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Successive Student Cohorts and Longitudinal Growth Models: An Investigation of Elementary School Mathematics Performance Keith Zvoch University of Nevada, Las Vegas Joseph J. Stevens University of Oregon Citation: Zvoch, K., & Stevens, J. J. (2006). Successive student cohorts and longitudinal growth models: An investigation of elementary school mathematics performance.Education Policy Analysis Archives, 14(2). Retrieved [date] from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v14n2/. Abstract Mathematics achievement data from three longitudinally matched student cohorts were analyzed with multilevel growth models to investigate the viability of using status and growth-based indices of student achievement to examine the multi-year performance of schools. Elementary schools in a large southwestern school district were evaluated in terms of the mean achievement status and growth of students across cohorts as well as changes in the achievement status and growth of students between student cohorts. Results indicated that the cross and between-cohort performance of schools differed depending on whether the mean achievement status or growth of students was considered. Results also indicated that the cross-cohort indicators of school performance were more reliably estimated than their between-cohort counterparts. Further examination of the performance indices revealed that cross-cohort achievement status estimates were closely related to student demographics while between-cohort estimates were associated with cohort enrollment size and cohort initial performance status. Of the four school performance indices studied, only student growth in achievement (averaged across cohorts) provided a relatively reliable and unbiased indication of school performance. Implications for the No Child Left Behind school accountability framework are discussed. Access this article in PDF format.

The World Wide Web address for the Education Policy Analysis Archives is epaa.asu.edu Editor: Sherman Dorn, University of South Florida Production Assistant: Chris Murrell, Arizona State University General questions about appropriateness of topics or particular articles may be addressed to the Editor, Sherman Dorn, epaa-editor@shermandorn.com. The Commentary Editor is Casey D. Cobb: casey.cobb@uconn.edu. EPAA Editorial Board Michael W. Apple University of Wisconsin David C. Berliner Arizona State University Robert Bickel Marshall University Greg Camilli Rutgers University Casey Cobb University of Connecticut Linda Darling-Hammond Stanford University Mark E. Fetler California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Gustavo E. Fischman Arizona State University Richard Garlikov Birmingham, Alabama Gene V Glass Arizona State University Thomas F. Green Syracuse University Aimee Howley Ohio University Craig B. 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