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What measures of success do you trust? For many it's students' growth. Using student growth to measure progress offers several benefits in the educational context.

It provides a more accurate and personalized assessment of individual student development over time, as opposed to traditional methods that may focus solely on achievement at a single point in time. This approach allows educators to track and analyze each student's progress, identify areas of improvement, and tailor instruction to meet their specific needs.

Additionally, measuring student growth can help educators evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies and interventions (enabling them to make data-driven decisions to support student learning). It also promotes a growth mindset among students, encouraging them to set goals, track their own progress, and take ownership of their learning journey.

Overall, using student growth as a measure of progress can lead to more meaningful and targeted educational outcomes, fostering continuous improvement and success for both students and educators.

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Progress Monitoring on Targeted instruction (to date)

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Professional arrangements that allow for collaboration and support

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Professional arrangements that allow for collaboration and support

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Professional Learning Groups focus on building relationships and creating a sense of belonging through instructional practices that increase engagement and improve students learning. They are the foundation upon which all other work can stand.

Academic Progress Monitoring in grade bands and content areas to look for patterns in data, interrupt inequities, and identify instructional interventions. Interventionists and Special Educators share responsibilities in order to efficiently and effectively address students' needs.

Student Conversations grade levels and departments pursue solutions to dilemmas that are specific to the students with whom they work.

Educational Support Teams have a crucial responsibility of using an asset oriented lens to identify supports and interventions for students and teachers that will be adopted, monitored, and reflected upon.

Role Specific Strands for different unique roles that may require specialized supports.

Instructional Coaching, a research-based, job embedded support, lends to increased collective efficacy (the number 1 influence on improved students outcomes). Hattie, 2015

HATTIE, J. (2015): The Applicability of Visible Learning to Higher Education. In: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 1 (1), 79-91. (Abstract)

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Why targeted instruction?

The Special Education rules changes require that we have accessible and measurable data that is collected from research-based interventions (both for the student being evaluated and their classroom peers), and that these interventions are developmentally appropriate, and delivered consistently without gaps (in sequence).

https://education.vermont.gov/student-support/vermont-special-education/rule-changes (See February 2022)

FAQ and more information

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Student progress will be recorded quarterly (at minimum). Recording sheets will be used to update "Intervention Progress Data" in the student profile section of Infinite Campus.

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Data to capture includes:

The basic skill area that was the primary focus

Pre assessment data

Post assessment data (correct/total possible)

Days present/Total possible days

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Running Record of Intervention Progress Data 

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Running Record of Intervention Progress Data 

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All students have a running record of their Intervention Progress Data.

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Shopping for a targeted intervention focus by basic skill area? See different ideas shared by Barre UUSD colleagues.

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A copy of this spreadsheet will update a chart in real time to help you to track progress with more regular data.

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MTSS begins with effective, research-based Universal Instruction

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MTSS begins with effective, research-based Universal Instruction

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Click on each element to read more about it's key traits.

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What people are saying about coaching in the BUUSD

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What people are saying about coaching in the BUUSD

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“This partnership allowed me to see a different style of teaching, get feedback on my own, and engage in professional conversation around the curriculum in a safe, non judgemental space.”

“Working with a coach had a direct positive impact on my instruction daily. Between knowledge, resources, and time, the support I receive from our instructional coaches makes me a better teacher.”

“[Coaching] makes way more sense to me than sitting in a classroom at a college talking about hypothetical classroom situations or philosophy. This is truly "active learning" and vital training.”

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1st-10th graders participate in universal screening in Reading and Math at 3 points in the year

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1st-10th graders participate in universal screening in Reading and Math at 3 points in the year

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Reports in Star Renaissance can be drilled down to VT Common Core Standards. Teachers use the information as an additional data points for making instructional decisions.

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Teachers, Special Educators, and Interventionists have overlapping roles

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Teachers, Special Educators, and Interventionists have overlapping roles

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Each are centered around providing high quality instruction with access for all.

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Coming soon!

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Fall: 9/4-9/8

Winter: 12/11-1/25 (with some exceptions)

Spring: 5/6-5/24

As much as possible, it is important that the screening happens during these timeframes. (This is because the scores will be more valid when gathered at the same time, diagnostic assessments can begin sooner, and tests that are taken outside of the window don't get assimilated into district data.)

