Local Interim Assessments that

Benchmark & Measure Growth

California Educational Research AssociationDecember 1, 2011

Alicia Henderson, Ph.D.Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services

Franklin-McKinley School District

Background Program Improvement (PI) district-Year 3+

Premium placed on accountability system

Commitment to transparency

Priority Standards developed 4 years ago 15 for ELA & 15 for Math for each grade level

Increasing capacity to implement RtI2

Need for data to inform Tiers 1, 2 & 3

Commitment to honor growth

Commitment to big ideas in assessment

Big Ideas in Assessment Purpose

Assess for a reason

Alignment Assess what has been taught

Timely Whenever possible, assess in short cycles, close to

when “it” was taught

Accessible Assessment results must be accessible

Utilized Assessment results should be used for the

designated purpose(s)

Development of District Assessments Select-response items with distracters and

rationale to identify common misunderstandings (Intel-Assess)

Built upon District priority standards 2nd-8th

“1-pagers”: quick check formative assessments for each priority standard (4-5 questions)

Benchmark: containing priority standards contained in curriculum maps for the quarter

Pre- & post-tests: given at the beginning of the year and the end of the year to measure growth

District Assessments

* Curriculum-Embedded

2009-2010

Initial Screening 0

Placement Tests MDTP: Algebra

ELA & Math Formative Assessments

1-pagers

Performance Assessments

Writing:2-3 Math: 1

District Benchmarks 4

Pre-Test & Post-Test 1 each Growth measures

Interim assessment

formative assessment

Issues

Lack of Alignment – District Benchmark assessments were scheduled to be given on certain dates, even if content being assessed had not yet been assessed

Time – Giving 6 district assessments on the priority standards

Solution Shift to reliance on curriculum-embedded interim

assessments to provide typical “benchmark” (dipstick) information

Collapse District Benchmark assessments with Pre- & Post-Test assessments to provide both critical mid-year (January) dipstick and end-of-year growth measure

Reduce number of District assessments in half (from 6 to 3)

Changes in District Assessments

* Curriculum-Embedded

2009-2010 2010-2011

Initial Screening 0All K & new 1st – 6th students

Placement Tests MDTP: Algebra MDTP: Algebra Inside: Intensive ELA

ELA & Math Formative Assessments

1-pagers 1-pagers Unit, Theme, Chapter, Topic Tests*

Performance Assessments

Writing:2-3 Math: 1

Writing:2-3* Math: 2-3*

District Benchmarks 4 3

Pre-Test & Post-Test 1 each 0

DIBELS

4th-8th Placement into Inside

Frequent curriculum-embedded

interim assessments

Merger of growth measure with

critical mid-year interim assessment

Growth measures

Interim assessment

Purposes for Local Assessments Initial Screening

Determine performance level upon entry into District

Placement (“Diagnostic”) Tests Appropriate program placement (e.g., Algebra, Intensive ELA)

District Benchmark Assessments Benchmark Assessments

Beginning-of-year: establish baseline Mid-year: determine need for intervention End-of-Year: measure growth

Other Benchmark Assessments (e.g. DRA, Reading Gains Test for Inside) “Dipstick” measure of performance level compared with expectations Measure growth

District Formative Assessments Data to inform instruction & need for intervention

ELA & Math Formative ELA (writing) & Math Performance Assessments

Data to inform effectiveness of Tier 2 & 3 interventions Progress Monitoring