ASSESSMENTS
Students at ICS participate in several forms of assessments, including both classroom and universal screening assessments to ensure students are growing academically and determine goals for school improvement. Quality assessments provide accurate information that is used to support individual student learning. At ICS, a balanced approach to assessment helps monitor student growth, improve instructional practices, and make informed decisions about curriculum and programs. Our assessment system includes formative and summative classroom assessments and universal screening assessments.
Classroom Summative Assessments
Students are periodically given classroom assessments for each subject area throughout the school year. At the end of each unit of study, students are asked to demonstrate understanding of grade level Learning Targets. Classroom summative assessments are developed to be rigorous, engaging, and accessible to all learners with a focus on deep understanding of concepts, proficiency with key skills, and ability to solve complex problems. These on-going assessments allow teachers to determine each student’s progress toward learning outcomes and make informed decisions that connect the assessment to responsive teaching.
Classroom Summative Assessments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Content Area | Assessment | Grade Level | Program Descriptions |
MATH | Number Corner Bridges in Mathematics | 4K-5 | Number Corner and Bridges in Mathematics is a comprehensive PK–5 curriculum that fully implements the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in a manner that blends direct instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration. Assessments include Unit Assessments & Number Corner Assessments. These can be written, observational or through student interviews. The various types of assessments allow teachers to gauge student success on math content and math practices. |
Carnegie Mathematics | 6-8 | Number Corner and Bridges in Mathematics is a comprehensive PK–5 curriculum that fully implements the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in a manner that blends direct instruction, structured investigation, and open exploration. Assessments include Unit Assessments & Number Corner Assessments. These can be written, observational or through student interviews. The various types of assessments allow teachers to gauge student success on math content and math practices. | |
LITERACY | Wit & Wisdom | K5-5 | Wit & Wisdom® assessments embody the use of various modes of information gathering to track student progress and mastery. Throughout each unit, students demonstrate their learning through answering questions about a text, developing written pieces, and communicating during a class discussion. These multimodal assessments give teachers an in-depth grasp on how students are performing on each learning target throughout the school year. |
Amplify ELA (pilot 23-24) | 6-8 | Amplify ELA is currently being piloted in our 6-8th Grade classrooms. This program includes Embedded Assessment Measures, in which teachers can easily track student progress by analyzing their daily work. Summative Assessments within Amplify include reading and writing assessments, as well as end-of-unit essays. These give teachers well-rounded insights into student progress in literacy. | |
Universal Screening Assessments
At ICS, we are dedicated to continuous improvement and meeting the learning needs of all of our students. One source we use to reflect on our strengths and identify areas for improvement is the results of universal screening assessments. These assessment scores are most meaningful when staff, parents, and students understand what the assessment measures and what the scores mean.
Universal Screening Assessments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Assessment | Grade Levels | 2023-2024 | Assessment Descriptions | Resources |
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth | Reading: K5-8 Science: 2-8 Math: K5-8 ELA: 2-8 | Fall Winter Spring | MAP is administered as a universal screening tool that provides a RIT score for students in reading and math. RIT scores are equal interval measures that allow us to monitor student progress in both achievement and growth within a school year as well as from one grade level to the next. | |
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Reading Fluency | K4-5 | Fall Winter Spring | MAP Reading Fluency is a Universal Screener that assesses students’ foundational skills and oral reading ability in grades K4 through 5th grade. Using the online platform, students read aloud into their chromebook or iPad using a headset with a microphone. The MAP Reading Fluency system then records their voice and scores them. Upon completion, teachers receive the automated reports broken down by subtest. Actionable next steps are also provided for teachers as a resource. | |
Progress Monitoring Assessments
Weekly monitoring of growth throughout intense intervention support is necessary to gauge student progress throughout their intervention cycle. Interventionists work with students to administer these progress monitoring assessments weekly during their intervention time. The data gathered from our these assessments is frequently reviewed at a student-by-student level. This information drives the decision-making within the intervention program. Progress monitoring data is shared with families quarterly within each students’ Intervention Progress Reports.
Progress Monitoring Assessments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment | Grade Levels | Assessment Descriptions | Resources |
FastBridge | Students receiving Intervention Support in grades K5-8 | FastBridge is an assessment system that encompasses various different assessments that are skill-focused, general outcome measures, and growth assessments. At ICS, FastBridge is used solely as a progress monitoring assessment for students receiving intervention support. The FastBridge progress monitoring assessments include:
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