Parkland School Division K-9 Report Card Opening slide We would like to thank St Paul Education Regional Division #1 and David Harvey (Manager, School Research and Improvement Branch, Alberta Education) for allowing us to use and adapt their materials for our Power Point. COLLABORATE CREATE LEARN

K-9 REPORT CARD Home – School Communication: a comprehensive approach Presentation Overview Home – School Communication: a comprehensive approach Key features of the report card Assessment and reporting alignment K-9 REPORT CARD Presentation Overview This presentation will provide an overview of what is meant by the comprehensive approach to home-school communication The key features of Parkland School Division’s K-9 report card Provide some background information around assessment, and how the report card is aligned with current practices in assessment.

K-9 REPORT CARD Comments about students’ work Notes in agenda Home-School Communication The report card is one means of reporting achievement and it should be considered within a comprehensive approach. Other ways include: K-9 REPORT CARD Comments about students’ work Collection of students’ work Phone calls E-mails Meetings Notes in agenda Students’ learning log Meet-the-Staff night Student-led conferences Individual program plans Parent-teacher interviews Portfolios Home-School Communication The report card is one small part of the student assessment picture.

The purpose of a report card… Home-School Communication The purpose of a report card… K-9 REPORT CARD is to provide an accurate interpretation of your child’s achievement on graded curriculum. is to assist parents with an understanding of areas of strength, areas for growth and strategies for improvement. Home-School Communication The purpose of a report card…

The purpose of a report card is not… Home-School Communication The purpose of a report card is not… K-9 REPORT CARD to compare a child’s achievement to the achievement of other students in the class or grade. Home-School Communication The purpose is NOT…

 Focuses on the ‘how’ of learning, Key Features of the Report Card  Curriculum-Based  Focuses on the ‘how’ of learning, not just the ‘what’ K-9 REPORT CARD Key Features of the Report Card Curriculum-based Focuses on the HOW not just the WHAT

What is “Curriculum-Based”? Reflective of Alberta Education learning outcomes which are statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do Honours assessment practices that align with the outcomes K-9 REPORT CARD What is “Curriculum-based?” Based on the curriculum- i.e. the program philosophy, the program outcomes (knowledge and skills outcomes), and teaching and assessment practices. Assessment practices align with the outcomes: Skills outcomes are assessed differently than knowledge outcomes. Skills and knowledge outcomes are interdependent, and as such, can be assessed with performance assessments, direct observation and conversation.

K-9 REPORT CARD Alberta Education What is “Curriculum-Based”? Alberta Education created this graphic which represents current research around the competencies that 21st Century learners need to acquire to be successful citizens. Competencies are a set of skills developed over time. The skills from the Programs of Study, reflected on our report card, align with these competencies. Alberta Education

Assessment is not…. Assessment is …. K-9 REPORT CARD * An accounting task K-9 REPORT CARD Assessment is not… Assessment is… How do teachers deal with the complexity of assessing skills and processes? David Harvey (Manager of Research and Improvement Branch with Alberta Education) uses the following summary which we find really helpful in answering this question: First of all, he helps us realize that "Assessment is not an accounting task”- it’s not about crunching numbers AND tests with percentages are not the only way that students demonstrate their learning. Assessment is an investigative process.  Like a detective, the teacher collects evidence. And that  Assessment is the process of collecting and interpreting all the evidence of a student’s learning. Assessment is …. * An investigative process * The process of collecting and interpreting information

4 3 Assessment Students demonstrate their learning: by doing, saying, making and writing (drawing) 3 Teachers notice students’ learning: observing students, discussing with students, examining students’ products Assessment So if tests are not the only way that students demonstrate their learning, what DO they do to demonstrate their learning? There are 4 ways that students demonstrate their learning:  by doing, saying, making and writing (drawing). "Doing" and "saying" leave no lasting product, unless the teacher/student records (audio or video) the doing or the saying. If there is no formal recording, then teachers might take anecdotal notes or use checklists to record their observations when students do or say something. There are 3 ways that teachers notice students' learning: observing students, discussing with students and examining students' products (analyzing the things students make and write). Teachers use a variety of methods for recording what they identify about students' learning: they write notes while observing or listening, complete a checklist or rating scale, circle or highlight a descriptor on a rubric, retain the product itself, and video or audio record what students are doing or saying. Teachers use a variety of methods for recording what they identify about students’ learning

“All of the individual pieces of evidence are considered as teachers apply their professional judgment to determine which indicator on the report card is most appropriate.” David Harvey All of the individual pieces of evidence It is the teacher's “synthesis of varied assessment information that leads to a meaningful and useful report about student achievement” (David Harvey)

What are the Indicators & Descriptors? Indicators are achievement levels that show growth along a continuum. Descriptors provide an explanation of the indicators. K-9 REPORT CARD What are the Indicators & Descriptors? Define “indicator” and “descriptor”. On the report card, each subject area is represented by several categories; each category represents a different component from the Alberta Program of Studies for that subject.

