade level standards for grade 3 2018 STAAR math. Results indicated that neither gender nor self-efficacy of rural south Texas elementary teachers significantly impact the proportions of students who met grade level standards.

Considering Standards-based Grading


 
 
 
 Rather than awarding points for a combination of worksheet completion, quiz performance, in-class participation, and essay writing, standards-based grading separates academics from non-academic factors and communicates students' progress towards mastery of course or grade-level standards. Some secondary schools are moving towards standards-based grading (SBG) in an attempt to produce more consistent grading practices, however the empirical evidence resulting from this change is mixed. The purpose of this article is to describe principles of standards-based grading, empirical support of SBG, and several common challenges secondary school leaders may face when considering this philosophical shift. Future research recommendations include exploring the perspectives of college students who graduate from high schools using SBG to understand the longer-term successes and shortcomings of the grading system.
 
 
 

Investigating the Alignment Between English Language Arts Curricula Developed for Students With Significant Intellectual Disability and the CCSS

Federal law requires all students, including those with significant intellectual disability, to make progress toward grade-level general education standards. The alignment between standards, curriculum, and instruction is vital for ensuring equitable opportunities to learn. Commercially available curricula attempt to support teachers and students by aligning instructional materials to standards, but few studies exist to verify this alignment. Those that have been conducted for general education curriculum have not been promising. This study uses the Links for Academic Learning protocol to evaluate the alignment of curricula designed for students with significant intellectual disability (SWSID) that mark themselves as aligned to grade-level standards. Findings related to the alignment between the standards, lesson objectives, and lesson content are reported. The researchers discuss implications related to the adoption and use of curricula specifically designed for SWSID and the need for additional research in this area.

Abstract 16919: Third Grade Academic Performance and Episodes of Care Among Children With Congenital Heart Defects

Introduction: Children with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) may be at risk for poor academic performance in elementary school. Cumulative episodes of care among children with CHD may impact neurocognitive outcomes. We examined the association between the number of episodes of care and third-grade academic performance among children with CHD. Methods: We identified children with CHD from electronic medical records between 1/1/2008 and 12/31/2013 among five North Carolina (NC) tertiary care centers. We classified children by CHD type (severe disease, shunt lesion, valve disease, other) and matched subjects to the NC Department of Public Instruction educational records. We calculated the number of episodes of care by adding inpatient and outpatient visits from the EMR in the follow up period prior to administering the EOG. We estimated the odds of failing third-grade reading or math end of grade (EOG) tests among children with CHD who had episodes of care >50 th percentile compared to children ≤50 th percentile using logistic regression controlling for maternal education, race/ethnicity, and gestational age. We also estimated the average change in the developmental scale score using linear regression for the same comparison group. The inability to demonstrate proficiency in NC grade level standards was considered a failing score. Results: A total of 425 children with CHD had third-grade EOG scores. Of these, 57% were male and 45% of children had a severe CHD, 30% had a shunt lesion, and 21% had valve disease. The median number of episodes of care was 4 (range: 1-60). Children with number of visits above the 50 th percentile (>4 visits) had 2.09 (95% CI: 1.04,4.21) greater odds of failing the math EOG compared to children at or below the 50 th percentile (1-4 visits). The third- grade math developmental scale score declined by 1.54 points (p<0.008) for every 10 episodes of care. There was no statistically significant effect of episodes of care on third grade reading performance. Conclusions: Children with CHD in NC with number of episodes of care above the 50 th percentile, may be at risk for delays in third-grade academic performance. Additional services may be required to improve academic success in this population.

