You are to use the State School Performance Report assessment data from the past two years (2017-2018 and 2018-2019) available on the New Jersey Department of Education website.  You should be able to find your school starting at https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/SearchForSchool.aspx
Thoroughly review and discuss between yourselves the results of the students’ performances on the state assessment in two subject areas, typically language arts and mathematics, in each of the two (or three) schools you select.
Examine the overall school performance at that grade level over the course of the 2 years noted, as well as those of students in the various NCLB subgroups. Analyze the results separately for each school, before you make comparisons. Briefly summarize and analyze the school results, in 1-2 pages for each school. Highlight those aspects salient to your analysis.
You are encouraged to consider, in the following sections, other factors related to student performance beyond the test scores, however, your analysis in this section should focus on the test results.
NOTE: Although you may separately write your analyses, the submission is to be a joint effort. Each should be familiar with the other’s data; you should try to reach consensus on the meaning of the data; and, if there are differences of opinion, you can each state where you have differences in perspectives in the comparison section below.
Explain your connection to the school (teach there, live in the district, work in the district, etc.). Reflect on your experience as an educator in your school.  To what extent, how and when does your school administration share the data on school performance with the staff?  How does staff discussion about the school’s assessment data impact instruction and student achievement in your school?
Comment on your response to the data, based on what you already knew about the school based and your affiliation with it or the district. In light of the concepts learned in the course so far, and the assessment results, what inferences can you make about the teaching and learning in the two content areas, at the given grade levels, in each school? What evidence of the validity of your inferences do you have?  Be specific; cite examples/evidence from the data.
Consider the alignment between statewide student achievement goals and the assessment data analysis. Briefly identify two areas of challenge or focus (needs, gaps, areas for improvement, barriers to achieving goals, opportunities) for students and teachers that are indicated by your analysis of the data. Be specific, cite examples / evidence from the data.  You may consider some or all of the following: State Curriculum Standards , Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, issues of student learning, the larger political, social, economic and cultural context of the school, the school’s mission, course learning, etc.
Briefly compare the analyses of the two (or three) schools’ data in light of all of the above. In what ways are they alike? In what ways are they different?
Based on the issues identified above for each school, identify one specific goal for each school, to promote either higher expectations for students and educators or continuous and sustainable improvement, aligned with state and district standards.
Include a copy of, or a relevant excerpt from, the assessment data summary for each school as part of your submission (no more than 2 pages each).
One team member should submit the entire submission on behalf of the group using the assignment function tool.
Again, it is important to this assignment that the work be done collaboratively.  Grades on submissions done solely individually will suffer penalties for not being fully responsive to the assignment requirements.
If you are working in a group of 3 collaborators, say person A, B, and C, for item 5 above, A may compare his/her school’s data to B’s school data; B may compare his/her data to C’s school data; and, C may compare his/her data to A’s school data.

Additional background information may be found for:
District Factor Groupings (DFG)  https://www.state.nj.us/education/finance/rda/dfg.shtml
CHECKLIST FOR SELF EVALUATION OF YOUR SUBMISSION ATTACHED
NOTE: FOR THIS KEY ASSIGNMENT ONLY, YOUR SUBMISSION WILL BE MADE THROUGH THE TK20 WEBSITE.   A LINK WILL BE PROVIDED.
WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SUBMIT, CLICK ON LINK IN THE SECTION BELOW TO ACCESS TK20.
TK20 – Student must demonstrate proficiency as follows
Candidate utilizes research-based techniques for gathering and analyzing data from multiple measures to use in making decisions related to student academic progress and school improvement; and
Candidate can articulate summarized data in a manner that is clear and concise and easily understood by stakeholders; and
Candidate can compare and contrast similarities and differences across schools and provide visual representation to support data and comparisons; and
Candidate is perceptive and able to identify needs of various student groups; determine goals to improve achievement for groups where applicable, and/or identify areas of challenge or focus needed