Assessment

Hello Assessment Bloggers:

I am knee-deep in RTI in Illinois.  I spoke to a friend of mine who is an assessment coordinator for a district in another state, and she said her state is basically saying, “Make me!”  They don’t intend to start dealing with the mandate until 2009-2010 when they are told they have to be in compliance.  How are your states approaching this?  Are you starting right now, or are you waiting to start?

Lynn

Congratulations, Discovery Education Assessment, on being selected as one of the top software products of the year.  These choices were made by actual users of the products, by people who have discovered what we are living every day: the more we know about  how are students are learning, the better our instruction be tailored to meet their needs.  To read the report, go to http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1474&p=3#0. 

Laurie

Schools in Florida are currently busy selecting the Core Curriculum Reading Program that will help us teach reading to a diverse population for the next 6 years.  Most of the programs on the state’s approved program list offer benchmark assessments 3 or 4 times per year.  If you have had experience with benchmark assessments from major reading textbook publishers, how have you coordinated the data provided with the assessment data from the Think Link/Discovery Assessments?

 Laurie

Hi All-

Can anyone tell me about Curriculum-Based Measurement?  As I’m looking at the articles on CBM, it looks like RTI.  Are we using CBM for RTI?  Don’t you hate people who use education jargon and acronyms???? 

Lynn

Here in Florida we have begun FCAT, which mean two weeks of intensive criterion referenced and norm-referenced assessment at grades 3-11.  As I watch the students focus all their energies on FCAT, I am struck by how the level of effort applied on these assessments differs from that applied on other assessments, including Think Link.  While many of our students are determined to show how well they can perform on all assessments, there are also those who only give their all when they feel the stakes are high, as they certainly are for FCAT.  Any thoughts on how we can encourage a more consistent performance from our students?

 Laurie

Hi All-

For those of you about to start your high stakes tests-good luck!!  I was wondering how your classrooms change when these tests are done.  I work with a group of teachers who often make comments about really cool lessons that they want to try after the ISATs.  The teachers often feel like they can’t take any time to do anything other than prepare for the tests.  We talk about ways to enhance units with technology and the response is often that they can’t take the time.  I have to wonder whether that means that the best instruction is BEFORE or AFTER the high stakes tests.  Any thoughts?

Lynn

Hello fellow assessment bloggers,

Florida’s statewide assessment, FCAT, starts in two weeks. We recently finished our 3rd Think Link assessment of the year (Test B), and our teachers are working to plan instruction based on this data along with the data provided by the multitude of other assessments they use. 

To add a bit of variety to our test-prep routines, and to get the students up and moving, our 3rd grade analyzed the results of the tests in Reading and Math, created and printed appropriate Practice Probes, and then placed the probes in various stations around the room.  Students armed with clipboards worked in pairs to read, discuss, and answer the questions.  After a few minutes, the pairs moved to the next station.  This generated some fantastic student talk, and the teachers were able to listen as the students verbalized their thought processes as they work through the problems.  This gave the teachers even more input for planning future instruction.

 Laurie

I am in Illinois, and the state tests (ISAT) begin in early March.  For those of you who are using Discovery Assessments/ThinkLink, do you have any favorite “data-driven” strategies for the last two weeks before the high-stakes testing begins? 

Lynn

I heard a comment from one of my teachers about the PAB structure for Discovery Assessments.  Her opinion was that, although interesting, she really would prefer to eliminate the P test and get immediate grade-level information.   She felt that the sooner she could get information that was aligned with what the kids would see on the state test, the better she could prepare them.  I wondered what your teachers are saying?

 Lynn

A recently published U.S. News and World report article entitled “Schools Cut Other Subjects to Teach Reading and Math” addresses the issue of schools focusing more on Reading and Math at the expense of other subjects in an effort to meet the demands of NCLB and high-stakes testing.  In speaking with various colleagues across my local school district, as well as, neighboring school districts, I find that many teachers and administrators are feeling pressured to promote an abridged curriculum.  Of course, test scores look amazing.  But, are we adequately preparing students to successfully compete in today’s society?    Is this "new" curriculum encouraged in your school?    Do you agree or disagree with this practice?  Why/Why not?

Paula