Things+we+need+to+remember+that+we+do+well

Observations --- 4th graders were above in 2 out of 12 released questions and below in 10 out of 12 released questions. (range -2 through -13) Looking at the Vocab questions -- The questions were looking at set, antonym and vocab in context (the word was abundant).
 * 4th grade**

Inferential 18 out of 27 students earned half or less of the total. Analysis & Interpretation 17 out of 27 students Achievement Level: 2 kids earned 4. 12 kids earned a 3, 10 kids earned a 10, 3 kids earned a 1. The 10 kids who partially met, most of them were closer to did not meet than meets.
 * 3rd grade**

There were two released questions that the students did worse than the state. We looked at the GLE to see what the kids were being tested on in those questions. --5.7.2 Using main ideas and details
 * 5th Grade**

In terms of constructed response, the 4s always look neater. Should we work on presentation too? Also, the quantity also seems important. Focus on answering the question with details, rather than quantity? If you taught the structure of Better Answers (using part of the question, gist answer, details, conclusion) and kids were using it, they would at least get threes.
 * Constructed Responses**

If they got the gist, their scores are higher.

The state, district and school were low in informational and analysis and interpretation. What about the way we are teaching is not helping kids meet these?


 * Next Steps & Questions:**
 * We need to make sure we are figuring out which vocab is on the tests and making sure kids are being taught those words. Maybe kids are not good are transferring new words.
 * Look at the data for each teacher in the grade to see if there are strengths and weaknesses.
 * Longitutidinal study based on groups -- this would help us see if there are school wide trends
 * So, look at which subcategories students are struggling with in each grade. (Also, look back to see those trends in earlier grades and see if they are the same strengths and weaknesses from year to year). Then, once we determine strengths and weaknesses for the group, make sure we are meeting with the current teacher for that group to share our ideas about possible.
 * We need to make sure we are teaching students how to understand a question. Both constructed response and multiple choice.
 * How many times are we giving students the opportunities to answer multiple choice questions? Maybe we could do this more with Time for Kids?
 * Let's look at the type of questions our current students missed in the released items and determine lessons based on what we see as weaknesses in the released questions.
 * Can we sort by question?
 * What about having kids look at their own work and score it with the rubric? We should also share with the students how they did using the information we have.
 * Use our lunch time meetings to look at how we are using Time for Kids
 * Look at how we can do READ ABOUT with more people.

Reflection: Was this useful? Only valuable if we know we are going to have time for next steps? Education is not in a positive place right now. We need to teach our kids to read. Does analyzing this data help us? We need something other than tests. This data is important, informational and useful. Someone else should be analyzing the data and giving us the information. Then, we can use that to teach.

Helpful steps for next time based on the idea that we'd like to use our professional development time to improve our teaching: What is it about informational texts that are a struggle, how to teach them and how to integrate that into our classroom? Collaborate earlier with next years teachers on RTI goals and group trends (strengths and weaknesses) so starting in the Fall we are ready to go. Send the kids to the next years' teacher with a goal in place.