Assessment Guide for Curriculum Adoption

Assessment is fundamental to increasing both teachers’ effectiveness and student outcomes. When assessments are focused and clear, they not only shine a light on what is and is not being learned. With these goals in mind, the Assessment Guide for Curriculum Adoption provides guidance in establishing processes and structures that promote the selection, calendaring and organizing of shared baseline, interim, formative and summative assessments that guide instructional decision-making.

Creating a School-Wide Assessment Calendar

Having structures and systems in place for assessment is critical to adjusting instruction, monitoring progress and improving student success. The first step is establishing a calendar that outlines and coordinates all key assessments including end-of-year, benchmark and unit. Below are recommended steps and associated resources for creating a school-wide assessment calendar with school leader(s). Ideally, this process would take place as early in the school year as possible.

Steps:

1. Decide on calendar template.○ possible calendar template (blank)○ calendar template (sample completed) (see 3 tabs)

2. Calendar the marking period time period.3. Calendar the NY state testing dates.4. Calendar any MOSL assessments being administered for each grade.5. Calendar any additional baseline assessments being administered for each subject and

grade.○ Some schools may be using custom baseline assessments or the Writing Matters

baseline.○ Others may use those provided in curriculum resources if available (for example,

Go Math provides baseline assessments) (link to Go Math assessment chart/comingsoon)

○ NYC baseline options are provided on p. 10 of the Periodic Assessment guide.Note that there is a CCLS-aligned baseline assessment for math in grades 3-8 andAlgebra. This assessment is multiple choice and assesses the CCLS-aligned skillsof the prior grade (see p. 18 for more information); There are no NYC CCLS-alignedbaseline assessments for ELA.

6. Calendar the summative/end-of-unit assessment for each unit, for each subject andgrade.

○ Consult timeframe of units for each subject (based on city or school scope andsequence for the year).

○ There is a tab on assessment calendar sample with available Scope & Sequenceresources.

○ Principals will likely consult teachers/teacher leaders to fill in this information.7. Decide if benchmark assessments will be administered, and in which subject areas and

grades, and calendar these if relevant.○ Some schools may be using custom benchmark assessments.○ Others may have chosen from the NYC periodic assessment options in the

Periodic Assessment Guide (see end of this document for key points).■ If schools are using NYC periodic assessments, they would have selected

them in July.■ Keep in mind the time window for administration (included as tab on

sample assessment calendar for reference), as well as the standardscovered on the benchmarks to ensure that they align with what’s beingcovered in the units. Consult Schoolnet for access to/information aboutbenchmark assessments as they become available.

○ NOTE: In reality, you will likely consider the timing of unit assessments (STEP 6)and benchmarks (STEP 7) together, to ensure that benchmarks are aligned towhat’s being covered in the curriculum.

Key Information from the Periodic Assessment Guide (2013-2014):● Schoolnet replaces Acuity as the assessment administration and reporting platform.

● Overview of the Periodic Assessment options across grade-levels (p. 10)● CCLS-Aligned Baseline assessment information (p. 18)

○ Available for Math, 3-8 and HS Algebra○ Not available for ELA

● CCLS -Aligned Benchmark assessment information (p. 19)○ Available for ELA and Math, grades 3-9○ Aligned to NYC core curriculum options and NYS scope and sequence (for

more information see p. 5)

Using Baseline AssessmentsBaseline assessments are typically given as close to the start of the school year as possible to provide information about the skills and understandings students bring into the classroom. The resulting data enable teachers to target instruction appropriately, and have a basis for measuring student progress across the year.

Baselines typically take one of two approaches:

● “Forward-facing” baseline assessments measure students’ performance on the standardsfor the upcoming year, and provide a starting point from which to measure growth inthese standards across the year.

○ For example, the “Beginning of Year Test” provided with Go Math (HoughtonMifflin) takes this approach.

● “Backwards-facing” baseline assessments measure students’ performance on standardsthat students should have mastered in the prior year(s), and provide a window into theextent to which students have mastered the prerequisite standards/skills needed to excelon the upcoming year’s standards.

○ For example, the NYC CCLS-aligned math baseline assessment described in thePeriodic Assessment Guide (2013-2014) is this type of baseline, as is the“Prerequisite Skills Inventory” provided with Go Math (Houghton Mifflin).

○ Teachers may also choose to analyze the prior year’s state test data to gatherinformation about student performance on the prior year’s standards.

