Baseline+Data

 I gathered the following data from Emetrics which was based on the Dakota STEP tests given in 2008. Eighth grade students scored lowest on 8.R.4.2—“Evaluate information about a topic gathered from a variety of sources.” Coincidentally, seventh grade students scored lowest on their respective standard 7.R.4.3—“Evaluate the accuracy and credibility of information about a topic contained in multiple sources.” So, the Achievement Series test I created contained questions regarding this topic. However, I developed questions using the Spring 2007 standards, simply because the Dakota STEP tests given in Spring 2009 would be based on the newest standards. I chose the standards I thought most closely mirrored the 2004 ones. Therefore, the Achievement Series test created contained questions for standards 8.R.5.1—“Students can evaluate information and author’s purpose about a topic gathered from informational text,” and 8.R.5.2—“Students can recognize expository, persuasive, and procedural text.” I added a few additional questions, since historically, eighth grade students score low on the standard that reads “Students can compare and contrast literature from different time periods and cultures dealing with similar themes and conflicts.” Their pre-test scores didn’t prove me wrong on that last standard, either.
 * __Baseline Data Details __**