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Guidelines for Improving Student Results
  The following are suggestions for possible actions to take to improve student performance on the Vermont-PASS science assessment.
 

If a large percentage of students are below the standard on the VT-PASS Science Assessment, you might want to consider the following actions:

  • Determine if these results are consistent with classroom and school science assessment data and teacher perceptions.

  • Develop an articulated K-12 science curriculum if none exists.

  • Seek curriculum expertise in science or help in developing one.

  • Look for developmentally appropriate standards-based science resources (i.e. textbooks, standards-based units, supporting materials, supplies, library and technology resources, community sources).

  • Ask if the resources support inquiry in science.

  • Make sure every teacher K-6 teaches science.

  • Make sure every student K-12 has the opportunity to take science courses that address the full range of standards.

  • Make sure every teacher K-12 has the content expertise to deliver the standards.

  • Make sure every teacher integrates the Learning Opportunities ("best practice" pedagogy) into classroom instruction.

  • Make sure standards-based assessments are used in every classroom for frequent student feedback and for making instructional decisions along the way.

  • Allocate professional development resources to support improved science knowledge and pedagogy.

  • Consider the full range of professional development models from large informational conferences to on-site demonstration of content and pedagogy and make sure all teachers have access to the professional development in science.

If your results show a large percentage of students in the "achieved the standard" and "honors' categories, but there are still students in the "below" or "little evidence" categories, you may want to consider:

  • Disaggregating your data to see who the students in the below the standard categories are. (Are they female, minority, LEP, lower SFS, etc.?)

  • Check course taking patterns to see if ALL students have the opportunity to access the full range of standards K-12 What courses have they taken? What opportunities have those courses offered?

  • Collect any other data that will help determine what is in the way of their achievement? How do they differ from the groups nearly, meeting, and achieving honors?

If your results show an average percentage of students in the "achieved the standard" and "honors" categories, but more than half are only nearly or below meeting the standard, you may want to consider asking:

  • Is our science program of a high quality, offering access of the full range of the standards to all students?

  • Are ALL teachers equipped with the content and the pedagogy to not just "cover" the standards, but to enable students to master them?

  • Who are the students in the "nearly" category? What courses have they taken? Have they had the same curriculum and opportunities as those meeting the standard?

  • How do our results compare to other schools like us? If their results are different, how does their science program differ from ours?

 
 
Vermont-PASS Science Assessment Blueprint     June 2001Top of Page