Assessment

The way assessment is carried out has strong consequence for both curriculum and instruction. Assessment is a powerful tool to provide feedback to students about their learning and assist us in designing instruction to meet each students unique needs. Assessment also tell use each students level of achievement at the end of a course or unit of study. Our learning standards (both content and performance) and the ability for students to meet those standards are on full display during assessment. The results from assessments are also one way we enhance or diminish the reputation of our school community. **The most critical aspect of assessment is how we evaluate our methods of teaching and use the information provided as we assess, to adjust in order to better provide feedback to students and supporting them in their learning.**

> (Black & Wiliam, 1998)
 * An assessment activity is **formative** if it can help learning providing information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and by students, in assessing themselves and each other, to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. This is often called //assessment for learning//.
 * An assessment activity is **summative** insofar as it is being used to provide a summary of what a student knows, understands or can do, and not to help by providing feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which the student is engaged. This is often called [[file:assessment_of_learning.pdf|//assessment of learning//]].

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). //Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice//, 5(1), 7–74

[|What Research Says About Balanced Assessment]
//“Well-designed classroom formative assessment focuses information on the growing edge of learning, puts the information in the hands of students, and supports small, incremental, and immediate next steps in learning.”// - Susan Brookhart

Study questions about assessment:
 * 1) What can we learn from research about creating a balanced assessment system for our school?
 * 2) What practices and supports do we have in place in our school to enhance the use of assessment- formative, interim and summative, to change instruction practice and/or program?
 * 3) How do our instructional support, professional development, and our data systems, impact our use of assessment data?
 * 4) How do we individually and collectively, learn from assessment results and apply that knowledge to the instructional decisions about content, instructional practice, and working with individual students?
 * 5) In what ways are interim assessments situated within the wider context of our daily or weekly formative assessment practices and tools?
 * 6) How do we continue to build our capacity to analyze assessment information, and make shifts in our teaching practice so all students find success?



A New Vision of Excellence for Assessment by Rick Stiggins
In this video, assessment expert Rick Stiggins describes the development of a local school district assessment systems that balances the use of classroom assessment with other applications. His vision relies on the development of high-quality assessments throughout the system and getting students involved in assessment used in support of their own learning. Stiggins believes in a balanced assessment system that includes both formative and summative assessment but certainly make the case that formative- assessment "for" learning has the greatest potential, if done well, for student growth and achievement.

media type="youtube" key="XHX2jnKNiyw" width="560" height="315"

Sweet Home Assessment Datebase/ AIS System

 * Filemaker Online- Access Link (At Home or School)
 * Accessing Sweet Home Database- Helpful Resource

Comprehensive Assessment System (CAS)

 * [[file:CAS Grid K-5 2015-16.pdf|CAS- Assessment Grid 2015-16]]
 * [[file:CAS Core Instruction Action Plan.docx|CAS- Literacy Action Plan Template]]
 * [[file:Know Need Teach Check Template.docx|Know-Need-Teach-Check Planning Template]]
 * RTI- Assessment Performance Zones- Reading

Assessment Calendars
Click the link below to view the assessment calendars for the 2015-16 school year in Google Sheets. Note: The assessments referred to on this calendar are common assessments given to all students across the district. The results from these assessment will be reviewed and used to guide our instructional program at both at the classroom and district level. Assessments that measure progress against specific units of study or more regular formative assessment are in many cases not a part of this calendar. Classroom teachers are still responsible to create these formative and summative assessments or performance tasks to judge the growth of students as well as provide feedback and evidence of student learning.

[|2015-16 Elementary Assessment Calendar]

Assessment Articles

 * [[file:Its Not Assessment Its How You Use It.pdf|Its Not Assessment- Its How You Use It]]
 * [[file:Launching Student Data Binders.pdf|Launching Student Data Binders]]

On-Demand Writing Information
====//Note- This link takes you to a folder in Goggle Drive. Please contact your literacy coach or building administrator if you don't have access.// Also- the writing calendars attached to these files are from 2014-15. Please follow the update district assessment calendar for revised on-demand writing administration windows for each grade level ====
 * Here you will find the information for giving the on-demand writing tasks to students. It is critical that you following the directions for administration. During the **2015-16** school year all teachers must give the **on-demand narrative writing task** the week of **September 14-18** and then again **June 13-17**. On demand writing for opinion and informational writing should be given during the assessment windows outlined in each grade levels assessment calendar. With the exception of the June narrative tasks, all other on-demand writing tasks will be used as a formative measures. Student data for each on-demand writing task outlined on the assessment calendar will be collected by building administrators. Teachers should mark/highlight writing progress rubrics and use this information to guide their writing instruction. Coaches will work with grade level teams to review student results.

[|**STAR Reading and Math**]-
This year we will be using STAR, a new online assessment tool to provide both universal screening and progress monitoring in both reading and math.

