1. Balanced and Formative Assessment Systems Pat Roschewski, Director of Statewide Assessment Nebraska Department of Education pat.roschewski@nebraska.gov 402 471-2495

2. Classroom-based assessments State Tests National Tests Each tool has a different purpose and provides different data.

3. Nebraska: A Balanced Assessment System Statewide Writing Assessment Alternate Assessment - SPED Language Acquisition NAEP – NRT results - ACT Locally developed Assessments in ReadingMathematicsScience Social Studies

4. Nebraska’s System 2000-2008 + Locally based – assessments developed by teachers, reviewed by state Assessment literacy CIA – Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment PLC throughout state

5. THREE NEBRASKA DISTRICTS  Papillion  LaVista  So. Sioux City

6. District 1 Northeast Corner – High School Overall Student Population 3,641 Challenges: SES - 42% Mobility: 17% SPED – 15% ELL – 27% Voluntary in H.S. – PLC 1 meeting per week Membership tripled between 2006- 2008 2/3 faculty Discuss materials beginning to examine student work Pre/post survey (results available)

7. District 1 Qualitative Results Teacher Behaviors (self reported) More reflective Knowledge of instructional strategies increased Experimentation increased Professional collaboration increased Better feedback to students

8. District 1 Qualitative Results Student Behavior (teacher reported) More student self-assessment Increased focus on learning targets Began asking for rubrics/exemplars Questioned if learning targets weren’t posted Questioned why all teachers weren’t using same techniques

9. District 2 Central – High School Overall Student Population 8,367 Challenges: SES - 56% Mobility: 15% SPED – 14% ELL – 26% All H.S. teachers Required – one per month Used Stiggins book One topic per month Weekly bulletins-referenced topic

10. District 2 Central – High School Feedback from Teachers: Not everything has to be graded I hadn’t thought about that Students can help us plan Let’s do this with kids

11. District 3 Eastern – Total District K-12 Overall Student Population 8,854 Challenges: SES - 17% Mobility: 13% SPED – 2% ELL – 12% All teachers – 5 yrs.-- 100 % One day each month examine student work, discuss instruction Changing grading patterns Administrative monitoring Adjusted calendar

13. Lessons Learned Districts must allow time Teachers will engage Collaborative conversations should involve structured conversations about CIA Students do “catch on” and engage Learning improves