Supporting a Reformed Supporting a Reformed Learning Environment in Learning Environment in our Classroomsour Classrooms

Supporting Success for Every Child

Determining Our Core Beliefs Determining Our Core Beliefs about the Working on the Right about the Working on the Right WorkWork Recent two-day staff retreat Recent two-day staff retreat

Focused on identifying critical research-Focused on identifying critical research-based components for school improvement, based components for school improvement, the “non-negotiables” for our workthe “non-negotiables” for our work

Staff presentations demonstrating how Staff presentations demonstrating how we’re supporting use of critical work in we’re supporting use of critical work in classrooms around the regionclassrooms around the region

Working on the Right Work Working on the Right Work (cont.)(cont.)Our list of non-negotiables includedOur list of non-negotiables included

1.1.Research-Based Instructional Strategies Research-Based Instructional Strategies (Marzano’s proven 9; Silver/Strong’s 16)(Marzano’s proven 9; Silver/Strong’s 16)

2.2.Balanced Assessment System Balanced Assessment System (recognizing (recognizing the power of Formative Assessment – Stiggins, Reeves, the power of Formative Assessment – Stiggins, Reeves, Marzano, Dufours)Marzano, Dufours)

3.3.Research-Based Curriculum Design Research-Based Curriculum Design (Wiggins/McTighe, Reeves, Silver/Strong)(Wiggins/McTighe, Reeves, Silver/Strong)

4.4. Student-Centered Learning EnvironmentsStudent-Centered Learning Environments (21(21stst century content & skills, high levels of student century content & skills, high levels of student engagement, effective use of instructional technology, engagement, effective use of instructional technology, project-based and inquiry-based learning, high rigor & project-based and inquiry-based learning, high rigor & relevance - Daggett, Moersch, Reeves)relevance - Daggett, Moersch, Reeves)

5.5. Reading and Writing Across all Content Reading and Writing Across all Content AreasAreas (Keene, Zimmerman, PEBC)(Keene, Zimmerman, PEBC)

6.6. All of the above reaching classrooms All of the above reaching classrooms through well-trained and well-supported through well-trained and well-supported Professional Learning CommunitiesProfessional Learning Communities (DuFours, Reeves)(DuFours, Reeves)

““I believe we have reached a I believe we have reached a tipping point tipping point in the evolution of our schools when we in the evolution of our schools when we must fundamentally re-evaluate, redefine, must fundamentally re-evaluate, redefine, and redesign assessment’s role in the and redesign assessment’s role in the development of effective schools.”development of effective schools.”

Rick Stiggins Rick Stiggins

A Call for the Development of A Call for the Development of Balanced Assessment SystemsBalanced Assessment SystemsApril 2008April 2008

Achieving a Balanced Achieving a Balanced Assessment SystemAssessment System

Annual Accountability Testing (CATS) helps determine Annual Accountability Testing (CATS) helps determine the percentage of the state’s schools meeting standardsthe percentage of the state’s schools meeting standards

Interim, Benchmark, Short Cycle, Teacher-Developed Interim, Benchmark, Short Cycle, Teacher-Developed Common Assessments help determine what standards Common Assessments help determine what standards our students are meeting or not meeting, collectively. our students are meeting or not meeting, collectively. Are our school and district instructional programs Are our school and district instructional programs workings?workings?

Classroom Formative (continuous) Assessments help Classroom Formative (continuous) Assessments help the teacher and students know how each student is the teacher and students know how each student is doing on his/her journey of mastering each standard and doing on his/her journey of mastering each standard and to know what comes next in the learning process.to know what comes next in the learning process.

Rick Stiggins - Lexington, KYRick Stiggins - Lexington, KYNovember 2008November 2008

A Critical A Critical Understanding in Understanding in

Assessment DynamicsAssessment Dynamics““If formative assessment isn’t occurring or If formative assessment isn’t occurring or

isn’t working well at the classroom level, isn’t working well at the classroom level, the other assessment levels don’t matter. the other assessment levels don’t matter. They (the interim, benchmark, common, They (the interim, benchmark, common, and state-level assessments) are wasted; and state-level assessments) are wasted; they can’t fix the problems that result.”they can’t fix the problems that result.”

Rick Stiggins, Lexington, KYRick Stiggins, Lexington, KYNovember 2008November 2008

Further Evidence for Further Evidence for Districts to Stress Districts to Stress

Formative AssessmentFormative AssessmentFormative assessment is the most powerful single component in the enhancement of student achievement (Hattie,1998)

When teachers use formative assessment, they are better able to create appropriate lessons, activities, and groupings and to inform students accurately about their progress.

Research has shown greatest gains with low achievers.

