Basic vs Proficient Math tests and how they align to focal point standards
The easyCBM math tests are all standards-based rather than computational/application based. They were all created to address widely-adopted content state and national content standards. The main difference between the basic and proficient math measures are how they were designed.
The Basic Math measures (NCTM Standards), found in the Lite, Deluxe, and District accounts, were designed, intentionally, to be much more accessible, with simplified wording and presentation and simpler concepts (for students truly struggling). They have fewer cognitive demands for processing what is being asked) and assess a more foundational understanding of math. Thus, they are most appropriate for use with students who are really struggling and are performing below their grade level peers in the area of math. Because of this, the tests are very short (16 item) progress monitoring forms and assess a small segment "domain" / of the content covered during a given academic year. There are 10 alternate forms of progress monitoring assessments for each of three main math standards per grade.
Because of their alignment to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Focal Point Standards in Mathematics they have SOME alignment to the CCSS Math Standards, but that is only happenstance (to the extent that the CCSS Math Standards overlap with the NCTM Focal Points. There is a ‘match’, but there are also many insufficient areas of overlap.
For NCTM alignment details, please access the spreadsheet below"
NCTM Math Grades K-5— https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X0kP6N0HlLV2BJwIeIZdvBo5WzRT8ZBhGeun8i2tAbw/edit?usp=sharing
NCTM Grades 6-8 — https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jyZOPFMe9-QmNL3BNuyKaz4wpC086jT1sLUme6kdUHo/edit#gid=790046322
The NCTM MathK-5 and 6-8 spreadsheets have tabs along the bottom of the main sheet organized by grade, and then, benchmark (BM1 = Fall, BM2 = Winter, and BM3 =Spring) and progress-monitoring forms (NCTM domain). Within each tab, the first column gives the test form number, the second column gives the test item in the order they appear on each test form, and the remaining columns give the Focal Point and Domain to which each item is aligned.
Proficient Math measures (Common Core Standards), found only in the Deluxe and District accounts. They are designed to be more challenging for students, assessing a higher level of mathematics knowledge. The Proficient Math tests may actually be a bit too challenging for students who are performing far below grade level expectations. In these situations, teachers may find it useful to use the Basic Math measures until students make sufficient progress to perform at or above the 40th percentile before switching to the Proficient Math measures for regular progress monitoring.
For the Proficient Math measures, there are 10 alternate forms, per grade, to be used for progress monitoring. These progress monitoring forms are longer than the Basic Math forms (more like 30-40 items per test form, with upper grades having more items and lower grades having fewer items) and the items are drawn from across the full range of content standards assigned to a given grade level.
We also offer longer Benchmark forms that include items from across all three of the NCTM focal point standards at a given grade level.The CCSS Math measures "Proficient Math" are -- by design, more challenging. All Proficient Math (CCSS Math) measures (both BM and PM) include items from across the full range of content standards designated for a given grade level. The BM measures also include some prior and subsequent grade-level items to increase their reliability when used as benchmark universal screening assessments.
Because these tests are written to align with two different sets of national mathematics standards: the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Focal Point Standards and the Common Core State Standards in Math. The tests have substantial alignment to the content and performance standards adopted by all fifty U.S. states.
You can access the state-by-state alignment study results at: https://www.brtprojects.org/publications/technical-reports/
You can use this information to identify areas of weakness for students who have taken the Proficient Math benchmarks and under-performed, and to understand how all strands are represented on these fundamental skills benchmarks/progress-monitoring assessments.
CCSS Math Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gecaB0Ef7qLyAROdDPU_UZOt0QqIG74x3AB7Gqsgd4I/edit?usp=sharing
The CCSS Math K-8 spreadsheets have tabs along the bottom of the main sheet organized by grade. Within each tab, the first column gives test form number (both progress monitoring [test forms 1-10] and benchmarks [BM1 = Fall, BM2 = Winter, and BM3= Spring]), the second column gives the test item in the order they appear on each test form, and the remaining columns give the CCSS Domain and CCSS Cluster(Grades K-2) and CCSS Domain and CCSS Cluster and CCSS Standard (Grades 3-8). You can use this information to identify areas of weakness for students who have taken the CCSS benchmarks and under performed.
*Historical Note:
Initially, when we created the math measures, they were called "Math" because they were the only math measures we had and later "NCTM Math" because they were written to align with the standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), Once we added the CCSS-aligned math measures, we wanted to differentiate between those written using the NCTM standards as the starting point and those written using the CCSS called "" standards as a starting point.