Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions about Pro-Core

1. What is Pro-Core?

   Pro-Core is a state curriculum-aligned learning tool designed to help teachers prepare students for success on the state’s New Learning Standards assessments.

2. Why should I use Pro-Core?

   Pro-Core reveals the needs of each student and class in the State’s New Learning Standards before summative tests are given.

3. How can Pro-Core help me to become a more effective teacher?

   Pro-Core saves teacher time and effort by generating subject and grade level learning standards reports which pinpoint class and student strengths and weaknesses.

4. What do schools use as major assessments?

   Teachers use the Pro-Core diagnostic assessments in Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Social Studies. There are three levels of the test (Forms A, B, and C) for each grade level.

5. Can I compare my district’s assessment results with other districts?

   Yes. In addition to current year Form A, B, C assessment district comparison results available within the system, you may contact Ben Hemingway to receive up to 2 additional years of district comparative results.

6. What do the Pro-Core tests look like?

   Pro-Core has a variety of question types that mirror what students will see on Ohio’s state assessments. Technology enhanced questions provide ways to assess higher cognitive levels than traditional multiple choice questions. These questions also give your students practice before they see similar items on the state exams. Follow the links below to see examples of the types of questions included on Pro-Core tests.

   Question type samples:

   • Multiple Choice Radio
   • Multiple Choice Checkbox
   • Drag & Drop
   • Fill-in-the-Blank
   • Equation Board
   • Picklist
   • Selection Object
   • Complex Multiple Choice Radio
   • Complex Multiple Choice Checkbox
   • Chart
   • Constructed Response
   • Multi-Part

7. How much time does the student need to take the subject-grade level test?

   Each subject area diagnostic assessment takes students about an hour.

8. Can teachers increase the security of Form A, B, or C tests administered at school or at home by “locking” a student’s test administration date and time?

   Yes. A teacher can lock in a specific date with a beginning and ending time in which a student may access a major Form assessment in school with the teacher or at home with a parent monitoring. Students are allowed up to two days to finish a Form assessment.

   Detailed lock/unlock instructions are contained online in the Pro-Core User Manual, “Controlling Student Assessments,” Section J, page 9.

   WARNING:	Only two “saves” are allowed during Form testing. A third save locks the assessment and notifies the teacher. Also, exiting the browser without a save locks the assessment and notifies the teacher. The teacher may unlock the assessment if needed, so the student may continue taking the test.

9. What about extended or open-ended questions?

   After diagnosing specific weaknesses, Pro-Core then provides follow-up exercises emphasizing the writing component of the standards.

10. How often should students be tested?

    Pro-Core recommends assessing students three times during the school year—in September to get a starting point, in January to determine student progress, and 12–16 weeks later for a final review before the state tests or as the Pro-Core summative test to determine student growth and teacher effectiveness.

11. Can I get a presentation of the Pro-Core system?

    Yes! Contact Ben Hemingway with your request, and he will arrange a presentation for you.

12. What about training?

    Pro-Core provides orientation for administrators, on-site teacher workshops, in-classroom teacher mentoring as well as webinars and distance consulting.

13. What does Pro-Core cost?

    There are several flexible cost options tailored to fit your school’s needs and budget. Click here to find out more about our plan and prices.

14. Where do I find out more?

    You can contact us, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.

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Questions About Measuring Student and Class Growth Using High Quality Student Data (HQSD) and NCEs

15. What is student growth?

    Student growth is defined as the change in student achievement for an individual student between two or more points in time. Student growth can be used to measure student learning and progress toward achieving state and local standards.

16. What type of high quality student data (HQSD) does Pro-Core provide?

    There are three types of High Quality Student Data: (1) Value-Added, (2) Approved Vendor Assessments, and (3) District-determined instruments.

    Pro-Core provides Type 2, state Approved Vendor Assessments as a high quality source of student data to determine student growth using Normal Curve Equivalents (NCEs).

    Pro-Core student growth and achievement reports are computer-generated and can be delivered in a spread sheet format for easy school entry into the state’s reporting template.

17. How does Pro-Core determine student growth?

    Teacher evaluations may use Pro-Core’s high-quality student data to provide evidence of student learning over the course of the year that is attributable to the teacher being evaluated.

    Pro-Core determines how much students learn by measuring student growth and progress between two points in time.

    Students are given a diagnostic formative test at the beginning of the school year and a summative test at the end of instruction. The scores of the pre- and post-tests are converted to NCEs to determine student and class growth attributable to a specific teacher for the course(s) and grade level(s) taught.

18. What are NCEs?

    Normal curve equivalent (NCE) scores were developed for the United States Department of Education as a way of standardizing scores received on a test into a 0–100 scale similar to a percentile-rank. NCEs are commonly used in federally funded education programs to determine whether the program is effective or not.

    NCEs are used to determine whether an instructional program has had a positive effect on a student’s achievement compared to the student’s expected achievement.

19. How are NCEs used to determine student growth?

    Student growth is determined by the standardized difference between a student’s NCE scores at the beginning and the end of a period of instruction (End NCE score − Beginning NCE score).

    The Expected Student Growth Standard is 0. Therefore, students with a growth score of 0 or above are considered to have shown improvement in the studied subject/grade.

20. Why does Pro-Core use NCEs to determine student growth?

    NCEs allow comparisons between different tests for the same student or group of students and between different students on the same test or similar tests.

    NCEs are favorable performance measures because the scale they are measured on is one of equal intervals. This attribute of NCEs makes direct averaging and comparing between two NCEs possible. That is an important characteristic when studying overall class or school performance, and in particular, in measuring gains and losses in student achievement.

