Curriculum and Achievement Testing Interview
A first-grade teacher and recent graduate from college participated in an interview with the author. The interview questions concentrated on the curriculum utilized in the classroom in conjunction with the achievement screening instruments employed within Allen Independent School District (AISD) to determine the placement of students. In conclusion, the author deliberates on the curriculum and achievement tests practiced in the classroom and proposes a recommendation that offers a pertinent match between the curriculum and assessments.
Background
The author conducted an in-person interview with Morgan Sedlacek, who works with Allen ISD as a first-grade teacher in a general education classroom. …show more content…
Sedlacek, personal communication, October 16, 2015); therefore, the proprietary curriculum constructed by Allen ISD complies with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the educational standards for grades kindergarten through twelfth. Although the administration of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) begins in the third-grade, the curriculum taught in all classrooms concentrates on the TEKS. When the author inquired about any other assessments administered besides the STAAR, Morgan responded, “As a non-testing grade level, we use Istation and mCLASS®:Math assessments to determine student placement in intervention and enrichment groups” (M. Sedlacek, personal communication, October 16, 2016). Due to the STAAR not administered until the students reach third-grade, the earlier grades, particularly, focus on achievement screening instruments such as Istation (aka Imagination Station) and mCLASS®:Math. According to the Istation website, “Students start with Istation’s Indicators of Progress (ISIP), a computer-adaptive assessment. Captivating characters guide students through ISIP, which measures current skill levels and provides teachers with data to drive instruction in early and advanced reading skills” (Istation, 2015). More importantly, Istation …show more content…
In comparison, according to Salvia, Ysseldyke, and Bolt, (2013), the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT-R/NU), despite new norms, the reliability and validity data are only available for the original PIAT-R (1989); therefore, are outdated and offers no relevance in the current educational context. With the Wide Range Achievement Test 4 (WRAT4), the reliability presents sufficiency for screening purposes and the validity requires additional evidence (Salvia, et al., 2013). However, as reported by Salvia, et al. (2013), the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 3 (WIAT-III) presents adequate reliability and validity evidence, the Istation and mCLASS achievement screening instruments provide a more advantageous match due to immediate access to diagnostic reports and ability to incorporate observation of behaviors during the assessments. With the use of achievement screening instruments by AISD, it allows for universal screening as part of the RTI approach ultimately placing students in tiers for the required intervention and enrichment needed for their
A first-grade teacher and recent graduate from college participated in an interview with the author. The interview questions concentrated on the curriculum utilized in the classroom in conjunction with the achievement screening instruments employed within Allen Independent School District (AISD) to determine the placement of students. In conclusion, the author deliberates on the curriculum and achievement tests practiced in the classroom and proposes a recommendation that offers a pertinent match between the curriculum and assessments.
Background
The author conducted an in-person interview with Morgan Sedlacek, who works with Allen ISD as a first-grade teacher in a general education classroom. …show more content…
Sedlacek, personal communication, October 16, 2015); therefore, the proprietary curriculum constructed by Allen ISD complies with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the educational standards for grades kindergarten through twelfth. Although the administration of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) begins in the third-grade, the curriculum taught in all classrooms concentrates on the TEKS. When the author inquired about any other assessments administered besides the STAAR, Morgan responded, “As a non-testing grade level, we use Istation and mCLASS®:Math assessments to determine student placement in intervention and enrichment groups” (M. Sedlacek, personal communication, October 16, 2016). Due to the STAAR not administered until the students reach third-grade, the earlier grades, particularly, focus on achievement screening instruments such as Istation (aka Imagination Station) and mCLASS®:Math. According to the Istation website, “Students start with Istation’s Indicators of Progress (ISIP), a computer-adaptive assessment. Captivating characters guide students through ISIP, which measures current skill levels and provides teachers with data to drive instruction in early and advanced reading skills” (Istation, 2015). More importantly, Istation …show more content…
In comparison, according to Salvia, Ysseldyke, and Bolt, (2013), the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT-R/NU), despite new norms, the reliability and validity data are only available for the original PIAT-R (1989); therefore, are outdated and offers no relevance in the current educational context. With the Wide Range Achievement Test 4 (WRAT4), the reliability presents sufficiency for screening purposes and the validity requires additional evidence (Salvia, et al., 2013). However, as reported by Salvia, et al. (2013), the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 3 (WIAT-III) presents adequate reliability and validity evidence, the Istation and mCLASS achievement screening instruments provide a more advantageous match due to immediate access to diagnostic reports and ability to incorporate observation of behaviors during the assessments. With the use of achievement screening instruments by AISD, it allows for universal screening as part of the RTI approach ultimately placing students in tiers for the required intervention and enrichment needed for their