District Assessment Report Westwood Regional School District February 18, 2010

Assessment has more to do with helping students grow than cataloging their mistakes. - Carol Ann Tomlinson

Forms of Assessment Formative vs. Summative Essays Tests/Quizzes Questioning Presentations Projects Self-assessment

WWRSD Plans WWRSD curriculum based “shared” assessments –K-5 Reading –Pre/mid/post assessments in mathematics –6-12 mid-term and final exams TerraNova reading assessments in grades 2, 5, and 8 Test of Cognitive Skills in grades 2, 3, 4, 5 Action-plans in every building Examining student writing at grade-level meetings and increasing academic rigor

Mathematics TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State Math Proficient & Advanced DFG Math Proficient & Advanced Westwood Math Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WWRSD outperformed the DFG

Language Arts Literacy TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced GENERAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced SPECIAL ED State LAL Proficient & Advanced DFG LAL Proficient & Advanced Westwood LAL Proficient & Advanced *Yellow indicates areas where the WWRSD outperformed the DFG

Science 4 & 8 TOTAL STUDENTS (grade level) 8 4 GENERAL ED. 8 4 State Science Proficient & Advanced State Science Proficient & Advance DFG Science Proficient & Advanced DFG Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced 98.9 SPECIAL ED. 8 4 State Science Proficient & Advanced DFG Science Proficient & Advanced Westwood Science Proficient & Advanced TOTAL STUDENTS 11 GENERAL ED. 11 SPECIAL ED. 11 State Raw Score 34.5 State Raw Score 36.6 State Raw Score 25.4 DFG Raw Score 37.8 DFG Raw Score 37.3 DFG Raw Score 28.4 Westwood Raw Score 37.5 Westwood Raw Score 39.5 Westwood Raw Score 30.1 Biology End of Year *Yellow indicates areas where the WWRSD outperformed the DFG

Short-term Solutions NJASK Action-plans Areas in need of attention Instructional strategies Curricular or program changes Leveraging of resources District-wide “Do Nows”

Long-term Solutions Increasing academic rigor = transfer of content knowledge and skills Better linking curriculum to the revised standards Continued focus on best- practice instructional strategies Explicit test preparation

Jr.-Sr. High School SAT Update for Class of 2009 Bergen Record: 88 students (senior year) Mean: 1511 Naviance: 108 students tested in total Mean: 1523 Class of 2010: 124 students tested Mean: 1553

Jr.-Sr. High School HSPA Scores –Special Review Assessment/AHSA for students who scored partially proficient – students = 3% – students = 3% – students = 3% – students = 4%

Jr.-Sr. High School Problem of the Day - modeling questions to HSPA, NJASK, SAT, ACT, AP, & SAT subject tests Question of the Day from ACT Test preparation materials EXPLORE & PLAN for 9 th and 10 th grades Data Analysis Committee

Brookside Elementary School Timed writing prompts Math Connects Test preparation materials “Do Now” activities that are NJASK focused Lesson plans Writing across the subject areas Data analysis at faculty meetings Academic rigor

Berkeley Elementary School Data analysis Curriculum mapping Problem of the day Cross-content opportunities Monthly timed assessments in LAL and mathematics Data-driven decision making Flexibility and collaboration of school-wide plan

Upcoming Dates NJASK Parent Forum Tuesday, March 16, :00 P.M. Brookside Elementary School To register, visit our website at HSPA March 2nd, 3rd, & 4 th NJASK Grade 3: May 10 th, 11 th, 12 th, 13 th Grade 4: May 10 th, 11 th, 12 th, 13 th Grades 5-6: May 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th, 6 th Grades 7-8: April 27 th, 28 th, 29 th, 30 th

Questions If you have questions, please contact Rory J. McCourt at or please contact your building

17 Suggested Websites New Jersey Department of Education Office of State Assessments Office of Academic Standards New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards Measurement, Inc. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Writing Frameworks