Examining Student Data: Threshold Questions

Once the school team has identified students appearing in the Alert Reports, the team should select a student and begin the MD IDEA Scorecard Guide to Decision Making process. Following this process the school team begins to examine relationships between various sets of student data.

The Individual Student Planning Template should be used to capture relevant data and information about the student and, ultimately, to document the specified interventions. This template can be found in the callout box to the right.

Teams begin by completing the basic student information in Part A:

Threshold Questions

Once basic student information has been recorded, teams should answer the Threshold Questions for each alert category and document any information that team thinks is important in the "Comments" section of Part B. The comments documented will support the selection of interventions in Part C.

MOBILITY

Did the student attend two different schools in the same school year?
IF YES
A. Did the change occur within the same district? At what grade level?
B. Did the change occur across districts? At what grade level?
C. What skill or content might the student have missed due to the move?
D. Did the student reach proficiency on the State's Assessments?
E. Did the student’s proficiency level change during this transition?
F. Has there been an increase in suspensions since the change in schools?
G. Has there been a decrease in attendance since the change in schools?
H. If there was a change in schools, did the mobility impact the student’s academic progress?
 

ATTENDANCE
Did the student attend school less than 80% of the time?
IF YES
A. Is there a downward trend in student's attendance over the last 3 school years?
B. Is there an upward trend in student's attendance over the last 3 school years?
C. Was there a decrease in his/her MSA test scores?
D. What was the impact on the student’s academic progress?
 

SUSPENSIONS
Was the student suspended 10 or more days during the school year?
IF YES
A. Was the suspension for a single day or multiple days?
B. What is the student’s suspension history over the last 3 years?
C. Has the student had a behavioral assessment?
D. Does the student have a behavioral management support plan?
E. Is there an impact of cultural behaviors on the student’s achievement? If so, describe.
F. Was there a decrease in his/her test scores?
G. Was there an impact on the student’s academic progress?
 

ASSESSMENT
Were the student’s MSA/HSA scores Basic for the past two years?
IF YES
A. Has there been a change in the student’s assessment history over the last 3 -5 years?
B. What are the student’s grades in English? Math?
C. Are the student’s teachers highly qualified in the tested areas?
D. What percent of the student’s classes are heterogeneous?
E. What is the teacher/student ratio in the student’s class(es)?
F. What percent of the student’s classes are co-taught?
G. What is the amount of time scheduled for specific content areas?