Formative Assessment and Student Achievement: Partnering with KASC

1. Joshua E. Powell Patricia Sheffer Formative Assessment and Student Achievement: Partnering with KASC

2. Rationale for Improvement

3. Individual Rankings • Rankings unite community • Understand data: rankings vs. generational improvement (NCLB) • District ranked 161 out of 175 • High School ranked 185 out of 201 • Middle School ranked 166 out of 216 • Morganfield Elem. ranked 671 out of 713 • Sturgis Elem. ranked 373 out of 713 • Uniontown Elem. ranked 247 out of 713

4. The Blessing of Deprivation • The ability to build a strong foundation • Do not have to negotiate with terrorists • Everybody has to drink the COOL-AID • Sense of urgency • Viewing proficiency as a minimum requirement • Brief window of opportunity to do what is right

5. Initiatives • Creation of Department of Student Achievement • Passing of Formative Assessment Initiative • Paradigm shift • Student-centered vs. adult centered • Empowerment of the best and brightest • Accountability: data drives decisions

6. Establishing a Foundation • Promotion: talent/ability vs. experience • Right people in key spots • Take advantage of the honeymoon—Board and community relations • Winning the first battle will lead to winning the war • Establish relationships with best and brightest organizations with proven success

7. Why KASC? • Proven track record • 100% student achievement driven • Not politically motivated • Personal characteristics of individual members • Mindset—high expectations • Ownership of Kentucky and each individual district • Belief that Kentucky should be the best

8. Partnering with KASC • Established foundation--trained key players • Existing respect and rapport with teachers • Thoroughbred philosophy • Avoidance of groupthink • Assertive confrontational model • Brutal honesty • Constructive feedback

9. Formative Assessment • Weekly ongoing formative assessment model • Linking performance to evaluation • Data makes decisions • Lead to growth and improvement but accept no excuses • Urgency • Critical developmental periods for children

10. Formative Assessment • Protocol • Weekly KCCT-like assessments • Immediate analysis of data • Plan for improvement (teacher and student) • District Benchmark assessments • Principal walkthroughs • Instructional walkthroughs • Data presented to Civic Organizations • IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING DATA

11. Formative Assessment • Formative Assessments “for” learning • Summative Assessments “of” learning • People don’t perform because of what’s expected, they perform because of what’s inspected • The importance of follow-through • Curriculum specialists: critical component • High expectations • The Navy SEALS of curriculum and instruction

12. Formative Assessment Validity

13. What does Formative Assessment look like? • Curriculum specialists and teachers model structure of KCCT-like assessment • Analyze student responses/conference with individual student • Builds student confidence and motivation • Guides future instruction • Monitor progress toward academic goals • Assessment is instruction

14. Carnegie Math: UCMS Grade Percent Proficient and Distinguished

15. Success? • Anticipate that we will make extraordinary gains at every level • Anticipate that the accuracy of our Formative Assessment will be great • Anticipate that rankings will dramatically improve at every level *The aforementioned anticipations are based on Formative Assessment analysis

16. Why all the fuss? • Kentucky is 34th • Accountability system is at a standstill • Opportunity • New commissioner • Partnership of KASC, Prichard Committee, and Council for Better Education • Our children