Getting to Know The STAR Assessment- Helpful Overview
//*Test read aloud feature can be turned on for K-1 students and students with test read as a testing accommodation// //** Note Grade 1 students that scores beyond the Early Reading Assessment and has at least 100 sight words can be given the STAR Reading//
 * Testing Window**
 * Assessment || Grades Tested || Testing Window- September || Testing Window- January || Testing Window- May ||
 * STAR Early Reading || K-1 || 9/28-9/30 || 1/19-1/29 || 5/23-5/31 ||
 * STAR Math || K-5 || 9/14-9/18 || 1/11-1/15 || 5/9-5/13 ||
 * STAR Reading || 2-5 || 9/21-9/25 || 1/19-1/25 || 5/16-5/20 ||

[[file:Sweet Home Elementary Assessment Overview.pdf|Sweet Home- Elementary Assessment Overview]]
Teacher Building District || * How are students doing against national and state norms? Teacher Building District || * How well are students doing in each of the three types of writing? Teacher Building District || * What students are meeting standards? Teacher Building District || * What students are meeting standards?
 * ~ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Assessment ||~ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Purpose ||~ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Audience ||~ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Key Question(s) ||~  ||
 * NYS Common Core Assessments- ELA and Math
 * [|Past NYS Assessment information and Release Items] || Summative, Accountability
 * measure a student’s knowledge and overall achievement
 * measure a student’s mastery of specific skills
 * provide information to schools that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs monitor the performance of schools and school districts or the purpose of accountability to the public || State District Building Teachers Parents || * How are students doing against national and state CCLS?
 * How many students are above, at or below the standards?
 * Which students might benefit from more targeted intervention?
 * Are interventions helping students close the gaps?
 * What does student growth look like over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">STAR Early Literacy, Reading and Math || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Screening, Interim and Progress Monitoring
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">screen and group students for targeted instruction, measure student growth, predict performance on summative exams, and monitor mastery of CCLS. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How many students are above, at or below the standards?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which students might benefit from more targeted intervention?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are interventions helping students close the gaps?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does student growth look like over time?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How well are assessment results predicting success on the NYS assessments? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On-Demand Writing || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Formative and Summative
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluate student progress against grade level writing progression
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Guide instruction of teaching points within upcoming units of study.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluate growth in narrative writing from beginning to end of the year. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How well are my students doing with their writing structure, development, and language conventions?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What are my next steps for writing instruction- all, some and one?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does student growth look like over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reading Performance Task/ Interim || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Formative, Interim and Summative
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluate student progress against CCLS
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluate our curriculum
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inform instruction- used to plan targeted instruction for students not at standard
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Predict future results on assessment the measure similar content, skills and understandings. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which students need targeted instruction in a specific standard area (i.e. all, some, one)?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How well are students expressing their understanding in writing?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are students improving over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Math Interim Assessment || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Formative, Interim and Summative
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluate student progress against CCLS
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Evaluate our curriculum
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inform instruction- used to plan targeted instruction for students not at standard
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Predict future results on assessment the measure similar content, skills and understandings. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which students need targeted instruction in a specific standard area (i.e. all, some, one)?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How are students using mathematical models to demonstrate their thinking?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does the student work demonstrate about the their mathematical understanding?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are students improving over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Formative <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Formative <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interim <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Building || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are students making progress? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interim <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Progress monitor <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Building || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Which students need more targeted support and practice?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">match students to text
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">evaluate a students literacy skills, behaviors and understanding against the Continuum of Literacy Learning (CLL) || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teacher || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How are my students approaching the text (i.e. miscue analysis- MSV)?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How are student making meaning and responding to the text (i.e. level of understanding)?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How are they performing at each literacy level relative to the behaviors and understandings within the CLL?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How can I gauge student progress in between F&P assessments?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does student growth look like over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Words Their Way Spelling Inventory || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Diagnostic
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">group students within a developmental spelling stage || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teacher || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are my students showing the developmental spelling stage in the writing?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does student growth look like over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Observational Survey- Early Literacy Assessment || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Screening
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">captures early reading and writing behaviors || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teacher
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What are next steps for shared reading, interactive writing, or small group instruction?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does student growth look like over time? ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">High Frequency Words || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Formative
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">evaluate a students automatic word recognition (read and written) || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teacher
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does student growth look like over time? ||  ||
 * Other assessments-
 * Pre/ post assessments, observations, surveys, interviews, Running Records, short writing tasks, writing about reading/ literature response, learning logs, response journals, reflections, conferring, exit tickets, etc.

-other ideas- || Formative Progress Monitor Teacher || * What can students do prior to the unit of study?
 * survey skills and understandings, provide feedback, inform instruction, monitor progress toward learning targets || Student
 * What students have the concept, skill or understanding?
 * How are student performing along the learning progression for the unit of study?
 * How can I differentiate my instruction for those not meeting the learning target? (all, some, one) ||  ||