Maximizing Assessment Maximizing Assessment Systems for Student Systems for Student SuccessSuccess

The pursuit of compliance is exhausting because it is always a

moving target. Governors move on, the party in power gets replaced, a

new president is elected, and all want to put their own stamp on

education.

It is saner and less exhausting to define your own course and align compliance requirements to that.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPLIANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS

Control of the assessment system is assumed to be external – tests are mandated and not chosen.

Assessments are focused on accountability and are perceived as punitive

Learning goals are focused on achieving compliance (making AYP)

The district’s assessment program changes anytime federal and state mandates change.

Number of annual instructional hours required in school for students in grades 6-8

990

Number of hours required to administer the Smarter Balanced Assessment summative

assessment in grades 6-8

9.0

ESTIMATED TIME DEVOTED TO TEST PREPARATION IN ONE MID-WESTERN SCHOOL SYSTEM

Nelson, H. (2013). Testing More Teaching Less. What America’s Obsession with Student Testing Costs in Terms of Money and Time. Washington, D.C. – American Federation of Teachers

DAYS NEEDED TO COMPLETE PARCC TESTING300 STUDENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Source: 2013 PARCC Assessment Administration Capacity Tool

DAYS NEEDED TO COMPLETE PARCC TESTING900 STUDENT MIDDLE SCHOOL

Seven prinicples to guide maximizing your student assessment system

1.The purposes of all assessments are defined and the assessments are valid and useful for their purposes.

2.Teachers are educated in the proper administration and application of the assessments used in their classrooms.

3.Assessment results are aligned to the needs of their audiences.

4.The metrics and incentives used encourage a focus on all learners.

5.Redundant, mis-aligned, or unused assessments are eliminated.

6.Assessment results are delivered in a timely and useful manner.

7.The assessment program contributes to a climate of transparency and objectivity with a long-term focus.

The 7 princples underlying maximized assessment systems

The purposes of all assessments are defined and the assessments are valid and useful for their purposes.1

Typical assessment purposes

• Identify student learning needsIdentify student learning needs• Identify groupings of students for instructionIdentify groupings of students for instruction• Guide instructionGuide instruction• Course placementCourse placement• Determine eligibility for programsDetermine eligibility for programs• Award credits and/or assign gradesAward credits and/or assign grades• Evaluate proficiencyEvaluate proficiency• Monitor student progressMonitor student progress• Predict proficiencyPredict proficiency• Project achievement of a goalProject achievement of a goal• Formative and summative evaluation of programsFormative and summative evaluation of programs• Formative evaluation to support school and teacher improvementFormative evaluation to support school and teacher improvement• Report student achievement, growth, and progress to the community and Report student achievement, growth, and progress to the community and

stakeholders.stakeholders.• Summative evaluation of schools and teachersSummative evaluation of schools and teachers

QUESTIONS TEACHERS WANT ANSWERED FROM ASSESSMENT

• What does each student know and not know?

• What does this student need to learn next?

• What resources will help this student?

• How can I group these students for instruction?

Teachers are educated in the proper administration and application of the assessments used in their classrooms.2

Assessment results are aligned to the needs of their audiences.3

• School Board

• Students

• Teachers

• Parents

• Principals, school administrators, and teacher leaders

• District Administrators

• Community members

• State and federal officials

Assessment audiences

IT’S GOOD TO KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

WHAT KIND OF DATA TO PARENTS WANT?

Source – Northwest Evaluation Association (2012) – NWEA Assessment Perceptions Study. Survey conducted by Grunwald Associates LLC

QUESTIONS PARENTS WANT ANSWERED FROM ASSESSMENT

• Core question – Do you know and care for my child?

• What are my child’s strengths and weaknesses?

• Is my child on track for the next grade?

• Is my child on track for college?

• Is my child showing improvement?

• Should I be concerned?

QUESTIONS BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS WANT ANSWERED FROM ASSESSMENT

• Which students are struggling with school?

• Which students are not showing progress?

• Which grade levels/teachers are particularly effective or ineffective?

• How can we correct problems before or as they occur?

The metrics and incentives used encourage a focus on all learners.4

Three reasons why metrics matter

1. They frame problems

Why metrics matter

2. They influence public perceptions of schools

3. They incentivize behavior

WHY METRICS MATTER

Case #1 - No Child Left Behind

…is responsible for redefining the term BUBBLE KID.

One district’s change in 5th grade math performance relative to Kentucky cut scores

One district’s change in 5th grade math performance relative to Kentucky cut scores

One district’s change in 5th grade math performance relative to Kentucky cut scores

One district’s change in 5th grade math performance relative to Kentucky cut scores

Case #2

Misidentification of problems

CHANGE IN PROFICIENCY LEVEL CUT SCORES ON THE NEW YORK STATE MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT.

MAP MATHEMATICS GRADE 5 MEANS SPRING 2012- SPRING 2013

Spring 2012 Spring 2013

District 1 226.9 229.7

District 2 226.1 230.7

District 3 232.4 240.6

District 4 227.0 228.3

District 5 208.6 212.1

ESTIMATED CHANGE IN MAP GRADE 5 ESTIMATED PROFICIENCY RATES IN MATH – BASED ON OLD AND NEW CUT SCORES

Actual Change Change if 2012 and 2013 used the current cut score

Spring 2012 Spring 2013 Spring 2012 Spring 2013

District 1 88% 40% 36% 40%

District 2 85% 44% 34% 44%

District 3 91% 72% 51% 72%

District 4 86% 40% 34% 40%

District 5 36% 7% 5% 7%

Redundant, mis-aligned, or unused assessments are eliminated.5

Assessment results are delivered in a timely and useful manner.6

The assessment program contributes to a climate of transparency and objectivity with a long-term focus7

MEDIAN ACHIEVEMENT IN TWO SCHOOLS

PROPORTION OF INVALID TESTS

There is value in learning from past experience