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 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>.

This technical manual is a compendium of all relevant information about content and item development, item and scale calibration, reliability and measurement precision, validity, norming, and score definitions for Star Math High School (Algebra and Geometry).Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of the technical manual 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: "In Pennsylvania, high school students are required to take Keystone exams associated with Keystone courses; participation prior to graduation is required for federal accountability purposes. The School District of Philadelphia's Board of Education's Goal 4 is focused on improving the reading and math performance of grades 9-11 students on the Keystones. To track progress toward the Goal, the District examines the performance of students on 'Leading Indicators,' the within-year assessments of reading and math skills administered multiple times between the annual Keystone exams. This report examines the statistical relationship of Winter and Spring Star performance and Keystone performance in 2021-22."The Full Report is available online: <https://www.philasd.org/research/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2023/03/Analysis-of-the-Relationship-between-2021-22-Star-and-Keystone-Performance-March-2023.pdf>.

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/>.

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/>.

From the abstract: "Computer adaptive assessments were used to monitor the academic status and growth of students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) in reading (N = 321) and math (N = 322) in a regional service center serving 56 school districts. A cohort sequential model was used to compare that performance to the status and growth of a national user base of more than 7,500,000 students without disabilities. Consistent with numerous previous findings, status or level of performance of students with EBD was consistently low relative to their nondisabled peers. However, for the most part the students with significant EBD demonstrated rates of growth similar to the nationwide sample of nondisabled peers. There was considerable variability in the academic growth of students across grades and between treatment programs, and this variability is described and discussed. Implications for policy and practice in student progress monitoring and teacher evaluation systems are discussed." Citation: Ysseldyke, J., Scerra, C., Stickney, E., Beckler, A., Dituri, J., & Ellis, K. (2017). Academic growth expectations for students with emotional and behavior disorders. Psychology in the Schools, 54(8), 792-807.

This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking ACT Aspire and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores in Grade 3-10. The full report is available online: <https://renaissance.widen.net/s/m9gtgbk5hk/r60968>.

This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking ACT College Readiness Benchmarks and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores.The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R60187>.

From the abstract: "The authors examined the extent to which classroom teachers in naturalistic settings used a Goal-Setting Tool to set instructional goals for struggling students, the kinds of goals they set, their progress monitoring practices with and without goals, and the extent to which students gain more when a goal-setting tool is used. The goal-setting tool was used for 364,750 students and their growth in math, reading, and early literacy was contrasted with growth for 364,750 students whose teachers did not use a goal-setting tool. Use of the goal-setting tool led to improved outcomes for students, especially students in early grades."Citation: Haas, L. B., Stickney, E. M., & Ysseldyke, J. (2016). Using growth norms to set instructional goals for struggling students. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 32(1), 82-99.

This paper reports the results of research on the comparability of scores from the existing web-based Star applications and the iPad (iOS) App. This information was also presentioned as "Score Comparability for Web & iPad Delivered Adaptive Tests" at the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) conference in Philadelphia in April 2014 by James B. Olsen, Psychometrician.(Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of these studies from the Renaissance Research Department.)

This study was conducted to determine whether students in need of intervention in algebra could be identified earlier, providing more time for them to receive additional support. Scores from Star Math (taken in grade 8) and the Algebra I End-of-Grade Exam (taken in grade 9) were examined for 200 students from a Midwestern suburban high school. A simple liner regression determined a student's Star Math score from eighth grade was a valid predictor of the student's Algebra I End-of-Course test taken the following year, making the assessment helpful in indentifying students in need of extra interventions.Citation: Smith, M. (2012). A study of the predictive validity of the Star Math test for the Algebra 1 End of Course exam. Maryville, MO: Northwest Missouri State University.The full report is available online: <https://www.nwmissouri.edu/library/researchpapers/2012/Smith,%20Molly.pdf>.