Critical Vocabulary
CRCT Application Format: The application process followed by applicants who
teach in grade levels and subject areas tested by the Criterion Referenced
Competency Tests with the exception of first grade. In the Master Teacher
materials, these CRCT tested subject areas are sometimes referred to as core
curricular subjects: Math, Reading, English Language Arts, Social Science, and
Science.
Non-CRCT Application Format: This second application format is named
Monitoring Student Progress. Anyone who teaches in grades or subject areas
not tested by the CRCT follows this application process. Subject areas not
tested by the CRCT are sometimes referred to as non-core curricular subjects.
These subjects include Art, Drama, Music, Health, Physical Education, Business
and Technology, Family and Consumer Science, etc. Applicants who teach 1st
grade, kindergarten, non-core curricular subjects in grades k-8, all subjects in
grades 9-12, and most specialty groups, such as Special Education and ESOL,
complete the Monitoring Student Progress application.
Specialty Groups: Included in this category are Special Education, EIP, ESOL,
and Gifted. All Special Education and ESOL teachers will complete the
Monitoring Student Progress application. The type of delivery model will
determine the particular application process that must be followed by EIP and
Gifted teachers.
Cohort: A group of individuals having a statistical factor (e.g. age or class
membership) in common in a demographic study. For the Master Teacher
application process, a cohort is defined as the applicant’s roster of students for
each of the required years. In order to measure gain/progress, the cohort’s
scores on the CRCT are compared the year they were taught by the applicant to
their scores from the previous year.
Achievement Level: Determined by comparing the rate of Meets and Exceeds
by students on the applicant’s roster to the state’s rate of Meets and Exceeds
AND the system’s or school’s rate of Meets and Exceeds on the CRCT. The
document entitled Evidence of Student Achievement/Student Progress provides
detailed information about the Master Teacher achievement criteria for CRCT
applications.
Gains (Progress): Measured by comparing the change in the cohort’s mean
scale score from the previous year to the cohort’s mean scale score for the year
they were taught by the applicant. This change is then compared to the state’s
corresponding mean scale score change for that same subject area and those
grade levels. For example, a fourth grade Reading teacher is applying for Master
Teacher and wants to determine the progress made by her/his 2007 cohort. The
first step is to compare this cohort’s performance on the test in 2007 (the year
they received instruction from this teacher) to their CRCT Reading performance
in the third grade in 2006. The next step is to see how this gain/progress
compares to the state gain/progress. In this case, the 2006 Reading mean scale
score for third grade students in the state was 828. The mean scale score on the
2007 Reading CRCT for fourth grade students improved two (2) points to 830.
To be considered a possible Master teacher, this teacher’s 2007 fourth grade
cohort is expected to demonstrate an increase greater than or equal to the state
gain. More information about the gains/progress criteria is located in Evidence
of Student Achievement/Student Progress.
Formative Benchmark Assessment: Regularly scheduled assessments
administered during the year to measure progress toward mastery of standards.
These assessments provide teachers with information about how to adjust
instruction to improve learning. Teachers who complete the Monitoring Student
Progress application must demonstrate how results from these assessments are
effectively used to adjust the instructional process and to guide student learning.