Download the 2008 Conference Program by clicking here.
 

 
Using Diagnostic Questions in the Math and Science Classroom
by Dr. Caroline Wylie, Research Scientist, ETS
Quality diagnostic questions, with incorrect answers tied to student misconceptions, are a valuable formative assessment resource in math and science classrooms. In the session I will share examples of this formative assessment tool, illustrate how teachers use these questions in their instruction, provide examples and discuss the role of misconceptions.
 
Effective Teachers, Effective Instruction, and Effective Professional Development: What The Research Has To Say About All Three.
by Dr. Caroline Wylie, Research Scientist, ETS
Research is clear on the impact of classroom-formative assessment on student learning, and supporting teacher learning through school-based teacher-learning communities. Combining the two, sustained professional development around the topic of classroom-formative assessment suggests great dividends. We will examine how to support effective teachers and effective instruction through effective professional development.
 
1+1=3: Use of Summative and Formative Data in Special Education Assessment
by C. Ben Barbour, Lora Tyler, and Warren Burch
This presentation is designed to be useful for districts moving towards greater implementation of program paradigms such as RtI with greater emphasis on formative assessment. The use of MAP data as a convergent source of instructional relevance and implementation of CBM assessment tools will be discussed. The presentation will demonstrate how to graphically represent the learning process incorporating progress monitoring and direct instruction.
 
Compacted DesCartes
by Katie Robinson, Tiffany Henderson, and Amy Mims
It can be overwhelming to use DesCartes to plan for differentiated instruction within the classroom with the wide range of academic diversity that typically exists. In an effort to make this process simpler we have taken DesCartes (which is broken down by RIT bands and then skills) and have created a compacted version (which is broken down by skills and then RIT bands). This document has been updated to reflect the newest version of DesCartes and the SC ELA and math standards. This presentation will show you how you can use your classroom MAP data to form manageable groups within your classroom tin order to teach the standards and to remediate and accelerate students accordingly. Examples of the Compacted DesCartes document will be shared with participants as well as a hand-out that details how to use this document.
 
Collaboration and Teamwork Power Pepperhill to Excellence
by Eve E. Conroy and Tanya Underwood
Using collaboration and teamwork, Pepperhill Elementary, a Title One school in North Charleston, South Carolina has proceeded to raise state test scores. We have altered the typical school day to include two back to back blocks of differentiated instruction which involve cross grade level grouping.
 
Using MAP Data to Create a Center for Differentiation
by Tiffany Henderson, Leanne Sheppard, and Jennifer Thrift
Using resources found within the school, teachers at Charles Pinckney Elementary created their own Center for Differentiation, which contains a Lexile leveled library, science and math manipulatives, and lesson plans designed specifically for each RIT band. Learn how to set up your own Center for Differentiation at minimal expense.
 
Our Journey to Excellence via Literacy Workstations for All
by Judi Inabinet, Donna Hooks, and Angie Smith
All aboard...training in literacy workstations. Join our journey to excellence. Our session will provide an in-depth look at how literacy workstations provide differentiated instruction in a heterogeneous Reading Workshop setting that also includes whole group instruction. Emphasis will be on creating and managing workstations in elementary classrooms to engage readers at the conditional knowledge level.
 
NWEA's Dynamic Reporting Suite - an Overview
by Laura Riley
The interactive Dynamic Reporting Suite gives the user that ability to see data as it relates to overall scores, reading comprehension and Lexile levels as well as prediction for success on both PACT and HSAP. This workshop is an overview of how to navigate the tool bar and drill into the many sortable reports in this suite of data and information.
 
NWEA's MAP for Primary Grades - Reports Overview
by Laura Riley
MAP for Primary Grades is an adaptive, interim assessment used by districts to measure achievement in their youngest learners. (Kg - 1st grade). This workshop will demonstrate the different reporting platforms available online for both the Survey with Goals reports as well as the Screening/Chekclist reports. Also, we will look at the new Instructional Data Document and how its interactive nature makes lesson planning much easier and quicker.
 
MAD MAP Minutes
by Keisha C. Witherspoon and Patrica Lyons
Learn how to utilize an interactive Data notebook that promotes higher MAP/PACT scores!
 
Project WWE "We Will Excel!"
by Allison Baker and Michelle McBride
Brockington Elementary Magnet School sets MAP goals to correlate with needed PACT improvement per child. Through a comprehensive approach, the school uses methods to set and adjust individualized learning goals and plans; identify essential skills; conduct school-wide interventions using technology and small groups; and positively impact the School Report Card.
 
