E:\acps\mes\sol\Plain English Math full report.wpd

27 Pages·2005·0.21 MB·English

2004 SOL RESULTS
PLAIN ENGLISH MATHEMATICS
May 2005
MONITORING AND EVALUATION SERVICES
INFORMATION
FOR
ASSESS M ENT
RESEARCH
CONSULTATION
SUMMATION
DECISION-MAKING
ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2004 SOL Results
Plain English Mathematics
May 2005
MONITORING AND EVALUATION SERVICES
ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
David Rockoff
Primary Author
Analyst
Monte E. Dawson
Executive Director
Juanita A. Briscoe, Ph.D.
Analyst
Lydia D’Alois, Ph.D.
Analyst
Rose Alston
Administrative Secretary
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables ..................................................................... ii
List of Figures ..................................................................... iii
BACKGROUND ....................................................................1
RESULTS .........................................................................3
Test Taker Demographics .......... .............................................3
Performance ..................................................................8
DISCUSSION .....................................................................17
Appendix: Sample Plain English Test Items ..............................................19
iii
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1: Passing Scores for SOL Mathematics Exams ..................................2
TABLE 2: Plain English Mathematics Exams as a Percentage of All Mathematics
Exams, by Grade ........................................................3
TABLE 3: LEP/SPED Percentage Breakdown of Plain English Math Exam Takers,
by Grade ...............................................................3
TABLE 4: Plain English Mathematics Exams as a Percentage of All Grade 3, 5, and 8 Mathematics
Exams, by School ........................................................4
TABLE 5: LEP/SPED Percentage Breakdown of Plain English Math Exam Takers,
by School ..............................................................5
TABLE 6: Percentage Breakdown of Mathematics SOL Test Takers by Key
Demographic Subgroups, by Grade and Test Version ...........................6
TABLE 7: Percentage Breakdown of Mathematics SOL Test Takers by Actual
Grade Level, by Grade and Test Version .....................................7
TABLE 8: 2004 Mathematics SOL Average Scaled Score, by Grade and Test Version ..........8
TABLE 9: 2004 Mathematics SOL Passing Percentage, by Grade and Test Version ............8
TABLE 10: 2004 Mathematics SOL Average Scaled Score, by School and Test Version ........10
TABLE 11: 2004 Mathematics SOL Passing Percentage, by School and Test Version ...........11
TABLE 12: 2004 SOL Average Scaled Score by Subject: Comparison of Plain
English Math Takers and Standard Math Takers ...............................12
TABLE 13: 2004 SOL Passing Percentage by Subject: Comparison of Plain
English Math Takers and Standard Math Takers ...............................13
TABLE 14: 2004 Mathematics SOL Raw Score by Reporting Category,
by Test Version and Grade ......... ......................................14
TABLE 15: 2004 Mathematics SOL Percent Proficient by Reporting Category,
by Test Version and Grade ......... ......................................15
iv
TABLE 16: 2004 Mathematics SOL Average Scaled Score for LEP Levels 1 and 2
Students, by Grade and Test Version ........................................16
TABLE 17: 2004 Mathematics SOL Passing Percentage for LEP Levels 1 and 2
Students, by Grade and Test Version ........................................16
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Percent of test takers achieving Pass-Proficient and Pass-Advanced on
2004 SOL Mathematics exam, by Grade and version ............................9
v

BACKGROUND
A “Plain English” version of the SOL Mathematics exam for Grades 3, 5 and 8 was made available for the
first time to certain Virginia students during the Spring 2004 test administration. The Plain English version
could take the place of the standard SOL Mathematics exam for Limited English proficient (LEP) students
who are classified at level 1 or level 2 of English language proficiency, and for all LEP students during their
first year of enrollment in a U.S. school regardless of English language proficiency level. The Plain English
version is also available for Special Education (SPED) students whose Individualized Education Programs
indicate reduced or simplified language as a classroom accommodation for instruction and assessment.
LEP students who are eligible to take the Plain English version are not necessarily required to do so;
teachers have the discretion to assign the standard version to students whom they feel would not be hindered
by the wording on the standard version.
The Plain English version covers the same curriculum as the regular version, but presents word problems
in a linguistically simpler manner. These modifications include simplification of reading load, syntax and
vocabulary. (For sample standard version questions and their corresponding Plain English versions, see
Appendix)
As with any accommodation, a student who passes the Standards of Learning Mathematics assessment
utilizing the Plain English version has passed for all purposes, including earning a verified credit.
At its April 28, 2004, meeting the Virginia Board of Education adopted cut scores (number of items a
student must answer correctly to earn a designation of pass/proficient or pass/advanced) for the Plain
English Mathematics version. The cut scores were set slightly lower than those for the standard version.
Subsequent tests will be statistically equated to the tests on which the cut scores were set so the same level
of proficiency will be required for students to be considered proficient and advanced.
Table 1 lists the raw scores, or number of correct answers, needed to pass the SOL Mathematics exam. The
Grade 3 and 5 exams are out of 50 questions. The Grade 8 exam is out of 60 questions.
TABLE 1
Passing Scores for SOL Mathematics Exams

