Briefs

Gender Bias in Test Item Formats: Evidence from PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015 Math and Reading Tests

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 22:32:43 +0000

Gender Bias in Test Item Formats: Evidence from PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015 Math and Reading Tests Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/15/2023 - 15:32

Benjamin Shear

Link to Resource: Gender Bias in Test Item Formats: Evidence from PISA 2009, 2012, and 2015 Math and Reading Tests

Authors: Benjamin Shear, University of Colorado

This paper investigates differences between male and female student performance on multiple-choice (MC) versus constructed-response (CR) items used on the large-scale math and reading PISA tests. The results, based on data for high school-aged students in 35 countries including the US, provide consistent evidence that on average male students tend to earn relatively higher scores on MC test items whereas female students tend to earn relatively higher scores on CR test items. The pattern was consistent across countries, although the magnitude of differences varied by country and were larger on average in reading than in math. Policymakers, researchers, and other audiences using test scores to compare student achievement across gender groups should consider the types of item formats used on tests when interpreting results.

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Causal Inference and COVID: Contrasting Methods for Evaluating Pandemic Impacts Using State Assessments

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 22:31:19 +0000

Causal Inference and COVID: Contrasting Methods for Evaluating Pandemic Impacts Using State Assessments Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/15/2023 - 15:31

Benjamin Shear

Link to Resource: Causal Inference and COVID: Contrasting Methods for Evaluating Pandemic Impacts Using State Assessments

Authors: Benjamin Shear, University of Colorado

This paper describes threats to making valid causal inferences about pandemic impacts on student learning based on cross-year comparisons of average test scores. The paper uses Spring 2021 test score data in Colorado to compare three different statistical adjustments that have been used to make inferences about pandemic impacts. Results illustrates how unadjusted cross-year comparisons may be misleading and highlight instances when the statistical adjustments can lead to different conclusions about the relative impacts for different groups of students.

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Documenting Their Decisions: How Undocumented Students Enroll and Persist in College

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 21:39:10 +0000

Documenting Their Decisions: How Undocumented Students Enroll and Persist in College Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/24/2023 - 14:39

Oded Gurantz

Link to Resource: Documenting Their Decisions: How Undocumented Students Enroll and Persist in College

Authors: Oded Gurantz, University of Colorado; Ann Obadan, University of Missouri. Published in Educational Researcher.

Undocumented students who became eligible for California’s state aid program enroll in college at similar rates to their peers, though are more likely to attend community college due to differences in where they apply. Yet undocumented students who attend four-year colleges are equally likely to persist and earn a degree, pushing against any evidence of “mismatch” that suggests these students are not prepared for those environments.

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The Impact of Merit Aid on College Choice and Degree Attainment: Reexamining Florida’s Bright Futures Program

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 21:37:26 +0000

The Impact of Merit Aid on College Choice and Degree Attainment: Reexamining Florida’s Bright Futures Program Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/24/2023 - 14:37

Oded Gurantz

Link to Resource: The Impact of Merit Aid on College Choice and Degree Attainment: Reexamining Florida’s Bright Futures Program

Authors: Oded Gurantz, University of Colorado; Taylor Odle, University of Wisconsin. Published in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.

We find that Florida’s Bright Futures financial aid program had essentially no impact on postsecondary enrollment and degree completion. These findings align with emerging notions that state merit aid programs produce smaller effects when compared to more effective need-based aid.

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“Prior-prior year” FAFSA increased aid submissions but likely not enrollment

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 21:32:34 +0000

“Prior-prior year” FAFSA increased aid submissions but likely not enrollment Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/24/2023 - 14:32

Oded Gurantz

Link to Resource: “Prior-prior year” FAFSA increased aid submissions but likely not enrollment

Authors: Eric Bettinger, Stanford University; Oded Gurantz, University of Colorado; Monica Lee, Brown University; Bridget Terry Long, Harvard University. Published in Research in Higher Education.

The federal government instituted changes to simplify the FAFSA filing process – known as “prior-prior year” – which led students to submit their FAFSA substantially earlier and increased refiling rates for independent students. Nonetheless, the policy did not appear to substantially alter state aid receipt or postsecondary attendance for any groups.

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Between-Year Stability of Growth Percentiles : Technical Brief #3

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 23:54:02 +0000

Between-Year Stability of Growth Percentiles : Technical Brief #3 Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/16/2020 - 16:54

Benjamin Shear , Elena Diaz-Bilello

Link to Resource: Between-Year Stability of Growth Percentiles : Technical Brief #3

Authors: Benjamin R. Shear and Elena Diaz-Bilello

The purpose of this research brief for the Colorado Department of Education Accountability & Data Analysis Unit is to examine the stability of year‐to‐year median growth percentiles by assessment content area and grade levels to help inform the use of Median Growth Percentiles.

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Growth Percentiles, Achievement & Demographics: Technical Brief #1 - 2019

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 22:57:23 +0000

Growth Percentiles, Achievement & Demographics: Technical Brief #1 - 2019 Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/16/2020 - 15:57 Benjamin Shear , Elena Diaz-Bilello

Link to Resource: Growth Percentiles, Achievement & Demographics: Technical Brief #1 - 2019

Author: Benjamin R. Shear and Elena Diaz-Bilello

The purpose of this research brief for the Colorado Department of Education Accountability & Data Analysis is to address to what extent are school‐level Median Growth Percentiles correlated with current student achievement, prior student achievement, and current school demographic characteristics? How do these correlations compare to the correlation between current average achievement and the same demographic variables?

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Factors Impacting Growth Percentile Variability: Technical Brief #2 - 2019

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 22:51:26 +0000

Factors Impacting Growth Percentile Variability: Technical Brief #2 - 2019 Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 01/16/2020 - 15:51 Benjamin Shear , Elena Diaz-Bilello

Link to Resource: Factors Impacting Growth Percentile Variability: Technical Brief #2 - 2019

Author: Benjamin R. Shear and Elena Diaz-Bilello

The purpose of this research brief for the Colorado Department of Education Accountability & Data Analysis Unit is to address the question, compared to achievement, how much of the variability in school Median Growth Percentiles can be explained by school demographics. Additionally, what other factors can help explain the variability found in school MGPs?

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Examining Student Growth and Teacher Ratings on the SLOs

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 21:12:15 +0000

Examining Student Growth and Teacher Ratings on the SLOs Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/25/2017 - 15:12 Derek Briggs , Rajendra Chattergoon

Link to Resource: Examining student growth and teacher ratings on the SLOs

Authors: Derek Briggs, Rajendra Chattergoon

Citation: Briggs, D. & Chattergoon, R. (2016). Examining student growth and teacher ratings on the SLOs. Brief commissioned by the Denver Public Schools. Boulder, CO: Center for Assessment Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE). Brief commissioned by the Denver Public Schools.

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District-wide Perceptions about the SLO Process in 2015-2016

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 21:07:28 +0000

District-wide Perceptions about the SLO Process in 2015-2016 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/25/2017 - 15:07 Elena Diaz-Bilello , Rajendra Chattergoon , Derek Briggs

Link to Resource: District-wide Perceptions about the SLO Process in 2015-2016

Authors: Elena Diaz-Bilello, Rajendra Chattergoon, Derek Briggs

Citation: Diaz-Bilello, E., Chattergoon, R. & Briggs, D. (2016). District-wide perceptions about the student learning objectives process in 2015-2016. Brief commissioned by the Denver Public Schools. Boulder, CO: Center for Assessment Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE).

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