Convert SBAC Test Results to Percentiles

If you received your child’s SBAC test scores in the mail this week, you may be wondering what those raw scores mean. The Oregon Department of Education posts conversion tables that let you convert a raw score (say, 2497 in 3rd-grade mathematics) to a percentile (80 percent), so you can better understand how well your child demonstrated his or her knowledge in comparison to other Oregon students. To download the complete Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, click this link. Click a tab at the bottom (or top, depending on what program you use) of the spreadsheet to select English Language Arts, Mathematics, or Science scores. The scores are organized by grade, so make sure to scroll down until you see correct one in the Grade column. See district results and more by going to the ODE’s Assessment Results page. To learn more about the Smarter Balanced Assessment, see this PPS page or this brief overview from the Oregonian. If you’re interested in becoming better informed about the controversy surrounding the test, see Oregon Save Our Schools.

School Board's Teaching & Learning Committee Discusses TAG Issues

The School Board's Teaching and Learning Committee members discussed support for TAG learning at their May 18, 2016 meeting. Minutes are now available. Here are some highlights:

• Andrew Johnson, TAG Director, talked about the Scholars' Program, a new PPS program focused primarily on professional development for teachers in TAG learning that is now at five PPS schools. 
• Director Amy Kohnstamm made a motion to direct the Educational Options Committee to find sites that could accommodate an expanded ACCESS Academy alternative program and report back to the Teaching & Learning Committee. The committee voted unanimously in favor. 

You can read the full committee minutes here:

To see minutes from other Teaching & Learning Committee meetings, as well as dates for upcoming meetings, see this PPS page.