Assessment Literacy: From Theory to Practice Webinar Series February-April 2009 Facilitated by Deb Farrington

Participant Poll 1 & 2 1) We are participating as a team 2) I am participating on my own 1) Elementary level 2) Middle school level 3) High School level 4) Other

Participant Poll #3 My team is comprised of: 1) Teachers 2) Administrators 3) Curriculum/Assessment Coordinator 4) Coach 5) Other

4 Part Webinar Series 1. Developing a Standards-Based Assessment System 2. Using Standards and Learning Targets to Assess Student Understanding 3. Analyzing Effective Assessment Practices 4. Implementing Classroom Formative Assessment Strategies

Essential Learning for Making Assessment Work for Everyone Develop assessment literacy by recognizing the purposes and uses of various assessments and the information they reveal. Identify the elements of practice that support data use within a comprehensive assessment system

A Standards-Based Model DATA

Using Assessment Data is like… 1.HIKING 2.KAYAKING 3.FISHING 4.FLYING

It’s time to “seize the data!”

Data = Information Assessment is information gathering. Assessment is derived from the Latin word assidere meaning… to sit with or beside. to sit with or beside. “Assessment is something we do with and for a student, not something we do to them.” Wiggins

Assessments have various purposes, provide answers to different questions, address different users, and have varying implications for an assessment system.

Levels of Assessment Data FederalStateDistrictSchoolClassroom Each level adds to the big picture

Split Screen Chalk Talk Split Screen Chalk Talk What is assessment data being used for… 1. …in your State? 2. …in your District? 3. …in your School? 4. …in your Classroom?

Data Use State level for accountability and informing policy decisions District level for guiding resource and professional development decisions School level for showing student progress towards meeting standards Classroom level for guiding teachers’ day-to- day decisions about student learning and instruction

Assessment Data Knowledge In-depth knowledge of specific students National State District Classroom Assessments Assessments Assessments Assessments Marzano, 1996

How do you know what they know? What data do you collect to:  verify student understanding?  monitor progress?  inform instruction, curriculum or program needs? needs?

Assessment Inventory Assessment Inventory List the different assessments used in your state, district, school and classrooms. List each assessment on a separate sticky note. List each assessment on a separate sticky note.

Valid assessment requires multiple sources of evidence, collected over time.

High Stakes Tests High Stakes Accountability Tests Provide broad domain or sub-domain coverage Usually constructed by an external source Results raise programmatic that require further investigation Results raise programmatic questions that require further investigation Satisfy accountability requirements – state and federal Can give the “big picture” view of state and school performance

Interim / Common Progress Monitoring Assessments Are usually a form of summative assessment Can be used as an early warning of performance on later high stakes tests Often constructed by external sources Can cover some or all of a year’s curriculum Provides broad domain or coverage ( minimally diagnostic) Provides broad domain or sub-domain coverage ( minimally diagnostic) Results raise programmatic questions that require further investigation (*formative for program – not current student)

Summative Assessment (Assessment OF Learning) Occurs after material is taught Includes unit tests and other graded performances Can be developed locally or purchased Counts toward grades Isn’t diagnostic

Formative Assessment (Assessment FOR Learning) Includes instructionally embedded activities Usually teacher/locally developed Yields rich diagnostic information Happens while material is being taught Informs and focuses instructional decisions Isn’t used for grades

Formative Assessment CCSSO FAST SCASS Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended outcomes.

Crucial Distinction Assessment for Learning: How can we use assessment to help students learn more? (formative) Assessment of Learning: How much have students learned at a particular point in time? (summative)

Three Types of Assessment “(In)formative Assessments,” Harvard Education Letter, 2006 SummativeInterimFormative Key Question Do you understand? (yes or no) Is the class on track for proficiency? What do you understand? When Asked End of unit/ term/year 6 – 10 times per year Ongoing Timing of Results After instruction ends Slight delayImmediate

Assessment Inventory Revisited Assessment Inventory Revisited Now categorize your assessment sticky notes into the following groups: Summative Interim Interim Formative Formative