In addition to the start-of-year baseline assessment, some curricula also provide opportunitiesto pre-assess students at the start of units of instruction (for example, see the “Show what youknow” assessments provided with Go Math (Houghton Mifflin), as well as the “Unit Readiness”assessments provided with CMP3 (Pearson). These assessments offer a window into students’knowledge and skill prior to the upcoming instruction.

Whether baseline assessments are forward-facing, backward-facing, administered at the start ofthe year, or at the start of each unit, it is important for them to be common across contentteachers at each grade level. Not only do common assessments provide a means for teams tocollaboratively problem-solve and plan for how to move students forward, but they alsoprovide a uniform standard across teachers by which to assess student learning.

Analyzing Baseline Assessment Data: Data Day

In order to provide enough time to thoroughly analyze baseline assessment data and itsimplications for upcoming instruction, an effective strategy is to schedule a “Data Day” (or twohalf-days). The following is a possible agenda for a Data Day to analyze baseline/state test data,that can be modified to accommodate shorter time periods.Data Day 1 Agenda for analysis of baseline/state test data

Using Formative Assessments within Curriculum

I. Understand: What is formative assessment?

Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning with an eye toward improving students' achievement of intended instructional outcomes.

Key features (FAST SCASS, 2008):

Formative assessment:

● is a process, not any particular test

● takes place during instruction

● is used not just by teachers but by both teachers and students

● provides assessment-based feedback to teachers and students.

● results in adjustments that will improve students' achievement of intended curricular

aims.

Formative assessments can be used:

● in individual classrooms

● as common assessments, used across grade, department, school or district. The

formative assessments that are less spontaneous and more big-picture lend themselves

to better tracking and therefore tend to be more appropriate for collaborative

examination and planning.

II. Decide: For what purpose am I using formativeassessments?

Formative assessments address a continuum of needs. They can be helpful for everything from making “in the moment” instructional adjustments to more global decisions related to unit or year-long planning. Some strategies make more sense for individual classrooms while others work well as common formative assessments appropriate for meaningful collaborative inquiry.

Review the chart below that summarizes the full spectrum. Charts that follow on assessmentselection focus on immediate instructional adjustment, near-future instructional adjustment andlast-chance instructional adjustment. (Adapted from Popham, James. 2011)

PurposeTo make... Definition General Examples

ExamplesfromCurricula

Classroom: XCommon: X

Immediateinstructionaladjustment

In the moment, within lesson fordiagnostic purposes, followed bymodification of the lesson

checks forunderstandingmid-lesson,multiple-choice itemswith show of hands

Fist to Five(EL), Think(Write)-Pair-Share (CodeX), Math Talk(GoMath)

X

Near-futureinstructionaladjustment

Checkpoint of progress onattaining learning target withinthe unit, followed by integrationof re-teaching or re-engagement,additional practice in service ofstudent success

mid-unit quiz,practice exercise onsubskill

Mid-chaptercheck point(GoMath)

X X

Last-chanceinstructionaladjustment

Close to end of instructionalsequence, assessment identifiesremaining gaps, often followedby re-engagement of class ordifferentiated activities forspecific learners prior toconclusion of unit andsummative assessment.

Practice ordress-rehearsal test(parallel tosummative test butnot exactly the same)

Go Mathpractice test? X

Learning tacticadjustment

Emphasizes self-direction,students use assessmentevidence to monitor their ownprogress and decide whether ornot effective followed bychanging their learning strategywhen necessary.

Students self- assesswhat works, whatdoes not: re-readingnotes, reviewing thetextbook, completingextra practice sheets

EL learningtarget self-assessment

X

Promote aclassroom shift

Examines if culture iscontributing to learning,including: learning expectations,locus of responsibility forlearning, role of classroomassessment. For big pictureinstructional planning.

Look holistically atresults ofteacher-basedassessments andstudentself-assessments,synthesize todetermine whichshifts are needed

X

Distinguishing between formative and summative assessments

While formative assessment takes place during instruction and aims to guide adjustments alongthe way, summative assessment is typically used by a teacher to make a judgement aboutstudent proficiency at the end of a unit or course and/or to assign a grade. The “line” betweenthe two types of assessments, however, can blur given that the outcome of a summativeassessment can be used formatively when teachers use the data to identify student learninggaps that remain and address them in subsequent instruction. As you develop your formativeassessment strategy in the following steps, consider how your summative assessments willprovide you with valuable data for both purposes - evaluating proficiency and adjustingnear-future instruction and learning strategies. The sample Formative Assessment Worksheetsinclude summative assessments such as unit tests because teachers can use the results to guidetheir planning for subsequent instruction.

Reflect:

● For what purpose(s) do you plan to use assessments during the unit of instruction?● What key information might inform you about if and what students are/are not learning?

