Strengthening Teacher Education in Mathematics at HBCUs Building Teacher Capacity to Design and Implement Assessments FOR Learning Presenter: Adrienne Y. Bailey, Coach Executive Leadership Program of Educators(ExEL) at Harvard University and QEM Consultant QEM Workshop, August 29, 2009 Jackson, Mississippi

Executive Leadership Program of Educators (ExEL) ExEL…. Funded by the Wallace Foundation Began in 2006 as a way to build on and integrate several university separate programs and approaches (Harvard’s education, business and government schools) A multi-year collaborative effort to help district and state superintendents and their teams bring high quality teaching and learning to scale ExEL Strategy ……. To help public school district and state department of education participants and teams develop and enhance knowledge and skills in instruction, management, and leadership and to use these strengthened capacities to refine their organizational strategies

Executive Leadership Program of Educators (ExEL) Three levels: individual, team and network Connected to 18 districts and 6 SEAs Four high-leverage strands: 1. Laser focus on teaching and learning 2. Systems development & organizational coherence 3. Leadership & team development 4. State and local networks Utilizes PELP framework

Public Education Leadership Project (PELP)

PELP Coherence Framework Theory of Action Puts STUDENT LEARNING at the core of the district and schools Guides leaders in making decisions and taking actions that lead to organizational coherence focused on STUDENT LEARNING Helps leaders identify the key elements that support a district wide improvement strategy Serves as leverage to develop strategies that will improve performance for all students.

Instructional Core Student Teacher Content

PELP Coherence Framework Instructional Core The relationship between teachers and students in the presence of content. Do we have a consensus on good teaching? Do we have consistent expectations within a grade level, course and department regarding challenging standards, instruction and assessment priorities? Do we have agreed upon transparent criteria for proficiency to be met in each individual classroom,grade level and school district?

PELP and EXEL Key Themes Moving from….. Management to leadership Compliance to reciprocal accountability Culture of initiatives to STRATEGY focused on student and adult results Assessment OF learning to assessment FOR learning

Assessment Crisis Assessment Assessment OF VS FOR Student Learning

Assessment OF Learning Historical Context…… District-wide standardized testing programs (1960s) Statewide testing programs (1970s) National assessments (NAEP, 1970s/1980s) International assessments (TIMMS) Required annuals standardized testing of every student in math and reading in Grades 3-8 (NCLB, 2002)

The Absence of Assessment FOR Learning If we wish to maximize student achievement in the US, we must pay far greater attention to the improvement of classroom assessment. Both assessment OF learning and assessment FOR learning are essential. Richard Stiggins Kappan, Professional Journal,2002

Definition: Assessment FOR Learning A new way of thinking…!! Assessment FOR Learning is part of everyday practice by students, teachers and peers that seeks, reflects upon and responds to information from dialogue, demonstration and observation in ways that enhance ongoing learning. 3 rd International Conference on Assessment for Learning, March 2009

What Does the Research Say? Does formative assessment make a difference? (Black and William 1998) Testing Motivation and Learning (The Assessment Reform Group 2002) Classroom Assessment (Brookhart and Bronowicz (2003) Self Assessment (McDonald and Boud 2003) Using Assessment for Learning (Brookhart 2003) Feedback (Higgins et al, 2002) Setting and Using Criteria (Osmond et al 2002)

Why are Assessments FOR Learning Necessary and Effective? Regular and timely feedback regarding student attainment Multiple measures to demonstrate understanding in various formats Agreed upon criteria for proficiency Results provide predictive value Collaboration activities amongst teachers Deliberate alignment of classroom, school and district assessments connecting to state tests

Are Teachers Ready? Committee on the Foundations of Assessment Report, 2001 National Research Council Recommendation #9: Instruction in how students learn and how learning can be assessed should be a major component of teacher pre-service and professional development programs. Training should be linked to actual experience in classrooms in assessing and interpreting the development of student competence. To ensure that this occurs, state and national standards for teacher licensure and program accreditation should include specific requirements focused on the proper integration of learning and assessment in teachers’ educational experience.

Facing the Brutal Facts-Assessment Competent Personnel Level of assessment literacy remains low among school personnel. (Plake, 1995, Stiggins 2002, Metler 2005) Over 50% of the states do not require competence in assessment for licensure as a teacher (Stiggins, 1999) No licensing exam that verifies competence in assessment (Stiggins, 2002) Less than 20 states require student assessment knowledge and skills for administrators. (Trevisan, 1999)

Implications for Teacher Preparation and Practice Teachers should be skilled in: Choosing and developing assessment methods appropriate for instructional decisions Administering, scoring and interpreting results of both externally produced and teacher produced assessment methods Using assessment results when making decisions about individual students, planning teaching, developing curriculum and school improvement

Implications for Teacher Preparation and Practice (Cont’d) Developing valid student grading procedures which use student assessments Communicating assessment results to students, parents, other lay audiences, and other educators Recognizing unethical, illegal and otherwise inappropriate uses of assessment information

What Assessment Competencies are Required in Your State at Your Institution ? Teacher licensure Teacher preparation programs to enable teachers to engage in Assessment FOR Learning??

New Mexico Teacher Competencies for Licensure Professional Teacher — Level II Selects appropriate assessment tools and strategies for specific learning outcomes. Uses formative and summative assessment for remediation and instructional planning. Maintains documentation of student progress. Consistently maintains communication with students and families about student progress.

Master Teacher –Level III Designs and uses multiple methods of measuring student understanding and growth. Integrates assessment data from multiple sources into instructional planning and improvement. Maintains documentation of student progress. Develops a two-way system of communicating with students and families about student progress.

Balancing Assessments Of and For Learning Do no harm… Leave No Child Behind

Public Education Leadership Project Instructional Core

A real voyage of discovery… …consists not of seeking new landscapes but of seeing through new eyes. Marcel Proust