NSCAS Reporting and Data Use 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FERPA, who must provide written consent before a student's NSCAS individual report can be shared with an outside educational researcher?
- The student's parent or legal guardian (Correct answer)
- The school principal
- The district superintendent
- The state education department
Correct answer: The student's parent or legal guardian
FERPA requires parental consent before personally identifiable student information is disclosed to outside parties without an applicable exception.
Question 2: Which NSCAS reporting feature allows educators to see how this year's fourth graders compare to last year's fourth graders on the same standards?
- Grade-level cohort comparison (Correct answer)
- Student growth percentile report
- Individual diagnostic report
- Lexile level report
Correct answer: Grade-level cohort comparison
Grade-level cohort comparisons show status trends for a particular grade across different groups of students over time.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of the Student Growth Percentile (SGP) measure in Nebraska assessment reporting?
- To show how much a student grew compared to peers with similar prior scores (Correct answer)
- To rank all Nebraska students from highest to lowest score
- To determine whether a student is promoted to the next grade
- To measure teacher effectiveness solely
Correct answer: To show how much a student grew compared to peers with similar prior scores
SGPs contextualize individual growth by comparing each student's progress to academically similar peers, not to the general population.
Question 4: A district data team notices a large gap in NSCAS Science scores between Title I and non-Title I schools. Which data source should they examine ALONGSIDE assessment results?
- Enrollment, poverty, and resource allocation data (Correct answer)
- Teacher salary records
- Attendance rates for state testing days only
- The number of science fairs held each year
Correct answer: Enrollment, poverty, and resource allocation data
Contextual data such as poverty rates and resource distribution helps explain performance gaps and informs equitable resource planning.
Question 5: Which NSCAS reporting level provides the most granular information about an individual student's performance on specific standards?
- Strand or domain-level detail on the individual student report (Correct answer)
- State summary report
- District aggregate report
- Grade-level average report
Correct answer: Strand or domain-level detail on the individual student report
Individual student reports include strand-level breakdowns that pinpoint exactly which standards a student has or has not mastered.
Question 6: When NSCAS results are used in a school improvement plan, which timeline is MOST appropriate for setting measurable targets?
- Annual targets aligned to multi-year improvement goals (Correct answer)
- Monthly targets tied to weekly quiz scores
- One-time targets set only at the start of the school year
- Targets set by the testing vendor based on state averages
Correct answer: Annual targets aligned to multi-year improvement goals
Effective school improvement plans set annual, incremental targets that contribute to longer-term proficiency goals.
Question 7: If a student was absent on the primary NSCAS testing day and took a make-up session, how are their scores typically treated in reports?
- Their scores are included in school and district reports the same as all other tested students (Correct answer)
- Their scores are excluded from all accountability calculations
- Their scores are flagged as invalid
- Their scores are reported only to parents, not the school
Correct answer: Their scores are included in school and district reports the same as all other tested students
Make-up scores are valid and are included in aggregate school and district reports under standard reporting protocols.
NSCAS Reporting and Data Use 3
Under FERPA, who must provide written consent before a student's NSCAS individual report can be shared with an outside educational researcher?