Using Technology/Product Based Learning to Design Differentiated Instruction
by Mary Lou Pundt and Jo Humphries
Learn authentically engaging activities to that support learning in your classroom instruction with technology. Whether you have one computer or three, using technology to differentiate instruction in your classroom can be a stimulating way for students in the elementary setting to be engaged while increasing their knowledge and enhancing a multitude of skills, using rit bands and flexible grouping. Learn some engaging and collaborated activities to take back to your classroom to your students that keep them engaged and excited about learning. Integrating and using technology in your instruction has the power to make teaching more stimulating and motivating for your students. It supports different learning styles and has the potential to help even struggling learners be successful.
 
RIT - Reading, Interpreting, Teaching - Flexible Grouping Using MAP Data
by Terry Hitch, Diana Park, Celest LaVan, Diana Smalls, and Ruby Jackson
Hear how MAP data is used to make instructional decisions leading to an additional 20% increase of students meeting targeted growth in reading. Understanding the importance of data driven instruction, teachers examined and utilized MAP data to create flexible reading groups. Teachers will demonstrate how they used individualized student goal setting, DesCartes, and collaborative lesson planning to improve student achievement.
 
Moving From Good to Great-Data driven
by Roy Ann Jolley, Jill Russell, Genevieve Boston, and Carol Pinckney
As educators we are faced daily with the challenge of increasing student achievement. No Child Left Behind has risen the bar to insure that we strive to meet the needs of all teachers. State mandated testing has resulted in more accountability but at the same time adds additional expectations for both the student, classroom teacher and administrator. This session provides some answers to the question of, "How do we work smarter and not harder?" The goal is to provide some insight and resources for effectively using data to differentiate and drive the instructional process both in the classroom and schoolwide.
 
Enhancing Learning in Adult Education through Formative Assessment
by Brenda Sherman and Lisa Burgess
A tool of formal evaluation for adult education such as the TABE is predominately used because they are considered to produce valid scoring reliability. TABE is easy to administer to students or groups of students and there is minimum training on the part of the teachers.
 
Developing Local Classroom Assessments
by Bill Morgan
Local assessments, built to assess county standards and indicators, are the topics of this session. Based upon your county's curriculum and the State Department's Assessment Guidelines, locally produced assessments can provide teachers important and focused information about students.
 
NWEA - Research of Interest to South Carolina Educators
by Dr. John Cronin
The Northwest Evaluation Association's Research Department conducts research every educator using Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) data should be aware of. Dr. John Cronin, Director of Kingsbury Center for Research on Academic Growth, will discuss the research tools designed by NWEA to support using growth models. As Director of the Kingsbury Center for Research on Academic Growth, Dr. Cronin and associates support NWEA partners with data from the Growth Research Database and research related studies. The GRD is a powerful analysis tool that offers educators and researchers access to extensive information about student growth. Recent research studies such as the Proficiency Illusion, including updates to this study on state proficiency levels across the United States will be discussed.
 
Increase Student Achievement from Web based Writing Instructional and Assessment Technology: Start the Writing Revolution Now!
by Andrew Lombardo and Cindy Risher
This workshop will show how to improve writing skills and scores of your students with an online, writing environment and instructional tool that diagnoses and assesses the writing ability of students in grades 4-12 and at the college level. MY Access! developed by Vantage Learning will be demonstrated as an online "writing tutor" that instantly grades open-ended essays, provides drafting, writing and revision tools, and motivates students to enjoy the process of becoming successful writers.
 
Did Someone Say MAP Data: How Can I Use My MAP Scores to Improve Reading Instruction?
by June Lominack and Donna Bousman
Learn how to access your student's reading MAP scores and to set up goal-based whole class, small group, and individualized instruction that matches state standards and best teacher practices. This lively, interactive, and informative session will simplify the interpretation of your MAP scores so you can spend more time teaching and less time examining data.
 
Measuring Student Variation in Learning
by Laura Cumings
NHA charter schools have been administering NWEA MAP tests three times a year since the 2004-05 school year. Every year, the Assessment and Measurement department selects a topic to advance the use of NWEA MAP data in the classroom. The topic for 2007-08 was variation in academic growth. This topic was selected because it had not been adequately examined in prior years and the achievement of organization goals was linked to it.
 
The 2008 NWEA RIT Scale Norms
by Carl Hauser
This session will present an overview of the latest NWEA RIT Scale norming study. Key aspects of the study, enhancements to procedures used in previous studies, how the 2008 results differ and have been extended from the 2005 study will all be covered.
 