Standard Plain English
Version Math
Grade 3: Pass/Proficient 36/50 29/50
Pass/Advanced 45/50 43/50
Grade 5: Pass/Proficient 34/50 32/50
Pass/Advanced 46/50 44/50
Grade 8: Pass/Proficient 37/60 32/60
Pass/Advanced 55/60 51/60
This report profiles the segment of the student population who took the Plain English Math test in Spring
2004, and also illustrates the similarities and differences between this segment and the segment who took
the standard version of the Spring 2004 Mathematics SOL. The Test Taker Demographics section illustrates
the basic makeup of the two segments. The Performance section compares the two segments in a variety
of ways using two commonly used measures of group achievement – average scaled score and percent
achieving a passing score – presented in consecutive tables.
Differences listed in tables are calculated by subtracting the relevant Plain English Math data from the
relevant standard version data. Thus any differences with a negative sign signify an area in which Plain
English Math test takers scored higher than standard version test takers. All calculations are performed
using unrounded figures. This report does not list the statistical significance (or lack thereof) of any
comparisons.
Throughout this report, division totals refer to the Grade 3, 5 and 8 exams only. “Grade”, when referring
to an exam, refers to the grade level usually tested by a given exam, which is not necessarily the grade level
of the students taking the exam; some students taking the Grade 3 exam, for instance, are in grade 4, and
some students taking the Grade 8 exam are in high school
(see Table 7 for the actual grade breakdown).
While parents, Council members, and other stakeholders may find this document to be of interest, the ACPS
staff and Board members are its primary audience.
RESULTS
Test Taker Demographics
As seen in Table 2, one out of every six students who took a Grade 3, 5, or 8 SOL Mathematics test (in the
division in Spring 2004 took the Plain English version, including nearly one out of every four on the Grade
2
8 exam. Note that Grade 8 figures include students pursuing a Modified Standard Diploma.
TABLE 2
Plain English Mathematics Exams
as a Percentage of All Mathematics Exams,
by Grade

Total Math Exams Plain English Math Plain English
Grade # # as % of Total
3 993 147 15%
5 1010 133 13
8 800 187 23
Division 2803 467 17

Table 3 shows the percent breakdown of Plain English version takers by whether they were Limited English
proficient, Special Education, or both.
TABLE 3
LEP/SPED Percentage Breakdown of Plain English Math Exam Takers,
by Grade

Plain English
Math Exams
Grade # LEP only SPED only LEP and SPED
3 147 63% 23% 14%
5 133 52 44 5
8 187 29 69 2
Division 467 46 47 7
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Table 4 shows for each school the percentage of all Grade 3, 5, and 8 Mathematics tests that were the
Plain English version. The reader is reminded that high school students could be Grade 8 Mathematics
retakers as part of a remediation recovery program or because they are pursuing a Modified Standard
Diploma. For reference, the last two columns list the percentage of LEP and Special Education students
in each school’s student population.
TABLE 4
Plain English Mathematics Exams as a Percentage of
All Grade 3, 5, and 8 Mathematics Exams,
by School

Total Math Plain English Plain English
Exams Math as % % LEP in % SPED
School # # of Total schoola in schoola
John Adams 216 21 10% 37% 21%
Charles Barrett 79 1 1 19 24
Patrick Henry 183 11 6 29 17
Jefferson–Houston 106 14 13 10 30
Cora Kelly 160 11 7 32 15
Lyles–Crouch 67 11 16 5 22
Douglas MacArthur 172 24 14 16 14
George Mason 103 16 16 27 25
Maury 82 5 6 12 21
Mount Vernon 157 52 33 51 19
James K. Polk 186 26 14 43 13
William Ramsay 194 50 26 54 10
Samuel Tucker 172 23 13 37 15
Elementary schools 1877 265 14 32 18
Francis C. Hammond 429 110 26 31 14
George Washington 353 17 5 16 19
Middle schools 782 127 16 24 16
Minnie Howard 69 28 41 20 18
T.C. Williams 46 45 98 27 15
High schools 115 73 63 25 16
Special Situations 29 2 7 3 75
Division 2803 467 17 29 17
aIncludes all students who attended the school at any time during the 2003-04 school year.
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