Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN
Results to Improve
Student Performance
EXPLORE
PLAN
Student Preparation
• About 6,000 students drop out of high school
every day.
• More than one million students graduate each
year from high school assuming they are ready
for college or the workplace – and they are
not.
ACT, 2008. Making the Dream a Reality: Action
Steps for States to Prepare All Students for
College and a Career
EXPLORE
PLAN
Student Preparation
ALL graduates need the same knowledge and
skills to be successful in
– Two- or four-year college
– Job that offers a career path at a self-supporting
wage
– Apprenticeship or related training
– Military
ACT, 2008. Making the Dream a Reality: Action
Steps for States to Prepare All Students for
College and Career
EXPLORE
PLAN
Student Preparation
Students who take two or more
remedial college courses are
unlikely to graduate.
– Nearly 45% who plan to go to college after
graduation have not taken courses that will allow
them to proceed to credit-bearing, college
courses.
ACT, 2004. On Course for Success
EXPLORE
PLAN
Percent of EXPLORE Students on Track for
College or Career
EXPLORE
PLAN
Percent of PLAN Students on Track for
College or Career
EXPLORE
Percent of ACT Students on Track for
College or Career
PLAN
EXPLORE
PLAN
EXPLORE and PLAN
• Academic content in English, mathematics,
reading and science
• Standardized time and number of items
• Additional components
– Interest Inventory
– Needs Assessment
– Plans and Background information/HS Course and
Grades
– Educational Opportunity Services (PLAN only)
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results, pages 1-7.
TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO
INTERPRET AND ANALYZE EXPLORE
AND PLAN RESULTS
EXPLORE
PLAN
Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results to
Improve Student Performance
• Methods for teachers, principals, counselors
and county educators to analyze reports and
results
• Sample reports, tools and resources for
educators, parents and students to interpret
and utilize data
EXPLORE
PLAN
Student Score Reports
• Plans for after high school
• Scores compared to EXPLORE/PLAN College
Readiness Benchmarks
• Predicted PLAN/ACT composite score
• Interest inventory response interpreted on
World-of-Work Map
• Responses and correct answers with
suggestion for building knowledge and skills
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results,
Appendix A, pp. 82-85; Appendix D, pp. 96-99.
EXPLORE
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•
•
•
•
•
EXPLORE
Profile Summary Report
PLAN
Table 1a: Scores
Table 1b: Subscores
Table 1c: College readiness
Table 2: Ethnicity and gender
Table 3: Educations plans and college core
Table 4: Composite scores, coursework and expressed needs
Table 5a: Career preferences
Table 5b: World-of-Work Map
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results, Appendix B, pp. 8693.
EXPLORE
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
PLAN
Profile Summary Report
PLAN
Table 1a: Scores
Table 1b: Subscores
Table 1c: College readiness
Table 2: Ethnicity and gender
Table 3: Scores compared to course work
Table 4: Composite, coursework and educational plans
Table 5: Composite, coursework and expressed needs
Table 6a: Career preferences
Table 6b: World-of-Work Map
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results, Appendix E, pp. 100108.
EXPLORE
PLAN
EXPLORE School Reports
• Early Intervention Rosters
– Do not plan to finish high school or no post-high school
educational plans
– Expressed needs
– Composite score at or below the national 10th percentile
• Item Response Summary Report
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results,
Appendix C, pp. 94-95.
EXPLORE
PLAN
PLAN School Reports
• Early Intervention Rosters
– Do not plan to finish high school or no post-high school
educational plans
– Expressed needs
– Composite score of 16 or higher with no college plans
– Composite score 15 or lower with college plans
• Item Response Summary Report
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results, Appendix F, pp.
109-111.
EXPLORE
PLAN
Pair and Share
Within your school,
• How will student score reports be used to
develop or revise ISTPs?
• Who needs to understand how to interpret
and analyze results?
– What data/information do they need?
– What reports do they need?
– When do they need the information?
EXPLORE
PLAN
Action Plan
• Complete Interpreting and Analyzing
EXPLORE and PLAN Results
– What activities do you plan to conduct for your
school on interpreting and analyzing
EXPLORE/PLAN results?
• What are your intended outcomes?
• Who will participate in the activities?
• When will you conduct these activities?
• How will you evaluate the effectiveness of your
work?
