Reading score distributions within A–F letter grades overlap heavily, so letter grades misrepresent the achievement of many individual students¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · theoretical r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Distributions of 2014 reading scores in B, C, and D schools were nearly identical, and many students in D and F schools scored as high as students in A and B schools. → Adams 2017

Evidence¶

Adams 2017¶

Adams, C. M., Ford, T. G., Forsyth, P. B., Ware, J. K., Olsen, J. J., Lepine, J. A., Sr., Barnes, L. B., Khojasteh, J., & Mwavita, M. (2017). Next generation accountability: A vision for improvement under ESSA. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/next-generation-accountability

q2 · i? · theoretical · r2

Analysis of Oklahoma student reading score distributions plotted by A–F letter grade (Figure 2), adapted from the authors' 2015 report to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, shows within-grade distributions resembling the state population distribution.

"Distributions of reading scores in B, C, and D schools are nearly identical. F schools had more low-performing students than the population, but arguably, the distribution of reading scores is not much different than that of the population."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Percent meeting standards is an imprecise metric whose cut-score concentration produced the Era 2 misconception that Chicago taught basic skills better than high-level skills — related
• Low and Growing states have nearly identical average math scale scores, but students in Low states are more likely to improve or maintain grade level (64% vs. 60%) — related
• Oklahoma achievement declined rather than grew across 2012–2014 under the A–F letter grade system, with the largest drops in F schools — related
• Composite accountability indicators such as A–F letter grades fail to capture the cognitive and noncognitive competencies of deeper learning and college and career readiness — a broader claim this one bears on
• In Oklahoma A and B schools, FRL students scored lower in reading than Non-FRL students, with the gap widening in 2014 — related
• Group averages are misleading when applied to individual pupils because of extensive overlapping in weight and height across grades — related