III. Select Assessments: Which assessments from the selected curriculum provide the best

information for tracking progress and making sound instructional decisions?

Use the Selecting Formative Assessments Worksheet to plan your formative assessmentstrategy.

Sample Worksheets:● (Scholastic) Code X Formative Assessment Worksheet● (NYS) Expeditionary Learning Formative Assessment Worksheet● (Pearson) Ready Gen Formative Assessment Worksheet● (Houghton Mifflin) GO Math! Formative Assessment Worksheet

Tips for selecting formative assessments embedded in your curriculum.1. Examine the Overview of Assessments chart in the sample worksheet above to becomefamiliar with the types of assessments provided by the selected curriculum for each unit ofstudy.

2. Unpack the assessments within the unit you are about to teach:● Review the big ideas, long-term learning targets, and associated CCLS for the unit.● Review the mid-unit and end of unit assessments for the unit. It may be beneficial to

print the student versions of the assessments along with the scoring tools. For example:Sample Code X Assessment: 6th Grade Unit 1

● Discuss the alignment between the assessments, the standards and the big ideas of theunit.

● Reflect:○ Which concepts and skills are targeted throughout the unit?○ Are there concepts or skills that are embedded in the classroom formative

assessments throughout the unit that you can track to ensure students areprepared for the end of unit assessment?

3. Select the classroom formative and common formative assessments for the unit.● Using the sample Selected Formative Assessments Chart for reference, create a similar

chart for the unit you are planning. It may be helpful to create and review a calendar forthe module: Sample Calendar for 6th Grade Module 1

● Consider selecting both classroom formative assessments and common formativeassessments within each unit. Some assessments make more sense for individualclassrooms while others work well as common formative assessments appropriate formeaningful collaborative inquiry.

○ Begin by charting the common formative assessments. These assessments will beshared by all teachers in the grade, and are likely the mid-unit assessments, endof unit assessments, and performanced-based assessments.

Classroom formative assessments are provided in each of the NYC-recommendedcurricula. It is essential to strategically choose opportunities to address gaps whileinstruction is in progress. While it is necessary to identify opportunities to formallytrack these checks for understanding, it is not always an easy task. Some in-classroomformative assessments can be more easily monitored across students than others.

○ Review the most important learning targets for each unit. Select a classroomformative assessment that can also be used as a common formative assessmentto identify gaps while instruction is in progress.

○ Reflect:■ What will this assessment tell us about what students are learning?■ Is this assessment used best as a classroom assessment or a common

assessment?■ For which standards are appropriate assessment strategies lacking? Where

do we need to supplement to identify learning gaps?■ Where can we find resources for this purpose? (adapt an assignment from

this curriculum as an assessment? create assessments? etc.)

IV. Score: How did students perform?

(approximate time: 1 meeting plus independent scoring time before next meeting)

Prepare for scoring:● Review the purpose (near-future adjustment? last-chance instructional adjustment? etc.)

and objective (standard addressed, skill addressed) of the assessment● Decide on how the assessment will be scored

○ student peer-scoring?○ student self-assessment?○ teachers independently?○ teachers collaboratively (advised when possible)

● Decide on how extensive scoring will be○ score all items for all students? (minimalist approach [below prof, prof, above] vs.

numeric)○ score all items for some students?○ score some items for all students○ (Factor timeliness into the decision.)

● Prior to administering and scoring the assessment, take it so that you can understandpotential pitfalls for students.

Score the assessment.● Execute scoring using decisions made when preparing (above).● Norm collaboratively when scoring extended responses (using the process outlined in

the Norming Process summarized below.)○ State the value of consistent measurement.○ Review the prompt or task AND the associated rubric.○ Review anchor paper (if one exists.) If not, score at least one paper together,

review scores, adjust accordingly to bring scoring into alignment.○ Score one or two practice papers. Compare scores. Make adjustments (as above.)○ Proceed with scoring. Calibrate periodically by reviewing scorers’ grading

together.

Reflect:

● How will the assessments in this unit be scored? Why?● How extensive will scoring be? Why?● How will we balance the need for timeliness with the need to be thorough and accurate?

V. Analyze: What do the data and actual student work tell us about what students are learning and how we need to adjust instruction? (approximate time: 1 - 2 meeting to sort, identify gaps and strengths, decide on next steps)

The process below is most appropriate for near-future [quiz on subskill, practice exercise] andlast-chance instructional adjustments [practice test].

Record and aggregateRecord number and percentage of students who met or exceeded proficiency vs. number andpercentage of students who did not.

