John Sarli (CSU San Bernardino), Bruce Arnold
(UCSD), and Kimberly Samaniego (Mira Mesa HS)
John Sarli (MDTP Workgroup Chair and
MDTP Site Director)

Intersegmental project: CSU, UC

CSU/UC support the MDTP test-design workgroup
 Develop diagnostic testing materials
 Revise/update existing test forms
 Establish subcommittees for specialized tasks – e.g., developing
written response items
 Enact MDTP policy

California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) supports 10
sites that provide services without cost to CA K-12 teachers
 Distribute, score, and report the results of tests that measure
readiness for math courses from prealgebra to calculus
 Assist teachers in analyzing and interpreting test results
 Hold regional conferences to discuss math curricular issues



Tested content must be prerequisite for
success in subsequent math courses
Review field-test item statistics to ensure
each item tests appropriate knowledge and
skill and discriminates reasonably well
between stronger and weaker students
Current field tests
◦ CAHSEE Preparatory (CP) Diagnostic Test
◦ Calculus Readiness (CR) Test
◦ CP Written Response Items
1 2 1 2
 
3 5 3 5
3

8
3
 1 2
1     1
 3 5
8
5

8
1 2 1 5 2 3
    
3 5 3 5 5 3
11

15
“Research about the effects of incentive programs should
fully document the structure of each program and should
evaluate a broad range of outcomes. To avoid having their
results determined by the score inflation that occurs in the
high-stakes tests attached to the incentives, researchers should
use low-stakes tests that do not mimic the high-stakes tests to
evaluate how test-based incentives affect achievement. …”
Incentives and Test-Based Accountability in Education
Board on Testing and Assessment
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
Bruce Arnold (MDTP Director and MDTP Site
Director)
"The instructional decisions made by
teachers – such as how and when to
review prerequisite material, how to
visit a difficult concept, or how to
adapt tasks for students who are
struggling or for those who need
enrichment – are based on inferences
about what students know and what
they need to learn."
NCTM's Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics, p. 23

Use test results formatively
◦ Recognize understandings and misconceptions of
individual students and of class
◦ Inform instruction of topics for re-teaching
◦ Inform instruction of new topics
◦ Provide specific feedback to students
◦ Consider interventions and supports
◦ Collaborate with other teachers

Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of courses
◦ Review curricular emphasis (curriculum maps, pacing
guides)


Include in professional development activities
Incorporate in student placement process
◦ Ready for next math course
◦ Inadequate preparation for next math course



Julian Betts has shown district-mandated
MDTP testing has been associated with
positive gains in subsequent year
Julian posits that mandated testing produced
such large gains because the department
worked together to determine and improve
areas of student weakness
MDTP has, and continues, to encourage the
formative use of its test results to address
these areas of student weakness through
focused teaching
Kimberly Samaniego (Mira Mesa High School
Math Teacher and Instructional Leader)


Articulating the transition from middle school to
high school
Determining placement for incoming freshmen
◦ Algebra 1
◦ Geometry and Advanced Geometry
◦ Intermediate Algebra and AIA (Algebra 2)

All teachers want students to be successful
◦ Teachers ask the same question, is my student ready
for the next level?

MDTP is one way to aid in student placement
◦ Teacher recommendations, grades, CST

June testing - to inform placements the following
year – all teachers on the same page
◦
◦
◦
◦

Algebra
Intermediate Algebra
Pre Calculus
Moving to an advanced class
September testing - to inform current readiness
of students
◦ Geometry
◦ All advanced classes
◦ Pre Calculus

All 10th grade students tested September and
February
◦ Algebra 10
◦ Geometry 10
◦ Intermediate 10

Data Analysis and Professional Development
Entire Department
◦ Collaborative review and reflection of the data
◦ Review and reflection of test and student issues
◦ Collaborative planning for CAHSEE readiness

Students enrolled in Function’s Analysis pilot
tested in September and February (Math
Analysis Readiness test)
◦ MDTP was one indicator of student performance for
pilot
◦ Data showed students made significant
improvements
◦ The pilot was accepted by the district curriculum
committee as a permanent site course


Inform practice
Cool data!
◦
◦
◦
◦



Raw scores – but don’t just look at raw scores!
Number of problems completed vs. number correct
Class strengths and weaknesses
Individual student strengths and weaknesses
Students included in the learning plan
Differentiation
Online version – instant results

Aid in student placement in freshman science
◦ Earth Science vs. Physics

Informs science teachers of student skill
levels in math and where math interventions
are needed (especially for Physics)

Contact information:
◦ John Sarli, jsarli@csusb.edu
◦ Kimberly Samaniego, aksamaniego@msn.com
◦ Bruce Arnold, barnold@ucsd.edu