What's New in STAR Early Literacy 3.3

The primary focus of STAR Early Literacy™ 3.3 is to address your requests for better progress reporting and assessing oral reading fluency.

Reports

All of the STAR Early Literacy reports were reviewed and updated to a format that is consistent across all Renaissance Place application reports.

Progress Monitoring Report

A new Progress Monitoring Report has been added to give you a report that shows your pupils' progress across multiple test administrations. This report provides a graphic display of a pupil's reading progress across a school year in comparison to Literacy Skills Classification levels or Risk Categories. You can also select no comparison. The report can also show class progress. You can share these reports with parents, other teachers, and administrators.The report below displays the pupil's test marks in comparison to three risk categories, as indicated by the report option comparison that was selected prior to running the report.

The report below displays the pupil's test marks in comparison to the four literacy skills classification levels, as indicated by the report option comparison that was selected prior to running the report.

Testing Options

The Testing Options preference has changed. To view the changes, select the Preferences link on the STAR Early Literacy home page. Then select the Testing Options link. Now it includes a preference for you to select a keyboard or mouse. Pupils will test using the selected entry method. By default, if you upgraded to version 3.3, you will use the mouse. If you've just purchased STAR Early Literacy, you'll use the keyboard. You will be able to change the entry method for each class.

A keyboard demonstration video has been added to teach students keyboard use when testing with STAR Early Literacy. In addition, a keyboard hands-on exercise has been added. By default, both the demonstration video and hands-on exercise options are set to Always. You can change these options for each class. The terms used on the Testing Options page have been changed to reflect the sections more accurately and to prevent confusion.

Estimated Oral Reading Fluency Score

An estimated oral reading fluency (Est. ORF) score has been added to STAR Early Literacy. Est. ORF is an estimate of a student's ability to read words quickly and accurately in order to comprehend text efficiently. Students with high oral reading fluency demonstrate accurate decoding, automatic word recognition and appropriate use of the rhythmic aspects of language (e.g., intonation, phrasing, pitch and emphasis). Est. ORF is reported in correct words per minute and is based on an equating study indicating the relationship between STAR Early Literacy performance and oral reading fluency. The score has been added to the following reports:

• Diagnostic Report
• Growth Report
• Summary Report

Benefits of Renaissance Place

In addition to the new features that will now be available in STAR Early Literacy Renaissance Place 3.3, you will also receive:

• Software updates and upgrades at no additional cost
• Centralised Renaissance Place program maintenance and data management
• Renaissance Learning hosting service option
• Multi-class enrolment and reporting
• School-wide consolidated reporting