What We’ve Learned . What We’ve Learned . . .. .

General assessment “literacy” is necessary to get everyone on the same page in their understanding.

Just because we’re doing common assessments doesn’t mean we’re doing formative assessments.

Preeminent researchers like Rick Stiggins Preeminent researchers like Rick Stiggins refer to formative assessment as refer to formative assessment as “continuous” – occurring daily or almost “continuous” – occurring daily or almost daily.daily.

For formative assessments, students do not receive a grade, but they do receive timely understandable feedback that helps them do better on the part(s) they don’t understand.Students need to realize “academic self-efficacy.” Winning streaks and hopefulness must trump losing streaks and hopelessness.For students, it becomes a matter of “I know what to do next” vs. “I have no idea what to do and may as well give up.”

““Students can hit any target that Students can hit any target that they can see and that holds still they can see and that holds still for them.for them.

But if they are guessing about what But if they are guessing about what success looks like, success success looks like, success becomes a random event.”becomes a random event.”

Rick Stiggins – Lexington, KYRick Stiggins – Lexington, KYNovember 2008November 2008

Formative Assessment Can’t Formative Assessment Can’t Be the First StepBe the First StepTo get to an effective formative assessment To get to an effective formative assessment learning environment, we have to start with the learning environment, we have to start with the state standards and district curriculum state standards and district curriculum documents including those that identify essential documents including those that identify essential standards vs. “nice to know” standards standards vs. “nice to know” standards (work of the (work of the state and the districts/schools)state and the districts/schools)

These standards have to be deconstructed or These standards have to be deconstructed or unpacked to get to the learning targets that will unpacked to get to the learning targets that will build to mastery of the standard build to mastery of the standard (work of PLC’s)(work of PLC’s)

These learning targets must be transformed in These learning targets must be transformed in student-friendly versions student-friendly versions (work of PLC’s)(work of PLC’s)

Formative Assessment Can’t Formative Assessment Can’t Be the First StepBe the First Step

Students much be able to locate their own Students much be able to locate their own progress on the scaffolding toward the standard, progress on the scaffolding toward the standard, and the next target must seem reachable to and the next target must seem reachable to them. In other words , the classroom learning them. In other words , the classroom learning environment must promote hopeenvironment must promote hope (work of the (work of the classroom teachers).classroom teachers).

And once this happens, grading systems can be And once this happens, grading systems can be reformed.reformed.

From Continuous Formative From Continuous Formative Assessment to A New Assessment to A New System for GradesSystem for Grades

““If schools can master the effective use of If schools can master the effective use of formative assessment, we can finally realize formative assessment, we can finally realize grading reform. This will be a critical step grading reform. This will be a critical step toward the school reform that we’ve been toward the school reform that we’ve been talking about in this country for 40 years.”talking about in this country for 40 years.”

Bob MarzanoBob Marzano

““We’ve trained them (students) into the ‘does We’ve trained them (students) into the ‘does this count’ mindset – I firmly believe we can this count’ mindset – I firmly believe we can train them out of it.” train them out of it.”

Ken O’ConnerKen O’Conner

Grades are broken Grades are broken when they . . .when they . . .

1.1. Include ingredients that distort achievementInclude ingredients that distort achievement

2.2. Arise from low quality or poorly organized Arise from low quality or poorly organized evidenceevidence

3.3. Are derived from inappropriate number Are derived from inappropriate number crunchingcrunching

4.4. Do not support the learning processDo not support the learning process

Ken O’ConnerKen O’ConnerETS Assessment Training InstituteETS Assessment Training Institute

Ken O’Conner’sKen O’Conner’sFifteen Fixes for Broken Fifteen Fixes for Broken

GradesGrades1. Do not include student behaviors

2. Don’t reduce marks on work submitted late

3. Don’t give points for extra credit or use bonus points

4. Don’t punish academic dishonesty with reduced grades

Fifteen Fixes for Broken Fifteen Fixes for Broken Grades (cont.)Grades (cont.)

5. Don’t consider attendance in grade in grade determinationdetermination

6.6. Don’t include group scores in gradesDon’t include group scores in grades

7.7. Organize and report learning (on report Organize and report learning (on report cards) by learning goals/standardscards) by learning goals/standards

8.8. Don’t assign grades using unclear Don’t assign grades using unclear performance standardsperformance standards

Fifteen Fixes for Broken Fifteen Fixes for Broken Grades (cont.)Grades (cont.)

9.9. Don’t assign grades based on the student’s Don’t assign grades based on the student’s achievement compared to other studentsachievement compared to other students

10.10. Don’t rely on evidence from assessments that fail Don’t rely on evidence from assessments that fail to meet standards of qualityto meet standards of quality

11.11. Don’t rely only on the mean or the averageDon’t rely only on the mean or the average

12.12. Don’t include zeros in gradeDon’t include zeros in grade determinationdetermination

Fifteen Fixes for Broken Fifteen Fixes for Broken Grades (cont.)Grades (cont.)

