HOW TO ANALYZE TEST RESULTS

2008-2009

Montgomery Public Schools

White (W)

System
% at
% in
Level
Grou

State
% at
Level IV

School
Gap (%)

System
Gap (%)

State
Gap (%)

Test

School
% in
% at
Grou
Level

Grade

State
% at
Level

Test

System
% at
% in
Level
Grou

Gap Between Groups

White (W-B)

Grade

School
% in
% at
Grou Level

Black (B)

3
4
5
6
7
8

M
M
M
M
M
M

17.9
16.8
16.4
16.3
14.0
11.2

70.2
65.8
67.6
49.6
42.8
45.0

17.9
16.8
16.4
16.3
14.0
11.2

70.2
65.8
67.6
49.6
42.8
45.0

59.7
59.9
53.7
38.4
34.1
34.6

3
4
5
6
7
8

M
M
M
M
M
M

75.6
77.0
78.4
78.8
82.2
84.2

41.8
38.9
30.7
23.7
12.6
8.8

75.6
77.0
78.4
78.8
82.2
84.2

41.8
38.9
30.7
23.7
12.6
8.8

35.3
35.2
30.3
15.3
14.7
12.6

28.3
26.9
36.9
26.0
30.2
36.3

28.3
26.9
36.9
26.0
30.2
36.3

24.4
24.7
23.4
23.1
19.3
22.0

3
4
5
6
7
8

R
R
R
R
R
R

17.9
16.8
16.5
16.3
14.0
11.1

76.3
71.1
72.5
74.1
64.3
56.2

17.9
16.8
16.5
16.3
14.0
11.1

76.3
71.1
72.5
74.1
64.3
56.2

63.1
64.9
62.5
69.0
57.0
47.4

3
4
5
6
7
8

R
R
R
R
R
R

75.8
77.1
78.4
78.8
82.2
84.2

42.1
40.8
39.5
46.1
25.1
16.9

75.8
77.1
78.4
78.8
82.2
84.2

42.1
40.8
39.5
46.1
25.1
16.9

35.9
35.1
35.1
43.0
29.1
18.4

34.2
30.3
33.0
28.0
39.2
39.3

34.2
30.3
33.0
28.0
39.2
39.3

27.1
29.8
27.3
26.1
27.9
29.1

The table above shows two sets of subgroup comparisons for the Montgomery Public School
system as a whole. Results are broken down by subgroup, by grade, and by subject
(Math/Reading). Comparisons are with the Statewide results. Each schools table, for each
year, provides comparisons with the Statewide average, as well as the averages within the
Montgomery Public School system. In this way, the results of students with comparable
demographic profiles are compared with each other, so that white students are compared to the
averages for other white students, statewide and within the system. Likewise, the test results for
black, non-poverty, and poverty students are also compared to averages for their peer groups in
the same way. These patterns provide a basis for targeting weaknesses in student performance.
Please note: Each subgroup has a different percentage of students at Level IV. As a result, a
green color does not indicate that the percentage is itself high or low, but high or low compared
to student percentages in that subgroup.
Gap Between Groups
White (W-B)

Closing the Gap (Gold): The last three

columns compare the gaps between the
performance of paired subgroups (e.g.
white/black, non-poverty/poverty), within
the school, compared to the system and the
state. If two conditions are met, the cell
related to that comparison (row) will be
colored gold: both subgroups must be green,
and the gap between the subgroups must be
less than the system or state gap; then the
gap will have a gold color.
1

School
Gap (%)

System
Gap (%)

State
Gap (%)

11.6
19.7
9.7

26.0
30.2
36.3

23.1
19.3
22.0

16.7
10.6
12.7

28.0
39.2
39.3

26.1
27.9
29.1

The percent in group for 3rd grade Math is

17.9 percent, meaning that white students
comprise 17.9 percent of students in the
system (which is also shown in the school
column by default).

ANALYSIS BY SUBGROUP
Each subgroup is displayed in its own
quadrant of the comparison table. Below is
a the portion for white students in the
Montgomery Public School System.

The percent at Level IV is 70.2 percent,

which is more than the statewide average of
59.7 percent at Level IV. The system level
comparison is gray because it is being
compared to itself (School=System in this
case). Results for individual schools will
appear in the school column, but not in the
systems comparison report.

White (W)
State
% at
Level

M
M
M
M
M
M

17.9
16.8
16.4
16.3
14.0
11.2

70.2
65.8
67.6
49.6
42.8
45.0

17.9
16.8
16.4
16.3
14.0
11.2

70.2
65.8
67.6
49.6
42.8
45.0

59.7
59.9
53.7
38.4
34.1
34.6

3
4
5
6
7
8

R
R
R
R
R
R

17.9
16.8
16.5
16.3
14.0
11.1

76.3
71.1
72.5
74.1
64.3
56.2

17.9
16.8
16.5
16.3
14.0
11.1

76.3
71.1
72.5
74.1
64.3
56.2

63.1
64.9
62.5
69.0
57.0
47.4

Results for black students are compared to

the average percent Level IV for black
students statewide. The percent of black
students in the Montgomery Public Schools
in 3rd grade, taking the exam, is 75.6 percent
in 3rd grade and 77.0 percent in 4th grade. At
41.8 percent, the percent of black students at
Level IV is 6.5 percent higher than the state
average of 35.3 percent. (Still, that is lower
than the statewide average for white
students, which stands at 59.7 percent.)