Achievement Series: Scantron's On-line and Paper-Based Formative Assessment Solution
by Brian Mills
Learn how SC districts are using Scantron's formative assessment solution called Achievement Series, to provide system-wide access to data about student progress toward grade-level proficiency goals. We'll demonstrate how district administrators, principals and teachers can have easy access to information to improve instruction, target interventions and enhance decion-making.
 
A Hassle Free Way to Differentiate Instruction
by Gregg Morton and Kendrick Kerr
Does differentiating instruction intimidate you or your teachers? Learn how a web based lesson plan program can help. Hear from a principal who implemented this program in his middle school and saw drastic improvements in student learning. The session will also address how the program is being implemented at the elementary and high school levels as well.
 
Exploring a Relationship between MAP and SAT
by Neil Gilstrap
In an effort to relate testing data to show the effects of pre-high school education on high school performance, this presentation will explore any potential links between MAP testing and the SAT. By studying actual testing data, we will attempt to draw some conclusions as to where students need to be with MAP testing in order to be on track for college readiness later in high school.
 
Data Warehousing: A case study of collecting, cleaning, analyzing, reporting, and distributing assessment data.
by Richard Nadeau and Neil Gilstrap
A discussion of the reality of assessment reporting, this presentation discusses a case study of the work being done at Horry County Schools to collect and organize all related assessment data and to join that data to other school related data to produce and distribute effective and interesting reporting solutions.
 
Baby, You Can Drive My DesCARtes!
by Dr. Vernon Prosser
Teachers at Broome High School are DRIVEN by data. By engaging in thoughtful conversations about student test scores, teachers are able to receive support and guidance when planning for individualized instruction. School administrators meet with all teachers to discuss strategies for using MAP data, Lexile scores, and DesCartes in the classroom. These data conferences give all a chance to talk openly about using data to make instructional decisions and ways to raise student achievement.
 
Using Lexiles to Change a Culture
by Jean B. Burden and Rebecca Coleman
This presentation will show how a school of poverty created a culture of literacy through focusing on lexiles. Participants will receive ideas that changes and ideas that can be implemented to make students more aware of current lexile levels and growth necessary as well as ways to help teachers focus on lexiles to improve instruction.
 
An Analysis of the Link Between One District's MAP and PACT Results
by Missy Wall-Mitchell
Attendees will learn how one district's MAP information corresponds to results from the State accountability test. Specifically, the study examines to what degree NWEA's prediction of the performance level based on state-wide data corresponds to our students' performance on the test. The study also compares student growth over time as measured by MAP and changes in the PACT achievement levels.
 
Cinderella's Slipper: One Size Does Not Fit All
by Judy Beard, Rebecca Coleman, Deborah Frink, Diana Pendleton, and Deborah Greene
How do you meet the diverse needs of students in the middle school ELA/Math classroom while still teaching grade level standards? Using RIT groupings, our middle school has found the answer to making differentiation the magical fit.
 
Blending Assessment and Instruction -- a Seamless Connection
by Patricia Porter, Dr. John Poggio, and Dr. Ed Meyen
As assessment systems have grown exponentially, a critical need exists for iterative classroom assessments that are both linked to state content standards and coupled with targeted classroom lessons to ensure student success and teacher understanding of student needs. Presenters will demonstrate a proven research-based system of online lessons plans and student tutorials that was developed by teachers and validated by university content experts.
 
Courage to Change
by Jane Wallace
As a 2007-2008 Distinguished Title I School, Jefferson Elementary would like to share with you the changes made in instruction that have paved the way for increased student achievement. Flexible grouping, intense literacy training, data analysis, and creative use of Classworks have made the difference.
 
Way Beyond High Stakes, High Stress Testing: The Road to Improving Student Performance with the CompassLearning NWEA Alliance
by Paige Perkins & Loris MS Staff
CompassLearning, through its partnership with NWEA, has created an integrated solution to enable students to receive prescriptive instructional content based on the NWEA MAP Assessment. Loris MS, Horry County, will discuss how they have been using this online alignment to the NWEA RIT Ranges to truly differentiate instruction and increase student achievement.
 
Greenville County Schools - The Road to Improving Student Performance with the CompassLearning/NWEA
by Deborah Bauer
The relationship between assessment data and the use of appropriate instructional resources is critical. Schools in Greenville County are using the CompassLearning and NWEA connection to build an integrated solution to enable students to receive prescriptive instructional content based on the NWEA MAP assessment data.