DECISION MAKING RULES

FOUR POINT DECISION MAKING RULE

A Four Point Decision Making Rule is a decision making plan that allows you to project future student progress based on the most current consecutive data points.

  • Make sure the trendline and goal line (aimline) of the individual student is graphed properly.
  • Use at least 6 weeks of data with a minimum of 6 data points, not counting the baseline data points. Best practice is one data point per week for 6 weeks.
  • Compare the last 4 consecutive data points to the goal line.
  • Make an instructional decision.

For ASCENDING goal lines:

  • If 4 consecutive data points fall below the goal line, consider an instructional change.
  • If 4 consecutive data points fall above the goal line, consider changing the goal.
  • If data points fall above and below the goal line, continue with the current instructional strategies, maintain the current goal, and continue to monitor progress.

For DESCENDING goal lines:

  • If 4 consecutive data points fall above the goal line, consider an instructional change.
  • If 4 consecutive data points fall below the goal line, consider changing the goal.
  • If data points fall above and below the goal line, continue with current instructional strategies, maintain the current goal, and continue to monitor progress.

TRENDLINE ANALYSIS

A trendline represents a student’s actual rate of progress over time. A trendline analysis compares the slope of the trendline to the slope of the goal line (aimline) to tell if a student is achieving as predicted.

If the slope of the trendline is flatter than the goal line, consider an instructional change. If the slope of the trendline is steeper than the goal line, consider a new goal. If the slope of the trendline is the same as or parallelto the goal line, make no changes unless the trendline is significantly below the goal line.

RATE OF ACQUISITION

Rate of acquisition is the rate at which a student makes progress towards a goal while participating in an individually designed instruction. Rate of acquisition provides information about the student’s potential future performance and another means of comparison to peers; however, some behaviors or other skills areas may not lend themselves to this form of comparison.

To compare Rate of Acquisition (ROA):

1. Determine ROA of grade level peers in the skill area. For example:

  • 50%ile in Fall = 50 wcpm
  • 50%ile in Winter = 90 wcpm
  • Number of weeks of instruction (ex. 15 weeks)
  • The formula for the ROA is (90-50) divided by 15. The rate of acquisition is 2.67words correct per week.

2. Determine ROA of specific student:

  • Divide the number of data points in half
  • Determine the median score for the first half and the second half of the data points
  • subtract the first half median score from the second half median score.
  • Divide that number by the number of weeks the intervention took place.
  • Example A: First half median =30. Second half median = 50. Number of weeks = 14. So the formula is (50-30=20) divided by 14 = 1.4. The student’s rate of acquisition is 1.4 digits per week.

OR

  • Determine initial performance (baseline or median score of initial three probes). Example B: 35 wcpm baseline
  • Determine ending performance (median score of final three probes). 75 wcpm median of final three data points.
  • Divide by number of weeks intervention took place. 15 weeks

ROA = (median ending – median beginning)/ number of weeks of instruction.

75-35/15 = 2.67 wcpm

90-35/15 = 3.67 need 3.67wcpm/week to close the gap.

3. Compare student’s ROA to ROA of grade level peers for that time

period. Example A: 2.67 vs. 1.4 wcpm

Example B: 2.67 wcpm vs. 1.67 wcpm

Determine if the student is making enough progress to close the gap and whether or not the gap between the peers and the student is widening. Consider if a change in instruction is needed.

Changes to instruction.

  1. Increase number of opportunities or intensity.
  2. Change instructional materials.
  3. Review implementation of instruction.
  4. Change grouping or setting for instruction.
  5. Change the pace of instruction.

Best practices in using progress monitoring data:

  • Collect data on a regular basis.
  • Collect enough data to make a good decision.
  • Evaluate data during the intervention.
  • Make changes if the data indicate the intervention is not effective.
  • Determine if the intervention was delivered as planned.

Developed from:

Instructional Decision Making “Cheat Sheet”August, 2006.Grant Wood Area Education Agency

Improving Children’s Educational Results Through Data Based Decision Making August, 2007. Heartland Area Education Agency

Iowa I-Plan User’s Manual July, 2008. Iowa Department of Education