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A Charge to States: My “Take-Home Message”

A Charge to States: My “Take-Home Message”. Daniel J. Wiener Administrator of Inclusive Assessment. University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007. Some Truths About Alternate Assessment.

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A Charge to States: My “Take-Home Message”

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  1. A Charge to States: My “Take-Home Message” Daniel J. Wiener Administrator of Inclusive Assessment University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007

  2. Some Truths About Alternate Assessment • Alternate assessments, particularly portfolios, generally do not measure all the standards measured on a standard test • So, it will be important for teachers to know: • What the state wants taught, and • Whether the state’s alternate assessment will measure what has actually been taught University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007 2

  3. Do Alternate Assessments Improve Instruction? • Alternate assessments, by themselves, do not necessarily improve student learning • Alternate assessments won’t result in improvements in teaching and learning unless: • Teachers know what standards to teach, and what skills and knowledge will be assessed • Teachers need to know how to move students from where they are now toward grade-level achievement University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007 3

  4. If Instructional Improvement Matters… • Alternate assessments won’t result in improvements in teaching and learning unless mechanisms are intentionally built into the system to do that. University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007 4

  5. Implications for States • Develop and provide resources to schools • Teachers need to know what standards to teach, how to teach them, and what will be assessed • Provide a guide to the standards, or content will be hit-or-miss • Teach data collection skills to increase the pace of instruction • Provide intensive, ongoing professional development on instruction, curriculum, and assessment • Promote awareness of continuous improvements • Acknowledge 25-30% turnover of teachers University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007 5

  6. Implications for States (continued) • Make alternate assessment tasks and/or items available to teachers for practice and review • Make opportunities available for teachers to: • Collaborate • Assist their colleagues--share strategies for instruction/assessment • Assist in developing instructional materials • Score the alternate assessments, if possible • Involve teachers in improving the system • Do more than simply taking the patient’s temperature—Use the alternate assessment as a lever to improve student learning! University of Maryland – Alternate Assessment Conference October 11-12, 2007 6

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