Achieve+3000+Notes+for+2008-2009

=Email Discussion with Saki Donaldson 7/2009= See 2008-2009 report summary. From the report it looks like our students did wonderful. See questions below. See Revised spreadsheet. Also question assumption that students grow equally during the year. Some may (motivated students that read during the summer) and some may not (unmotivated that don't read). Would a better measure be Fall to Fall? Also, I think we should have retested all those that had a drop. But if this is significant is the test itself a good measure?

Here is the email exchange: Hi Rick. I forwarded your note to my Data Analyst, and here’s what he says: I reviewed the Excel file that you had sent to Saki with your email. There are two considerations to take with the data you have, which would bring the results in line with those you see in the performance portfolio.  Let’s start first with the predicted gain value. The values that you used for each student are in fact annual figures, based on a full calendar year. The expected gain values you see in our reports take into account for each student the amount of time between the pre-test and post-test. For instance, if a student took the pre-test on 10/14 and the post-test on 5/15, his Lexile results come 213 days apart. If this is a 3rd grade student, his expected gain would be (213/365)*100, or approximately 58 Lexile points. Note that the “100” in the equation is the //annual// expected gain for a 3rd grade student, while the resulting “58” is the prorated expected gain used in our reports.  Secondly, our Lexile summaries, such as the one in the performance portfolio, do not include students who have a decline in Lexile score of greater than 25%. A decline of this degree is very unexpected, therefore we consider the scores to be invalid and generally recommend that students who fall into this category have the LevelSet test re-administered to them.  I’ve made some changes to the file you had sent and attached the updated version here. You’ll notice that the data for three students (rows 36-38) have been excluded from the calculations above. These three students had a decline in Lexile score of more than 25%. The other adjustment I made was the addition of the “Prorated Predicted Gain” column. The cells in this column take into account each student’s time between the two LevelSet tests.  You’ll now see in the row with the averages a Lexile gain of 102 points, matching that in the portfolio, and a prorated predicted gain of 47 points. The reason that the predicted gain of 47 differs from the 52 in the portfolio is down to the use of a refined algorithm in our system which also takes into account the students’ initial reading levels.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time if you have any further questions or concerns.  Best, Saki  <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki Dodelson CEO, Achieve3000 <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> //<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Achieve3000: The Leader in Differentiated Instruction Solutions //<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Rick Winter [mailto:prwtrain@msn.com]
 * Sent:** Wednesday, July 15, 2009 5:29 PM
 * To:** 'Saki Dodelson'
 * Subject:** FW: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki – I hope I’m not bothering you with my questions. I’m just trying to understand the discrepancies with my analysis and yours before I report the results to our board and the public. Please see my attached worksheet. On the Achieve3000 performance portfolio it says we have a mean gain of 101.6 Lexile Points and an expected gain of 52. I’ve deleted student names and id numbers. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I downloaded our results and only took students where we had a before and after score for. The actual gain was only 69 and based on the table below I calculate that the predicted gain is 90. This would leave us underperforming for the whole population (as well as the Achieve 3000 group underperforming for the population as well). Can you tell me what is wrong with my analysis? <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Rick Winter Principal Georgetown Community School <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 504 4th Street PO Box 74 Georgetown, CO 80444 303-569-3277 Fax 303-569-2761 [|www.georgetownschool.orgemail]: principal@georgetownschoolorg <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> // Failure comes only when we forget our ideals and objectives and principles //. - Jawaharlal Nehru, 1889-1964, Indian Nationalist and Statesman
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Saki Dodelson [mailto:saki.dodelson@achieve3000.com]
 * Sent:** Tuesday, July 14, 2009 4:05 PM
 * To:** prwtrain@msn.com
 * Subject:** FW: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hello. Below is the expected yearly Lexile growth by grade level. You can also find it on Page 3 of your school’s Performance Portfolio. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Best, <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki Dodelson CEO, Achieve3000 // Achieve3000: The Leader in Differentiated Instruction Solutions //<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">[[image:cid:image001.jpg@01CA062A.AE61F990 width="54" height="18"]] || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">[[image:cid:image002.jpg@01CA062A.AE61F990 width="173" height="18"]] ||
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">2 || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">300L  ||
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">3-5 || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">100L  ||
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">6-7 || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">70L  ||
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">8-9 || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">50L  ||
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">10-11 || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">25L  ||

