delaware comprehensive what is dcas? assessment system family

Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System Family Reports Interpretive Guide

Table of Contents

Disclaimer: The data in the Family Report sample are for display purposes only and do not represent actual results. The student’s name on the sample is fictitious, and any similarity to an actual student name is purely coincidental.

What is DCAS?...........................................................................................................What’s in my child’s score report?................................................................Frequently Asked Questions & Additional Resources..............................

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Understanding Your Child’s Test Scores

Spring 2011

What is DCAS?

The Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) is a statewide standardized testing program tied to the Delaware content standards, which define the knowledge and skills required for our children to succeed beyond high school. DCAS is designed to:

• help schools and districts determine whether children are making progress on meeting standards;

• help the state learn how schools

and districts are ensuring that children are meeting the standards.

In the 2010–2011 school year, three administrations (fall, midyear, and spring) of the DCAS Reading and Mathematics tests were administered in grades 3–10 to provide an accurate measure of how well our children are progressing toward achievement of Delaware’s rigorous content standards. Grade 2 children also took a short Reading and Mathematics test in the spring. No score report was created.Also in the spring, a Science test was administered in grades 5, 8, and 10, and a Social Studies test was administered in grades 4 and 7.

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2 - - Mathematics & Reading

3 Mathematics & Reading

Mathematics & Reading




Mathematics, Reading & Social

Studies



Mathematics, Reading &

Science






Mathematics, Reading & Social

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Science







Science

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Your Child’s Score Inside the report, you will see your child’s Reading and Mathematics scores. If your child took the Science or Social Studies test, these scores will be included in the report. If your child took multiple Reading and Mathematics tests, the most recent scores will be shown. For most children, the spring Reading and Mathematics scores are shown.

Cover Letter The front page of your child’s score report includes an important letter from the Delaware Secretary of Education summarizing the contents of the report and encouraging you to be an active participant in your child’s education.

Performance Levels If your child’s score is in the Advanced or Meets Standard score range in a subject, then your child has met Delaware’s content standards for that subject. If your child’s score is in the Below Standard or Well Below Standard range, then your child did not meet Delaware’s proficiency standards for that subject in this administration of DCAS.

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Estimated DSTP Performance Level For Reading and Mathematics, the report estimates what your child’s performance level might have been on the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP), the previous statewide assessment measure. The estimated DSTP performance level is not available for Science or Social Studies.

TerraNova Percentile Many children participated in a second Reading or Mathematics assessment called the Norm-Referenced/TerraNova Achievement Test. TerraNova compares the performance of Delaware children with the performance of children across the nation. The percentile is the percentage of children across the nation in the same grade who scored as well as or below your child. Science and Social Studies are not included in TerraNova testing.

Next Steps The Next Steps recommendations are based on a combination of your child’s overall performance level and your child’s performance on the reporting categories that make up each subject. If your child’s performance was lower than expected in one reporting category given his or her performance in the other reporting categories, then the report will provide tailored suggestions for you to help your child improve in that category. If a single reporting category cannot be identified for improvement, the report will provide suggestions to help your child improve and maintain his or her performance across the entire subject.

Trend Chart This chart shows how your child’s Reading or Mathematics score changed from the start of the year through the end of the year. Science and Social Studies tests are administered to certain grades only in the spring, so a trend chart is not available for these subjects.

Comparison Scores Your child’s score is compared with the average score for your child’s school, the school district, and the state of Delaware.

Are my child’s scores good enough?While it is the goal of the school to have your child achieve at the highest level possible, at a minimum, children are expected to perform at the Meets Standard level in each subject at each grade level.

Can the scores be compared?Your child’s scores can be compared within a subject over time. For example, you can compare a fall Reading score to a spring Reading score. Scores cannot be compared between different subjects.

Why do my child’s scores change over time?Children’s scores generally change over the course of the year as a result of their classroom learning of the grade-level material. Slight variation is expected in all test scores, and outside factors in a child’s life may sometimes affect test performance. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s performance, please contact your child’s school.

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Glossary of Terms/Definitions

Percentile: The percentage of children across the nation in the same grade who scored as well as or below your child

Performance level: A proficiency level that corresponds to a score range determined by groups of Delaware educators and parents

Performance level descriptors: Detailed explanations of what proficiencies and skills correspond to each performance level for each grade and subject

Reporting category: A content subset within a subject. Descriptions of each reporting category can be found in the Test Blueprints online (see Additional Resources).

Score: A numerical value that is on a common scale so that children’s scores can be compared over multiple test administrations

Standards: Performance expectations for Delaware children

Subject: Grade-level content (Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) that is assessed for accountability purposes

Frequently Asked Questions 4

DCAS Information and Parent Resources

http://de.portal.airast.org

delaware comprehensive what is dcas? assessment system family

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