South Shaver Elementary Successfully Participates in Istation’s Item Response Theory; Receives Surprise Visit from Favorite Animated Characters
South Shaver Elementary students got a chance to see their favorite animated characters, Amelia Chameleon and Justin Time, come to life for a surprise assembly after students successfully participated in Istation’s Item Response Theory (IRT) study.
Istation is a state-funded comprehensive computer-based reading and math program that provides English and Spanish speaking students in grades 3 through 8 with unlimited access to resources that help maximize students’ reading fluency, comprehension, retention and overall academic success.
South Shaver was one of only 69 schools that participated in the Istation IRT study, which lasted about three months in the spring. The school field-tested new Spanish and math items to help enhance Istation’s Indicators of Progress (ISIP) assessments so the organization can continue to produce materials that improve student performance.
“Our students immediately took to the program and loved it,” Erica Ordogne, South Shaver Elementary principal, said. “Previously, we had a computer program that students were using. I didn’t see the kind of excitement for that program that students have expressed for this one.”
The ISIP is a computer-adaptive assessment that dynamically adjusts to every student’s individual abilities based on each successive response. By blending age-appropriate content with rich, lively animation, games and fun characters that draw students in and engage their interests, ISIP motivates students to actively participate in school lessons.
“We have such a large Spanish speaking population here at Pasadena ISD and this program recognizes that and tries to meet the needs of all our students,”Ordogne said.
Istation is a leading provider of computer-based assessments, differentiated computer-delivered intervention programs, teaching resources, Lexile leveled online books, instant data reporting and customer support, as well as professional development for use by educators and students in grades pre-K through 12. The subscription-based program serves nearly four million students in 38 states and six countries.
Istation materials are standards-and research-based, facilitating response to intervention, personalized and differentiated instruction and progress monitoring.
The campus received a certificate and will be rewarded next school year with an Istation Home computer program at no cost to the school for successfully completing the study.