WAYS TO USE PLAN RESULTS TO
IDENTIFY STUDENTS WITH AP
POTENTIAL
EXPLORE
PLAN
AP Courses
Students who take AP courses
– Gain skills that help them succeed in college
• Writing and problem-solving skills
• Study habits
– Stand out in admission process
• 31% of colleges and universities look at AP
experience when determining scholarships
– More likely to graduate in 4 years
• Over 90% of 4-year colleges provide credit and/or
advanced placement for qualifying scores
EXPLORE
Using PLAN to Identify
Students with AP Potential
PLAN
• Research findings released in 2009
• Relationship between students’ scores on
PLAN and their scores on selected AP exams
• PLAN test scores are good predictors of
success in AP courses
http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/Usin
gPlan.pdf
PLAN Scores Associated with Selected AP Exam Scores
PLAN Scores
3 or Higher AP Score
4 or Higher AP
Score
50%
75%
50%
23
26
26.5
Avg. Mathematics & Science
22.5
25.5
25.5
Calculus BC
Avg. Mathematics & Science
21
24.5
25
Chemistry
Avg. Mathematics & Science
24.5
27.5
28
English Language and
Compositions
Avg. English & Reading
21.5
24
26
English Literature and
Composition
Avg. English & Reading
21.5
24
26.5
European History
Avg. English & Reading
21.5
24.5
27
Government and Politics:
Comparative
Avg. English & Reading
22
25.5
26.5
Government and Politics:
United States
Avg. English & Reading
22.5
26
27
Macroeconomics
Avg. Mathematics & Science
24
27.5
27
Microeconomics
Avg. Mathematics & Science
22
26
26.5
Physics B
Avg. Mathematics & Science
23.5
26.5
27
AP Exam
Biology
PLAN Tests
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Calculus AB
PLAN Scores Associated with Selected AP Exam Scores
PLAN Scores
3 or Higher AP Score
AP Exam
50%
75%
4 or
Highe
r AP
Score
50%
PLAN Tests
Physics C: Electricity and
Magnetism
Avg. Mathematics & Science
23
27.5
26
Physics C: Mechanics
Avg. Mathematics & Science
22.5
25.5
25.5
Psychology
Avg. English & Reading
19
22.5
22.5
Statistics
Avg. Mathematics & Science
22.5
24.5
25.5
U.S. History
Avg. English & Reading
22.5
26
26.5
World History
Avg. English & Reading
22
25
26
EXPLORE
PLAN
PLAN: Predictions of AP Success
School Roster
• Lists students and identifies those who have
potential to be successful in selected AP
courses based upon their PLAN results and
ACT’s research linking PLAN scores to success
in AP courses
EXPLORE
PLAN: Predictions of AP Success
School Roster
PLAN
EXPLORE
Utilizing PLAN Results to
Determine AP Potential
AP Exam
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Physics B
Physics C: Electricity and
Magnetism
Physics C: Mechanics
Statistics
PLAN Tests
Mathematics and Natural Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Your
Average
50% for 3
or Higher
AP Score
23
22.5
21
24.5
24
22
23.5
23
Avg. Mathematics & Science
Avg. Mathematics & Science
English and Social Sciences
Avg. English & Reading
22.5
22.5
English Literature and
Composition
Avg. English & Reading
21.5
European History
Avg. English & Reading
21.5
English Language and
Compositions
21.5
PLAN
Meet or Exceeds
Benchmark

EXPLORE
PLAN
Pair and Share
• Select a partner.
• Determine who will play the “counselor” and who
will be the “student.”
• Examine the description of your “student.”
• Use the “student’s” information to complete the
Utilizing PLAN Student Results to Determine Potential
to be Successful in AP and other Rigorous Courses.
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results, p. 71.
• Role play the discussion between the “counselor”
and “student” using this information to revise the
ISTP.
EXPLORE
PLAN
Action Plan
• Complete Identifying students with AP
Potential
– How will students with AP potential be
identified? (For high schools)
• What do students and parents need to know
about AP courses?
• What do staff members need to know about AP
courses?
• When do students, parents and staff need the
information?
TEST TAKING STRATEGIES FOR
EXPLORE AND PLAN
EXPLORE
PLAN
Test Items
• Multiple choice
– Each of the reading, English and science test items
has four (4) answer choices.
– The items of the mathematics tests have five (5)
answer choices.
• English and reading tests have prose passages
• Mathematics tests focus on quantitative
reasoning
• Science test has sets of scientific information
represented in different formats
EXPLORE
PLAN
Item Response Summary Report
• Percentage of students who selected the correct
response
• Percentage of students who selected each
incorrect response
• Percentage of students who omitted (did not
answer) the item
• Reference group percentage correct
See Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results, Appendix
C, pp. 94-95; Appendix F, pp. 109-111.
EXPLORE
PLAN
Pair and Share
• Examine the percentages of items
omitted/not answered
– What did you observe?
– What are some possible reasons?
– What possible impact will test preparation have
on the occurrence(s)?
EXPLORE
PLAN
Action Plan
• Complete Discussing Test Taking Strategies
– What test taking activities will you conduct prior to
the administration of EXPLORE/PLAN?
• How should students prepare to take EXPLORE/PLAN?
• What do parents need to know about test taking
strategies for EXPLORE/PLAN?
• When should test taking strategies be discussed with
students?
RESOURCES
EXPLORE
PLAN
Utilizing EXPLORE and PLAN Results to
Improve Student Performance
WVDE EXPLORE and PLAN websites
• Go to
– Resources
– File Cabinet
• Go to Resources folder
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/pdf/Using%20EXPL
OR%20and%20PLAN%20Results.pdf
EXPLORE
PLAN
WVDE Websites/Resources
• EXPLORE and PLAN
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/EXPLORE/EXPLORE_index.html
http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/actplan.html
–
–
–
–
Frequently asked questions
Administration manuals
Sample reports
State, county and school results
• ACT http://wvde.state.wv.us/oaa/act.html
• Teach 21
http://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/
– ACT/SAT Guides for writing and mathematics
EXPLORE
PLAN
WV College and Career Resources
• College Foundation of West Virginia
http://www.cfwv.com
– PROMISE
https://secure.cfwv.com/Financial_Aid_Planning/
Scholarships/Scholarships_and_Grants/West_Virgi
nia_PROMISE.aspx
• West Virginia Clearinghouse
http://wvclear.wv.stateu.edu
EXPLORE
PLAN
ACT Resources
• EXPLORE student website
http://www.explorestudent.org
• PLAN student website
http://www.actstudent.org/plan
• ACT student website
http://www.actstudent.org/index.html
EXPLORE
PLAN
Additional Information
Contact
Dr. Beth Cipoletti
Office of Research
304-558-2546
dcipolet@access.k12.wv.us