21. How does Pro-Core measure student class growth?

    Students’ NCE Growth Scores (as defined in #18) in each subject/grade are averaged in each teacher’s class in the school or district at the end of a period of instruction. Class Growth Ratings and Teacher Effectiveness Rankings are then determined by the NCE Average Growth Scores (AGS).

    The expected NCE growth target for students attaining normal growth is 0. Therefore, teacher class averages are expected to be 0. i.e. between ± 1 Standard Deviations (SD).

22. What scale is used for rating class growth?

    Class growth levels are determined by the NCE Average Growth Score (AGS) of students in each teacher’s class(es).

    Class Growth Rating Scale:

    • 5. Exceptional Growth =>+2SD of AGS
    • 4. Greater than Expected +2SD to +1SD of AGS
    • 3. Expected Growth +1SD to −1SD of AGS
    • 2. Less than Expected −1SD to −2SD of AGS
    • 1. Limited Growth =<−2SD of AGS

    Click here for further information on “Measuring Student and Class Growth Using NCEs.”

23. What scale is used for ranking teacher effectiveness?

    Teacher effectiveness levels are determined by the NCE Average Growth Score (AGS) of students in each teacher’s class(es).

    Teacher Effectiveness Ranking Scale:

    • 5. Most Effective =>+2SD of AGS
    • 4. Above Average Effectiveness +2SD to +1SD of AGS
    • 3. Average Effectiveness +1SD to −1SD of AGS
    • 2. Approaching Average Effectiveness −1SD to −2SD of AGS
    • 1. Least Effective =<−2SD of AGS

    Click here for further information on “Measuring Student Growth and Teacher Effectiveness Using NCEs.”

24. What are the benefits of Pro-Core’s methodology?

    • Pro-Core limits many variables that may affect outcomes in other types of assessments.
    • The Pro-Core pre- and post-tests are standards-focused—aligned to the state’s curriculum content and learning standards being taught in the classroom.
    • Only the same students taking the same Pro-Core pre- and post-tests are being compared—in the same grades and in the same school year.

    Pro-Core diagnostic pre-tests inform teachers of student AND class strengths and weaknesses in each subject’s learning standards at the beginning of instruction, so teachers can plan instruction that will most benefit their own students and classes.

25. Can NCEs be applied to measure subject area and building level (for principals) progress?

    Yes. A major advantage of NCE scores over other types of scores, like percentile rank scores, is that they can be averaged. That is an important characteristic when studying overall school or class group performance, and in particular, in measuring school‐wide gains and losses in student achievement.

    Pro-Core provides various reports which show individual students, teacher classes, subjects, and overall building-level progress for school and district administrators at the end of a period of instruction.

26. Can Pro-Core be used in state-tested subjects?

    Yes. Pro-Core “Form B” tests can be used as interim/end-of-semester formative assessments in December-January to show student progress toward meeting district and local standards.

    Pro-Core “Form C” tests then can be used as end-of-course summative assessments in April-May to demonstrate evidence of student learning (achievement and growth) that is attributable to the class teacher.

27. Does Pro-Core show student proficiency levels?

    Yes. Pro-Core assessments have had a high correlation to student results on the state proficiency tests.

    Pro-Core pre- and post-test cut scores estimate the levels of student proficiency based on their test results: Advanced, Proficient, Limited, or Basic. This information is most useful in identifying students who may need special help in meeting state proficiency goals.

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Questions about using the Pro-Core system

28. How are administrators, students and teachers enrolled into the Pro-Core System?

    Beginning the 2020 school year, a district Managing Administrator or Tech Person will be responsible for enrolling (uploading) school students, teachers and classes into the Pro-Core system using a special Data File spreadsheet.

    The district Managing Administrator will also be responsible for setting-up additional district and individual school administrator/principal log-in information, if needed, and distributing teacher and student log-in information.

    Detailed enrollment procedures and instructions are contained online in the new “User Manual for the Pro-Core Online System,” Sections C and D.

29. How soon will my school be ready to log-into the Pro-Core system?

    Your teachers and students will be able to log into the Pro-Core system immediately after your school enrollment has been successfully completed.

30. I’m a principal or administrator who’s having trouble logging in. What should I do?

    • Principals need to log in under their school name (not administrator)
    • Your log-in remains the same from year-to-year.
    • It’s vital that you Logout of the system properly.
    • If you login and only see one blue Logout tab, then you need to Logout, refresh your browser, then go back to the log-in page and try again. If this still doesn’t work then Restart your computer and login again.

31. How do I login under Student Demo?

    • Group: Select Pro-Core Demo
    • Username: five (type-in the grade level you want to see)
    • Password: (contact your Pro-Core representative)

32. How do I login under Teacher Demo?

    • Group: Select Pro-Core Demo
    • Username: t5 (use the number for the grade level desired)
    • Password: (contact your Pro-Core representative)

33. What types of Learning Standards assessments can the teacher select?

    Teachers give 4 types of Learning Standards assessments:

    1. Pre-Test (Form A): Diagnostic Assessment of all subject and grade-level standards
    2. Short-cycle Test 1: A defined set of 8 questions chosen from a bank of questions
    3. Short-cycle Test 2: A 2nd unique set of 8 questions chosen from the bank of questions
    4. Interim/Post-Test: Formative/Summative Assessment of all subject and grade-level standards

34. What Other Assessments are available?

    On the student’s Available Tests screen, there is an Other Assessments tab. They include:

    1. Critical Area assessments
       i.e. Questions that are grouped in mathematics by Critical Areas
    2. Anchor assessments
       i.e. Questions that are grouped in reading by Anchor Standards

35. May calculators be used by students on the Pro-Core assessments?

    Pro-Core follows the state Guidelines for student use of calculators.

    A built-in online calculator is provided by Pro-Core for Math 8, for one section of Math 6 and 7, and for Physical Science and Chemistry.