UNDERSTANDING THE WSAS PROFICIENCY DATA

Cautions

For the 2007-08 academic year only, WKCE and WAA-SwD were administered at different times and reported to schools and districts separately. In order to maintain a reporting structure that is consistent with prior years, the data were later combined. More data were suppressed than in past (to protect privacy). There may be some confusion in comparing combined reports to the separate reports. For more information, see "WSAS (WKCE and WAA-SwD) Combined Data 2008."
Combined WAA-SwD and WKCE results are not available before November 2002 because WAA-SwD performances by proficiency category were not collected until that time. WKCE results are available beginning with October 1997. To view WKCE results for October 1997 to the present, click on the "WKCE Only" link above each graph.
WKCE Proficiency data for February 2002 and earlier are NOT comparable to proficiency data for November 2002 and later years.

What is WSAS?

WSAS is the Wisconsin Student Assessment System. At grades 3 through 8 and 10, the WSAS includes both regular assessments taken by nearly all students and alternate assessments taken by certain students with limited English proficiency or students with relatively severe disabilities. WSAS regular assessments at these grades include two statewide programs: the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations (WKCE) and WSAS Supplemental Assessments. WSAS also includes Wisconsin Alternate Assessments (WAA) for students with more severe disabilities and students at early levels of English language proficiency. Subject areas covered by WSAS include reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies. Some subject area tests are given only at grades 4, 8, and 10. [MORE]

What is WKCE?

The WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination) is a statewide standardized exam given each year to students in grades 3 through 8 and 10. The exam measures student achievement in five subject areas: reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies. Students also provide a rough draft writing sample. [MORE]

What is the WSAS Supplemental Assessment?

WSAS Supplemental Assessments are DPI-approved, locally-adopted and locally-scored assessments of Wisconsin model academic standards (e.g. oral language) that don't lend themselves to statewide standardized testing. [MORE]

What is WAASwD?

WAA-SwD (Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities) is a standards-based alternative to WKCE at grades 3-8 and 10. The WAA-SwD is given to students with significant cognitive disabilities if the local IEP team determines that the students are unable to participate in the WKCE, even with accommodations. [MORE]

What is the link between Wisconsin's model academic standards and the WSAS?

Wisconsin model academic standards in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies determine the scope of WSAS. While these standards are broader in content than any single test or assessment, they do describe the range of knowledge and skills that may be covered by WSAS. To more fully assess Wisconsin's model academic standards, new test questions were added to the commericially developed tests at grades 4 and 8, and a customized test was used at grade 10 beginning in November 2002. WSAS Supplemental Assessments were also added to WSAS at the same time in order to improve coverage of standards that don't lend themselves to statewide standardized testing. Until 2002-03 WKCE consisted of commercially developed test questions only.

Because these tests are unique to Wisconsin based on the state's model academic standards, we have no national norms and thus no national percentiles or national proficiency data for comparisons at the national level.

What are proficiency levels?

Proficiency levels describe how well students performed on the statewide tests. The advanced, proficient, basic, minimal performance, and pre-requisite skill proficiency levels are based solely on scores obtained on WSAS. For example, students tested on WKCE received a scale score in each of five subjects: reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies. Each of the first four proficiency levels in each subject and at each grade level is associated with a range of scores on the WKCE. Proficiency categories used in reporting WAA results for students with limited English proficiency correspond to those set for WKCE. The fifth level, describes an achievement level below the range tested on WKCE. The pre-requisite skill level is subdivided into four levels on some WSAS reports. The long-term goal is for all students in each student group, except certain students with severe disabilities, to progress to the proficient or advanced levels. More detailed descriptions of the proficiency levels by subject and grade are available on-line. [MORE]

How were the score ranges for each WKCE proficiency level established?

The score ranges were established by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction based on the work of educators, parents, and community members from across the state using the Bookmark Standards-setting process. This research-based process has been used in over 28 states since 1996 to establish performance expectations on statewide assessments. Cut-scores dividing the proficiency levels were not established using a mathematical formula but were based on what these 240 participants believed students need to know to be at the basic, proficient, and advanced levels in each tested subject area at each tested grade. [MORE]

Can this year's proficiency data be compared to proficiency data for past years?

