The Work Sampling System (WSS) is an observational assessment approach that uses guidelines, checklists, portfolios, and summary reports to help teachers document children's skills, knowledge, behaviors, and academic achievements from preschool to 6th grade. Research studies found that WSS provides a valid measure of student achievement and progress. It accurately identifies students at risk of academic difficulties and its teacher ratings correlate with standardized test scores. Parents and teachers expressed satisfaction with WSS and students in WSS classrooms experienced significant achievement gains.

1. The Work Sampling System:
An Overview
SSaammuueell JJ.. MMeeiisseellss
ssmmeeiisseellss@@eerriikkssoonn..eedduu

3. Performance Assessment
Methods that enable children
to demonstrate their knowledge, skills,
and personality through performing
tasks that are part of their daily
experience.

4. The best way to evaluate
a child’s performance is
to study performance,
not something else.

6. Curriculum-Embedded
Assessments
Assessments based on
students’ typical classroom
performance.

7. The Work Sampling System
A continuous progress, instructional assessment
that uses:
• Guidelines and Checklists,
• Portfolios, and
• Summary Reports
To help teachers document and assess
children’s skills, knowledge, behaviors, and
academic achievements from preschool (3- year
olds) to Grade 6.

9. Purpose of a
Performance-Based Checklist
Helps teachers:
• Observe and document children’s skills and
accomplishments,
• Keep track of what individual children know
and can do,
• Plan developmentally-appropriate classroom
experiences throughout the year.

10. Language & Literacy
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Research

11. Preschool 4 Developmental
Checklist

12. Preschool 4 Language and
Literacy

15. Portfolios
A purposeful collection of
students’ work

16. Purposes of Portfolio
Collection
• Shows quality of work
• Demonstrates progress
• Displays work across domains
• Involves children in evaluating their work
• Assists with instructional planning

23. Summary Reports
• Combine information from Checklists
and Portfolios
• Rate student performance and
progress
• Highlight strengths, concerns, and
plans.

24. SUMMARY REPORTS: WSO offers templates and tools for
creating Family Reports to share with families.

25. OUTCOMES REPORTS: WSO aggregates data.
Reporting on each of the domains, components, and
indicators available.

26. CCaann WWee TTrruusstt
TTeeaacchheerrss’’ JJuuddggmmeennttss??

27. Purpose of Study
To evaluate the validity of
the Work Sampling System
(WSS) as a measure of children’s
learning and academic
achievement.

28. Principal Study Questions
• Is WSS a valid means of evaluating student
achievement and progress?
• What is the impact of WSS on families?
• What is the impact of WSS on student learning?

29. Sample for the
Validity Studies
• K – 3, cross-sectional
• N = 345
• 17 classrooms (volunteer), 5 schools
• 70% African-American, 80% free and
reduced lunch, 49% male, 8% special
needs

30. Results of the WSS Validity
Study (K - 3)
• WSS correlates very well with a
standardized, individually administered
psychoeducational battery (the Woodcock
Johnson-Revised);
• WSS is a reliable predictor of achievement
ratings in kindergarten – Grade 3;
• Data obtained from WSS accurately
discriminate between children who are and
are not at risk.

31. Accuracy of WSS
Teacher Ratings
When two students––one with
reading difficulties and one
without––are chosen randomly, the
student in academic difficulty has an
84% chance of being ranked lower
on the WSS Language and Literacy
checklist than the student without
reading problems.

33. Parental Reactions to
Work Sampling
Parents in this study (N = 246; 70% return rate):
• Hold positive attitudes toward WSS
• Believe that WSS is beneficial
• Prefer WSS summary reports to conventional
report cards
• Want their children to continue participating in
WSS classrooms

34. How Parental Reactions Are
Formed
• Parents’ perceptions of teachers’
willingness to use WSS.
• Teachers’ availability to answer parents’
questions about WSS.

35. DDooeess IInnssttrruuccttiioonnaall
AAsssseessssmmeenntt IImmppaacctt
CChhiillddrreenn’’ss LLeeaarrnniinngg??

36. Impact on
Achievement Test Scores
WSS, low-income, urban, minority third
and fourth grade students’ (N=96)
performance on the ITBS exceeds the
scores of a matched contrast group
(N=116), and those of other students in
the district (N=2922).

38. Conclusions
• WSS is a valid and effective assessment of
children’s learning.
• Teachers and families are satisfied with the
system and become more so as they have
more experience with it.
• Students in WSS classrooms make
significant achievement gains.

39. Benefits of an Observational
Assessment System
• Focuses on what children know and can do
• Engages teachers in the assessment process
• Demonstrates progress over time
• Adaptable for diverse students
• Understandable to parents
• Instructional in orientation; not high-stakes

40. TThhee bbeesstt wwaayy ttoo
iimmpprroovvee aa cchhiilldd’’ss
ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee iiss ttoo
tteeaacchh tthhee cchhiilldd,, nnoott
tteesstt tthhee cchhiilldd..