Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment context for AIMSweb scores

Can anybody provide any insight for my DS AIMSweb scores for Fall 3rd grade.

The teacher provided me with the scores but no context of where these numbers put him in terms of either his class overall or nationally. This is what the teacher provided me.

DS continues to do well in math. His November Aimsweb scores:

Math Concepts and Applications - total score 19 out of 46 possible points. Out of the problems he completed he only had 2 wrong.

Math Computation - total score 62 out of 68 possible points. He completed all of the problems in less than 8 minutes. He did incorrectly calculate 3 problems. One was a multiplication error and the other two were mis-reading the symbol (he added when it called for subtraction.)

Hopefully somebody here can help me understand what these scores are?

Thanks

AIMSweb is a progress monitoring and screening tool designed primarily for identifying low performers. I could (and probably will!) say more, but honestly, that's about all you need to know. There is some consideration given to higher-performing students, but higher-performing is defined as >90th %ile.

Without commenting on actual norm-referenced scores (which we don't have), a couple of points stand out to me: it appears that his performance on MCAP was affected by the speed with which he was able to work, as his teacher describes him as slow but accurate. His MCOMP score is probably quite near the ceiling of the test, which means that using an out-of-level AIMSweb probe might be more informative with regard to progress monitoring (e.g., having a 3rd grader take the 4th grade set of probes).

Normative data in AIMSweb is generally interpreted on a local level, rather than nationally, as the intent is to facilitate a tiered system of supports for the student pool at hand, not in the abstract.

Thanks so much for your insight.

I guess my fear is that they will use some of these scores as justification for status quo. Also the fact that they don't give us all the information is frustrating.

His WISC IV did show a sig. relative weakness in processing speed... So I wondered if this could be reflected in the AIMSweb scores. He has a provision in his 504 plan for no timed tests. (although they still give him timed test to evaluate his Multiplication facts??) Is the AIMSweb timed? Should I address this with school? He did have a time accommodation when he took SCAT.

We are currently struggling to get more enrichment/acceleration for our DS in math and they are pushing back. He was moved to another 3rd-grade math class which was slightly ahead of his own classroom. His Scantron scores at the start of the year were in the 99th percentile (as they were last year). He does get 45 min/week in a group of students with GT teacher for enrichment.

Just trying to be proactive because I know the school would be happy to do nothing if left on their own. Any and all insight helps. Thank you

Yes. AIMSweb is typically timed. His relative weakness in processing speed could certainly have resulted in an artifactually lower score on AIMSweb probes, either because he didn't finish, or because he tried to rush in order to finish.

I'm not familiar with the AIMSweb, but have a few thoughts re timed tests etc (I have a ds with low processing speed due to DCD and dysgraphia). 504 accommodations change as needs change; an accommodation of "no timed tests" probably works well for lower grade students, but as your ds moves up in elementary school he's probably going to face more situations where teachers want some reference of time - so jmo, but I'd suggest considering building in an extended time accommodation, so that he can be timed, but the time limit is reasonable based on his abilities. 50% additional time is really common, but some students need 100% or more time - I have no idea what your ds' needs are, but if you could ask this question of the person who evaluated him (when you learned of his slow processing speed), they can probably share some insight re your ds' needs for extended time.

Even if you think you don't need the extended time accommodation now, it might be useful to start advocating for it in case it's met with resistance. Eventually (at some point) your ds will need to take standardized testing (either state testing or later on SAT etc) which don't offer a "no time limit" option - so getting the accommodation built into his 504 now can be really helpful in having it in place later on.

We also had a lot of push-back from school re accelerating our ds in math in 2nd/3rd/4th and even 5th grade - the school couldn't see past our ds' inability to finish timed math facts tests, even though our he would get every problem correct and was clearly just running out of time. Our ultimate answer isn't one I'd suggest for everyone (we moved schools - but it was for more than just math acceleration). However, there were things I found helpful in advocating:

1) having testing (which you already have) showing the impact of time - you have a test where your ds clearly knew what he was doing, answered the problems correctly, but just didn't finish in the amount of time typically given for the test.

2) requesting oral response for math facts - this might not get around the timing problem entirely, depending on what the issue is behind slow processing, but it may show clearly that your ds can answer math facts quicker than he can demonstrate with pencil and paper. Note: this isn't an accommodation that you can use forward forever - it takes the time of a teacher or an aide at school, but having an example of this for proof of the impact of handwriting speed can be illustrative of the need for an accommodation.

3) the difference in processing speed on an ability/IQ test. To be honest, this didn't help us tremendously in advocating because teachers really weren't familiar with it and when you show high ability scores our ds' teachers tended to then equate inability to do something with laziness or not trying rather than a real challenge... but it was an important data point and having as many data points from different sources as possible is helpful when advocating.

4) if you have a diagnosis that explains why processing speed or written output etc is an issue, cite the diagnosis and explain it in the context of how it impacts academics.

Hope some of that helps!

polarbear

Is Aimsweb the same as Aimsweb+? I can't find a whole lot about how aimsweb and + differ.
Our district began using Aimsweb+ this year, and like the OP not much info is provided along with the score report we get. This,in addition to MAP, is what is supposedly used to form small groups.
I can see my child dropping in aimsweb+ math during the year, but growing in MAP close to 30 RIT.

AIMSwebplus is the revised version of AIMSweb, with new items and norms, but essentially the same structure. There is very little data on it as of yet, because it was only released this school year.

I understand the idea behind using AIMSWEB+ as a universal screener to ID at risk students, BUT for those not identified as being at risk, should the test results be used for other things?? What is AIMSWEB+ testing that is different from MAP?

AIMSweb/plus is intended for more frequent progress monitoring than MAP, which should be used no more than three times a year. However, AIMSweb's progress monitoring is really useful only for the at-risk population; it's designed with more floor than ceiling.

In general, universal screening instruments are not particularly helpful for discriminating within the top 10 percent (since most of them use 90th %ile, or even lower, as the cutoff for "high achiever" range). From the standpoint of instructional groupings in a differentiated instruction model, this is sufficient discriminatory power, as that is only 2-3 students out of the typical classroom, which might come to 10-20 students per grade in a medium-to-large sized elementary school.