1. Trigg County Public Schools Continuous Assessment Update December 10, 2009

2. Trigg County Public Schools Why assess? For learning Formative assessments are assessments conducted during learning to inform teachers’ instructional decisions along the way to student success. Provide information about how and what students are learning To be used effectively, teachers must take part in a cyclical process that includes assessment, diagnosis, feedback, goal setting, and instruction. - Rick Stiggins and Stephen Chappuis

3. Trigg County Public Schools Assessments and Purposes

4. Trigg County Public Schools GRADE Norm-referenced, research-based reading assessment Analyze reading strengths and weaknesses of a student Monitors growth over multiple years with use of Growth Scale Value Measures –Reading readiness (K) – phonological awareness –Vocabulary –Comprehension (sentence and passage) –Listening Comprehension Teachers should use to modify instruction for all students Resource materials are available for all levels that correspond to identified needs on the assessment Part of the Response to Intervention (TAG) process to identify students with intense needs Not a timed assessment – normally takes 60 -90 minutes to administer

5. Trigg County Public Schools GMADE Norm-referenced, standards-based assessment of math skills Provides information of a student’s math skills and error patterns Monitors progress over multiple years with Growth Scale Value (GSV) Measures –Concepts and Communication –Operations and Computation –Process and Applications Teachers should use to modify instruction for all students Resource materials are available for all levels that correspond to identified needs on the assessment Part of the Response to Intervention (TAG) process to identify students with intense needs Not a timed assessment – normally takes 60 -90 minutes to administer

6. Trigg County Public Schools Oral Reading Fluency 08-09 Use of DIBELs Provided information on the fluency of students in reading Individually administered to students –one-minute passages given 3 times per year –9 minutes per child per year in grades 1-6 and 12 minutes per child in K

7. Trigg County Public Schools ThinkLink As a result of failing to meet NCLB goals for 3 years in a row, Trigg Co. implemented ThinkLink Purpose – predictive assessment related to KY Core Content Given in the grade levels and subjects that are assessed in KCCT 3 times per year – approximately 1 hour per subject Resource/support materials available for teacher use to target specific skills Trigg Co. chooses to give on-grade level assessments 3 times per year

8. Trigg County Public Schools Learning Checks District created assessments (30 minutes per subject) designed to mirror KCCT –8 Multiple Choice and 1 Open Response Provides check of delivery of instruction (pacing guides) and student mastery Evolving into Common Assessments by PLCs –Assessments created by all teachers of a subject/grade level to ensure mastery by all students of essential elements –Plan for 2010-11 is to use Common Assessments

9. Trigg County Public Schools How Much Time Do We Spend on Assessment? Assessment Chart

10. Trigg County Public Schools Instructional Time 11 th Grade 08-09 18 hours of Continuous Assessment = 3 school days (6 hours each) 3 school days / 177 instructional days = 1.7% of instructional time

11. Trigg County Public Schools Changes in 09-10 The District TAG Committee met in June to review the current assessment system. Decision to implement AIMSweb –Training of staff was necessary –First time students have taken this type of brief assessment Reduce the GRADE and GMADE administrations in grades 4-12 from 3 times per year to 2 times per year

12. Trigg County Public Schools Other Assessments? State mandated assessments –KCCT (Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies) – time depends on grade levels Senate Bill 1 required reduced # of days to administer the assessment – 6 days in 2010 –Explore (8), Plan (10), and ACT (11) – one day for 3-4 hours –On Demand writing (5, 8, 12) Others –ASVAB (11 th Grade Only) 3 hours – career/vocational aptitude assessment

13. Trigg County Public Schools Legal Responsibilities

14. Trigg County Public Schools Kentucky Department of Education A Guide to the Kentucky System of Intervention (July 2008 – released to districts October 2008) –Response to Intervention (RtI) integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and to reduce behavior problems. –NCLB 2001 and IDEA 2004 include an emphasis on accountability and the use of scientifically based curricula. NCLB legislated significant changes in standards for schools that focus on accountability for every student’s progress, ensuring that students are taught by highly qualified teachers, proving that programs are successful based on scientifically based research and creating a system fully aligned with state learning standards.

15. Trigg County Public Schools A Guide to Kentucky’s System of Intervention “RtI is usually thought of as a multi-tiered model. In Tier 1, all students receive high-quality, scientifically based, developmentally appropriate academic and behavior instruction within the general education classroom or the core instruction. All students are screened periodically during the school year to identify those who need instructional and behavioral support through interventions.” Approximately 80% of all students will respond with success to core academic/behavior instruction “The focus of Tier 1 is on improving the core classroom instruction in academics and behavior that ALL students receive... By using flexible grouping, ongoing assessment, and targeting specific skills, classroom teachers are able to meet instructional goals.” (McCook, 2006) “Assessment data used for screening may include, but is not limited to, district-wide assessments, school wide or classroom discipline data, norm- referenced assessments or criterion-referenced assessments. Kentucky schools are using a variety of assessments as universal screenings. Some examples are DIBELs, GRADE, GMADE, AIMSweb.”

16. Trigg County Public Schools Senate Bill 1 “Formative Assessment” means a process used by teachers and students during instruction to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes. Formative assessments may include the use of commercial assessments, classroom observations, teacher-designed classroom tests and assessments, and other processes and assignments to gain information about individual student learning.”

17. Trigg County Public Schools Senate Bill 1 (17) The Department of Education and the state board shall have the responsibility of assisting local school districts and schools in developing and using continuous assessment strategies needed to assure student progress. The continuous assessment shall provide diagnostic information to improve instruction to meet the needs of individual students.

18. Trigg County Public Schools Other related questions Grading Scale Advanced Placement Offerings

19. Trigg County Public Schools Cumulative GPA Breakdown by Grading Scale 10 th Grade – 53% of Students have an A or B average 11 th Grade – 50% of Students have an A or B average 12 th Grade – 55% of Students have an A or B average

20. Trigg County Public Schools ACT Score Ranges for 12 th Grade (March 2009) 28+ score – 8% of students yet 14% of students have an A average 21+ score – 37% of students yet 55% of students have an A or B average

21. Trigg County Public Schools Advanced Placement Advanced Placement courses offered in other regional high schools – see chartchart

22. Trigg County Public Schools AP in TCHS Based on transcript review –88 Gifted students in grades 11 and 12 –25 Gifted students have taken 1 or more AP classes (through the 08-09 school year) Results of AP Exams

23. Trigg County Public Schools Commonwealth Diploma 2009-10 – 2 possible candidates (1 is GT) 2008-09 – 0 graduates 2007-08 – 1 graduate 2006-07 – 2 graduates Requirements –4 AP Courses (English, Math or Science, Foreign Language, and choice) with a C or higher grade in each –Take 3 AP Exams –Pre-college curriculum

24. Trigg County Public Schools References Stiggins, R. & S. Chappuis (2005). Putting Testing in Perspective: It’s for Learning. Principal Leadership, 16-20. A Guide to the Kentucky System of Interventions from the Kentucky Department of Education