AGORA ASSESSMENT MODEL OVERVIEW
Balanced Assessment Model
The term "balanced assessment" refers to the strategic use of formative, and summative measures of student performance in a way that addresses immediate student needs, informs ongoing instructional adjustments, and guides long-­‐term educational improvement. A balanced approach to assessment recognizes both the strengths and limitations of the various assessment types and highlights the most relevant assessment data to address student learning needs, improve instruction, and increase accountability at all levels within an educational system.
A balanced assessment system is a synthesis of interacting quality assessments and assessment methods that inform instruction, enhance student learning and engagement, and guide continuous educational improvement. These assessments align to rigorous and relevant learning outcomes, provide essential student performance data that is both valid and reliable, and support all stakeholders in taking ownership of monitoring student progress and ensuring academic success.
Agora’s Balanced Assessment Model takes advantage of both assessment of Learning and assessment for learning.
Types of Assessments at Agora
Assessments
Click Here for a Glossary of terms
Summative ASSESSMENT at the CONCLUSION of LEARNING
Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement at the conclusion of a defined instructional period—typically at the end of a project, unit, course, semester, program, or school year. Summative assessment provide data that may be useful for ranking and comparing schools, districts, or programs, and they may yield disaggregated data that identify content areas in which particular groups of students are struggling. Their results may be useful in helping schools adjust the instructional program for the future. However, these standardized tests are not a good assessment choice for addressing students' current academic needs. The purpose of summative assessments is to evaluate final efforts to prove learning has occurred.
Formative ASSESSMENT DURING LEARNING*
Formative assessments are administered frequently during an instructional unit to assess student learning as it happens. Used effectively, formative assessment provides information that helps the teacher adjust instruction to improve learning. Formative assessment can be delivered asynchronously through our online content or synchronously by a teacher. The purpose of formative assessment is to provide ongoing feedback to improve learning outcomes.
Screeners DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS
Screening is conducted to identify or predict students who may be at risk for poor learning outcomes. Universal screening assessments are typically brief, conducted with all students at a grade level, and followed by additional testing or short-­‐term progress monitoring to corroborate students’ risk status.
Progress Monitoring MEASURES RATE OF IMPROVEMENT
Progress monitoring is used to assess students’ academic performance, to quantify a student rate of improvement or responsiveness to instruction, and to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual students or an entire class.
*Extensive research on assessment and learning shows that skilled use of formative assessment has a significant positive effect on student learning (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Heritage, 2007; Stiggins & DuFour, 2009). But for a formative assessment system to be effective, teachers must continually check students' learning and be willing to modify instruction to meet the student needs identified by the data. Both practices may require teacher to change/adjust their teaching methods to meet each individual student’s learning needs.
NextGen Assessments 6-­‐8
Daily Assignment
Daily assignments are comprised of 6 multiple choice and TEI (technology enhanced items) that students would complete after performing all related tasks within a lesson. There will be a pool of 27 questions that randomly populates questions for the student. 5 objective worth 1 point each and 1 TEI worth 5 points. In addition students will also see and be asked to complete any learning skill assessment items that were not answered correctly. These items will not be graded but instead used to measure student growth throughout the lesson.
Weekly Quiz
Weekly quizzes are performed at the conclusion of each week and are comprised of content contained within the 4 previous lessons. The questions offered are multiple choice, TEQ, and free response. The pool for these assessments is comprised of all questions offered in previous units.
Unit Exam
Unit exams are a summation of all material covered within the 12 lessons of the unit. The questions offered are multiple choice, TEI, and free response.
Skill Assessment
Each lesson begins with students completing a 3 question skill assessment. The questions are structured as DOK 1, 2, and 3 so that the teacher can begin gathering data before the student enters synchronous sessions.
