FOCUS Formative, Ongoing Classroom Understanding of Students & Standards

Assessment System Goals…  To provide quarterly assessments for grades 3-8 in math & literacy, EOC algebra, EOC geometry, & EOC literacy formatted after the Benchmark while learning is still underway  To provide diagnostic feedback to students, parents, and teachers regarding student performance in relation to standards so that next steps in planning for instruction and intervention can occur in real time  To provide feedback to students so that they can improve the quality of their work

What is meant by Assessment of and for Learning?  Of Learning Happen after learning is supposed to have occurred to determine if it did Make statements of student learning status at a point in time to those outside of the classroom Examples: state assessments, local standardized tests, college admissions tests, classroom assessments used to gather evidence to determine report card grades How did I do?  For Learning Assessments that happen while learning is still underway Conducted throughout teaching & learning to diagnose student needs, plan next steps in instruction, & provide students with feedback they can use to improve quality of their work Grading function is laid aside; not about accountability-those are assessments of learning- these are about getting better How can I get better?

“Classroom Assessment for Learning” Individual Read Group Discussion

Edusoft as a Tool…  Assessment Delivery System Storage for test item bank Delivery system for disaggregated reports  Performance band report  Class list report  Subgroup report  Intervention grouping report  Item response report

AFSC’s FOCUS Approach…  General Pacing Guide Committee Identify SLEs to be tested by quarter Develop general pacing guide as option for districts without one in use  Test Development Committee Trains on use of Edusoft as a storage area for test bank Creates m/c & o/r questions and rubrics aligned with quarterly testable SLEs & formatted after the Benchmark

AFSC’s FOCUS Approach…  Test Review Committee Reviews test items for clarity, validity, & alignment to standards Reviews rubrics for alignment to standards & open- ended response/prompt  Professional Development Committee (TOTs) Trains on intent and use of formative assessments Trains on Edusoft for scanning of reports & downloading of reports Trains on report interpretation & open-ended scoring Trains district staff in the above after initial training

Pacing Guide Committee…  Goal: collaborate to create a calendar based curriculum map for K-8 math & literacy, algebra I, geometry, & EOC literacy that is Aligned with state standards Focused on power standards  Endurance: Does the standard provide knowledge and skills that are useful among several disciplines?  Leverage: Will the standard provide knowledge and skills that are useful among several disciplines?  Readiness for the next level of learning: Will attaining the standard provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful at the next level of learning? Clustered into testable objectives Non-program specific Flexible in nature

Identifying the Power Standards… Actual Classroom Curriculum Filter & Focus What endures? What skills are essential? What prepares students for the future? What is most likely to be on the state test? Potential Curriculum (every conceivable state test item) Test Objectives & Curriculum Documents State Standards

Pacing Guide Development Process…  Lay all curricular pacing documents next to each other by grade/course  By quarter, identify common SLEs  By quarter, identify unique SLEs  Evaluate both charts according to key elements of committee goal: Alignment with state standards Focused on power standards Clustered into testable SLEs Non-program specific  Collaborate for consensus  Format into word document

Test Development Committee…  Goal: to develop quality quarterly assessments for grades 3-8 math and literacy, algebra I, geometry, and EOC literacy that Measure student performance against testable, power standards as outlined in pacing guide Are formatted to the Benchmark Consist of multiple choice & open response items that are valid and clear

Test Development Committee Process…  Train on Edusoft to upload test items into bank  Train in test question and rubric development  Review pacing guide for testable, power standards  Review contributing district test items & released items to identify usable questions  Write multiple choice and open response items formatted to the Benchmark and aligned to state standards  Upload into Edusoft

Test Review Committee…  Goal: to review created test and scoring items for clarity, validity, and alignment to state standards Review multiple choice items to meet above criteria Review open response items to meet above criteria Review rubrics to meet above criteria Make recommendations for improvement Review item response report for validity

Test Review Committee Process…  Read each test item for validity & clarity  Check for alignment to SLEs by comparing test item to state standard  Read scoring rubric for validity & clarity  Check scoring rubric for alignment to question and SLEs by comparing to state standard  Make written recommendations for improvement  Review item response report to check for indicators of invalid questions according to student response

Professional Development Committee…  Goal: train to become a trainer for the district in communicating the purpose and use of FOCUS assessments, scanning of reports, report downloads and interpretation, and scoring of open response items

Professional Development Committee Process…  Training on use of Edusoft for scanning, downloading reports, and report interpretation  Training on communicating the purpose and use of formative assessments  Training on rubric scoring  Training district during back-to-school

Calendar of Events…  June 15 & 16: Math Pacing Guide Committee 26: Co-op Core Committee  July 20: Lit. Pacing Guide Committee 21: Math Test Dev. Committee 27: Prof. Dev. Committee TOT training 28: Literacy Test Dev. Committee  Sept. 14: Prof. Dev. Committee Edusoft Training 15: Prof. Dev. Committee Edusoft Training  Oct. 9-11: FOCUS Assessment window Oct. 12: Test Dev. Committee 13: Test Rev. Committee  Dec. 4-6: FOCUS Assessment window  Jan : Prof. Dev. Committee Edusoft Next Steps training  Jan. 25: Test Dev. Committee 26: Test Rev. Committee

Calendar of Events…  Feb : FOCUS Assessment window 15: Test Dev. Committee 16: Test Rev. Committee  April 30-May2: FOCUS Assessment window  May 3: Test Dev. Committee 4: Test Rev. Committee  Summer 2007 Dates to be scheduled with committees

Candie Watts Arch Ford Education Cooperative ext