Supplementary instructions for special version of ScatterBrain (Javascript).

A more complete set of instructions for this software is available by clicking on the [Instructions] tab beneath the graph shown when the program is actuated.  However, the program was modified for this application so that the results for economically disadvantaged (ED) students could be shown in the same view as the results for non-economically disadvantaged (NED) students for each school. Additionally, data for middle schools and elementary schools in each of the included districts are presented, with the ability to show either or both types in a given instance.

Brief additional instructions:

A.  Either elementary schools, middle schools, or both types of schools in the districts can be displayed, using the buttons at the lower left labelled respectively A (for both), E (for elementary schools) or M (for middle schools).  To use:

1. Using the mouse put the cursor on the desired button and click the LMB.

2. Again using the mouse pointer, click on the [Reset] button.

B. To select the schools only in a given district:

1. Using the mouse and the LMB set the [Hlt/Sel] button to Select (button should be red).

2. Click on [Districts], select the desired district from the pop-up list of districts.

3. To change to a different district, click on [Reset] then repeat steps 1 and 2.

C. Display data for a single school district using the mouse.

1. Click on the [G0/1] button—should be red.

2. Click on [Multi] button—should be white.

3. Create a rectangle around a school of interest;

a. Place mouse cursor near an aqua colored point and click the LMB.

b. Move the mouse so that the resulting rectangle encloses the desired school’s point and click the LMB again.

c. Click the LMB again to complete the selection; repeat if desired.

d. If more than one point is contained in the constructed rectangle clicking the LMB will step from the first school to the next, etc., until all have been examined. 

e. If a large number of points were inadvertently enclosed in a rectangle and it is desired to start over, click on the [Clear] button.

4. Note: if you prefer to select using the MGL_ED (lower scores) click on the [G0/1] button, changing it to white. 

D. Display a school using the school name pop-up list.

1. First, select the district which contains the school of interest, following the instructions in B above.

2. Click on the school select list just to the right of the one containing district names.

3. Scroll the list using the mouse wheel.

4. Place cursor on desired school name and click LMB.

5. To display all schools in all districts again, click on [Reset].

E. It is sometimes useful to place the school’s name beside its colored circle while it is blinking.  To do this:

1.  The [G0/1] button should be red, thus being active for the NED buttons (upper or aqua).  Move the cursor to the point where the name should be placed and press the <ctrl> key.

2. If it is also desired to place the district name near the blinking point, press the <tab> key.

3. If it should also be desired to place the school name near the ED (orange) point, directly beneath the upper (aqua) one which is blinking, change the [G0/1] button to white, then repeat the second part of step 1 just above.

F. Using the [Multi] function button.  When this button is On, or red, a  constructed rectangle (as in C above) will no longer respond to the enclosed points individually, but will apply various functions to all of them, resulting in sums, averages, or weighted averages, as determined by the hidden setup file. Because each school in this special version has two points associated with it, only the upper (NED) points are active, in the sense that they will be identified if within a constructed rectangle.  This requires that the [G0/1] button be changed to red.

1. With both the [Multi] and [G0/1] buttons made red, create a rectangle that encompasses a set of NED points (as done above in C).

2. When the rectangle is completed values associated with all of the schools enclosed will be aggregated, as follows:

a. Enrollments (ENR#), ED students (ED#), and NED students (NED#) will be totaled.

b. Weighted averages are calculated for all other columns, using ENR# as the weighting variable for all except MGL_ED% and MGL_NED%.  For these, the numbers of students of each type—ED# or NED#--are used as the weighting variable.

These are the essential instructions for this modified version of this software.  Two previous versions, each packaged with their unique data sets of Texas schools, are available via the menu selections on the left hand side of this web page. More complete instructions for the unmodified version are available by clicking on the [Instructions] button beneath the graphs.