Items in each lesson pool:
20 -­‐ Objective items (1 point questions with only 1 “task” to complete)
7 -­‐ Technology-­‐Enhanced Items (5 point questions that have multiple items to gauge correctness)
3 -­‐ Learning Skill Assessment Items (Not graded -­‐-­‐ contained at the beginning of each lesson as DOK 1, 2, and 3)
4 -­‐ Free Response Items (PSSA released items, essay, short answer, problem solving)
Assessments within Harpara-­‐ ELA writing assignments-­‐ using Google docs
● all writing done through here ● all interdisciplinary assessments done through here ● Reteaching part-­‐
● Gooru-­‐ resources ● 6 diff activities-­‐ data would be time related not score related-­‐ each item will be timed not scored-­‐ you failed spent 35 secs on gooru and then failed again-­‐ let’s rethink this Balanced Assessment Data Driven Decision Making Process
Data-­‐Based Decision Making occurs at all levels within Agora: district level, school level, grade level and at the individual student level. Our data-­‐based decision making process at Agora is rooted in routines and procedures that establish solution finding strategies aimed at increasing student academic success. Data is used to compare and contrast the adequacy of the core curriculum and the effectiveness of different instructional and behavioral strategies. The purpose of data analysis is to identify students who need additional assessment and instruction; evaluate effectiveness of core curriculum and instruction; allocate resources; and evaluate effectiveness of instructional programs for target groups (e.g., ELL, Title I). Agora’s Balanced Assessment Model provides data that is both summative and formative in nature. Our data analysis structures are put in place so that every level of the Agora organization is involved in solution finding that leads to greater student success. Teachers engage in individual review, and team review of student data within Professional Learning Communities, while our leadership engages in school wide, grade level, and content area level analysis. This cohesive structure provides a layered view that reaches every piece of our organization.
The Agora data-­‐driven decision making process follows this cycle: Plan, Implement, Assess/Analyze Results; and Adjust/ Modify. This cycle is rooted in solution finding activities that lead towards improved student learning through our holistic data based decision making model.
Operational Mechanism for Data Based Decision Making-­‐ The PLC
School level teams will serve as the mechanism for facilitating data driven decision making conversations. These teams will exist at every level of the Agora organization, starting with teacher teams leading all the way up to Leadership teams. Teams will exist as a Professional Learning Communities. PLCs have a laser like focus on improving learning outcomes for all students.
The Agora PLC represents an ongoing process whereby educators work collaboratively to solve inquiry based problems and engage in action research to achieve better outcomes for students that they serve. PLCs operate under the assumption that the key to improved outcomes for students is continuous job embedded learning for educators.
For more details regarding PLC’s please visit this link: PLC and Teaming Overview
Agora Assessment Inventory
Summative Assessments
I.
State Assessment-­‐ PSSA Frequency= 1x per year PSSA
Reading
Math
Writing
Science
Keystone= end of course exam Reading
Math
K
6
PSSA
PSSA
1
7
PSSA
PSSA
2
8
PSSA
PSSA
Writing
Science
PSSA
PSSA
3
PSSA
PSSA
4
PSSA
PSSA
5
PSSA
PSSA
6
PSSA
PSSA
9
PSSA
PSSA
10
11
PSSA
PSSA
PSSA
12
KeyStone End of Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Literature, English Composition, Biology, U.S. History, (World Course Exams History, and Chemistry, Civics and Government available 2015)
II.
III.
Asynchronous / Synchronous Unit & Course Exams-­‐ Frequency= asynchronous unit exams every 3 weeks; teacher generated on a quarterly basis Culminating Projects-­‐ Frequency-­‐ routinely throughout the duration of a course Formative Assessments
I.
Asynchronous / Synchronous lesson assignments / activities / tasks-­‐ Frequency= weekly A. Subject Areas-­‐ All with a concentration on Literacy across all subject areas II.
Agora NextGen Assessments: Assessment
Content
Grade Level
Frequency
Learning Skill
3 Questions total
1 of each DOK level 1-­‐3
6-­‐8
First component of every lesson
Non-­‐graded
Daily Assignment
6 questions total
5 objective questions
1 Technology enhanced item
6-­‐8
After completion of lesson materials on days 1-­‐4, 6-­‐9, and 11-­‐14 of a unit
System-­‐graded
Quiz
26 questions total
20 objective questions
4 Technology enhanced items
2 free response items
6-­‐8
After completion of lessons 1-­‐
4 (week 1) and lessons 5-­‐8 (week 2) of a unit
System and teacher-­‐graded
Exam
40 questions total
30 objective questions
6 technology enhanced items
4 free response items
6-­‐8
After completion of each unit (3 weeks)
System and teacher-­‐graded
Screeners and Progress Monitoring Tools
I.
