State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education (Page 48 of 277) in pdf

State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 48

Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit

Part B State Performance Plan

Performance Proficiency

The anticipated State average percentage point gain for literacy is 6.41; therefore, the target

for 2012-13 is 45.22%.

The anticipated State average percentage point gain for mathematics is 6.52; therefore, the

target for 2012-13 is 51.14%.

Improvement Activities/Timelines/Resources

Staff of the Special Education Unit and the ADE Accountability Unit in the Department of

FFY 2005

Education will combine efforts to explain the rationale and consequences of the new rating scale. While it

appears that the students made little to no progress toward proficiency, this is not truly the case. The use of

the new scoring standard caused all scores to be dramatically lower, thus creating a new baseline for future

comparisons.

The participation rate has shown an improvement and the expected 95% has been attained. District

personnel will be trained by staff of the Special Education Unit and the ADE Accountability Unit in the

proper accounting and coding procedures to assure that this level of participation does not decrease.

Regional training by staff of the Special Education Unit and the ADE Accountability Unit for test

coordinators, special education supervisors and other staff persons will be held in both the fall and spring.

During these sessions, explicit directions will be given on proper test administration and portfolio

preparation. A CD/DVD will be given to each of the participants in the training to serve as a refresher when

they return to their classrooms and prepare for the assessments.

Training by staff of the Special Education Unit and the ADE Accountability Unit on the proper use of

accommodations on the benchmark will be given to all persons involved in the administration of the exams.

The publication, “Guidebook for Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities” will be

utilized for this training.

Since the benchmark exams are based on the State’s curriculum frameworks and content standards,

additional training sessions will be given with an emphasis on curriculum based instruction and standards

performance.

Test taking skills will be emphasized in the classroom and practice exams will be utilized in all grades.

With the new baseline data for all students involved in the assessment program, it will be easier to track

actual individual students and their progress from grade to grade. By utilizing the E Guide, individual test

item analysis is available. Teachers and administrators will be encouraged by staff of the Special Education

Unit and the ADE Accountability Unit to use this data in an effort to determine how scores are reported,

which items and which standards are being missed and by which students.

Summer camps conducted by staff of the Special Education Unit and the ADE Accountability Unit will be

held to assist general and special educators in implementing research based literacy interventions more

effectively.

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State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 48