Percentage of eligible
students at each performance level
on the assessments
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to download and/or print this graph in PDF format 
What you are looking at
You are looking at a graphic representation of the assessment scores on the Spring 2000 state tests. The 100-point scale represents 100% of the children who were assessed at this grade level. The dark band at the top of the bar shows the percentage of the highest scoring students. The dark grey band near the bottom indicates the percentage of the lowest scorers. The black band at the bottom shows those students eligible to take the tests who, for whatever reason, did not. The two bands above the white band are the percentage of students who have met or exceeded the Regents’ standards.
What you are looking for
You are hoping to see that all children have met or exceeded the standard and are represented only in the top two blocks.
No Score (detail from above)
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The new band on the assessment bars, labeled “no score” in the legend, shows the percentage of eligible test-takers who were absent or did not complete the multiple-day testing. In previous years, a question mark -- ?
-- appeared to indicate that the percentage of eligible test-takers had dropped below 80%. Those schools with especially poor attendance were most likely to receive such a question mark. Including the percentage of eligible students who did not take the test in the “no score” category renders the question mark unnecessary. To achieve 100% participation by eligible test-takers, some schools will need to reduce the extent to which their students either don’t come to school – for reasons that need looking into – won’t come because of poor school climate, or are encouraged not to come because their scores might depress the scores for the school as a whole.
This year about 17% of the total eligible test-takers in secondary schools and 9% of those eligible in elementary did not receive a score.
The Triangle
(detail from above)
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and /or print this graph in PDF format
The triangle below each assessment sub-scale bar indicates the percentage of all students who met or exceeded the state standard including those children who are not eligible to take the state tests because they are beginning English Language Learners or their Individual Education Plan (IEP) calls for the use of an alternate assessments. If all children are to reach proficiency, the state needs to account for the true percentage of children who are proficient in each school.
“Parental refusal” exemptions to the Health Test
The RI Health Education Assessment administered in grades 5 and 9 is the one test from which students may be exempted if parents so request in writing. Statewide, 262 children’s parents signed them out of the health test, and those children are counted as “non-proficient” in the triangular “all kids” scores.
Test subscales
The NSRE in mathematics contains three subscales which are: Skills, Concepts and Problem-Solving. The NSRE in English Language Arts contains four subscales which are: Reading: Basic Understanding, Reading: Analysis and Interpretation, Writing: Effectiveness and Writing: Conventions. Particular items from the entire test, which is taken over the course of several days, are grouped in various ways to form the subscale scores. Some items are used in more than one subscale.
The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
The SAT is not part of the RI assessment program. Students who so choose pay to take the tests to fulfill college admissions requirements. The scores shown in IW! are for only Seniors, representing the highest score each senior attained (some of which had been attained while still Juniors).
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