To develop Pathway to Proficiency reports for Kansas Star Reading and Star Math schools, we linked our scaled scores with the scaled scores from the Kansas Assessment Program. This technical report details the statistical method behind the process of linking Kansas' state test and Star Reading and Star Math scaled scores. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R45820>.

From the abstract: "Spanish speakers in the United States are a steadily increasing population, up by 233% since 1980. Given the growing population of dual language learners (DLLs) and the large numbers of Spanish-speaking children enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs, addressing the educational needs of preschool-aged DLLs has become a national imperative. Specifically, the intersection of this growing population and the dearth of appropriate assessment tools to evaluate DLLs early language and literacy skills creates a need for assessments that accurately measure preschool performance. This manuscript reports on the iterative design process of a measure of Spanish phonological awareness for preschool-aged DLLs: Spanish Individual Growth and Development Indicators (S-IGDI) Primeros Sonidos. We employed measure design framework to develop the measure and tested item function within a study of 970, 4-5 year old DLLs. Results, including item level analyses and evidence regarding construct and criterion validity are reported."Citation: Wackerle-Hollman, A., Durán, L., Brunner, S., Palma, J., Kohlmeier, T., & Rodriguez, M. C. (2019). Developing a measure of Spanish phonological awareness for preschool age children: Spanish Individual Growth and Development Indicators. Educational Assessment, 24(1), 33-56. The research study is available online: <https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED595878.pdf>.

From the abstract: "Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is beginning to be implemented in preschool programs to improve outcomes and to reduce the need for special education services. The proportions of children in programs identified as struggling learners through universal screening have important implications for the feasibility of these approaches as well as for the way programs might allocate resources and staff implementing tiered models of intervention. The expected proportions of children who might be identified for higher tiers of instructional support in pre-kindergarten settings are relatively unknown. The proportions of children who would have been identified for higher tiers of instructional language/literacy support when using three different universal screening measures are described. Participants were 659 children participating in the Center for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood (CRTIEC) Tier 1 Study. Results indicated that the proportions of children at Tier 2 and Tier 3 performance levels were higher for children in low-income eligibility programs and varied by program-level characteristics including numbers of English language learners and children with special needs, as well as the universal screening measure used. Implications of these findings suggest the importance of increased focus on early literacy and language in Tier 1 instruction in programs serving high proportions of children at risk as a means of preventing reading failure in future years." Citation: Carta, J. J., Greenwood, C. R., Atwater, J., McConnell, S. R., Goldstein, H., & Kaminski, R. A. (2014). Identifying preschool children for higher tiers of language and early literacy instruction within a response to intervention framework. Journal of Early Intervention, 36(4), 281-291.The research study is available online: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275243333_Identifying_Preschool_Children_for_Higher_Tiers_of_Language_and_Early_Literacy_Instruction_Within_a_Response_to_Intervention_Framework>.

From the abstract: "Preschool experience plays a role in children's development. However, for programs with language and early literacy goals, the question remains whether or not preschool instructional experiences are sufficiently effective to achieve these goals for all children. In a multisite study, we conducted a process-product description of preschool instruction and children's growth and outcomes in typical programs (i.e., Pre-Kindergarten, Title 1, Head Start, Tuition-Based) using a Response to Intervention (RTI) perspective. Results indicated that (a) students in their preschool year prior to kindergarten made small gains, but students starting the year in lower Tier 2 and 3 performance levels did not close initial skills gaps, (b) variations were noted by program types with varying socio-demographics and instructional processes, and (c) the quality of instruction (Tier 1) received by all was low with room for improvement. Implications for future research on the application of the RTI approach and potential benefits are discussed."Citation: Greenwood, C. R., Carta, J. J., Atwater, J., Goldstein, H., Kaminski, R., & McConnell, S. R. (2012). Is a Response to Intervention (RTI) approach to preschool language and early literacy instruction needed? Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 33, 48-64.The research study is available online: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4041200/>.

DETAILS: Location: AL, TX, OK, KS, NV, NC, OH, and PA; Design: Independent, assessment research; Sample: Staff from 12 schools in 8 states; Measures: Direct costs, opportunity costs. RESULTS: Christensen Associates conducted a study to determine the true costs associated with widely used early literacy, reading, and mathematics assessments: Star Early Literacy, Star Reading, Star Math, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), Wireless Generation mCLASS DIBELS, AIMSweb, and the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI). The researchers interviewed staff from 12 schools in 8 states to calculate the average costs of using the tests. Two types of costs were measured: direct costs (the price of testing materials, licensing fees, and/or fees for access to scoring and reporting services), and opportunity costs (time to administer, score, and report results; time that could be spent on instruction if testing was not taking place). The results confirmed, both in terms of direct costs and opportunity costs, that Star Early Literacy, Star Reading, and Star Math, computer-adaptive assessments, are much more cost effective than DIBELS, other assessments; ranging from approximately one-half the cost of AIMSweb and about one-sixth the cost of paper TPRI. AUTHOR: Laurits R. Christensen Associates.Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of this study or summary from the Renaissance Research Department.

DETAILS: School Profile (Susan B. Anthony MS): 473 students in grades 7 & 8; Socio-Economic Status: Free/reduced lunch: 22%, Mobility: 26%; Race/Ethnicity: American Indian/Alaska Native: 1%, Asian/ Pacific Islander: 5%, Black/African American: 6%, Hispanic/ Latino: 4%, White: 84%. School Profile (Dwight D. Eisenhower MS) 495 students in grades 7 & 8; Socio-Economic Status: Free/reduced lunch: 35%; Mobility: 29%; Race/Ethnicity: Asian/Pacific Islander: 5%, Black/African American: 13%, Hispanic/Latino: 3%, White: 79%. RESULTS: In just 9 weeks of implementing Accelerated Reader with best practices, reading scores increased 5 percentile points and the number of students who thought reading was enjoyable increased by 18%. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Julie Clingan, reading teacher. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R11781.