Build rigorous, aligned assessments

   
Once teachers and leaders understand the destination for students through the standards, assessments are the key to knowing when the student learning target is met. Student mastery of the standards is measured through a balanced assessment framework that includes both formative and summative assessment. Classroom instructional practices are informed by the learning target for students – and assessment is the only way to know “how well” students learned. This is our final destination – student mastery of the content standards.

Action Steps:

• Identify and adopt resources for teachers to build common formative and classroom assessments utilizing tasks and items that are aligned to the expectations of the state standards.
• Utilize multiple assessment methods to understand student progress towards mastery of the standards and inform instructional response.
• Develop professional learning geared to help teachers understand how to use formative assessments to determine next steps and how to adjust instruction to support learning.
• Identify and adopt a district-wide benchmark tool for K-12 academic content areas that aligns to the state assessment and is a reliable indicator of student mastery of the standards, as measured by the state assessment.