Quantitative Evidence of Academic Growth
Students make dramatic levels of academic growth (that is measurable and rigorous).
Overview of Kindergarten Diagnostic
The kindergarten diagnostic was created by teachers on my grade level before I began working at Kipapa Elementary school. The diagnostic tests students on foundational reading and math skills related to standards which they need to develop so they can access the rigorous kindergarten content. The diagnostic is set up to track students’ progress towards mastery of foundational skills. The kindergarten diagnostic has a scoring guide, or rubric, for each item students, are tested on. For each foundational skill, students need to master by the end of the year, there is a table that tracks their progress throughout each quarter. On the y-coordinate, the quarters are shown. On the x-coordinate, the skills students are working towards are shown. The scoring guide can be found in the far right column of the table. Below each table, there is also a rubric that shows is students are mastering the objective, P, almost there, PP, or not there yet, N.
The diagnostic is a teacher administered tests and students receive the test one-on-one with the teachers collecting the data and providing the scores. The kindergarten diagnostic is implemented throughout the year, near the end of every quarter. My co-teacher and I review the diagnostic to track students progress towards mastery of foundational skills and standards. We also identify areas where they require more support which helps shape our small groups and modify our instructional practices.
Pictured Above: Kindergarten diagnostic template.
Interpretation of class diagnostic data and growth over time
Kindergarten diagnostic data is recorded on the diagnostic seen above. However, to quantitatively track my student's growth, I created my trackers to analyze the data. Through my trackers, I'm able to include clear, numerical statements of growth. Below are my data trackers for the pre-assessment, quarter one, quarter two, and quarter three. Quarter four is not available since it's only the beginning of quarter four.
Pictured Above: Pre-assessment data.
The pre-test occurs during kindergarten testing days, which happens before the school year begins. The initial data collected helps us, the kindergarten teachers, gain a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge students are coming in with before they start the school year.
According to my pre-assessment data, only 29% of my kindergarteners knew all their uppercase letters and 13% identified all lowercase letters. 100% of students tested at F&P level, pre-A which means they were unable to pass level A.
On the far right column of my diagnostic tracker, students are given a ready, R, almost ready, AR, and not ready, NR. The labels are assigned based on the knowledge they are coming in with and if they are prepared to access kindergarten content. Students with the AR and NR label will have to make dramatic academic growth during the year. According to the pre-assessment data, 16% of students are ready to access the content, 42% are almost ready, and 42% are not ready.
Pictured Above: End of quarter one data.
By the end of quarter one, my young scholars are already adequate progress towards mastery of foundational kindergarten reading skills. My kindergarten grade level decided that by the end of quarter one, students should know all upper- and lowercase letters and at least 25 out of their 31 letter-sounds. Based on the data, 52% of my students can identify their upper- and lowercase letters. For letter-sounds, 47% of my class is meeting their goal
As a class, they made 23% growth during the first quarter in regards to their letter identification. And 39% growth towards their mastery of letter-sounds in quarter one. Students significant academic growth is due to the skills they are learning in class through constant exposure and integration of the foundational skills in daily activities. View Teacher Growth tab, Reading Instructional Strategies page for specific examples.
Pictured Above: End of quarter two data.
By the end of quarter two, my five- and six-year-olds, should know all upper- and lowercase letters and all 31 letter-sounds. By end of quarter two, students should also be reading at F&P level A. Based on the data, 86% of my students can identify their upper- and lowercase letters. For letter-sounds, 57% of my class is meeting the goal.
As a class, they made 34% growth in the second quarter in regards to their letter identification. And 10% growth towards their mastery of letter-sounds. To support student acquisition of knowledge, my co-teacher and I began small group work for reading. Student are divided into groups based on their foundational knowledge and then receive differentiated instruction to support their progress. Students who have mastered the skills, also receive differentiated instruction to challenge them so they can continue to make progress towards other standards.
Pictured Above: End of quarter three data.
