Week 6 Assignment – Understanding the Data

In Week 7, you will be presenting a multi-year plan to improve reading. This week, you will be completing the research necessary for your Week 7 assignment.

Overview

Dr. Smith is the newly hired principal of North Street Elementary School where you teach 3rd and 4th graders reading. North Street Elementary School, in a small rural school district, is located in a town with high poverty rates and low-income jobs. The demographics of the city are as follows: 55 percent African American, 35 percent Caucasian, and 10 percent Hispanic. There has been an uptick in the town crime rate over the last six months. All of these factors are having an impact on student reading performance at North Street Elementary School.

Test results from the 2016–2019 state-mandated assessment reflect that students in grades 3 and 4 are not performing well in the area of reading. The data is as follows:

• Female students in grades 3 and 4 are consistently performing better than male students on the reading assessments.
• Caucasian students are consistently performing better than African American students.
• More Caucasian students have scores in the Pass Advances (500–600 points) than students in other ethnicities. 
• Hispanic students are also performing better in reading than African American students.
• Economically disadvantaged students (which includes all ethnicities) are performing at a lower rate than non-economically disadvantaged students.
• Students with disabilities are not performing as well as students without disabilities in reading assessments.
• In reviewing the pass rate for all students over the most recent three years, there is a little difference in the number of students who are passing (53 percent in 2016–17; 55 percent in 2017–18; 56 percent in 2018–19).
• There was no change in the number of ELL students who passed the reading assessment in 2017–2018 and 2018–2019; both years 30 students passed. However, in 2018–2019, 10 students passed in the advance category and 20 in the proficient category. 
  • The complete data files are below: 

Dr. Smith is concerned and has been instructed to address this issue. She has tasked her teachers in grades 3 and 4 to disaggregate the most recent reading assessment data to determine any trends and identify three key issues that could be impacting the recent student performance in reading. She has instructed her teachers to consider any factors that could impact student performance including (but not limited to) lack of resources at home, attendance, and discipline. After identifying trends and determining at least three factors impacting student performance, teachers are to identify three research-based strategies that can be implemented to help improve reading scores and prepare students for the upcoming state-mandated assessment.

Requirements

Write a 3–5 page report in which you address the following:

• Through your own research and information provided in the data, identify and discuss at least three key factors that are impacting student performance in the area of reading. Make sure to provide research to support how these factors can have an impact on student reading performance.
• Identify and discuss a minimum of three research-based strategies that can be implemented to improve student performance in reading, based on the social factors and trends identified from the data. Provide research that reflects the effectiveness of these strategies. If you have experience as a classroom teacher, you can use that to support your strategies as well.
• Use four sources to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source page at least one time within your assignment. For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library or review library guides.