Proficiency data for 2002-03 and beyond are comparable, and proficiency data for 2001-02 and earlier are comparable, but proficiency data for 2001-02 and earlier are not comparable to proficiency data for 2002-03 and beyond. Cut-scores were originally set in 1997-98 and were changed in 2002-03 after WKCE content changed to improve alignment with Wisconsin standards, the No Child Left Behind Act was implemented, and WKCE test dates were moved from February to November. The 2002-03 cut-scores are based on what students should know and be able to do at the beginning of the school year.

Why are so much data based on the scores of students enrolled for a full academic year (FAY)?

The proficiency of students enrolled in your school for at least a FAY provides one indicator of how successful your school community has been in meeting the academic needs of students in this grade up to the time of testing. Students in grade 4, 8, or 10 who have been enrolled for a FAY are normally students who were enrolled in the same school during grade 3, 7, or 9 respectively.

Note that at the district level, the focus is on the scores of students enrolled in the same district for a FAY which includes students moving between schools within the district. Occasionally, when a small number of mobile students has moved between schools, FAY district data are suppress to protect the privacy of these mobile students, and FAY school data are used instead.

Why are test results being summarized by student group?

Test results are sorted by gender, race, and other student groups in order to improve public understanding the educational task facing each school or district. The goal is for all students in each group, except students with severe disabilities, to progress to the proficient or advanced levels. Students are grouped for reporting purposes according to standardized definitions. Race/ethnicity groups are based on federally-defined categories. "Limited-English proficient" students are, generally, those whose first language is not English and who require special instruction. "Migrant" includes students who moved to a school district for seasonal or temporary family employment in agriculture or fishing in the past 3 years. Students "with disabilities" are students who are eligible for special education services by reason of their disabilities. "Economically disadvantaged" students are students in families who meet the income eligibility guidelines for subsidized lunch. Complete definitions used by districts in coding student groups are available on-line.

Why are some students not tested?

All students are expected to take WSAS assessments except students who are excused by their parents. Only a fraction of a percentage of students statewide are excused from WKCE testing by their parents. An extended testing window is provided so that students who are absent on any given day can take make-up tests. Some students are not assessed possibly due to long-term absences or other reasons.

Ninety eight to Ninety-nine percent of students statewide are generally expected to take WKCE during the three-week testing window, but actual participation rates are lower especially among student groups with the lowest achievement levels (e.g. students of color and economically disadvantaged students). One to two percent of students statewide take WAA in lieu of WKCE.

Why are proficiency data reported as a percent of total enrolled rather than as a percent of total tested?

All but a very small fraction of a percentage of students enrolled are expected to participate in WSAS. Reporting percentages based on "total enrolled" accounts for all students in the school or district including students not tested. For schools and districts where all or nearly all students participate, reporting by total enrolled or total tested makes little or no difference in reporting. Reporting percents based on "total tested" does not provide an accurate picture of overall achievement of schools with low participation rates, so this approach is not used. Student groups with the lowest achievement levels typically have the highest percentages of students who do not take tests. Reporting based on "total tested" provides a disincentive to administer tests or makeup tests to students who are not expected to do well because their inclusion in testing may lower the results for the school.

Why are results for some student groups not reported?

Certain results are not reported to protect student privacy. Care is taken to avoid disclosure of confidential information about small groups of students, either directly or indirectly. A group is considered small if the number of students in the group is five or less. Indirect disclosure occurs when data are reported both for all students in a group and for a large subset of this group leaving only a small subset not reported. Data about groups larger than five may sometimes not be reported due to concerns about indirect disclosure of confidential information about the smaller group.

Protecting test results from indirect disclosure in district reports requires consideration of results already reported on the school reports. In some cases no results will be reported for a demographic group and in other cases results are reported but, to protect privacy, the results do not include scores for all students in the group. In other words, in the district reports, "Number Included in %s" may be different from "Number Enrolled in Grade." Results based on the total number of students enrolled in the grade will be reported when student privacy will not be violated.

Helpful Information:

Administrator's Interpretive Guide
The Administrator's Interpretive Guide is designed to help school and district staff understand, explain, and use the results of the WKCE by providing a brief overview of the tests, the types of scores, and the reports included.
Questions to Consider When Using WSAS Proficiency Data
Understanding the Similar Schools/Districts Pages on WINSS
Using WSAS Scatterplots on WINSS
WINSS Download Options
More WKCE Data and Results
Excel User Tips

For questions about this information, contact oeamail@dpi.wi.gov

Last updated on 5/29/2008 12:32:33 PM