Remodeling dual language programs: Teachers enact agency as critically conscious language policy makers

ABSTRACTDual language (DL) programs experience many tensions stemming from English hegemony in its curriculum, instruction, and assessment. These tensions often work in concert to usurp the three goals of DL programs to develop bilingualism, biliteracy, and bicultural competence while achieving grade level standards for its students. Subsequently, there is need to understand how DL teachers can and do enact agency as language policymakers to create DL programs that truly accomplishes its three-fold goals. Using a case study method with two DL programs within different schools, the researchers explore how 13 Spanish- and English-medium DL teachers a) perceive their agency and display critical consciousness, by b) acknowledging program tensions and c) acting to remodel their programs. Interviews, surveys, and focus group data from teachers and administrators reveal that DL teachers report a lack of perceived agency in their role as language policymakers. Simultaneously, these DL teachers demonstrate a keen awareness of the hegemonic tensions ubiquitous to DL programs. Some teachers covertly remodel their programs to meet students' holistic needs. Researchers suggest this nuanced understanding of collective agency provides a foundation to prepare DL teachers and administrators to jointly name tensions and take action by openly remodeling programs to best serve their students.

The association between adverse childhood experience (ACE) and school success in elementary school children.

We explored the feasibility of using school personnel as reporters to examine the relationship between the level of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) exposure in a nonclinical sample of public elementary schoolchildren and academic risk. We selected a random sample of 2,101 children from kindergarten through 6th grade classroom rosters at 10 elementary schools. Students were 50% male, 78% White, and 55% free and reduced meal program participants. School personnel reported their factual knowledge of 10 ACEs and academic risk in a database controlled by the schools. Data were de-identified prior to analysis. A high prevalence of ACEs exposure was reported (44%), with 13% of students experiencing 3 or more ACEs. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed a dose-response effect between the number of ACEs and risk of poor school attendance, behavioral issues, and failure to meet grade-level standards in mathematics, reading, or writing. Using elementary school personnel reports of child ACE exposure minimized family burden and potential intrusion while producing prevalence estimates consistent with those of caregiver report from the National Survey of Children's Health. Results suggest that understanding and responding to a child's ACE profile might be an important strategy for improving the academic trajectory of at-risk children. (PsycINFO Database Record

Universal screening with automated essay scoring: Evaluating classification accuracy in grades 3 and 4

The adoption of the Common Core State Standards and its associated assessments has placed increased focus on writing performance. Consequently, weak writers may be at risk of failing Common Core English language arts (ELA) assessments. Thus, the current study sampled a diverse group of third and fourth grade students (n=100 and 130, respectively) who were administered Fall and Spring writing screeners using the procedures of a Direct Assessment of Writing (DAW). Results were used to predict whether students did or did not attain grade-level standards as evaluated by the summative Smarter Balanced ELA assessment. Writing screeners were scored using the Project Essay Grade (PEG) automated essay scoring system. ROC curve analysis and logistic regression were used to evaluate screening models. Area under the ROC curve (AUC) values for grade 3 were in the acceptable range (Fall=0.74, Spring=0.75). AUCs approached or fell within the excellent range for grade 4 (Fall=0.79, Spring=0.83). Sensitivity-based and d-based cutpoints were selected and measures of diagnostic accuracy, including sensitivity and specificity, are reported. Results indicate that automatically-scored DAW has promise for universal screening for writing risk.

Academic Achievement Among Children With Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts : A Population-Based Study.

Children with orofacial clefts (OFCs) may experience poor reading proficiency, learning disabilities, and academic underachievement. We examined the association between nonsyndromic (NS) OFCs and end-of-grade (EOG) performance in reading and math from third through eighth grade in a sample subgroup. We identified a cohort of 559 children with NS-OFCs and 6822 children without birth defects, classifying cleft type by cleft lip alone, with or without cleft alveolar ridge (CL); cleft lip with cleft palate (CL+P); and cleft palate only (CP). Using logistic regression, we estimated the odds of not meeting grade-level standards among children with NS-OFCs compared to unaffected peers. Using longitudinal analyses, we estimated the odds of not meeting grade-level standards and average change in test scores through eighth grade. Children with NS-OFCs were 1.22 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.83) times as likely not to meet grade-level standards in reading compared to unaffected peers. The effect was similar for math (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.48). Children with CL+P were 1.33 (95% CI: 0.86, 1.83) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.56) times as likely not to meet grade-level standard in reading and in both subjects, respectively, compared to unaffected peers. The average rate of change in both scores was similar for children with and without OFCs. Poor academic performance appears greatest for children with CL+P, a finding compatible with previous observations and hypothesized mechanisms associating orofacial clefts with subtle abnormalities in brain development. Academic performance monitoring and referral for academic assistance is warranted.

