1. Professional Certification January 25, 2007
Department of
Curriculum and Assessment

2. Department of Evaluation and Research
Ric Williams,
Director of Curriculum and Assessment
Jo Anne Buiteweg,
Curriculum and Assessment Specialist
Peter Hendrickson,
Assessment Specialist

3. Questions to Answer In what ways is assessment data used to
…inform students?
…inform instruction?
…inform placement decisions?
…inform program?

4. Comprehensive Assessment Program
State Level
WASL (or Other Approved Options post 2 attempts)
WAAS
WLPT
Required by State – Developed by District
Culminating Exhibition
Social Studies CBAs
District Level
CCBA – Common Classroom-Based Assessments
DRA -Developmental Reading Assessment
Building Level/Classroom Level
Optional DRA testing
Optional Independent Assessments
(Reading, Writing, Math, and Science)
Optional Coached Assessment Bank

5. Purpose Role of State and District Assessment
The WASL is designed to give an accurate picture of students’ core knowledge and skills in the subject area or domain being tested at a given point in time.
Accurate achievement data are essential for district and school-wide development of curriculum and instruction, and for program evaluation.
Test scores that over-estimate or under-estimate students’ actual knowledge and skills cannot serve these important purposes.

6. Purpose Professional Expectations
Activities to prepare students for the WASL which promote quality, long-term learning are appropriate –or even essential.
Good test-taking skills (assessment literacy) coupled with content learning can reduce the likelihood that extraneous factors will influence students’ test scores.
Report progress toward standards assessed for Certificate of Academic Achievement to parents and students
Create plans for students not meeting standard
Conference with parents to share plans

7. Purpose Professional Expectations, continued
In other situations, when students have not been adequately prepared to take the test–or take them seriously- artificially low test scores can result.
It is the professional responsibility of teachers and administrators to create a positive and supportive testing environment, where students are well-prepared to show what they know and can do on the WASL.

8. Purpose Professional Expectations, continued
Some efforts to help students do well on tests can cause artificially high test scores.
Unethical and inappropriate activities are those aimed only at increasing short-term learning and test scores.
It is also unethical to guide the content of students’ responses or provide access to content that would give them an advantage over other students without the same access.

9. Purpose Role of Building/Grade Level CCBAs
Common assessments are designed to give an accurate picture of students’ core knowledge and skills in the subject area or domain being tested at regular intervals throughout a year.
Shared assessments help guide instruction, build an aligned, articulated, and coordinated approach to learning, and help individual teachers identify professional development needs.
Accurate achievement data are essential for planning curriculum, systematically targeting instruction and interventions, placing students in appropriate classes, and requesting needed professional development.

10. Purpose Role of Assessment in Each Classroom
Assessment for learning is providing feedback to students and teachers which encourages exploration, growth, and attention to learning, used to adjust teaching and learning as a course proceeds.
Assessments of learning or summative assessments communicate specific successes and needs to intended users, based on clearly articulated and appropriate achievement targets, accurately reflecting student achievement at course’s end.
Accurate achievement data are essential for planning curriculum, systematically targeting instruction and intervention, recommending students for appropriate support, and helping students build self-assessment skills.

11. Four Assessment Topics
Collaborative Course Planning
Assessment Planning and Design
Feedback and Engagement Practices
Grading

12. Four Assessment Concepts
Collaborative Course Planning
Clear targets
Core summative assessments
Systematic intervention and enrichment
Assessment Planning and Design
Varied formats – body of evidence
Assessment matching

13. Four Assessment Concepts
Feedback and Engagement Practices
Use of student work in instruction
Student and Peer Interaction
Feedback language
Grading
Focus on learning
Focus on communication
Most recent, most consistent

14. Collaborative Course Planning
Clear Targets
Core Summative Assessments
Systematic Intervention and Enrichment

15. Collaborative Course Planning
Explicit Instruction (As the teacher)
I DO Model
WE DO Interact with students trying out examples. a. Follow with groups trying out.
b. Observe group and give generalized feedback.
c. Follow-up instruction as needed.
YOU DO Individually students try and receive individual feedback.
(“WE DO” Responsive instruction based on students needs)
YOU SHOW Students are asked to demonstrate understanding for evaluation.

16. Assessment Planning and Design
Assessment Design
Clear Targets
Varied Formats – Body of Evidence
Assessment Matching

17. Assessment Planning and Design
Assessment OF Learning
Assessment done “on-demand”
Assess student’s ability to show what they has been learned up to a particular point-in-time
Teacher-Scored
End of Instructional Unit Evaluation
Self-Reflection & Goal Setting

18. Assessment Planning and Design
Assessment FOR Learning
Self-Reflection & Goal Setting
Guided Practice
Content & Form are Coached
Descriptive Feedback
Constant Checks and Intervention
Increase Self-Assessment

19. Assessment FOR Learning Strategies
Provide a clear and understandable vision of the learning target
Use examples and models of strong and weak work
Offer regular descriptive feedback
Teach students to self-assess and set goals
Design lessons to focus on one aspect of quality at a time
Teach students focused revision
Engage students in self-reflection and let them keep track of and share their learning
Assessment Training Institute

20. Four Assessment Concepts
Feedback and Engagement Practices
Engagement
Use of student work in instruction
Student and Peer Interaction
Feedback language

21. Feedback and Engagement Practices
Link to the student – already a user of numbers, writer, reader, scientist
Questioning
Use of student work in instruction
Feedback through marking
Formative use of summative tests
Student and Peer Interaction
Student conversations – (Socratic Seminar)
Peer-negotiated assignments
Peer and Self-Assessment
Feedback language
Choice words

22. Four Assessment Concepts
Grading
Focus on learning
Focus on communication
Most recent, most consistent

23. Student-Centered Assessment
The student’s emotional reaction will determine what that student does in response.
Stiggins

24. Losing Streaks Pessimism: expectation of a negative result
Sense of futility, hopelessness, fatalism
Waning effort
Self-Criticism in failure
Denial, cover up
Fear of risk taking – defensiveness
Kanter (Stiggins)

25. Winning Streaks Confidence
Optimism: an expectation of a positive result
Strong desire to succeed
Self-Analysis in failure
High level of effort
Risk-Taking - stretching
Kanter (Stiggins)

26. Think of helping our kids develop winning streaks
We're going to tell you how far you've climbed before we tell you how far you have to go.
Success is attainable and worthy of attaining.
How we give feedback gives the message that you're welcome here or not welcome here.
Whenever you hear students talk about teachers who made a difference, it's because the teacher believed in the student.
Pretend you're teaching the student something he's never done before. Don't assume fundamentals. Spend time upfront to find out what they do know.

27. Questions to Answer In what ways is assessment data used to
…inform students?
…inform instruction?
…inform placement decisions?
…inform program?