This document provides an overview of assessment in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) for parents. It explains that MYP assessment focuses on what students can do with their knowledge, not what they don't know. The purposes of assessment are to support student learning, inform teaching, and promote higher-order thinking skills. Mesa Middle School uses a 7-point scale for reporting student achievement, compared to the typical 4-point scale. Teachers develop rubrics from MYP criteria to assess student work. Final grades are determined by adding up students' criterion levels across tasks.

1. Mesa Middle School A MYP CANDIDATE SCHOOL Assessment in the MYP (a short guide for parents)

2. Our Guiding Question? How do we best prepare our students for their future in the 21st Century?

3. What is assessment? The process of collecting and analyzing information about students’ achievements to improve teaching and enhance learning .

4. IB MYP Philosophy of Assessment We assess students on what they know and what they can do with their knowledge (application), NOT on what they do not know and cannot do.

5. Assessment for Learning: [IB] Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning. It is central to the [IB] goal of thoughtfully and effectively guiding students through the five essential elements of learning: the acquisition of knowledge the mastering of skills the understanding of concepts the development of attitudes the decision to take action

6. The purposes of Assessment Assessment in the MYP aims to : support and encourage student learning by providing feedback on the learning process inform, enhance and improve the teaching process promote positive student attitudes towards learning promote a deep understanding of subject content by supporting students in their enquiries set in real world contexts using areas of interaction promote the development of higher-order cognitive skills by providing rigorous final objectives that value these skills reflect the international-mindedness of the programme by allowing for assessments to be set in a variety of cultural and linguistic contexts support the holistic nature of the programme by including in its model principles that take account of the development of the whole student

7. What is Different at mesa? Mesa uses a 7 pt. scale based on most recent evidence; not a 4 pt. scale Progress reports at 6,12,24, & 30 weeks; not on quarters Each subject area uses different criteria with their own MYP scales at progress Mesa will provide a report card at semester and end of year based on the 7 pt. scale that converts to a letter grade.

8. So how does it work?

9. MYP Assessment Criteria Science A. One world 6 B. Communication in science 6 C. Knowledge & understanding of science 6 D. Scientific inquiry 6 E. Processing data 6 F. Attitudes in science 6

10. Levels of Achievement Performance Indicator Grade Descriptor Science Criteria A 1 – 2 *Shows some awareness of ways in which science is applied and used to solve local and global problems * States effectiveness of science and its application in solving problems and issues * States how science and its application interact with some of the following factors: moral, ethical, social, economic, political, cultural and environmental 3 – 4 Describes and explains with reasonable understanding ways in which science is applied and used to solve local and global problems * Describes effectiveness of science and its application in solving problems and issues * Describes how science and its application interact with at least one of the following factors: moral, ethical, social, economic, political, cultural and environmental 5 – 6 *Describes and explains with good insight ways in which science is applied and used to solve local and global problems * Describes and explains with good insight the effectiveness of science and its application in solving problems and issues * Describes how science and its application interact with several of the following factors: moral, ethical, social, economic, political, cultural and environmental

11. Rubrics Grade descriptors are used by teachers to develop rubrics Rubric means assessment table IB rubrics are criteria-related Task-specific rubric are developed from the holistic rubrics

12. Sample Task specific Clarifications

13. Interim Criteria for all subjects can be found on Mesa’s web Site:

15. Determining final course grades Your students will receive final grades at the semester and end of year

16. Tasks Students complete various assessment tasks. Evidence of achievement is entered into the teacher’s grade book by criteria Students continue to complete assessment tasks until the end of course

17. Final levels in each criterion are added to provide a criterion levels total for each student. Criterion Final Judgment A 4 B 6 C 4 D 5 E 5 F 6 Total 30

18. The total (30) is converted to a 1 – 7 grade using a table. __________________________ Science Grade Boundaries 1 0 – 5 2 6 – 11 3 12 – 18 4 19 – 24 5 25 – 28 6 29 – 32 7 33 – 36

19. MYP 7 point Performance Indicators Performance Indicator Descriptor 1 Minimal achievement 2 Very limited achievement 3 Limited achievement 4 Good general understanding 5 Consistent and thorough understanding 6 Consistent and thorough understanding in wide variety of situations 7 Almost faultless understanding in wide variety of situations

20. Let’s try it: Here is a Parent Portal view of a Student’s Math Class:

21. Questions? Please write your questions on the provided notecards – we will use your questions to generate a Q&A link out the “Grading Practices” website. Thank you and Enjoy your Evening!