Using Screening Data for Decision Making Vocabulary Handout[1]

This handout is used to show how your understanding of key terms related to screening data evolves throughout the module. The terms are organized by the order in which they appear in the Webinar. Under the prediction column fill out what you believe the terms mean prior to the presentation. As the terms are discussed during the presentation add clarification to the final meaning column. Use the picture, sketch, example column to add additional clarifying information after the presentation. At the end of the table there are rows which act as a place holder for any additional terms you may want to define.

Term / Prediction / Final Meaning / Picture/Sketch/Example
Cut Score
Overidentify
Underidentify
Categorical Variable
Continuous Variable
Clinical Decision Making Model
True Positive
True Negative
False Negative
False Positive
Sensitivity
Specificity
National Norm
Local Norm
Target or Benchmark
Data Review Process
Decision Rules
Norm-Referenced Data
Normal Distribution (Bell Curve)
Box and Whisker Plot
Criterion-Referenced Data
Criterion Scores
Target Identification Rate
Additional Terms

Norm Referenced—Box and Whisker Plots Handout

As a district level data team you are looking at the norm referenced screening data for one school in your district, School A, compared to the composite for the state. What does the information in the graph tell you about School A? Take some time to think about the questions below individually or with those sitting around you.

  1. What is the cut score?
  2. What is the 50thpercentile for the composite? ______for School A? ______
  3. What is the spread or range of scores for the composite? ______
  4. for School A?______
  5. What might the difference in spread between School A and the composite tell us?
  1. What might you say about the performance of School A compared to the composite based on this graph?

______

______

  1. What additional questions might you ask based on these data?

______

______

District Level—Box and Whisker PlotsHandout

As a member of the district level data team you are looking at the results of screening data across the five elementary schools in your district. How are students in these schools doing across the three grade levels?

  1. What does the information tell us about how primary prevention (e.g., core curriculum and instruction) is working in schools in our district?

______

______

  1. Which schools in this district are struggling?______
  2. Which schools in the district are doing well?______
  3. What decisions might the district make about resource allocation (e.g., which schools appear to need additional support or further analysis)?

______

______

______

School Level—Analyzing Growth by Ethnicity Handout

As a member of the school level data team you are looking at the average screening data by ethnic group for your school. This allows you to see if there are any differences between the different ethnic groups. Use the data above to answer the following questions.

  1. Which ethnic groups are performing above the target score in this school?

______

______

  1. Which ethnic groups are performing below the target score?

______

______

  1. Consider the growth of students by ethnic group from fall to spring, what does this tell you about the achievement gap between ethnic groups?

______

______

  1. If these data represented your school, what next steps might your team consider?

______

______

______

Grade Level—Analyzing Effects of Changes to InstructionHandout

As a member of the data team you have gathered to discuss the effectiveness of core instruction in these second grade classes. Due to the increased number of students not responding to core curriculum in the winter, the second grade teachers changed their instruction. Use this graph to answer the questions below.

  1. Overall, how are the students in second grade doing in the spring? Has this changed across the year?

______

______

______

  1. What percentage of students require tertiary prevention during the spring? What questions might you ask about this?

______

______

______

  1. If this were school or district level data (rather than school level data), how might this change your conversation?

______

______

______

National Center on Response to Intervention1

[1]Note: This activity was modified from the original version developed by Dr. Marsha Riddle Buly, Coordinator for Language, Literacy, Cultural Studies Major and the K-12 endorsements in English Language Learner (ELL); Bilingual; and Reading, Woodring College of Education, Western Washington University and Dr. Tracy Coskie Associate Professor, Woodring College of Education, Western Washington University.