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Understanding Student Grouping Options

Placing Students into Achievement Groups

Students are divided into five equal groups based on where their achievement in the selected subject falls in the reference group distribution.

For all assessments, more than a single test score is used to place students into groups. Using more data minimizes the effect of measurement error and helps ensure that students are placed into achievement groups appropriately.

The model used to analyze the selected assessment determines how we define achievement. See assessments analyzed with the growth standard methodology and assessments analyzed with the predictive methodology.

ModelHow Achievement is Defined
Growth Standard Methodology

The average of a student's two most recent scores in the selected subject.

For example, in a report for sixth-grade math, students are placed into achievement groups based on the average of their fifth-grade and sixth-grade math scores. If a student's fifth-grade math score is missing, that student is not placed into an achievement group on this report.

Predictive Methodology

Where the student's predicted score falls in the reference group distribution for that grade and subject or Keystone content area.

Students who lack sufficient data do not have predicted scores and therefore are not included in achievement groups on this report. For eighth-grade science and for Keystone content areas, students must have three prior assessment scores across grades and subjects to have predicted scores.

Fourth-grade science uses only the two prior scores from third-grade math and ELA.

  • When the graph shows five groups, group 1 includes students whose achievement falls into the lowest 20% of the reference group distribution, group 2 includes students whose achievement falls between the 20th and 40th percentiles, and so on.

  • When the graph shows three groups, group 1 includes students whose achievement falls into the lowest third of the reference group distribution, group 2 includes students whose achievement falls in the middle third, and group 3 includes students whose achievement is in the top third.

It's important to keep in mind that the following students are not included in these reports:

  • Students who have been identified on the state assessment booklet as EL 1st Year
  • Students who are administered the Pennsylvania Alternate Assessment (PASA)

Expected Performance Levels

Students are placed into groups based on where their expected scores fall relative to the performance level ranges that are defined by the state. Expected scores are labeled as Entering Achievement because they reflect students' achievement before the current school year or when they entered a grade and subject or course. This method of placing students is used for all state assessments, regardless of whether the data is analyzed with the growth standard methodology or predictive methodology.

A student must have three prior scores across grades and subjects for an expected achievement score to be generated. If a student has fewer than three prior scores, no expected achievement score will be generated, and the student will not be included in this report.

Other Characteristics

Students are placed into groups according to the other selected characteristic. In most cases, this will result in yes, no, and unknown groups. Demographics are provided in assessment data.