An Integral Part of Professional Learning Communities

What are common formative assessments (CFAs)?

High quality assessments that are collaboratively developed and collectively used to monitor, measure, and promote high levels of learning for all.

What are the benefits of CFAs?Students Teachers Parents

Common Assessment Cycle

Design formative and summative assessments

How do CFAs fit into PLC?What do we expect students to learn?

How will we know when they have learned it?

How will we respond when they don’t learn?

How will we respond when they do learn?

Formative vs. SummativeAssessment FOR Learning

Assessment OF Learning

FormativeTeacher-madeA moving picture

Essential Question: How can we help students learn more?

SummativeNorm-referenced,

standardized, often teacher-made

One snapshot in time

Essential Question: What have students already learned?

Designing a Quality Common Formative AssessmentClear PurposeClear Learning Targets

Are they “essential”?Good Design

Do the items actually measure the target?Sound Communication

How will the data be reported/analyzed?What information will be shared with parents?

Student Involvement

Understanding Learning TargetsStandard Course of Study Goals

Clear learning targets that help students achieve those goals.

Targets Lead to Assessment

Assessment Drives Curriculum and Instruction

Achievement TargetsKnowledge

FactsRight or Wrong

ReasoningCritical Thinking Skill

Performance SkillsProcess (playing an instrument, reading fluency)

ProductsCreating a tangible product/concrete evidence

(writing)

What types of assessment fit each type of learning target?Selected Response

Multiple choice, short answer, matching, true-falseUsually right or wrong

Extended Written Response EssayEvaluated by rubrics

Performance AssessmentProcess orientedEvaluated by observation/specific scoring guides

Personal CommunicationStudent Interviews/Individual Conferences

How do CFAs fit into PLC?What do we expect students to learn?

How will we know when they have learned it?

How will we respond when they don’t learn?

How will we respond when they do learn?

Building Common ExpectationsScore student work individually. Compare

scores.Using Protocols

Provide structure for “safe” conversations.Keep the focus on student learning.Fosters collaboration and CLEAR learning

targets.

Analyze DataWhat are the learning targets?Which targets require more attention?Which students did not master which targets?Which classroom requires additional

support?If you were the teacher of Class ?, which area

do you need to focus on and how will you help students improve?

As a team, what is your “plan of action”?

Student Goal SettingHow do students analyze their own work?

(CFA Goal Setting Examples)How can our feedback help students improve

their work?

Grouping Students for InstructionNeed Attention Proficient Need a Challenge