1. Data-Informed and Action Oriented Culture at Adams
Dr. Amy M. Alzina
Principal

2. Purpose and Goals of Assessment
The purpose of formative assessments is to assess for student learning.
Formative assessments monitor students where they currently are at in the learning trajectory. The goals of formative assessments are used to give the teacher and student immediate feedback.
The results are used to help teachers focus on students’ strengths and weaknesses.
Teachers assess to inform their decision-making and to motivate students (Stiggins, 2008, p.10). 

3. Decision Making/Recommendations
Teachers use assessment data to drive their instruction, design curriculum and set learning targets.
Schmoker talks about the need for teachers to have the data they need to answer these two questions:  “How many students are succeeding in the subjects I teach? Within those subjects, what are the areas of strength or weakness? The answers to these two questions set the stage for targeted, collaborative efforts that can pay immediate dividends in achievement gains” (Schmoker, 2003, p.1).  Grade level teams then need to set a grade level goal of proficiency.  “It all starts with the simplest kind of data analysis—with the foundation we have when all teachers know their goals and the specific areas where students most need help” (Schmoker, 2003, p.2).
Teachers make informed decisions on how to meet the learning needs of students who fall within the Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced performance standard.
Teachers share student data with parents in order to enlist parent support and involvement.
All curriculum decisions and recommendations are formed from the learning progressions students make on both formative and summative assessments as well as all budgetary decision towards the purchase of any supplementary curriculum.

4. STAR Reading Assessment
Multiple Choice, *Computer adaptive *32 Questions
*20 minutes
Kindergarten-Sixth Grade:
Administered: To all students that are reading at a mid-first grade level. The test is administered 8 times a year. The assessment is administered individually or in a group and takes about 30 minutes to administer.
The purpose of the STAR Reading Enterprise is to assess student reading levels and monitor reading progress. It helps identify intervention groups, plan for instruction, and gauges the effectiveness of the curriculum.
The results are used at the site to create intervention/enrichment groups according to students reading ability.

5. STAR Reading

6. What is Accelerated Reader?
Renaissance Learning Accelerated Reader
Formative
Multiple choice on the ipad, 5-10 questions
*10 minutes
Kindergarten-Sixth grade
Administered: Students must first be able to receive a reading score on the STAR Reading assessment.
The purpose of the assessment is to assess students reading comprehension and to monitor the amount of reading students are doing monthly. School goals are set for every student to read for 30 minutes a day, average comprehension should be at 85% or higher and at least one non-fiction book should be read a month.
Parents receive the results through the home connect portal to support progress monitoring. The principal, teacher, support staff and afterschool program coordinators review student data weekly to ensure student success and growth. The principal reinforces student goals at the end of each month with a surprise incentive party.

7. How Does AR Improve Student Reading?
Students are assessed (STAR Reading) and given a reading level and a range. This range is known as the Zone of Proximal Development. The zone of proximal development (ZPD), is the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help. Books rated below their level are easy to read, while books above their level will challenge the student. When a student is in his/her ZPD for a particular task (reading in this case), providing the appropriate assistance will give the student enough of a "boost" to achieve the task. Teachers provide just enough assistance so that students learn to read independently and then provide an environment that enables students to read more difficult books than would otherwise be possible.

8. How do we know AR Works?
Adams Elementary School within the SBUSD has been leading the success index in the district for the past four years with its attention to students reading within their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), 30-minutes of daily reading and a score of 85% or higher on all comprehension assessments. The students at Adams Elementary School are currently surpassing the SBUSD average by 50%.
The second highest ELA scores in the district on the SBAC.
The highest scores in ELA amongst Title I schools in the district.

9. Monthly Goals
1st Grade AR Goal:  30 min of reading daily, average 85% or higher comprehension, 70/30 – Fiction/Non Fiction
2-6th Grade AR Goal:  30 min of reading daily within ZPD, average 85% or higher comprehension, 50/50 – Fiction/Non Fiction 
When examining student growth, it is essential to monitor the book selection levels to ensure all students are reading within their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

10. End of the Year AR Awards
End of the Year Awards:
Reading Award Categories (3)
1. All Students who made their monthly AR Goals for the year
2. Words Read:
Kindergarten: 20,000
1st Grade: 100,000
2nd Grade: 500,000
3-6th Grade: 1 million, 2 million, 3 million
3. Reading Growth:
years
years
4.0 and beyond
Math Award Categories (3)
1. All Students who made their monthly AM Goals for the year.
2. Math Growth:
or more Objectives Completed for the Year
AR Results: 42,000 AR Books Read with 93% or higher on Comprehension equates to over 195,000,000 words read.

11. Mid Year AR Update January 18, 2017

12. Why Does Reading Matter?
STUDENT A
Reads 20 Minutes per Day
1,800,000 Words Per Year
Scores in the 90th Percentile on Standardized Tests
STUDENT B
Reads 5 Minutes per Day
282,000Words Per Year
Scores in the 50th Percentile on Standardized Tests
STUDENT C
Reads 1 Minute per Day
8,000 Words Per Year
Scores in the 10th Percentile on Standardized Tests
Reference: Doug Fisher, ACSA Leadership Summit, November 2016

13. References
Schmoker, M.  (2003).  First things first:  Demystifying data analysis.