Mercer Elementary School Shaker Heights Ohio

Transcription

1 Mercer Elementary School Shaker Heights Ohio September 2011

2 Table of Contents Mercer Mission Statement I. Overview: Perspective on Assessment II. Purpose for Assessment III. Principles of Assessment IV. Assessment Practices V. Policies on Assessment

3 Assessment Policy Mercer Elementary School Shaker Heights, Ohio Mercer Mission Statement We commit ourselves to educate and inspire students to develop critical and compassionate thinking. With respect, tolerance, and understanding, we guide our students to be internationally minded, life-long, learners. I. Overview - Perspective on assessment: Assessment is integral to all planning, teaching and learning. Assessment identifies what students know, understand, can do and feel at different stages in the learning process and is geared toward improving, rather than simply documenting, student performance. Everyone concerned with assessments -children, teachers, parents, administrators, and board members must have a clear understanding of the reasons for the assessment, what is being assessed, the criteria for success and the method by which the assessment is made. II. Purpose for Assessment The prime objectives are to promote student learning and provide regular and prompt feedback on the learning process and individual needs to students, parents, teachers and administration. Assessment is the ongoing objective evaluation of the progress made by students based on a variety of methods in various learning situations. It involves the gathering and analysis of information about students' skills and performance and is designed to guide planning and instruction. Clear assessment guidelines are essential to our goal of guiding teachers and children through the learning and instructional process. Assessment should effectively guide students through the Learner Profile and the five essential elements of the PYP written curriculum: the understanding of concepts; the acquisition of knowledge; the mastering of skills; the development of attitudes; the demonstration of action as a result of learning

4 The Learner Profile and the five essential elements of the written curriculum are addressed through the collaborative planning of units of inquiry as defined by the International Baccalaureate. III. Principles of Assessment Assessment enables teachers to provide evidence that can be effectively reported and understood by the whole school community and it takes into account a variety of learning styles, multiple intelligences and abilities. An assessment helps identify the effectiveness of the teaching process, the student s learning development and plays a critical role in the reflection for both teacher and student. IV. Assessment Practices The systematic approach to assessment ensures consistency and facilitates collaborative reflection and dialogue which further enhances teaching and learning based on the practices and policies of the International Baccalaureate. Assessments shall be: frequent and on-going; clear and concise; consistent and developmentally appropriate; differentiated to meet the needs and learning styles of all students, including but not limited to those needing special services; meaningful and relevant to the student; connected to the IB learner profile and attitudes; connected to the pre-determined objectives, concepts, and lines of inquiry within each unit of inquiry; connected to the Ohio State Standards. Effective assessments should allow students to: participate actively in the planning and creation of assessments be aware of the criteria for assessment and know what is expected understand the purpose of an activity feel encouraged by their success demonstrate what they have learned and understood demonstrate their learning from an area of strength demonstrate creativity develop critical thinking skills recognize their learning needs

5 V. School Policies on Assessment The Mercer Faculty will: assess content included in the Ohio State Standards and the IB scope and sequence framework pre-assess and use formative and summative assessment activities to improve learning and teaching; use a range of assessment methods which allows for a variety of learning styles and needs; involve students in the assessment process; maintain a system to store evidence of student progress that is easily accessible to students and teachers; help develop an expansive file of effective strategies and tools on the school s shared drive; keep parents/guardians informed of student needs and progress throughout the year, through phone calls, conferences, report forms, informal notes, s and meetings; send report cards at the end of each trimester; provide opportunities for student/teacher/parent reflection of developing Learner Profile attributes; hold at least one parent/teacher/student conference to report on student progress in relation to the development of Learner Profile attributes; keep record of parent-teacher conferences, phone calls, written and electronic communication; support the 4th grade exhibition; review the assessment policy annually at the end of the school year. VI. Types of Assessments At Mercer School we use a variety of assessments and continually reflect and modify the curriculum in order to differentiate and accommodate the learning styles of all students. Evidence of student progress includes: samples of student work; portfolios; observations of students' understanding, thinking and performance; student reflections; student self and peer assessment; rubrics; exemplars; records of test/task results; journals; conferencing; running records; formative assessments, selected responses (e.g. tests and quizzes); open-ended tasks (original responses); checklists; entrance and exit slips, anecdotal records; continuum, presentations, including individual and small group, standardized, formal and informal assessments.