If a new student enrolls between screening windows, they should take any available universal assessments (Star is a available outside of the district window).

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Coming soon!

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Coming soon!

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Design Challenges: students practice applying their basic skills to design solutions for real clients.

Studio BC example: students interview, choreograph, and produce regular video updates

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Universal Instruction includes targeted small group instruction

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Universal Instruction includes targeted small group instruction

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Instructional Planning Sheet

See a live library of strategies that target specific needs.

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This is a living document.

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An accommodation doesn't change the rigor of the assessed concept, while a modification does. For example, providing text-to-speech on a math test is an accommodation because it is providing better access to a student so they can demonstrate their ability to solve complex problems. Changing the level of difficulty (or grade level) is a modification because it inherently changes the original intent of the assessment.

It is okay to edit student preferences to provide accommodations. Modifications should not be made without an indication in a plan. Click on the Star image to access directions.

SEs can copy, complete, and share this table for accommodation and modification updates to be made to STAR.

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The Star Math Audio preference and the Accommodations "Audio (Star Math - English)" preference both address the same function: providing audio in Star Math for students who need it. There are specific interactions between these preferences that need to be taken into account:

If a student needs only audio support for Star Math (audio playing automatically for each item) and NO other accommodations, use the Star Math Audio preference. (Note: This preference was set for K-2 students in Florida.)

If a student needs audio support for Star Math (including the ability to control when audio is played), has an IEP or 504, and needs ANY other accommodations (screen reader, item masking, color contrast, etc.), use the Accommodations "Audio (Star Math - English)" preference.

Is the audio different between the preferences?
The pre-recorded audio is the same for both preferences. The Star Math Audio preference plays audio automatically, while the "Accommodations - Audio (Star Math English)" preference allows educators to turn off the audio's autoplay if necessary.

Note: Screen reader support that requires a JAWS reader license per student will read everything on the page using JAWS technology. This is only recommended for students who need this support as everything on screen is read including headers, answer choices and status, and buttons.
How do I get to this page?
There are two ways to get to this preference-use whichever method you prefer.
Method 1:

1. Log in to Renaissance.

2. On the Home page, select your initials in the upper-right corner. In the drop-down list, select Edit Preferences.

3. On the Preferences page, select Accommodations in the Individual Student Preferences section of the page.

Method 2:

1. Log in to Renaissance.

2. On the Home page, select Star Reading or Star Math. In the drop-down list, select Preferences.

3. On the Preferences page, select Accommodations in the Individual Student Preferences section of the page.

Who can do this with default user permissions?

District Level Administrators: any student in any school in the district

School Level Administrators: any student in their own school

Teachers: any student in one of their own classes or groups

Students who are blind/visually impaired or have other special needs may find it difficult to take the standard Star assessments. By setting this preference, you can give those students access to assistive tools and technologies which can help them take the English versions of the Star Math Enterprise and Star Reading Enterprise assessments.

1. After you select Accommodations on the Preferences page, use the School , Classes , and Students drop-down lists to choose which students to set the preference for.

You can only select one school at a time; only the schools available to you will be shown in the list. (If you only have access to one school, you will not need to select it.)

You can only select one class at a time; only the classes available to you will be shown in the list. (If you only have access to one class, you will not need to select it.)

All of the students in the selected class will be shown in the Students list. You can check them one at a time, or you can choose Select All at the bottom to check/uncheck all of the students at once. (If you only have access to one student, you will not need to select them.)

2. For each student, select the accommodations you want that student to have access to during an assessment.

guidance for setting the accommodations preference
Review your student's specific needs in the IEP or 504 plan and make selections accordingly:

Select any accommodations that should appear on the Accommodations Toolbar.

If a student uses assistive technology, select Screen Reader or Other under "Assistive Technology." Note: A student's school needs to provide any necessary assistive technology, such as a JAWS license.)

If a student requires unlimited time, select Unlimited Time under "Allotted Time."

If a student needs to use audio during a test, select whichever "Audio (Star Math - English)" option is most appropriate:

If the audio can be played automatically, select Audio & Auto-play.

If your student needs to be able to start and stop the audio, select Audio with Auto-play turned off.

If your student doesn't require audio, select Audio Off.