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- Original Message -
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Rick Winter
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 'Saki Dodelson'
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Sent: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Monday, July 13, 2009 5:45 PM
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Subject: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> RE: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Thanks Saki. It is interesting that we can’t compare the average student who uses the program vs. any student, but I can see that Achieve3000 can’t do the data yourself. Do you know of other sources that might say what the average Lexile gain is for an average student in each of the grades? <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Rick Winter Principal Georgetown Community School <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 504 4th Street PO Box 74 Georgetown, CO 80444 303-569-3277 Fax 303-569-2761 [|www.georgetownschool.orgemail]: principal@georgetownschoolorg <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> // Failure comes only when we forget our ideals and objectives and principles //. - Jawaharlal Nehru, 1889-1964, Indian Nationalist and Statesman <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We are only able to pull data for students who have used our program. Please feel free to reach out if there’s anything else you need. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Best, <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki Dodelson CEO, Achieve3000 // Achieve3000: The Leader in Differentiated Instruction Solutions //<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Saki Dodelson [mailto:saki.dodelson@achieve3000.com]
 * Sent:** Monday, July 13, 2009 8:40 AM
 * To:** prwtrain@msn.com
 * Subject:** FW: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Sara Moskovitz [mailto:sara.moskovitz@achieve3000.com]
 * Sent:** Thursday, July 09, 2009 11:52 AM
 * To:** 'Rivka Steinberg'
 * Subject:** FW: FW:

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">- Original Message -
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Rick Winter
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> 'Saki Dodelson'
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Sent: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Thursday, July 09, 2009 10:48 AM
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Subject: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> RE: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Oh, if this is just Achieve 3000 students I assume that this is even better news than I perceived. I thought the gain expected was for all students (those that use Achieve 3000 as well as those that don’t use Achieve 3000). Do you know what average gains would be for all students? <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Rick Winter <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Saki Dodelson [mailto:saki.dodelson@achieve3000.com]
 * Sent:** Thursday, July 09, 2009 6:31 AM
 * To:** prwtrain@msn.com
 * Subject:** FW: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hello, Mr. Winter. That is correct. The average Lexile gain, this year, was 52 points more than the expected gain for students who used Achieve3000 programs. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there’s anything else you need. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I’m looking forward to sharing continued success! <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Best, <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki Dodelson CEO, Achieve3000 <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Rick Winter [mailto:prwtrain@msn.com]
 * Sent:** Wednesday, July 08, 2009 9:56 AM
 * To:** 'Saki Dodelson'
 * Subject:** RE: Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki – I wanted to make sure that I’m understanding the chart correctly. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The average score gain FOR THE SCHOOL is from 680 to 781 (101 points) and the average expected gain would be 680 to 732 (52 points). <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Of course the additional gain could be from multiple reasons – Achieve3000 could be one reason, small class sizes could be another, effective teaching could yet be another. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Is that correct? I don’t want to be incorrect when I’m showing this to our stakeholders. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Rick Winter
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From: **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> Saki Dodelson [mailto:sdodelson@achieve3000.com]
 * Sent:** Monday, July 06, 2009 9:36 PM
 * To:** Rick Winter
 * Subject:** Your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hello. I'm pleased to present your Achieve3000 Performance Portfolio. This report provides a bird's-eye view of your school's usage of the KidBiz3000/TeenBiz3000 solutions for the 2008-2009 school year. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">If you would like to have printed copies of your Performance Portfolio for your Board or for other members of your staff, just visit [|www.achieve3000.com/portfolios]. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We're glad to play a part in your students' achievement, and look forward to continuing to serve you in the coming school year. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Looking forward to sharing continued success, <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saki Dodelson CEO, Achieve3000