RTI Assessments: Academic Assessments
STAR Early Literacy K-­‐3
Computer-­‐based diagnostic STAR Reading
Independent Reader-­‐12
STAR Math 1-­‐12
Assessment of math assessment of early literacy skills developed for Pre-­‐K–3 students. Assessment of reading comprehension and skills for independent readers through grade 12.
STAR Early Literacy tracks development in seven domains:
• General Readiness
• Graphophonemic Knowledge
• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Comprehension
• Structural Analysis
• Vocabulary
achievement for students in grades 1–
12.
STAR Reading Enterprise tracks development in five domains:
• Word Knowledge and Skills
• Comprehension Strategies and Constructing Meaning
• Analyzing Literary Text
• Understanding Author’s Craft
• Analyzing Argument and Evaluating Text
STAR Math Enterprise tracks development in four domains:
• Numbers and Operations
• Algebra
• Geometry and Measurement
• Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability Screening
Y
Y
Y
Progress monitoring
Y
Y
Y
Classroom Diagnostic Tools: Computer adaptive assessment that provides a set of online tools designed to provide diagnostic information in order to guide instruction and provide support for students and teachers.
● Offered to students grades 3-­‐HS ● based on content of Keystone Exams and PSSA ● composed of MC questions ○ test could take from 1 ½ hours for younger students and 45 minutes for HS students ● provides real time results with data reporting for teachers ● Can deliver CDT up to 3 times a year-­‐ beginning, middle and end ○ should have at least 6 to 8 weeks between assessments so data can be analyzed and instruction adapted ● CDT can be reflective of how a student would perform on Keystones and/or PSSA RTI Assessment Schedule:
K-­‐12
Reading
Math
Behavior
Grade Levels
Screeners
3x a year
3x a year
3x a year
K-­‐12
Tier 2 Progress twice a month
Monitoring
twice a month
twice a month
K-­‐12
Tier 3 Progress Monitoring
Weekly
Weekly
K-­‐12
Weekly
Assessment Inventory & Data Analysis Schedule (Internal & External Assessments):
Assessment/ Data Source
Data Type
Content Area
Dates of Collection
Students Accessibility of Effective use of Data
assessed Data
EXAMPLE: Unit Assessments Summative
Core Subjects (Math, Science, every 3 weeks
6-­‐8
online reporting
Track data over time to ensure students are on -­‐ Internal
PSSA -­‐External ELA, SS)
Summative
Reading & Math
track and developing skills. PLC discussions occur to adjust instructional practices
once a year
3-­‐8, & 11
online state reporting Leadership teams analyze data, look for trends, consider current curriculum and instructional practices with grade level and content teams
Formative Assessments
Screeners
Progress Monitoring Assessment
Agora School Design Building Blocks that Support a Balanced Assessment Model
Standards Based , Personalized Student Learning Experiences: Instruction, Curriculum & Assessment is rooted in standards based teaching and learning. Student learning experiences reflect a focus on foundational, collaborative, personalized and conceptual learning experiences. School leaders, teachers and staff have a clear understanding of the adult behaviors and actions that lead to a standards based, personalized learning experience for all students.
Data Driven Aligned Instruction, Curriculum & Assessment:
Student data is analyzed on a frequent, continuous basis by leaders, school teams, and individual teachers and staff members. Data analysis is used to evaluate instructional impact on learning; adaptation of instruction, curriculum & assessment; and modification of interventions & personal learning plans.
Multi Tiered System of Supports: A system of targeted multi tiered supports and interventions are in place and serves as a universal model to meet the diverse needs of students. Teams meet on a regular basis to monitor, adjust practices and collaboratively plan goals and interventions aimed at meeting student's diverse needs.
Student Individualized Learning Plan: A student Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) is developed and monitored by the school in conjunction with families, students and staff. The Plan charts a students personalized progress towards goals and skill attainment. Student data and feedback drives the plan development throughout the student's academic career mapping towards graduation and college and career preparedness.