The Diagnostic
Understand the skills that need attention.
The True Progress Diagnostic examines ELA or math skills at a selected learning level. It helps educators understand what a student has learned and where teaching, support, or greater challenge would be useful. A question from classroom work or a Screener result can prompt this closer look.
Within Visibility, the first driver of the Student Success System, the Diagnostic adds specific evidence to the school's understanding of a student. Educators consider the results alongside their knowledge of the student's work, experience, and previous support to decide how to help.
SUBJECTS
ELA and math, assessed separately
FORMAT
40 questions at a selected level
TIME
About 35 minutes per assessment, on average
See the Diagnostic in use
This overview shows how educators examine skill results, review individual responses, and identify shared needs for small-group teaching. It also demonstrates how a higher-level Diagnostic can help educators explore appropriate challenge for an advanced student.
A focused assessment for a specific question
The Diagnostic is used selectively when educators need more information about skills at a particular level. It can help with both difficulties in learning and readiness for more advanced work.
| The question educators are exploring | How the Diagnostic helps |
|---|---|
| Which skills need attention when a student is finding the work difficult? | Examines skills at the selected level, showing areas of demonstrated proficiency and areas that warrant further teaching or investigation. |
| What should a small group work on together? | Allows educators to review group results for shared needs and skills that may require less attention. |
| What is an advanced student ready to learn? | Examines understanding at the current or a higher level to inform the choice of more challenging work. |
| What has changed after a period of teaching or support? | Provides further evidence of learning at the same level to consider alongside the student's classroom work. |
Educators choose the Diagnostic level. The platform can recommend a level from the student's Screener results, and educators can adjust that choice using what they know about the student. The selected level may be below, at, or above the student's enrolled grade.
Skill results with the evidence available
The Diagnostic reports percent correct overall and by assessed skill. Students taking the same form at the selected level encounter the same questions.
Evidence for each skill
Each assessed skill is examined through four or more questions. A result of 75% correct or higher indicates proficiency on the assessed skill. Lower results identify areas for closer attention.
Questions and responses
Educators can inspect the question, the student's response, and the expected correct answer. This makes it possible to examine what the task required and how the student responded.
Individual and group views
Results can be reviewed for an individual student or a group. Educators can identify shared areas of need while also recognizing differences among students within the group.
The results help educators decide where to focus. They consider the responses alongside classroom evidence, what has been taught, and the student's assessment experience when planning instruction.
A detailed view of assessed skills
Diagnostic reports bring skill descriptions and results together in a format educators can review with colleagues and families. These two sample pages show how the report presents strengths and areas needing attention within the assessed level.
See what each skill involves
Each row names the assessed skill, describes the learning it involves, and displays the result alongside the assessment's proficiency threshold. Educators can use this detail to identify questions for closer investigation and connect the findings to the student's classroom work.
Bring strengths and needs into the conversation
The second page continues the skill results, giving teachers, specialists, and families a shared reference for discussing the student's learning. Considering strengths alongside areas needing attention helps educators plan focused support or greater challenge and explain the reasons for their approach.
Use the findings to plan and review
Diagnostic results help educators focus teaching on skills that need attention and recognize learning the student has already demonstrated. For an advanced student, a higher-level Diagnostic can reveal both existing strengths and material that offers an appropriate next challenge.
After a period of teaching or support, reassessment at the same level can help show what has changed and what still needs attention. Educators review that evidence alongside classroom work to decide whether to continue, adjust the approach, or investigate learning at a higher level. The timing follows the question being explored and the student's needs.
The right depth of assessment
Most students need only periodic screening. The Diagnostic adds detail when a question about skills at one level calls for it. Students do not need to take all three assessments, and a teacher can initiate a closer look without waiting for a Screener result.
Alongside the Screener
The Screener provides a regular view of learning and progress. The Diagnostic examines skills at a selected level when educators need more detail to inform their response.
When an Inventory would help
Some students' strengths and needs vary substantially across dimensions and learning levels. The Inventory offers a more extensive profile when assessment at a single level leaves important questions unanswered.
Using the Diagnostic at your school
We can discuss the learning questions your educators are investigating and where a Diagnostic would provide useful detail. The conversation can include choosing assessment levels, interpreting skill results, and using the evidence to plan support or greater challenge and review learning over time.
Schedule a Conversation