TPRI: Why do reports not include students that were excluded?

 Answer

The TPRI Branching Rules lays out the process for each assessment and the next steps depending on the score of the student. These branching rules were established to reduce administration time and student frustration. The tasks are ordered by difficulty and the TPRI Branching Rules allow the teacher to skip sections that the student will not be likely to complete based on their performance on easier tasks or if the student already scored developed on previous tasks. It will guide you through the Screening and Inventory Sections and attempt to lead students to tasks that will provide the most relevant information about specific instructional needs. Following the TPRI Branching Rules is essential to ensure students are not over-tested or under-tested, and that assessment time is spent on tasks that will be most helpful in planning effective instruction for each student.

When calculating TPRI scores for each wave, students who are not part of the assessment are omitted from the calculations, even if they attained a 'developed' score in the prior wave. Scores are not carried over from one wave to the next, which can make interpreting the data challenging due to the Branching Rules.

School districts have the autonomy to decide whether teachers should evaluate additional tasks for a broader understanding of a student's abilities, thus providing more data to establish learning targets, plan instruction, and achieve objectives. For instance, a district might require teachers to evaluate the Blending Word Parts task for all three waves, irrespective of the Branching Rules' recommendations, to better track student progress across waves.

We take your feedback on these reports seriously and have added suggestions to our TPRI Continuous Improvement plan. 

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