Formative Assessment

2. Big Ideas About Frequent Formative Evaluation Using General Outcome Measures and the Progress Monitoring Program One of the most powerful interventions that schools can use is systematic and frequent formative evaluation. Benchmark Assessment is not enough for some students because they may be in ineffective programs too long. The solution is to write individualized goals and determine a feasible progress monitoring schedule. The core of frequent progress monitoring is Survey-Level Assessment, goal setting using logical educational practices, and an analysis of student need and resources for determining progress monitoring frequency.

3. Formative Assessment • Process of assessing student achievement during instruction to determine whether an instructional program is effective for individual students. • When students are progressing, keep using your instructional programs. • When tests show that students are not progressing, you can change your instructional programs in meaningful ways. • Has been linked to important gains in student achievement (L. Fuchs, 1986) with effect sizes of .7 and greater.

4. Systematic formative evaluation requires the use of: Standard assessment tools… That are the same difficulty and that are… Given the same way each time.

5. More Severe Achievement Problems and/or More Resource Intensive Programs Require More Frequent Formative Evaluation Benchmark Testing (3 - 4 x Per Year) is not enough for some students.

6. With Very Low Performers, Not Satisfactory to Wait This Long!

7. Programs That are More Resource Intensive… • Title I, English Language Learning, Special Education • Should monitor student outcomes more frequently than the Benchmark Testing schedule.

8. Formative Evaluation is Impossible without Clear Goals

9. Goals Make Progress Decisions Easier

10. Current Goal Setting Practices Are Unsatisfying • Do you like these IEPs? • I do not like these IEPs • I do not like them Jeeze Louise • We test, we check • We plan, we meet • But nothing ever seems complete. • Would you, could you • Like the form? • I do not like the form I see • Not page 1, not 2, not 3 • Another change • A brand new box • I think we all • Have lost our rocks!

11. Improving the Process of Setting Goals for Formative Evaluation Set a few, but important goals. Ensure goals are measurable and linked to validated formative evaluation practices. Base goal setting on logical educational practices.

12. Few But Important Goals • Goal Smorgasboard! • Student will perform spelling skills at a high 3rd grade level. • Student will alphabetize words by the second letter with 80% accuracy. • Student will read words from the Dolch Word List with 80% accuracy. • Student will master basic multiplication facts with 80% accuracy. • Student will increase reading skills by progressing through Scribner with 90% accuracy as determined by teacher-made fluency and comprehension probes by October 199x. • To increase reading ability by 6 months to 1 year as measured by the Woodcock Johnson. • Student will make one year's growth in reading by October 1990 as measured by the Brigance. • Student will be a better reader. • Student will read aloud with 80% accuracy and 80% comprehension. • Student will make one year's gain in general reading from K-3. • Students will read 1 story per week.

13. Improving the Process of Setting Goals for Formative Evaluation Set a few, but important goals. Ensure goals are measurable and linked to validated formative evaluation practices. Base goal setting on logical educational practices.

14. Reduce the Number of Goals to a Few Critical Indicators Reading In (#) weeks (Student name) will read (#) Words Correctly in 1 minute from randomly selected Grade (#) passages. Spelling In (#) weeks (Student name) will write (#) Correct Letter Sequences and (#) Correct Words in 2 minutes from randomly selected Grade (#) spelling lists. Math Computation In (#) weeks (Student name) will write (#) Correct Digits in 2 minutes from randomly selected Grade (#) math problems. Written Expression In (#) weeks (Student name) will write (#) Total Words and (#) Correct Writing Sequences when presented with randomly selected Grade (#) story starters.

15. Ensure the Goals are Measurable and Linked to Validated Formative Evaluation Practices Goals should be based on quality tests like CBM. Based on validated practices such as how often, how many samples, etc.

16. Base Goal Setting on Logical Educational Practices Leonardo currently reads about 15 words correctly from Grade 5 Standard Reading Assessment Passages. He reads Grade 1reading passages successfully; 68 correct words per minute, which is how well end of first grade students read this material.

17. Goal Setting Strategies Current Performance Information based on Survey-Level Assessment (SLA). Know the Time Frame for the Goal. Determine a Future Performance Level.

18. Conducting a Survey Level Assessment Students are tested in successive levels of general curriculum, beginning with their current expected grade placement, until a level at which they are successful is determined.

19. Setting the Time Frame, Goal Level Material, and Criterion • Time Frame • End of Year (At Risk or Grade-Level Expectations) • In 18 Weeks… • Annual IEP Goals (Special Education) • In 1 year… (or) In 32 Weeks…

20. When Grade-Level Expectations Are Not Appropriate • Consider the Severity of the Discrepancy • Consider the Intensity of the Program

21. Determining the Criterion for Success Local Benchmark Standards. Linkage to High Stakes Tests. Normative Growth Rates. Developing Your Own Sample of Standards.

22. Normative Growth Rates Criterion for Success = Score on SLA + (Grade Growth Rate times # of Weeks) Score on SLA (30)+ (Ambitious Grade Growth Rate (2.0) times # of Weeks (32) Or 30 + (2.0 * 32) or 30 + 64 = Annual goal of 94 WRC

23. Growth Rate Standards Advantages and Disadvantages

24. Developing Your Own Sample of Standards Developing a Small Local Norm

25. Benchmark Standards Advantages and Disadvantages

26. How Frequently to Assess? Balancing IDEAL with FEASIBLE

27. The End