If your student uses a screen reader, we recommend selecting Audio with Auto-play turned off or Audio Off.

accommodations toolbar
When any of these options are chosen, they will appear in a toolbar on the screen while the student is taking the test. The student can use the toolbar to select and use whichever tools you are making available:

Response Masking: The student can eliminate answers shown on the screen.

Calculator: The student can use an on-screen calculator.

For some Star Math questions, a calculator and/or formula sheet is automatically provided, regardless of the setting of this preference.

The calculator accommodation only affects Star Math Enterprise assessments; it does not affect Star Math Progress Monitoring, Star Math Geometry, or Star Math Algebra assessments.

Color Contrast: The student can change the contrast levels of the text and images on the screen to improve visibility.

Font Size/Zoom: The student can "zoom in" or magnify the text and images on the screen to improve visibility.

Highlighter: The student can use a virtual highlighter to highlight parts of the text in an item.

Line Reader: The student can drag a line reader on the screen which will visually isolate one or more lines of text.

assistive technology

Screen Reader: The text on the screen can be read by screen-reading programs. Renaissance Learning uses and recommends the JAWS screen reader on Windows in Chrome.

Other: These settings should be selected for students who use screen readers, speech-to-text (speech recognition), switch devices, other assistive technology, and those who use a keyboard without a mouse.

allotted time
If Unlimited Time is checked here, students will have 900 seconds (15 minutes) to answer a question. If there is no activity from the student within this amount of time, the student will be shown a dialog box. The student will have 60 seconds to respond in the dialog box and return to the same test item, resetting the "900 second" clock. If the student does not respond within 60 seconds, the student's current progress on the test will be saved and the test will be ended (treated as a paused test; see Pausing, Stopping, and Resuming a Star Math/Star Reading Test with Accommodations Set).
audio (star math enterprise-english only)

Audio & Auto-play: Items will be read out loud to the student; this will happen automatically when the question is first presented, and the student can choose to replay the audio if they wish.

Audio with Auto-play turned off: Items can be read out loud to the student if and when they choose.

Audio Off: There will be no audio provided for the question or the answers, and there will be no audio controls on the screen.

alternate response

If Braille is checked here, visually-impaired students can use Braille for Star CBM Reading and Star CBM Math assessments (provides extra tools and accommodations for students to use while taking some English Star Assessments; includes Nemeth and UEB Braille files for math paper assessments).

The FAST Paper-Based Form option is for customers in Florida. When it is checked for a student (in grades K-2), that student can have a paper-based form of the Star Reading or Star Math assessment given to them. Teachers enter the student responses via the Star Record Book.

3. When you have finished making your changes, select Save Changes to save them (you will see a confirmation message once your changes have been saved). You can also select Undo Changes to undo your changes to the preference setting.

4. Select Back at the top of the page to return to the Preferences page when you are done.

When a student is taking a test with any Accommodations set, the procedure for pausing or resuming their test is different from the usual method.

If any Accommodations Preference settings are changed for a student who has a paused test, the original settings will remain in effect when the test is resumed. In order for the new settings to take effect, the student needs to start a new assessment.

If a class has the Math Test Type preference set to Algebra or Geometry and a student in that class has any of the Accommodations above set for them, that student will not be presented with the Star Math Algebra, Star Math Geometry, or Star Math Progress Monitoring tests; they will only be presented with the Star Math Enterprise test. Note that the settings for the Star Math Audio Preference and Extended Question Time Limits Preference will still apply for Algebra or Geometry tests.

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which audio preference should i set for students using star math? The Star Math Audio preference and the Accommodations "Audio (Star Math - English)" preference both address the same function: prov...

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Using Student Growth Percentile (SGP) to Plan Interventions

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The Star Renaissance platform offers numerous reports that can help teachers and staff to monitor progress and target learning needs. For an overview, see these slides.

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To increase the validity of the assessment, create an environment where students do their best, think critically, and respect others. Consider playing soft music, turning off half the lighting, beginning with mindfulness, and/or having a discussion about what students will want from their peers during the assessment, put it in writing and decide how it will look/sound/feel. Reflect on +/deltas afterwards.

If an assessment needs to be deactivated, please send a ZenDesk with the student's name, test to be deactivate (date), and reason for deactivation.