benchmark dates

Our 8th grade algebra students will be taking the benchmark we created this next week and the high school algebra I students will be taking the benchmark on March 7th.

benchmark has been made

The benchmark exam has been made by two other colleagues and myself.  I feel really good about the rigor of the test.  We will be giving the benchmark on March 7th.  We were also able to use our time time produce a lot of practice material that will help prepare our students as the test approaches.  I'm so glad our administration gave us the time(a full day with a sub) to make the test. 

Action research project

Goal:  To provide a satisfactory STAAR Algebra I benchmark and follow-up material and then evaluate the effectiveness of the test and practice material

Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Myself and the other Algebra I teacher will develop a benchmark exam to give to all freshmen students taking the STAAR exam in May, along with practice material to use before the STAAR test	David Cooper and Elizabeth Wagner(other Algebra I teacher)	Thursday, February 9th we will use the entire day to develop the test and practice material	We have a neighboring district’s benchmark they have created.  We will also use old Algebra I End of Course exams. We will also use the California and New York achievement tests. Finally, we have access to a website called DMAC that has possible test questions	Our initial evaluation of the benchmark and practice material will come from our own evaluation of what we have created.  We will also pass the benchmark on to our math department chairman for her evaluation.
We will give the benchmark exam and grade the results to see what percentage of students passed the benchmark. We will also continue to use the supplemental material we developed to prepare students prior to the test	David Cooper and Elizabeth Wagner	Benchmark test will be given in early March and will be graded thereafter	We will need to have adequate copies of the benchmark for testing.  We will also be using the supplemental material created on February 9th.  We will also need to have a grading key ready to grade the benchmark	Our evaluation of this step will include scoring the benchmark and recording the results.  We must also decide when and how we will use the supplemental material to continue to prepare students.
The STAAR test will be given to all freshmen students taking Algebra I	Counselors Karen Dooley and Kathy Orsak	May 2012	The entire district is needed on days in which state-mandated tests are given	The results of the STAAR Algebra I test will be available in late summer or early fall
Once we have received the STAAR results we can compare the individual scores on the benchmark with the individual scores on the STAAR test.  We will also compare the overall benchmark passing rates compared to the STAAR passing rates for all students.	David Cooper	Fall of 2012	STAAR Algebra I results, both individual and group.  I will also need to have the recorded benchmark scores from the previous March	I will compare the individual benchmark scores with the individual STAAR scores, hoping to see a direct correlation between the two.  It could be concluded that if there are very few(3% of the students) that passed the benchmark but then failed the STAAR, then we created a good benchmark test. I will also compare the group benchmark passing rate with the STAAR passing rate, in hopes of finding a significant(10%) increase in passing from the benchmark exam to the STAAR exam.  It could then be concluded that we created sufficient supplemental material.
As more material comes out from the state after this first year of STAAR testing, I will look to include more of the released material into our current benchmark test.	David Cooper	December 2012	Released material from the state concerning STAAR Algebra I test and our current benchmark test and supplemental material	This will be a constant evaluation and reflection on STAAR material and the information produced by the action research project.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Myself and the other Algebra I teacher will develop a benchmark exam to give to all freshmen students taking the STAAR exam in May, along with practice material to use before the STAAR test	David Cooper and Elizabeth Wagner(other Algebra I teacher)	Thursday, February 9th we will use the entire day to develop the test and practice material	We have a neighboring district’s benchmark they have created.  We will also use old Algebra I End of Course exams. We will also use the California and New York achievement tests. Finally, we have access to a website called DMAC that has possible test questions	Our initial evaluation of the benchmark and practice material will come from our own evaluation of what we have created.  We will also pass the benchmark on to our math department chairman for her evaluation.
We will give the benchmark exam and grade the results to see what percentage of students passed the benchmark. We will also continue to use the supplemental material we developed to prepare students prior to the test	David Cooper and Elizabeth Wagner	Benchmark test will be given in early March and will be graded thereafter	We will need to have adequate copies of the benchmark for testing.  We will also be using the supplemental material created on February 9th.  We will also need to have a grading key ready to grade the benchmark	Our evaluation of this step will include scoring the benchmark and recording the results.  We must also decide when and how we will use the supplemental material to continue to prepare students.
The STAAR test will be given to all freshmen students taking Algebra I	Counselors Karen Dooley and Kathy Orsak	May 2012	The entire district is needed on days in which state-mandated tests are given	The results of the STAAR Algebra I test will be available in late summer or early fall
Once we have received the STAAR results we can compare the individual scores on the benchmark with the individual scores on the STAAR test.  We will also compare the overall benchmark passing rates compared to the STAAR passing rates for all students.	David Cooper	Fall of 2012	STAAR Algebra I results, both individual and group.  I will also need to have the recorded benchmark scores from the previous March	I will compare the individual benchmark scores with the individual STAAR scores, hoping to see a direct correlation between the two.  It could be concluded that if there are very few(3% of the students) that passed the benchmark but then failed the STAAR, then we created a good benchmark test. I will also compare the group benchmark passing rate with the STAAR passing rate, in hopes of finding a significant(10%) increase in passing from the benchmark exam to the STAAR exam.  It could then be concluded that we created sufficient supplemental material.
As more material comes out from the state after this first year of STAAR testing, I will look to include more of the released material into our current benchmark test.	David Cooper	December 2012	Released material from the state concerning STAAR Algebra I test and our current benchmark test and supplemental material	This will be a constant evaluation and reflection on STAAR material and the information produced by the action research project.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

This week has helped me get a plan together for my research project.  I visited with my site supervisor today to discuss the final direction to go with the project.  I now feel a lot better about what, when, how and why.