Exemplary Proficient Approaching Beginning Indicators of Achievement Exemplary Proficient Approaching Beginning K-9 REPORT CARD Indicators of Achievement These are the indicators on the Parkland School Division report card for the core subject areas. They indicate growth along a continuum of learning. Approaching – shortened version of Approaching Proficiency.

K-9 REPORT CARD Exemplary Proficient Approaching Proficiency Beginning Indicators & Descriptors WOW! Exemplary Proficient Approaching Proficiency Beginning Applies new concepts in a wide variety of learning situations, has in-depth understanding and uses skills and strategies independently Applies new concepts in most learning situations, has thorough understanding and uses skills and strategies with little support Applies new concepts in some learning situations, has general understanding and uses skills and strategies with moderate support Rarely applies new concepts, and has limited or incomplete understanding and consistently requires high levels of support K-9 REPORT CARD YES! Yes, but Indicators & Descriptors Note that each of the descriptors describes the depth of understanding, as well as the level of support required to demonstrate skills. It is reflective of a growth mindset, where all students are expected to learn both knowledge and skills; students may require different levels of support to do this. Not Yet

K-9 REPORT CARD Teachers use comments to: Identify significant student strengths, areas for growth and strategies for improvement. Articulate other relevant information. Comments The last page of the report card is where teachers will report on significant strengths and areas for growth- it will not be a narrative of absolutely everything the teacher knows about the child.

Many outcomes cannot be assessed using traditional tests. For example: Uses inquiry skills such as asking questions, making predictions and observing to investigate scientific questions Builds, tests, and changes watercrafts that float, carry loads and are stable in water Grade 2 Science Take appropriate action and initiative when required in decision-making and problem-solving scenarios Critically evaluate ideas, information and positions from multiple perspectives Grade 9 Social Studies Select and explain preferences for particular forms of oral, print and other media texts Use the meanings of familiar words to predict the meanings of unfamiliar words in context Grade 5 Language Arts K-9 REPORT CARD Many outcomes cannot be assessed using traditional tests Examples of outcomes from Alberta Programs of Study.

K-9 REPORT CARD Weight – 71kg Body Temperature – 38oC Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing varied information Weight – 71kg K-9 REPORT CARD Body Temperature – 38oC Body Mass Index - 25 Blood Pressure – 120/80 Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing… A medical analogy- the doctor assess different things, and uses different indicators for each of these tests to determine your health. Each type of test has a different type of indicator. Cholesterol - 7

Your health is … 57% ??? K-9 REPORT CARD Body Mass Index - 25 Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing varied information K-9 REPORT CARD Your health is … 57% ??? Body Mass Index - 25 Body Temperature – 38oC Blood Pressure – 120/80 Weight – 71kg Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing… It doesn’t make any sense to average out these varied sources of information to make a judgment about your health. Cholesterol - 7

K-9 REPORT CARD Reading Fluency – words/min Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing varied information K-9 REPORT CARD Reading Fluency – words/min Reading Comprehension – 57% Reading Comprehension – Rubric (with indicators) Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing… The same holds true in education. Different types of information are gathered when assessing different types of knowledge and skills. Writing Conventions - checklist Writing Content - teacher feedback

Language Arts grade is … 68% ??? Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing varied information K-9 REPORT CARD Language Arts grade is … 68% ??? Reading Fluency – words/min Reading Comprehension – 57% Reading Comprehension – Rubric (with indicators) Numbers or percentages are not useful for summarizing… Varied types of assessment information cannot be averaged out to provide a single grade for a subject area. Writing Conventions - checklist Writing Content – teacher feedback

The curriculum-based report card is an effective tool because: it provides information that supports students’ learning; it connects directly to the Alberta Education Programs of Study; it is aligned with best practices in assessment. K-9 REPORT CARD The curriculum-based report card is an effective tool because…

What to Expect K-9 REPORT CARD Teachers and schools will continue to engage in conversations with parents as we assist them in understanding the new report card.  These conversations may include: Grade level parent sessions Meet the Teacher night After school “coffee & cookie” conversations K-9 REPORT CARD