Piecewise multilevel growth modeling of seasonal learning patterns¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article applies "a piecewise multilevel growth model to administrative data from a large school district that enrolls a substantial English Learner student population." The piecewise structure separates within-school-year growth rates from between-summer learning loss rates, allowing the study to show that dual language participants' math advantage during school years was offset by greater summer loss, while their reading pattern showed the reverse. This methodological framework makes seasonal trade-offs in achievement growth visible that a single annual growth rate would obscure.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Longitudinal administrative achievement data spanning multiple grades and summer periods.

Constraints¶

• Applied to one large school district with a substantial English Learner population; findings pertain to Hispanic students in grades 2 to 8 in that setting.

Target Learners¶

• Hispanic students in grades 2 to 8
• English Learner student populations

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Math and reading achievement growth
• Seasonal learning patterns and summer loss

Claims¶

• Dual Language Math Faster School Year Growth Greater Summer Loss [+M]
• Dual Language Reading Slower School Year Growth Less Summer Loss [+M]

Related Theories¶

• MAP Growth norms taxonomy: ten norms per subject, level, and grade, spanning achievement, within-year growth, and between-year growth
• A general statistical model for interim achievement data that jointly represents year-to-year growth and within-year seasonal gains and losses

Examples¶

• NWEA MAP Growth assessment dataset (3.4 million students) as the evidence base for seasonal learning analysis
• Use longitudinal interim assessment data, modeled with seasonal trends, to monitor progress of students, classrooms, and schools within and across school years

Key Sources¶

• Angela Johnson. (2020). Dual language education and academic growth. NWEA Research Working Paper. https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/dual-language-education-and-academic-growth/