To develop Pathway to Proficiency reports for Iowa Star Reading and Star Math schools, we linked our scaled scores with the scaled scores from Iowa's achievement test. This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking Iowa's state tests (ISASP) and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R52870>.

To develop Pathway to Proficiency reports for Tennessee Star Reading and Star Math schools, we linked our scaled scores with the scaled scores from Tennessee's achievement test. This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking Tennessee's state test (TCAP) and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R52834>.

To develop Pathway to Proficiency reports for Arkansas Star Reading and Star Math schools, we linked our scaled scores with the scaled scores from the ATLAS achievement test. This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking ATLAS and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R45710>.

From the abstract: "The present study compared the diagnostic accuracy of a single computer adaptive test (CAT), Star Reading or Star Math, and a combination of the two in a gated screening framework to predict end-of-year proficiency in reading and math. Participants included 13,009 students in Grades 3-8 who had at least one fall screening score and end-of-year state test score in reading and math. First, diagnostic accuracy statistics were evaluated for a single screening measure to predict proficiency on end-of-year tests. Second, a gated screening framework was simulated to examine the diagnostic accuracy of a combination of screening measures (i.e., scores from the CATs and the end-of-year test). The diagnostic accuracy of each screening method was compared. Results suggest that diagnostic accuracy did not improve for the gated screening method when compared to the single screening method. The gated screening method tended to yield low sensitivity values (M=0.42, range=0.3-0.48) and high specificity values (M=0.97, range=0.9-0.99). The only condition to reach acceptable sensitivity and specificity (>0.70) was a single reading screener predicting reading outcomes. Sample specific cut-scores from receiver operating curve (ROC) analyses led to improved diagnostic accuracy outcomes relative to all other methods."Citation: Forcht, E. R., & Van Norman, E. R. (2024). Comparison of screening methods for computer adaptive tests to predict reading and math performance. Psychology in the Schools, 61(4), 1590–1610.The full article is available online: <https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23132>.

From the introduction: "In the spring of 2023, the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (SC EOC), in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), partnered with Education Analytics (EA) to complete a level-linking study between the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessment (SC READY) in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) and Renaissance Learning's Star interim assessments in Mathematics and Reading, respectively. This report outlines the methodology used by EA and the outcomes of the linking study. The goal of this report is to statistically connect the SC READY and Star assessments' scale scores in grades 3-8 to facilitate further comparisons of proficiency status on these two assessments." (Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of this study from the Renaissance Research Department.)

The purpose of this project is to statistically link the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) and Star Assessments scales in order to facilitate the conversion of MAP RIT scores to Star scaled scores. Linkages were completed between MAP Reading to Star Reading, MAP Language Usage to Star Reading, and MAP Math to Star Math. The resulting conversion table makes it possible for present or future Star users to translate their MAP RIT scores to Star scores.The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R57878>.

From the abstract: "This study explored the validity of growth on two computer adaptive tests, Star Reading and Star Math, in explaining performance on an end-of-year achievement test for a sample of students in Grades 3 through 6. Results from quantile regression analyses indicate that growth on Star Reading explained a statistically significant amount of variance in performance on end-of-year tests after controlling for baseline performance in all grades. In Grades 3 through 5, the relationship between growth on Star Reading and the end-of-year test was stronger among students who scored higher on the end-of-year test. In math, Star Math explained a statistically significant amount of variance in end-of-year scores after statistically controlling for baseline performance in all grades. The strength of the relationship did not differ among students who scored lower or higher on the end-of-year test across grades.Citation: Van Norman, E. R., & Forcht, E. R. (2023). An evaluation of the validity of growth on two computer adaptive tests to predict performance on end-of-year achievement tests using quantile regression. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 48(2), 80-89.

Throughout 2021, Renaissance released a series of reports titled How Kids Are Performing, which estimated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on US student achievement in reading and mathematics during the 2020-2021 school year. Although the incidence of school shutdowns and remote learning is now much lower during the 2021-2022 school year than the prior year, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect K-12 education in myriad ways. This continuation of the How Kids Are Performing report series will serve as a status check, summarizing US K-12 student performance and growth as of the end of the 2021-2022 school year and contrasting those results to the same period in 2020-2021.The full report is available online: <https://www.renaissance.com/how-kids-are-performing/>.

To develop Pathway to Proficiency reports for Alabama Star Reading and Star Math schools, we linked our scaled scores with the scaled scores from Alabama's achievement test. This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking Alabama's state test (ACAP) and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R44719>.

Throughout 2021, Renaissance released a series of reports titled How Kids Are Performing, which estimated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on US student achievement in reading and mathematics during the 2020-2021 school year. Although the incidence of school shutdowns and remote learning is now much lower during the 2021-2022 school year than last year, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect K-12 education in myriad ways. This continuation of the How Kids Are Performing report series will serve as a status check, summarizing US K-12 student performance and growth as of the middle of the 2021-2022 school year and contrasting those results to the same period in 2020-2021. The report is available online: <https://www.renaissance.com/how-kids-are-performing/>.

How Kids Are Performing: Tracking the School-Year Impact of COVID-19 on Reading and Mathematics Achievement: Spring 2020-2021 Edition examines how students are performing across the entire 2020-2021 school year. Based on insights from millions of student assessments, the report explores key questions, including: 1. How much did students grow during the 2020-2021 school year compared with typical school-year growth? 2. How much has the pandemic impacted student performance by the end of the 2020-2021 school year? 3. What are the pandemic's impacts in instructional terms? The report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R63444>.

How Kids Are Performing: Tracking the Midyear Impact of COVID-19 on Reading and Mathematics Achievement: Winter 2020-2021 Edition examines how students are performing at the midway point of the 2020-2021 school year. Based on insights from millions of student assessments, the report explores key questions, including: 1. How are students growing during the first half of the 2020-2021 school year compared with typical school-year growth? 2. How much is the pandemic impacting student performance as of the middle of the 2020-2021 school year? 3. Are we gaining ground? How do the winter pandemic achievement impacts compare to fall? The full report is available online: <https://renaissance.widen.net/s/zvq8rnrp9t/r63370>.

How Kids Are Performing: Tracking the Impact of COVID-19 on Reading and Mathematics Achievement: Fall 2020 Edition is based on insights from millions of student assessments. The report explores key questions, including: 1. Did the pandemic have an impact on the reading and mathematics performance of students as they entered the 2020-2021 school year? 2. Is the impact of the pandemic reflected in growth outcomes? Were existing achievement gaps exacerbated? 3. Do the impacts on performance and growth vary by subgroup? 4. Can we interpret the pandemic's impacts in instructional terms? The report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R63289>.