FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 16, 2021
Contact: Jan Barrick or Rachel Watson, (405) 842-8408
COVID-19 learning gaps less than expected in Oklahoma schools
using OAS-aligned benchmarks
Analysis of midyear benchmark data from summative assessments aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards (OAS) found students in Grades 3-8 statewide performing on par with students in the same or similar public schools last year.
“All schools have had limited class time and most are struggling with various forms of distance learning but, in aggregate, student learning loss caused by the pandemic not been as great as expected in schools using OAS-aligned tools,” Alpha Plus CEO Jan Barrick explained. “Teachers trained to address summer learning loss and close academic gaps every year prioritize essential skills required in state standards. They use data by OAS objective to differentiate instruction.”
Alpha Plus assessments have been aligned to OAS and administered online for five years making the data reliable for comparison over time. Summative benchmarks offer precise identification of gaps between what a student knows and what the state of Oklahoma expects them to have learned in any school year.
“While students in Grades 3-8 started out with slightly lower baseline scores in the fall, they grew a little more than students had by mid-January last year,” Barrick said.
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