Comprehensive Assessment System TYPE State/National Summative Assessment District Level Summative Assessment Interim Common Assessment Classroom Formative Assessment WHEN AnnuallyAnnually, Bi-annually semester Semester, Monthly, Unit Daily PURPOSE Accountability, Ranks, School Improvement Identify groups of at- risk students, Entrance and Exit Criteria, PD needs, Curricular and Programmatic Changes Collaboratively developed and Curriculum embedded, track proficiency towards standards Provides on-going student and teacher feedback of current levels of understanding and learning needs WHAT SBA, NWEA, ACT, SAT, MAP, CAT, Terra Nova, NAEP, TIMMS Benchmarks, Pre/post tests End of unit tests, projects, Performance tasks Aims Web Effective questioning, descriptive feedback, self assessment, reflection Summative Formative

Balanced Assessment System “To maximize student success, assessment must be seen as an instructional tool for use while learning is occurring, and as an accountability tool to determine if learning has occurred. Because both purposes are important, they must be in balance.” From Balanced Assessment: The Key to Accountability and Improved Student Learning, NEA (2003)

Balanced Assessment System

Assessment as Feedback From… Teach & Test Grade & Move On Teach & Test Grade & Move OnTo… Assess Teach Assess Adjust Assess

Assessment in Support of Learning Assessments must: go beyond merely providing judgments about student performance to providing rich descriptions of student performance, evolve from being isolated events to becoming events that happen in ongoing series to reveal patterns, go beyond merely informing instructional decisions of teachers to informing decisions also made by students. Rick Stiggins, 2006

Team Talk How is assessment being used to support learning at your school? How is assessment being used to support learning at your school?

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin Press. All rights reserved. The Data Divide

Using Data Requires Leaders to: Develop and inquiry habit of mind Become assessment and data literate Create a culture of inquiry Earl and Katz- Leading Schools in a Data Rich World

Collaborative Inquiry The process by which teams use data to develop their understanding of a student- learning problem and test out solutions together through rigorous use of data and constructive dialogue. The process by which teams use data to develop their understanding of a student- learning problem and test out solutions together through rigorous use of data and constructive dialogue.

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin Press. All rights reserved. What effective data practices have you been using? What would create a bridge between the data and results shores? Group Discussion

Elements of High Quality Local Assessment Systems System of Collaboration System of Collaboration Committed Leadership Committed Leadership Aligned Curriculum Aligned Curriculum Intentional Assessment Intentional Assessment Data Informed Instruction Data Informed Instruction Relevant Professional Development Relevant Professional Development

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin Press. All rights reserved. Building the Bridge Between Data and Results Instructional Improvement Data UseCollaboration Leadership & Capacity Culture/Equity/Trust

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin Press. All rights reserved. Culture, Equity, Trust Instructional Improvement Collaboration Data Use Leadership & Capacity Shifts That Are Evident in Using Data Schools Less EmphasisMore Emphasis External accountability, cultural blindness, little trust Internal and collective responsibility, cultural proficiency, trust Data to sort, learning left to chance Data to serve, expanding opportunities for all Top-down, data-driven decision making Ongoing Data-Driven Dialogue and collaborative inquiry Punishment/reward, avoidance Feedback for continuous improvement, frequent and in-depth use by teachers and students Individual charismatic leaders as change agents Learning communities with many change agents

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin Press. All rights reserved. The Using Data Process

Using Data to Identify Learning Gaps  Large scale test data can identify major areas of curricular concern, sub-group analysis, and patterns over time.  Benchmark or interim test data can identify areas of concern with programs, staffing, sub-groups, and more specific curricular alignment or gap issues.  Classroom summative assessment data can identify which students have not learned specific chunks of content or skills and will need to have these become part of their personal learning goals.  Formative assessment can identify specific students’ learning gaps at a time when the learning is still taking place and timely interventions can be made.

Next Steps 1) What questions do you have about student learning at your school? 2) Identify sources of data you have to verify your concerns. 3) Dig into the data. What is it telling you? What other questions are being raised?

Reflection Question How has the information discussed in today’s webinar impacted your thinking and/or use of data and assessment. How has the information discussed in today’s webinar impacted your thinking and/or use of data and assessment.