Ahead of the Curve Edited by Douglas Reeves

1. Ahead of the CurveEdited by Douglas Reeves An Overview of Chapters 4 and 8

2. Chapter 4 Centerpiece of an Integrated Standards-Based Assessment System Larry Ainsworth

3. The Gist By combining large-scale summative assessments of student learning with smaller in-school formative assessments for learning, educators can create a more comprehensive representation of student progress. - Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2004

4. The Trouble with Summative Assessments • Minimal impact on students’ academic growth • “Turn around” time limits relevancy • Lack of specificity • Only a “snapshot” of learning

5. The Case for Common Formative Assessments • Collaboratively designed by teachers • Administered several times throughout the year • Gauge student understanding of essential standards only • Provides predictive value • Diagnose and determine modifications

6. More on Common Formative Assessments • Similar in design to state assessments • Type • Terminology • Rigor • Represent a blend of item types • Allow for inferences of student understanding • Analyzed in data teams

7. Powerful Practices • Power Standards • Prioritized learning outcomes that are absolutely essential for all students to know and be able to do • Unwrapping the standards • Analyzing the wording • Using data teams

8. Unwrapping the Standards • Process • Underline the key concepts (nouns) and circling the skills (verbs) • Organize the concepts on a graphic organizer • Determine the level of Bloom’s Taxonomy • Determine the “big ideas” • Write CFA items that directly match the level of Bloom’s • In both selected and constructed response

9. Data Teams • Purpose: Target and implement instructional strategies aimed at improving student performance • Process • Collect and chart data • Analyze data • Set a short-term goal • Select effective strategies • Determine result indicators

10. Sequence of Design and Administration 1. Identify, prioritize, and vertically align Power Standards 2. Select an instructional topic to assess 3. Unwrap the standards 4. Collaboratively design common formative assessments 5. Administer and score 6. Analyze pre-assessment data

11. Sequence of Design and Administration 7. Plan and teach 8. Administer and score 9. Analyze post-assessment data 10. Administer, score, analyze, and align CFAs with state assessments

12. Benefits of Common Formative Assessments • Regular and timely feedback • Promotes ongoing collaboration • Fosters consistent expectations and priorities • Diagnose student needs accurately in time to make instructional modifications

13. Chapter 8 Crossing the Canyon: Helping Students With Special Needs Achieve Proficiency Linda A. Gregg

14. The Gist • Assessment of students with special needs must be a systematic and ongoing process of collecting educationally relevant information on student achievement and performance to help make appropriate instructional decisions.

15. The Problem • Students with special needs frequently exhibit gaps in their learning or splintered educational skills.

16. Effective Informal Classroom Assessments • Address the content, concepts, and skills required in the standard • Permit assessment on a specific, ongoing basis • Permit tracking and monitoring of progress • Allow self-reflection by the student • Provide ample opportunities for the student to demonstrate progress

17. The Process for Relevancy • Unwrap the standards • Determine the purpose of the assessment • Select specific assessments for specific information • Gather and discuss the results with the student • Use the information to make decisions about instruction

18. Unwrap the Standards • See slide 8 in this presentation for more information about unwrapping the standards.

19. Determine the Purpose of the Assessment • Consider the purpose before choosing the method. • Possible purposes • Provide instructional feedback • Select appropriate materials • Group students • Focus teaching strategies • Determine eligibility • Accountability

20. Selecting Specific Assessments • Should allow student and teacher to see academic progress • Should provide immediate feedback to student and teacher

21. Modifications for Assessments • Provide clear examples and ample opportunities for interaction • Provide a graphic organizer • Provide samples • Design a nonlinguistic representation • Plenty of practice and feedback • Whenever possible use the students own words • Personal strategy log

22. Gather and Discuss the Results • Feedback should be positive • What the student is doing well • What the student should continue doing • Student self-reflection

23. Use Assessment to Inform Instruction • Structured weekly or bimonthly data team meetings • Include special education teacher • Academic review team (ART) • Provides clear benchmarks and interventions on a weekly basis

24. Assessment Mapping • Identifies assessment practices and documents the key information gained from each item or practice • Process • Review previous assessment information • Observe and interview the student • Assess student work and performance during learning • Analyze map

25. Conclusions • Formative assessment does not interrupt the normal flow of classroom instruction • Formative assessment is part of and informs instruction • Formative assessment is a collaborative process. • Formative assessment provides immediate feedback • Formative assessment is frequent and ongoing