A2i Assessments Technical Manual

TECHNICAL MANUAL

ASSESSMENT BACKGROUND

The scores produced by these assessments drive the four grade-level specific algorithms in A2i; a unique set of algorithms are used for each grade level (K–3) to account for developmental differences. The algorithms use a student’s current grade, the time of the school year, and A2i assessment data (i.e., the student’s literacy profile) to make precise recommendations about the number of instructional minutes that will be most effective for each child in each quadrant: code-focused, meaning-focused, child- managed, and teacher-managed instruction. In some cases within A2i, both the L2M and WMG scores are used to determine the instructional recommendation minutes, but for some grade levels and instruction types, data from just one assessment is enough. For example, in first grade, the teacher-managed, meaning-focused recommendation is calculated using both the L2M and WMG scores. However, by second grade, only the L2M score is needed to calculate the instructional minutes for teacher-managed, meaning-focused time. This is why it’s critical that both L2M and WMG produce a quick and accurate score and that students take both assessments in each assessment window to ensure that both data points are up to date. The graph in Figure 3 demonstrates how the needs of students entering first grade with different decoding/comprehension scores on the L2M assessment (see the x-axis) affect the instructional minute recommendations (y-axis).

Recommended Amounts of Instruction in First Grade

Teacher-Managed, Code-Focused

Teacher-Managed, Meaning-Focused

Child-Managed, Code-Focused

Child-Managed, Meaning-Focused

Students Reading Grade Equivalent in the Autumn

Figure 3. Recommended amounts of the four types of instruction for first-graders with reading skills varying from kindergarten to third-grade levels at the beginning of the first grade.

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