1. Reading, Writing & Math at Grade Level
Presentation to the Saskatchewan Principals’ Short Course
July 5, 2017

2. Background

3. By June 30, 2020, 80% of students will be at or above grade level in reading, writing, and math.
ESSP Outcome

4. Purposes of the Reading Outcome
To provide focus on instructional approaches, assessment and intervention in reading.
To collect student data once a year indicating the degree to which students are reading at grade level in grades 1, 2, and 3.
Purposes of the Reading Outcome

5. Documents Supporting Reading

6. Purposes of the Writing Outcome
To collect student data once a year indicating the degree to which students are writing at grade level in grades 4, 7, and 9
To provide a catalyst for investigation of the best ways to develop strong writers at every grade level
Purposes of the Writing Outcome

7. Documents Supporting Writing
Rubrics – one for each grade, holistic, 1-4 scale (with 3 being independently proficient), criteria matched to grade-level curricula, applied to multiple samples across multiple contexts, most recent and most consistent evidence honoured
Writing continuum (1-12) – clarifying grade level tasks and specific criteria
Eligible students for data collection – connection to reading
Exemplars – as needed
Documents Supporting Writing

8. Purposes of the Math Outcome
To collect student data once a year indicating the degree to which students are at grade level in grades 2, 5, and 8
To provide a catalyst for investigation of the best ways to develop competency in the Numbers strand
Purposes of the Math Outcome

9. A draft version of a holistic rubric has been created by a team of teachers from around the province
A series of grids have been drafted, connecting the criteria within the rubric (key mathematical foundations) to the contexts (outcomes)
The group of teachers will meet again in September to create exemplar prompts to reflect both the rubric and the outcome contexts at each grade level
The process for reporting up in Math (grades 2, 5, and 8) will reflect that of writing (year end, holistic decision based on the professional judgement of teachers)
This reporting will begin in the spring of
Quick Math Update

10. Table Talk Checking in Holistic rubric/ holistic assessment
Analytical rubric/ analytical assessment
Artifact
Independence
Summative assessment/ Formative assessment
6 strands / Numbers Strand
Most consistent data/ Most recent data
Exemplar
Professional judgement
Triangulation
Table Talk
Holistic – summary professional judgement based on multiple student artifacts as well as observations and conversations. The criteria in a holistic rubric clarify which criteria must be considered when making this holistic judgement. Holistic judgements are not analytical judgements calculated into a single grade. Instead, they are a professional assessment decision, based on our knowledge of the curriculum and of our students about the degree to which learners have shown proficiency in writing. Holistic judgements are summary judgements and are not intended to support instruction. This is why this happens at year end.
Analytical – the kinds of assessment tools that clarify and invite assessment of individual criteria so instructional decisions and feedback conversations can occur in order to support growth. These are the tools teachers should be using every single day and divisions have done much work around this, which needs to be honoured. It is important to understand the difference between holistic and analytical in terms of intent and use. They should reflect the same grade level criteria but they are applied at different times in differ ways.
Artifact – a document or observation (anecdotal record) that captures both student proficiency and students process. An essay is an artifact but so is a draft. Anything that gives us evidence upon which we can make inferences about degrees of understanding is an artifact.
Independence – independence in working through the writing process is required by the end of the year. Independence does not mean students are not accessing strategies, templates, mentor texts and so on. It just means they can independently work through a process to arrive at grade level writing.
Summative assessment – verification of degree of skills and understanding (proficiency) at the end of a learning cycle
Formative assessment – assessment from which instructional decisions, feedback, self-assessment and goal-setting emerge. The simple determination of formative assessment is whether or not action was taken as a result of the information collected.
6 strands – reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, representing – while we are reporting up reading and writing, all six strands are critical and not strand can exist in isolation.
Most consistent data – the degree of proficiency demonstrated by the greatest number of samples
Most recent data – the degree of proficiency indicated by the most recent sample
Both types of samples must be considered when making a holistic professional judgement
Exemplar – in this case, it is samples of student writing at all four stages of proficiency – SPDU website is one place to go, but collecting samples as a Division is great as well.
Professional judgement – the ability of a professional educator to make a holistic decision about the degree of proficiency each student has in relation to criteria and their knowledge of the learner as an independent writer.
Triangulation – combining product assessment with assessment during observations and conversations (essential for determining independence)

11. Are there terms we need to clarify right now?
Clarification?

12. New Administrators Seek out your school’s data profile; or build one!
Familiarize yourself with your school division/education authority’s reading assessment and intervention processes
Writing at grade level is new to the sector in and reported in June 2018
Math (Numbers) at grade level is in development and will be reported in 2019
Prepare for rich learning community conversations in response to reading and in preparation for writing and numeracy
Celebrate student success and teacher efficacy!!
New Administrators

13. For further questions and/or feedback, contact:
Don Rempel (North East School Division)