Quarter three is a significant time during the kindergarten year. The majority of students have their foundational skills mastered and are now applying their foundational reading skills. Due to the progression of their abilities, students are expected to read at F&P level B. The data shows that 91% of my students can identify their upper- and lowercase letters. For letter-sounds, 72% of my class is meeting the goal. Based on the F&P data, 85% of my class is reaching the third quarter goal.
Based on the beginning of the year pre-assessment data and the third quarter data, my students made 62% growth in regards to identifying their upper- and lowercase letters. In regards to knowing their letter-sounds, my students made 59% growth from the pre-assessment to the third quarter assessment. Based on their current progress, the majority of my students will meet their end of year goals.
It's important to note that student 19 and 22 have not been meeting their goals all year. To further explain their data points, student 19 is receiving services in a resource setting and receiving extra supports during the pull out time which is 80% of the school day. Based on Hawaii laws, student 22 is not kindergarten age. However, student 22 attended a kindergarten class on the mainland and had to be enrolled as a kindergartener Hawaii. The content for student 22 is exceptionally rigorous as it is not developmentally appropriate due to the student's age. Student 22 is also receiving English Language Learner services. Both students while not making dramatic academic growth regarding mastery at 80% or above, are making significant gains based on their abilities and extra supports.
Individual Example of Dramatic Academic Growth
Pictured Above: Kindergartener diagnostic for student eight.
Student eight has made dramatic academic growth since the pre-assessment given at the beginning of the year (BOY). On the left side of the diagnostic seen above, there are the tables for upper- and lowercase letter identification. At the beginning of the year student eight was unable to identify any of the 26 upper- and lowercase letters. Now, at the end of quarter three and the beginning of quarter four, student eight can name all upper- and lowercase letters. In regards to letter identification, student eight made 100% growth and mastered the foundational reading skill.
The BOY pre-assessment for letter-sound naming, seen on the left side of the diagnostic above, shows that student eight was unable to name any letter-sounds. During quarter one, student eight did not make any progress. However, student eight made dramatic academic growth from 0% growth in the first quarter to 97% growth in the second quarter. Currently, student eight knows 30 out of 31 letter-sounds and is above 80% growth from the BOY.
In regards to the F&P, student eight is currently at level B which meets the third quarter goal. Reviewing student eight's foundational skills data, student eight is demonstrating 80% growth and therefore, is on track to reaching the EOY kindergarten goal which is reading at level C.
Overview of Fountas & Pinnell
Pictured Above: Fountas & Pinnell expected reading levels throughout grade levels at Kipapa Elementary school. Kindergarten is represented by the K.
My school uses Fountas & Pinnell, or F&P, as our standardized reading assessment. The tests are given to determine if students are approaching, on, or beyond grade level. Assessments are done one-on-one at the end of every quarter to see where they are in reaching the kindergarten end of year goal, which is reading at level C.
The F&P reading assessments is composed of two parts. In the first portion of the F&P, students are expected to demonstrate mastery of reading fluency by reading decodable words and sight words. During this portion, kindergartners have to apply their knowledge of letter-sounds, letter identification, blending, decoding, and reading sight words. Then, if they receive a score of 96% or higher, they can move on the second portion of the reading assessment, comprehension. Students are asked six comprehension questions that are related to what occurred during the story and are also asked inferential questions (e.g, Why does the character feel this way?), and connecting questions (e.g., does something in this book remind you of something in your life?). In order to move up to the next level, students must get a five or higher to move on to the next level. If students pass the reading fluency but unable to pass the comprehension part they are at the instructional level. If they pass both fluency and comprehension, then they are an independent level. Meaning they should be reading at the instructional level above them.
Students are often tested throughout the quarters to check their progress. These formative checks help my co-teacher and me in identify what students have learned and what they continue to struggle with, which allows us to modify instruction and small groups based on the collected data. To find more information about the reading assessment, click here.
Interpretation of Class Data and Growth
I collected class data for the F&P reading assessments on the self-created tracker. My tracker provides an overview of students current reading level in quarter three.