6 Pre-assessment takes place at the beginning of instruction to find out what students already know in order to plan the next stage of learning. Formative assessment is interwoven with the daily learning and provides both teachers and students useful feedback on how well students are understanding and applying new concepts, skills, and knowledge. It is indispensable to effective and purposeful teaching. Summative assessment takes place at the end of the teaching and learning process and gives the students opportunities to demonstrate what has been learned in a variety of ways. Student self-assessment is interwoven throughout the daily learning to engage the students in reflection and assessment on their own learning. Learner Profile assessment opportunities are provided to engage students in the reflection and assessment on their progress in relation to the attributes of the Learner Profile. Assessment of the Five Essential Elements of the PYP is woven throughout the units of inquiry and recorded on the planner for each unit. o Knowledge Assessment of the knowledge learned in each unit is done through the summative assessment which reflects understanding of the central idea. o Skills, concepts and attitudes Embedded throughout each unit of inquiry are opportunities for development of various skills, concepts and attitudes. Progress in these areas is recorded on the planners and self-assessment reflections are completed independently by each student. o Action Any action taken by a student or group of students as a result of knowledge gained during a unit of inquiry is documented on the planner. VII. Recording, Reporting, Conferences *Effective recording, reporting and conferencing should: Involve parents, student, and teacher as partners Reflect what the school and community values Be comprehensive, fair and credible Be clear and understood by all parties Take place regularly throughout the year (*Making the PYP Happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education, pg. 51) Teachers report student progress in formal and informal ways. Formal report cards are completed by teachers at the end of each trimester. Student report cards are completed using the web-based program Progress Book.

7 Standardized and state assessment results are reported through a mailing following the completion of the test. Benchmark assessment results are shared with parents following the test administration. Informal ways that teachers may report on student progress include the scoring and feedback provided from teacher made tests, rubrics and checklists, corrected student work, notes, s, and phone calls home. Portfolios are a purposeful collection of student s work that is designed to demonstrate successes, growth, higher order thinking skills, creativity, and reflection. (IB PYP Making the PYP Happen) Mercer s benchmark testing schedules grade K 4 are posted on the pages below.

8 KINDERGARTEN ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE Within first 15 days of entry January 9-January 20 January-May May 7-23 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Literacy KRP Assessments AIMSWEB/CBM s for students not in KRP / Initial Sound Fluency, Letter Naming Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation, Nonsense Word Fluency KRP Students/Mid Yr. Assessments Diagnostics as students are ready AIMSWEB/CBM s for students not in KRP / Letter Naming Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation, Nonsense Word Fluency KRP Assessment Writing Diagnostic Kindergarten Teachers KRP Specialists KRP Specialists Kindergarten Teachers KRP Specialists Kindergarten Teachers Kindergarten Teachers KRP Specialists Kdg. Teachers/KRP Staff

9 FIRST GRADE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE Within first 15 days of entry Screeners for new students (Reading, Writing, Math) August 31 September 20 AIMSWEB/CBM s Letter Naming Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation, Nonsense Word Fluency Recognition of 100 Instant Words January 9-January 20 AIMSWEB/CBM s Phoneme Segmentation, Nonsense Word Fluency, Oral Reading Fluency Recognition of 100 Instant Words January-May May 7-23 Diagnostics as students are ready CBM Phoneme Segmentation, Nonsense Word Fluency, Oral Reading Fluency Recognition of 100 Instant Words

10 SECOND GRADE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE Within first 15 days of entry August 31 September 20 Screeners for new students (Reading, Writing, Math) AIMSWEB/CBM s nonsense word fluency, oral reading fluency Recognition of 200 Instant Words AIMSWEB M-CAP January 9-January 20 CBM oral reading fluency Recognition of 200 Instant Words AIMSWEB M-CAP January-May April May 7-23 Diagnostics as students are ready Stanford Achievement Test CBM oral reading fluency Recognition of 200 instant words

11 Within first 15 days of entry AIMSWEB M-CAP THIRD GRADE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE MAP Assessment (by Skills staff) August 31 September 20 AIMSWEB/CBM s oral reading fluency Recognition of 300 Instant Words AIMSWEB M-CAP September 7-12 October 4-6 January 9-January 20 Benchmark Assessments OAT Reading Subtest CBM fluency Recognition of 300 Instant Words April 23-May 11 May 7-23 AIMSWEB M-Cap Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA) CBM fluency Recognition of 300 Instant Words

12 AIMSWEB M-CAP FOURTH GRADE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE Within first 15 days of entry August 31 September 20 AIMSWEB/CBM s fluency MAP Assessment (by Skills staff) Recognition of 400 Instant Words AIMSWEB M-CAP Benchmark Assessments September 7-12 January 9-January 20 AIMSWEB fluency Recognition of 400 Instant Words AIMSWEB M-CAP February 6-13 April 23-May 11 Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA) May 7-23 AIMSWEB fluency Recognition of 400 Instant Words

13 AIMSWEB M-CAP