Summary
The subject specific STAAR Raw Score mean and standard deviation (2018-2019 Technical Digest) are used to convert individual student raw scores into standardized z-scores. A standard z-score is a raw score expressed in terms of how many standard deviations it is away from the population mean.
The Standard Score Synchronization Report is used to evaluate students’ performance on three distinct STAAR tests using a standard score as defined above. All students who took each assessment are included in the report regardless of whether or not they took all three assessments. The common standard scores between the 3 selected tests are gathered and used to compare the frequency by which each standard score was represented, to delineate the number of scores within that value.
Usage
The standard score is compared to the performance of the population in the state. By definition, the average standard score of the population in the state would be 0. Any number greater than 0 equals greater than average performance as compared to the population in the state. Conversely, any number less than 0 would equal less than average performance as compared to the population in the state.
The Standard Score Synchronization Comparison Report is used to evaluate overall performance on 3 different STAAR tests using standard scores. There are 3 distinct graphs for the 3 tests being compared. The graphs show the standard scores scored on the test, (outlying scores or unique scores that are present in one test and not the others are skipped), and compares the amount of students who scored each distinctive standard score. It is very dynamic, leaving the user with the discretion as to what they want to compare. For example, with this report, one might compare:
- Three different campuses’ performance on the same subject for the same year
- A campus’ overall performance in 3 different subjects for the same year
- A campus’ overall performance in 1 subject for 3 different years
- A campus’ overall performance in 1 subject for 1 year, but for 3 different special populations or ethnicities
- A teacher’s overall performance in 3 different subjects for 3 different years
- A teacher’s overall performance in 1 subject over 3 different years
- A teacher’s overall performance compared to another teacher
Data Sources
STAAR
- Raw Scores (Students may be excluded because they scored a unique standard score not synchronous with standard scores from other tests, or because they were outliers beyond the scope of the graph.)
- STAAR Mean (2018-2019 Technical Digest)
- STAAR Standard Deviation (2018-2019 Technical Digest)
Definitions
- Average Standard Score: The average calculated by summing all the values in a data set and dividing by the number of cases.
- Standard Score: A raw score expressed in terms of how many standard deviations it falls away from the mean (also known as z-score). By definition, the average z-score of the population in the state would be 0. Any number greater than 0 equals greater than average performance as compared to the population in the state. Conversely, any number less than 0 would equal less than average performance as compared to the population in the state.
- Standard Deviation: Tells the average distance by which average scores deviate from the mean.
- Area Chart:
- x-axis: Standard Scores
- y-axis: Number of students scoring that standard score
- Red Plot line: Average Standard Score achieved on test for sample
- Yellow Plot line: (Average Standard Score) +/- (Standard Deviation of Test)
Features
Student List: Drills down to list of students who fall within that section of the coordinate plane.
Synchronous Hover: Hovering over a standard score synchronously displays the number of students who achieved the standard score for the 3 tests being compared.
Show More Details: Displays range tables.
- Range tables:
- Identifies the number of students scoring within each range for each of the 3 tests being compared. By definition, the average standard score of the population in the state would be 0. Any number greater than 0 equals greater than average performance as compared to the population in the state. Conversely, any number less than 0 would equal less than average performance as compared to the population in the state.
- Negative side: Scoring within the negative range
- Positive side: Scoring withing the positive range
- For a normal distribution (bell curve) the ranges would be as follows:
- From 0 to +/- 1 = 68% of the population
- From +/- 1 to +/- 2 = 27% of the population
- From +/- 2 to +/- infinity = 5% of the population
Filters
Single-select (One for each test):
- Subject
- Year
- Grade
- Campus
- Version
- Admin Month
- Language
- Test Admin Mode
- Ethnicity (Optional)
- Special Population (Optional)
Single Select:
- Focus List (Optional)