The document discusses several standardized tests administered to students: the CogAT, Iowa Test, and CRCT. The CogAT and Iowa are norm-referenced tests that measure cognitive abilities and academic achievement compared to national samples. The CRCT is Georgia's criterion-referenced test that measures mastery of state standards. Test scores are used to guide instruction, identify gifted students, determine student needs, monitor growth, and evaluate programs. The document provides information on scoring and how results from these assessments inform teaching and learning.

1. What Does All This Testing Mean?
MBES PTA General Meeting 11/7/13 @ 6:30pm

2. Tests We Will Discuss Tonight:
CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
Iowa Test: Achievement
CRCT: Criterion Referenced Competency Test

3. Norm Reference Testing
• The CogAT is a norm-reference test designed to
measure students’ learned reasoning abilities that
closely relate to success in school
• The Iowa is a norm-reference, multiple choice test
that measures student achievement compared to a
national sample of students who took the same test
at the same time of year under the same conditions
• Taking the CogAT and the Iowa at the same time
allows for a comparison of ability to achievement

4. Norm-Reference Testing

5. National
Percentile Raking
The NPR indicates the status or
relative rank of a student’s score
compared with a nationally
representative sample of
examinees.
This score is useful for discussing
a student’s test results with
parents and for determining
areas of relative strength and
weaknesses for a class, grade,
group.
Stanine
GE - Grade Equivalency
A decimal number that describes a
student’s location on an achievement
continuum in terms of grade and
months at which the typical student
received this score.
Most useful for tracking growth over
time.

6. Cognitive Abilities Test
Nationally Normed Mental Ability Test

7. CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
Measures general and specific reasoning
abilities in three domains
Abilities reflect the overall efficiency of cognitive
processes and strategies that allow individuals to
learn new tasks and solve problems.

8. CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test
1st Grade – Teacher paced
3rd Grade – Independent
7th Grade - Independent

9. CogAT: Cognitive Abilities Test

10. CogAT: So What?
How do we use the scores?
Guiding efforts to adapt instruction to the needs
and abilities of the students.
Measuring cognitive development to help identify
academically talented students.
Identify students whose predicted levels of
achievement differ from levels of academic
achievement.

11. Iowa Test
Nationally Normed Achievement Test

12. Iowa Test: Achievement
Identify strengths & weaknesses
Inform instruction
Monitor growth
Determine college readiness
Measure core standards
Implement Response to Intervention
Inform placement decisions
Make comparisons
Evaluate programs
Predict future performance
Support accountability

13. Iowa Test Score Report

14. Iowa Test Score Report

15. Iowa Test: So What?
Provides a measurement of academic
achievement.
Provides data on students who may fail the CRCT
in the Spring.
Allows teachers to bolster weaknesses and play
on strengths.

16. Georgia CRCT
Students mastery of GPS & CCSS

17. CRCT: Criterion Referenced Competency Test
Required by the State of Georgia
Assessment of how well students learned content
areas of Reading (CCSS), English Language Arts
(CCSS). Math (CCSS), Science (GPS), Social Studies
(GPS).
Provides information on strengths and weaknesses
Measures knowledge taught in Georgia classrooms

18. CRCT: Criterion Referenced Competency Test
“Gateway” test for:
3rd graders – Reading
5th Graders – Reading & Math
8th Graders – Reading & Math

19. CRCT Scores
On Criterion Referenced Tests a committee (usually consisting of educators, content area
specialists, and state administrators) look at a battery of questions matched to the
curriculum and for each question they determine if a “minimally competent” student in
that subject area would get the question correct or incorrect. After all the items have been
examined the committee’s recommendations are taken and used to create “cut scores.”
These scores will mark the difference between a student who “Meets” standards or “Does
not Meet.”
an example, a math test might have 60 questions with a cut score of 33. This would
mean that a student who gets 33 out of 60 questions correct would “Meet” standards
while a student who correctly answers 32 out of 60 questions would be classified as
“Does Not Meet.” For Criterion Referenced Tests the State of Georgia commissions
committees each year to set the cut scores for each assessment. The cut score for a given
test might be different depending on the subject, grade, and year.
Does Not Meet = Below 800
Meets = 800 – 849
Exceeds = 850 +

20. CRCT: Criterion
Referenced
Competency
Test

21. CRCT: So What?
How are we teaching?
How are students learning?
Do students qualify for special programs?
Accountability

22. What Are Other Standardized Assessments?
GKIDS – Georgia Kindergarten Inventory
of Developing Skills
3rd Grade Writing
5th Grade Writing
ACCESS for ELL’s
GAA – Georgia Alternative Assessment
NAEP – National Assessment of
Educational Progress

23. What Does All This Testing Mean?
We have a balanced approach to determine student strengths and
weaknesses and plan curriculum and programs based on scores.