Integrating STEM in elementary classrooms using model-eliciting activities: responsive professional development for mathematics coaches and teachers

BackgroundThis research highlights a school-university collaboration to pilot a professional development framework for integrating STEM in K-6 mathematics classrooms in a mid-Atlantic suburban school division. Because mathematics within STEM integration is often characterized as the calculations or the data representations in science classrooms, technology labs, or outside-of-school programs, developing a reasonable and realistic conceptualization of STEM integration for mathematics teachers and coaches may be especially challenging. Using design-based implementation research, university facilitators worked with eight mathematics teachers and coaches to construct an accessible vision of STEM integration built upon the design features of model-eliciting activities (MEAs). The research team strategized a flexible and fluid professional development that would (1) situate participants’ breadth of experiences on a STEM curriculum integration continuum; (2) elicit a new vision of STEM integration through open-ended mathematics problems with client-driven, real-life contexts; and (3) focus on making mathematics content explicit.ResultsQualitative analysis of participant discussions and written reflections from a four-day summer institute indicates that the daily tailoring of the professional development design supported an evolving participant envisioning of STEM integration. Opportunities to engage with MEAs as learners, contrast MEAs with problem-based learning and draw from MEA design features to modify existing curricular tasks allowed participants to think more broadly about mathematics content within STEM integration. Participants communicated a readiness to use MEAs as a vehicle for K-6 STEM integration which maintains an important grounding in the teaching realities of grade-level standards and standardized test preparation. They also acknowledged the need for ongoing support as they considered the challenges of curricular pacing and administrative expectation.ConclusionsThe researchers continued to support the school division during monthly academic-year professional development sessions as the teachers and coaches created and enacted prototype lessons. Their shared investment in building STEM integration capacity with a specific focus on mathematics content can offer a model for STEM integration using MEAs that challenges one-size-fits-all professional development, encourages STEM instructional leadership, and promotes mathematical readiness for STEM citizenship and careers.

Mathematics Awareness through Technology, Teamwork, Engagement, and Rigor

The purpose of this two-year observational study was to determine if the use of technology and intervention groupsaffected fourth-grade math scores. Specifically, the desire was to identify the percentage of students who met orexceeded grade-level standards on the state standardized test. This study indicated possible reasons that enhancedconceptual understanding within the study group at a Title I elementary school. Throughout the two-year time period,the classroom teachers created mathematics awareness through technology, teamwork, engagement and rigor. Thefindings revealed a significant percent of fourth-grade students who used technology and participated in specificlearning activities met or exceeded grade-level standards in math as measured by the Washington State standardizedtest.

Grade-level overlap and standards mismatch between nationally recognized programs that prepare teachers for grades PreK–3

ABSTRACTTwo related questions are investigated regarding programs accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). First, to what extent do NCATE-recognized elementary teacher preparation programs, which have been approved by the Association for Child Education International (ACEI), prepare candidates to teach in grades PreK–3, grades that the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) considers part of early childhood education? The current results indicate extensive grade-level overlap: 10% of ACEI-accredited elementary programs have grade spans that begin in preschool (or below), 53% begin in kindergarten, 30% in first grade, and 6% in second grade. The second investigation employed a content analysis to compare ACEI’s national standards for elementary teacher preparation with NAEYC’s national standards for early childhood teacher preparation. This analysis indicates that ACEI’s standards include far fewer references to terms that capture essential features of early instruction (e.g., family, community, and observation). Further, while the NAEYC’s standards refer to “self-regulation” four times and “play” eight times, the elementary standards mention neither term. When referring to learners, the NAEYC almost always used “child” or “children,” but the ACEI mostly used “student” or “students.” These results support calls for both stand-alone early licensure and PreK–3 alignment.

