A District Perspective on the Use of Assessment Technology

A District Perspective on the Use of Assessment Technology School District No. 46 (Sunshine Coast)

SD No. 46 (Sunshine Coast) • 3700 students • 10 elementary schools • 3 secondary schools • 1 alternative school (~ 250 students) • Declining enrollment 2

Change! • Size of district and relationship makes a difference • Can’t “make” anyone do anything • Motivation • Special education changes

Assessment in SD No. 46 • Need to go slow • District level change takes 5 to 7 years • School level 3-5 years • Testing environment in B.C. • Had to be of help to teachers • Done as a pilot • Start in schools where it would be successful (teachers and administrators)

Testing and Assessment • Testing vs. Assessment • Classroom practice in our district (same page, same day) • Need to group (Correct levels of difficulty and complexity) • 1975…Criterion referenced assessments in each subject area (Alan Taylor)

Triangulation School • Performance Standards / Classroom Assessments District • NWEA Assessment Province • FSA

Our Assessment Partner

Our Assessment Partner • The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) • Non-Profit • Based in Portland, Oregon • Involved with assessment for 20 years, the last 9 years with the computer based assessment tool, MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) • 1,300+ School District partners with over 3 million students being assessed

What do they offer? • Individual student assessments for a number of subjects for students in grades two through ten • We currently assess all our grade 3 through 8 students for Reading and Numeracy • Adaptive assessment

Computerized Adaptive Assessment • When taking a MAP assessment, the difficulty of each question is based on how well a student answers all the previous questions • As the student answers correctly, questions become more difficult • If the student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier

Computerized Adaptive Assessment • In an optimal assessment, a student answers approximately half the items correctly and half incorrectly • The final score is an estimate of the student’s achievement level

Improving Learning With MAP, teachers are provided with useful data to help them plan instruction Information that will: • identify what skills and knowledge the students have learned • monitor academic growth over time • allow them to make data-driven decisions when planning instruction

Design and Features of MAP

Design and Features of MAP • Challenging, appropriate and dynamic for every student

Design and Features of MAP • Challenging, appropriate and dynamic for every student • Accurate data for students across the RIT scale (Rausch Unit)

Design and Features of MAP • Challenging, appropriate and dynamic for every student • Accurate data for students across the RIT scale (Rausch Unit) • Untimed

Design and Features of MAP • Challenging, appropriate and dynamic for every student • Accurate data for students across the RIT scale (Rausch Unit) • Untimed • Measures growth in student achievement

Design and Features of MAP • Challenging, appropriate and dynamic for every student • Accurate data for students across the RIT scale (Rausch Unit) • Untimed • Measures growth in student achievement • Immediate results

Design and Features of MAP • Challenging, appropriate and dynamic for every student • Accurate data for students across the RIT scale (Rausch Unit) • Untimed • Measures growth in student achievement • Immediate results • We assess twice a year, fall and spring

What’s a RIT? • Rausch Unit = RIT • Achievement scale • Equal interval • Used to show growth over time • Scale has the same meaning regardless of the student’s grade level or items taken

RIT (Rasch Unit) Scale • Achievement scale • Equal interval • Growth over time

RIT (Rasch Unit) Scale Adult Reading • Achievement scale 250 • Equal interval -- + -+ + -+ 215 ++ + • Growth over time 150 Beginning Literacy

RIT Score RIT is grade level independent

Assessment Features • Dynamically developed RIT Scale High School Math • Accurate data across the scale • Untimed 5th Grade - - - • Immediate results + - - + +- • We assess 2 times a X Daniel 189 ++ year Beginning Math

Assumptions We Make • Begin with curriculum scale Adult Reading • Example - skills taught in reading 5th • “Covering” curriculum Grade Beginning Literacy

Classroom Reality • Who is really in our classrooms? Adult Reading • Impact on assessment x x and instruction x xx 5th x xx xx x Grade x x x x Beginning Literacy

DesCartes • A Learning Continuum • Uses the BC Curriculum Goals • Learning outcomes available in bands of 10 RIT points • Customized reports for students or groups

DesCartes • Available online or in print • A useful tool for assisting in instructional development • Useful for goal setting for students • Helpful for flexible grouping planning

Subject: Reading Subcomponent: Reading Comprehension RIT Score Range: 201-210

Reports • Information / Data e.g. Class Breakdown by RIT

Subject Breakdown by Goal

Benefits to Teachers

Benefits to Teachers NWEA assessments are important to teachers because:

Benefits to Teachers NWEA assessments are important to teachers because: • They keep track of progress and growth in basic skills

Benefits to Teachers NWEA assessments are important to teachers because: • They keep track of progress and growth in basic skills • They let teachers know where a student’s strengths are and if help is needed in any specific areas

Benefits to Teachers NWEA assessments are important to teachers because: • They keep track of progress and growth in basic skills • They let teachers know where a student’s strengths are and if help is needed in any specific areas • Teachers use this information to help them guide instruction in the classroom

Benefits to Teachers NWEA assessments are important to teachers because: • Results come back fast • FSA is reported months later • NWEA can be available the next day • FSA reports grades 4 and 7 only • NWEA grades 2 - 10 (grade 2 is currently optional in the fall) • Data can be disaggregated by gender, ethnicity, special programs

Benefits to Students • Three-way interviews (Goal Setting) • Setting growth targets

Benefits to Parents • Clear understanding of where their child is academically

Benefits to School District • Supports District Goals –To support a District focus on the success rate of students in numeracy, literacy, and social responsibility –To improve the success rate of Aboriginal students

Benefits to School District • Supports District Goals –To support a District focus on the success rate of students in numeracy, literacy, and social responsibility –To improve the success rate of Aboriginal students Growth data is available for grades K-10 in Mathematics, Reading, and Language Data can be disaggregated for Male/Female and for Aboriginal/Non-Aboriginal as well as breakout for the Sechelt Band and Other Aboriginal students

Questions? Stewart Hercus Superintendent (604) 886-8811 shercus@sd46.bc.ca Bob Cotter Manager of Data and Technology (604) 886-8811 bcotter@sd46.bc.ca

A District Perspective on the Use of Assessment Technology

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