13.13. Don’t use information from formative Don’t use information from formative assessments and practice to determine assessments and practice to determine gradesgrades

14.14. Don’t summarize evidence Don’t summarize evidence accumulated over timeaccumulated over time

15.15. Don’t leave students out of the grading Don’t leave students out of the grading processprocess

Questions for GRREC Districts Questions for GRREC Districts to Considerto Consider

(Rate your district on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being excellence)(Rate your district on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being excellence)1.1. How assessment “literate” is our district? For How assessment “literate” is our district? For

example, when we discuss formative assessment, example, when we discuss formative assessment, do all of our educators have the same understanding do all of our educators have the same understanding of what this means?of what this means?

2.2. Where does our district stand in terms of having a Where does our district stand in terms of having a truly balanced assessment system?truly balanced assessment system?

3.3. Does our district have our “achievement roadmaps” Does our district have our “achievement roadmaps” in place; in place; Have we identified the essential standards for each content area at each Have we identified the essential standards for each content area at each

grade level?grade level? Have we deconstructed these standards into learning targets? Have we deconstructed these standards into learning targets? Have we transformed the learning targets into student-friendly versions?Have we transformed the learning targets into student-friendly versions?

4.4. How confident are we as a district that our teachers How confident are we as a district that our teachers are developing accurate assessments?are developing accurate assessments?

5.5. How capable are our teachers in communicating How capable are our teachers in communicating student progress via descriptive feedback instead of student progress via descriptive feedback instead of grades or scores?grades or scores?

6.6. Do students in our district know the targets they are Do students in our district know the targets they are aiming for and are they aware of their own progress aiming for and are they aware of their own progress toward those targets?toward those targets?

7.7. Do our learners have hope about their learning Do our learners have hope about their learning progress and their future success in school?progress and their future success in school?

GRREC’s K-8 Math Alliance GRREC’s K-8 Math Alliance Predicating DistrictsPredicating Districts

AllenAllen (3 schools)(3 schools) Monroe Monroe (4 schools)(4 schools)

Bowling Green Bowling Green (district team)(district team) Russellville Russellville (1 school)(1 school)

Breckinridge Breckinridge (2 schools)(2 schools) Simpson Simpson (3 schools)(3 schools)

Butler Butler (3 schools)(3 schools) Glasgow Glasgow (2 schools)(2 schools)

Grayson Grayson (2 schools)(2 schools) Taylor Taylor (2 schools/district team)(2 schools/district team)

Hancock Hancock (3 schools)(3 schools) Warren (16 schools) Warren (16 schools)

Hardin Hardin (1 school)(1 school)

Logan Logan (5 schools)(5 schools)

Metcalfe Metcalfe (2 schools)(2 schools)

GRECC Science ProjectsGRECC Science Projects Project IProject I Project II Project II

Adair MiddleAdair Middle Breckinridge Middle Breckinridge MiddleAllen MiddleAllen Middle Caverna Middle Caverna MiddleCampbellsville MiddleCampbellsville Middle Cumberland Middle Cumberland MiddleElizabethtown MiddleElizabethtown Middle College View/Daviess College View/DaviessGreen MiddleGreen Middle J. T. Alton Middle/Hardin J. T. Alton Middle/HardinHancock MiddleHancock Middle East Hardin Middle East Hardin Middle (7(7thth Grade) Grade)Auburn Elem/Logan Auburn Elem/Logan (7(7thth Grade) Grade) Bonnieville Elem./ Hart Bonnieville Elem./ Hart (7(7thth Grade) Grade)Meade MiddleMeade Middle Memorial Elem./Hart Memorial Elem./Hart (7(7thth Grade) Grade)Metcalfe MiddleMetcalfe Middle Lewisburg Elem./Logan Lewisburg Elem./Logan (7(7thth Grade) Grade)Monroe MiddleMonroe Middle Owensboro Middle Owensboro MiddleOhio MiddleOhio Middle Todd Middle Todd MiddleTaylor MiddleTaylor Middle Moss Middle/Warren Moss Middle/Warren

To view Rick Stiggins’ webinar, To view Rick Stiggins’ webinar, What Makes An Assessment Really FormativeWhat Makes An Assessment Really Formative

and Ken O’Connor’s webinar, and Ken O’Connor’s webinar, 15 Fixes for Broken Grades,15 Fixes for Broken Grades, go to go to

www.assessmentinst.comwww.assessmentinst.com