Methodology, Research & Statewide Data

SAS^® EVAAS^® for K-12 provides value-added modeling and projection analyses for the assessment of academic growth and to ensure students are on the path to proficiency and beyond. This includes the PVAAS web-based reporting to Pennsylvania’s public school districts, charter schools, cyber charter schools, and full-time Career and Technology Centers.

The methodology used in Pennsylvania for value-added assessment is based on the SAS^® EVAAS^®methodology, called Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS). More simple models for value-added assessment (unlike SAS^® EVAAS^®) may yield results that may be confounded by measurement error and exclude students who have missing data in their assessment history. Pennsylvania’s implementation of EVAAS is called the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System (PVAAS). The EVAAS methodology has been published since 1998 and has been nationally peer reviewed. Following a pilot from 2002-2005, PVAAS has been implemented statewide in Pennsylvania since 2006.

In addition to Pennsylvania, SAS^® EVAAS^® for K-12 is involved in the statewide implementation of district, school, and/or teacher-specific reporting in Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Michigan, South Carolina, and North Carolina. SAS^® EVAAS^® for K-12 also provides statewide analysis of data in Arkansas and Texas as well as analysis for several regional and district implementations across the United States, including the District of Columbia Public Schools. SAS^® EVAAS^® for K-12 has been involved with research on the effectiveness of teachers as measured by value-added analyses for over 20 years.