When reviewing F&P data, it is important to remember that student data shown is the student's independent reading level. Meaning that students are practicing reading at an instructional level is higher than their independent level. For example, if you look at the tracker to the right, student one is reading at independent level F in quarter three. This means that he is practicing to read at instructional level G. Since we still have one more quarter left, student one is projected to read at independent level H based on his progress.
Reviewing the class data, 86% of students are meeting the end of year goal and demonstrating at least one year of growth.
Pictured Above: F&P class data. Data for quarter one (Q1) through quarter three (Q3) is collected. Quarter four (Q4) data shown is students' projected reading level by the end of the kindergarten year.
Individual Example of Dramatic Academic Growth: F&P
End of Quarter 2 F&P Assessment
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading fluency assessment for Level A fiction. The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading comprehension assessment for Level A fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Student seven's F&P reading assessment above is for level A fiction. At my school, we give fiction books first and if students are unable to pass the fiction book after two tries, we give them a non-fiction text. To pass level A, the F&P tests require students to score a 97% or higher. In the case of level A, 97% means that test takers can only get one word incorrect. As seen on the reading fluency assessment (left side), student seven got a 91% due to the three words wrong. Due to the student's lower percentage, the student was not able to move on to the comprehension portion part of the test. Therefore, the comprehension portion of the assessment (right side) is blank.
Beginning of Quarter 3 F&P Assessment
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading fluency assessment for Level A fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading fluency assessment for Level A fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
It's important to mention that students continue to receive the same F&P level until they pass. Thus, the F&P reading assessment for level A was administered again after the start of quarter two. My co-teacher and I conducted the test at the beginning of the quarter because student seven was making progress with their foundational reading skills.
The second time around, student seven passed level A reading fluency (left side) with a 97%. Student seven was able to move on to the comprehension portion (left side). Although the student was ready to move on, the student was unable to pass the comprehension test. To qualify, the student needs to get a 5, satisfactory comprehension, out of seven. The student was one point away at a 4 which is considered limited understanding.
Middle of Quarter 3 F&P Assessment
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading fluency assessment for Level A non-fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading comprehension assessment for Level A non-fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Since student seven did not pass level A fiction twice, we gave student seven the non-fiction level A text. We give students fiction texts first because they are more challenging to grasp conceptually. The content of non-fiction texts is more relatable to students.
As seen above, student seven got 100% correct on the reading fluency assessment, allowing them to move on to the comprehension portion. On the comprehension portion, student seven scored a 5 meaning they have satisfactory comprehension.
End of Quarter 3 F&P Assessment
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading fluency assessment for Level B fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Pictured Above: Student's F&P reading comprehension assessment for Level B fiction.The scoring guide for the comprehension portion can be found on the bottom of the page.
Student seven's level B fiction reading fluency assessment is exemplary as they got 100%. Student seven's growth from the beginning of the year has dramatically grown and is shown in assessments. Looking at the student seven's foundational reading skills at the end of quarter three, I know that student seven now knows all upper- and lowercase letters can name all 31 letter-sounds, and knows 35 out of 40 kindergarten sight words. Student seven's progress towards mastery of their foundational reading skills has a positive impact on mastery of the F&P assessments. Since student seven got 100% on the first part of the F&P test, they were able to move on to the comprehension portion. On the comprehension portion, student seven got a 6 meaning they had excellent comprehension of the story they read. Student seven passed level B meaning they are reading at the independent level and practice reading level C books. Based on student seven's current progress, student seven is projected to meet the end of year F&P goal of level C.
Conclusion
Dramatic academic growth in kindergarten can be challenging. Students are entering kindergarten at very different levels, and while the majority of them have some understanding of foundational reading skills, they have many other obstacles to overcome because it's their first time in a school setting. Despite the behavioral and social-emotional barriers my five- and six-years-old scholars face, they have made dramatic academic gains since the beginning of the year. 86% of my class is meeting the grade level standard of reading at F&P level B by the end of quarter three and are on the right trajectory of reaching level C, which is equal to one year's of growth, or higher. The 86% of students who are on track to reach their goal include my case students.
My students' current academic success in kindergarten provides them with a strong foundation which they can build upon as they enter first-grade and continue on through their academic careers.