● Before team meeting, record using either tracker provided (or your own basicspreadsheet), grade book, paper-based chart or your data tracking system .

● Sort the student papers into THREE groupings or stacks.○ meeting or exceeding standard (2)○ “approaching” standard (1)○ “beginning” or “not yet” (0)

This may take two passes - one to separate “meeting standard” from not meeting andone to distinguish between “approaching” and “beginning or not yet” meeting standard.In pre-tests, anticipate that most will be in the ‘not meeting’ stack.)

● Keep a list of names in each category, using the tracker provided or the Analysis ofStudent Work: Grouping Students worksheet.

Analyze student learning for strengths and gapsLook for patterns in terms of strengths in proficient student papers and learning gaps (areas ofneed) in non-proficient papers.

● Use one of the recommended protocols and tools for analyzing student papers:○ Looking at Patterns in Student Work accompanied by Strengths and Gaps T-chart

OR○ A choice of Looking at Student Work Protocols for deeper look at a smaller set

of work (Tuning, Atlas, Basic)● Go deeper using Reflect on the Patterns of Student Work for considering:

○ Why are students performing this way?○ What in the instruction itself is contributing to the strengths and gaps?

Decide on teachers’ next steps1. Confirm the key learning gap(s) to address.2. Consider: what will we do to adjust instruction to address the key learning gap(s)

(examples: revise the teaching strategy? provide additional scaffolds or resources?provide more opportunities for practice? provide more time for processing?)

3. What supports will we provide for:○ students with more pronounced challenges?○ students who are advanced and require enrichment?

4. Record on p. 2 of T-chart.

Using Interim /Benchmark Assessments

In addition to continuously monitoring student performance and adjusting instruction through formative assessments embedded within the curriculum, it is important to pause periodically and assess students’ performance on “interim” assessments (sometimes also called “benchmark” or “periodic” assessments). Interim assessments are typically common assessments administered at multiple key points (for example, quarterly or semester) throughout the year, that are aligned to both the curriculum/standards being taught as well as to the expectations for the summative, end-of-year exam.

Interim assessments allow teachers to:● compare students’ performance on formative, curriculum-embedded assessments with

performance on more in-depth assessments that align to state tests (and often comefrom external sources)

● calibrate their instructional expectations with a more universal set of expectations toensure that the rigor in the classroom is appropriate

● compare students’ performance with other students in the city (when citywideassessments such as the NYC Periodic Assessments are used)

● identify student learning problems or gaps and potential causes for them● closely examine the performance of subgroups (such as English Language Learners and

Students with Disabilities)● develop strategies and action steps for addressing the learning problems/gaps identified.

Interim assessments also allow school leaders to analyze and track student performance acrossteachers and classrooms.

Analyzing Interim/Benchmark Assessment Data: Data Day

Interim assessments warrant a more in-depth analysis by teams of teachers, so that they takethe time to closely analyze the results, and decide upon implications for instruction that can beacted upon quickly. “Data Days” (or half-days) provide this focused time. The following is apossible agenda for Data Days to analyze interim assessments, that can be modified toaccommodate shorter time periods.

Data Days 2 /3 Agendas, for analysis of interim assessment data.

References for Further Study

Formative Assessment for Students and Teachers (FAST) State Collaborative on Assessmentand Student Standards (SCASS). (2008, October). Attributes of effective formativeassessment. Paper prepared for the Formative Assessment for Teachers and StudentsState Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards of the Council of Chief StateSchool Officers. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.

Faxon-Mills, Susannah, Hamilton, Laura S., Rudnick, Mollie and Brian M. Stecher. 2013.New Assessments, Better Instruction? Designing Assessment Systems to PromoteInstructional Improvement. Rand Corporation.http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR300/RR354/RAND_RR354.pdf

Heritage, Margaret. 2010. Formative Assessment and Next-Generation Assessment Systems: Are WeLosing an Opportunity?http://www.edweek.org/media/formative_assessment_next_generation_heritage.pdf

Popham, W. James. (2011). Transformative Assessment in Action. ASCD.http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108018.aspx

Bambrick­Santoyo, Paul (2010), Driven by Data:  A Practical Guide to Improve InstructionLove, Stiles, Mundry, & DiRanna (2008).  The Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for AllStudents.

Marshall, Kim (2006).  Interim Assessments:  Keys to Successful Implementation:http://www.marshallmemo.com/articles/Interim%20Assmt%20Report%20Apr.%2012,%2006.pdf

Older edition as a pdf:http://titleiidgrants.wikispaces.com/file/view/Transformative+Assessment.pdf

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