Grade

Test

The subgroup next to the white subgroup is

for results for black students. The gap
between those two groups is reported to the
right, by subject and by grade. In the
example provided, results for white students
are all either green or dark green, indicating
that they are either 1 to 9.9 percent, or ten
percent or more above the state average for
white students statewide as shown for 3rd
and 4th grade math below:

3
4

M
M

School
% in
% at
Grou Level
17.9
16.8

70.2
65.8

System
% at
% in
Level
Grou
17.9
16.8

70.2
65.8

Test

3
4
5
6
7
8

Grade

Test

System
% in
% at
Grou
Level

Grade

School
% in
% at
Grou Level

3
4

M
M

School
% in
% at
Grou
Level
75.6
77.0

41.8
38.9

System
% in
% at
Grou
Level
75.6
77.0

41.8
38.9

State
% at
Level IV
35.3
35.2

There are no gold cells for the Montgomery

Public Schools system level performance
because the gaps are all larger than the
statewide gaps; however there are schools
within the system that do have smaller gaps
and above average performance. Next, we
analyze the differences between subjects.

State
% at
Level
59.7
59.9

SUBJECT LEVEL ANALYSIS

School
% in
% at
Grou Level

State

Test

% in
Grou

% at
Level

% at
Level

3
4
5
6
7
8

M
M
M
M
M
M

27.2
28.4
28.8
29.2
25.4
28.0

70.0
63.7
63.8
47.9
40.5
37.7

27.2
28.4
28.8
29.2
25.4
28.0

70.0
63.7
63.8
47.9
40.5
37.7

65.5
66.1
60.6
44.5
40.6
40.1

3
4
5
6
7
8

R
R
R
R
R
R

27.2
28.3
28.8
29.2
25.3
28.0

75.4
68.2
70.0
73.9
58.5
48.1

27.2
28.3
28.8
29.2
25.3
28.0

75.4
68.2
70.0
73.9
58.5
48.1

69.8
71.6
69.7
76.2
63.7
52.9

% in
Grou

% at
Level

% at
Level

M
M
M
M
M
M

27.2
28.4
28.8
29.2
25.4
28.0

70.0
63.7
63.8
47.9
40.5
37.7

27.2
28.4
28.8
29.2
25.4
28.0

70.0
63.7
63.8
47.9
40.5
37.7

65.5
66.1
60.6
44.5
40.6
40.1

3
4
5
6
7
8

R
R
R
R
R
R

27.2
28.3
28.8
29.2
25.3
28.0

75.4
68.2
70.0
73.9
58.5
48.1

27.2
28.3
28.8
29.2
25.3
28.0

75.4
68.2
70.0
73.9
58.5
48.1

69.8
71.6
69.7
76.2
63.7
52.9

Conversely, results for non-poverty students

produced lower percentages of Level IV
than the statewide average in the areas of
reading, except for the 3rd and 5th grades.
Non Poverty (NP)
System

School
% in
% at
Grou Level

ANALYSIS BY GRADE/SUBJECT
Each row represents a grade level for each
subject. In the example above, in Math
more grade levels exceeded the percentage
of non-poverty students meeting Level IV
than in Reading; however, the results are
weak in the 4th grade for Math as indicated
by the shaded area for the 4th grade Math
results. So, within the Math subject, the 4th
grade appears to be relatively weak.
3

State

Test

School
% in
% at
Grou Level

State

3
4
5
6
7
8

Grade

Grade

Non Poverty (NP)

System

Grade

Each quadrant of the report lists the results

by subject, then by grade. In the example
below, the non-poverty students are doing
better in Math than in reading, as indicated
by more green cells in the Math subject
rows; however, a more detailed examination
by grade is in order. The table below
examines result for non-poverty students.

Test

Non Poverty (NP)

System

% in
Grou

% at
Level

% at
Level

3
4
5
6
7
8

M
M
M
M
M
M

27.2
28.4
28.8
29.2
25.4
28.0

70.0
63.7
63.8
47.9
40.5
37.7

27.2
28.4
28.8
29.2
25.4
28.0

70.0
63.7
63.8
47.9
40.5
37.7

65.5
66.1
60.6
44.5
40.6
40.1

3
4
5
6
7
8

R
R
R
R
R
R

27.2
28.3
28.8
29.2
25.3
28.0

75.4
68.2
70.0
73.9
58.5
48.1

27.2
28.3
28.8
29.2
25.3
28.0

75.4
68.2
70.0
73.9
58.5
48.1

69.8
71.6
69.7
76.2
63.7
52.9