The profiles of students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs

Understanding the characteristics of students with complex communication needs and significant cognitive disabilities is an important first step toward creating the kinds of supports and services required to help them successfully access the general education curriculum, achieve grade-level standards, and improve overall communication competence. The First Contact Survey was designed to collect important information about students with significant cognitive disabilities who were eligible to take the Dynamic Learning Maps™ (DLM®) alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards. From November 2012–May 2013, the survey was used to gather information regarding more than 44,787 students. At that time, the goal was to use the data to inform the development of the DLM assessment. Although the survey includes a wealth of information regarding this large sample of students, the reanalysis of the data reported in the current study focused on the motor, sensory, language, reading, and writing skills of students with significant cognitive disabilities, based on their speech production abilities. Significant differences were identified across each of the domains between students who do and do not use speech with or without aided augmentative and alternative communication.

How to Collaborate: Five Steps for Success

Collaboration is more than two professionals working in the same classroom; it is changing instruction to provide curriculum-focused interventions in classroom settings. In order to combine expertise and skills of both speech-language pathologists and general education teachers, several pre-requisites must be in place. (1) Both professionals must share an underlying theoretical perspective; (2) both professionals must have goals commonly developed to address requisite skills for grade level standards; (3) roles must be defined; (4) use of strategic instruction that is based on effective practices, and finally (5), reflection and revision provide closure and plans for moving the instruction forward into the next lesson. Co-planning is a common component across these five steps that requires ongoing communication on the part of all professionals for successful collaboration.

The Calculator Effect

Calculators serve as general tools in mathematics classrooms; however, they also serve as a common accommodation for students with disabilities. Yet, their role as an accommodation is not without controversy. Using a single-subject design study, the researchers explored if students with disabilities solve more mathematics problems aligned to grade-level standards when they use a calculator than when they do not. The researchers also analyzed whether calculators assist students more with solving computation versus word problems. On average, students answered more questions correctly when they had access to a calculator. However, the tool was not generally an effective intervention given the low percentage of nonoverlapping data and, generally, small Tau-U for each student as well as instability and decreasing trends. The results lacked a consistent pattern of students benefiting from calculator use with regard to answering computation versus word problems.

Linguistic Feature Development Across Grades and Genre in Elementary Writing.

As children develop skills in writing across academic contexts, clinicians and educators need to have a fundamental understanding of typical writing development as well as valid and reliable assessment methods. The purpose of this study was to examine the progression of linguistic elements in school-age children's narrative and expository writing development. Narrative and expository writing samples produced by 89 children in Grades 2 through 4 were analyzed at the microstructure and macrostructure levels. Measures of receptive vocabulary, word-level reading, and reading comprehension were obtained. Exploratory factor analyses revealed 4 microstructure factors (e.g., productivity, grammatical complexity, grammatical accuracy, and lexical density) and 1 macrostructure factor (e.g., a combination of organization, text structure, and cohesion). Multivariate analyses of covariance with reading comprehension as a covariate showed that productivity and macrostructure were sensitive to grade-level and genre differences and that expository grammatical complexity was sensitive to grade-level differences. Findings are discussed in light of grade-level standards for narrative and expository writing and current practices in writing assessment. Multiple suggestions are offered for clinical and educational implications, and specific directions are provided for future research.

Taking Measure

Taking Measure

Reflection

A museum belonging to a school district demonstrates how teachers integrate museum resources into classroom curricula. A former teacher reflects on her experience with the Karshner Memorial Museum in the Puyallup School District (WA), and explains how the museum's exhibitions and artifacts are curriculum resources, specifically tied to grade level focus and standards. Now working with the Education Department at Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA) the author teaches teachers-in-training to use museum resources and has helped to develop a new major, Outreach Education, for students wishing to become educators in formal and informal venues outside the traditional classroom such as museums and other cultural venues.