Context: To ensure you get the most out of the Thursday, April 30 Exam Pass Rates Dashboard training, the Insight to Impact Dashboards Team created a fun, interactive “treasure hunt” for EPP staff to practice identifying actionable insights for their respective programs.
Goal: Access dashboards to locate specific data points, interpret their meaning, and identify at least one way you could apply the insight to strengthen your EPP.
Skills: Since practice makes perfect, here’s a tiny challenge for EPP staff who want to get more familiar with their data. For each dashboard, we will provide a new mini challenge so EPP staff can get into the habit of playing more with their data.
Prizes: Those who complete the treasure hunt and email TEA will not only be featured in the EPP Newsletter but also receive a prize (in addition to a hard-earned high-five)!
How to Play (5-10 minutes)
- Open the Insight to Impact Dashboards.
- Answer each question by finding the value in the dashboard and writing/typing it down in the blank fields below.
- Copy and paste the answers to the questions above and email them to Stefan.Swiat@tea.texas.gov to receive your recognition and prize!
Ground Rules
- Use only data available in the dashboards—no guessing.
- Review the filter you used (e.g., school year, route, certification type, etc.)
- If you get stuck, try changing one filter at a time to see what updates.
Mini Challenge: Exam Pass Rates Dashboard
Tip: Start broad (pick an Academic Year), then narrow one filter at a time. Each time you adjust a filter, pause and notice what changes and what doesn’t.
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1. Data Baseline: Choose one Academic Year, Certification Grade Level, and Certification Route, then select a Type of Test. Record your First Attempt pass rate and compare it to the state with the same filters.
Academic Year: ____________________
Certification Grade Level: ____________________
Certification Route: ____________________
Type of Test: ____________________
Your Pass Rate (1st attempt): __________%
State Pass Rate (1st attempt, same filters): __________%
Difference (between your EPP & state): __________ percentage points
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2. Tracker: Keep Certification Grade Level, Certification Route, and Type of Test the same, and switch between two Academic Years. What moved the most?
Year 1: ____________________ Pass rate: __________%
Year 2: ____________________ Pass rate: __________%
Biggest change you notice: ____________________
State comparison (Year 2, same filters): Your EPP __________% vs State __________%
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3. Number of Attempts: With an Academic Year and Type of Test selected, change Number of Attempts (e.g., 1st attempt vs 2+ attempts). What pattern do you see?
Academic Year: ____________________
Type of Test: ____________________
Number of Attempts setting you checked: ____________________
Pass rate for that setting: __________%
What changes when you switch attempts? ____________________
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4. Top vs. Bottom Analysis: For one Academic Year, find the Type of Test with the highest pass rate and the one with the lowest pass rate for your EPP. Then compare each to the state (same filters).
Academic Year: ____________________
Highest-pass-rate Type of Test: ____________________ Your pass rate: __________% State: __________%
Lowest-pass-rate Type of Test: ____________________ Your pass rate: __________% State: __________%
One quick hypothesis for the low score (content area, candidate timing, attempts, etc.): ____________________
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5. STR Deep Dive (Science of Teaching Reading quest): Set Type of Test to STR and choose an Academic Year, Certification Grade Level, and Certification Route. Record your STR pass rate and compare to the state (same filters).
Academic Year: ____________________
Certification Grade Level: ____________________
Certification Route: ____________________
STR pass rate (1st attempt): __________%
State STR pass rate (1st attempt, same filters): __________%
Difference (your EPP − state): __________ percentage points
Bonus: Switch Number of Attempts from 1st attempt to 2+ attempts. What changes the most for STR?
What changed: ____________________
*Inside Scoop: For the state comparisons in Questions 1, 2, 4, and 5, you also need to use the state dashboards (both links under State Exam Pass Rates).