MERA, Inc. Fall Conference 11/24/09 Building a Balanced Assessment Program

1. MERA, Inc. Fall Conference 11/24/09 Building a Balanced Assessment Program

2. Our MISSION • …is to improve student learning and achievement through a system of coherent curriculum, balanced assessment and effective instruction. We do this by collaboratively: • Promoting assessment knowledge and practice. • Providing professional development. • Providing and sharing assessment tools and products.

3. Our VISION for MI educators … • Formative assessment & a balanced assessment system are valued components of MI education. • All MI educators understand & implement a system of coherent curriculum, balanced assessment & effective instruction

4. Our VISION • A network of assessment, coaches & partners function effectively to support the implementation of sound, balanced assessment practices • All teachers & administrators graduating from MI institutions of higher education are adequately prepared in formative assessment practices and balanced assessment systems

5. Our VISION • A network of assessment, coaches & partners function effectively to support the implementation of sound, balanced assessment practices • All teachers & administrators graduating from MI institutions of higher education are adequately prepared in formative assessment practices and balanced assessment systems

6. Our VISION • MI educational entities (local districts, ISDs, education organizations/associations, universities) actively seek to collaborate with other entities on the development of assessment products and services. • Information on assessment products and services is readily available, in an organized manner, to MI educators.

7. Balanced Assessment Formative Formal and informal processes teachers and students use to gather evidence to directly improve the learning of students assessed Summative Provides evidence achievement to certify student competence or program effectiveness Assessment for learning Use assessments to help students assess and adjust their own learning Assessment for learning Use classroom assessments to inform teacher’s decisions Formative uses of summative data Use of summative evidence to inform what comes next for individuals or groups of students

8. Formative Assessment is • a PROCESS • It’s Not Formative Unless.. • Teachers have a plan before they walk into the classroom. • The Learning Targets are clear and linked to every part of the Formative Assessment Process. • Feedback for Learning is actionable. • Teachers analyze student assessment evidence as a way to revise their instruction. • Coaches are key. Coaches and their Learning Teams to focus on monthly themes.

9. Current Activities & Opportunities • Professional Development (2009-10) …Statewide Video Conferences (upcoming & archived) …Common Assessment Development PD Series …Formative Assessment Coach Project (MDE) • Collaborative Projects …MI Citizenship Curriculum …Other content area assessment projects(being explored) • Advocacy – Advancing Knowledge & Practice …Communication (web site, newsletter, white papers, “Reflective Assessor”) …Building membership, alliances, collaborations

11. MAC Web site MichiganAssessmentConsortium.org

12. Developing and Implementing the Formative Assessment Process in Michigan • Where have we gone? • How was the trip? • Where are we now? • What’s next?

13. Balanced Assessment InitiativeHigh Schools OF Purpose: Learning FOR All! • Six 2-day foundational training sessions • Lansing – May 1 & 2, 2007 • Traverse City – May 3 & 4, 2007 • Livonia (2) – May 22 & 23 and September 12 & 13, 2007 • Marysville – September 25 & 26, 2007 • Marquette – October 22 & 23, 2007 • Training at no cost to schools • Each participant received Classroom Assessment for Student Learning text

14. High Schools OF Purpose Learning Targets • Balance needed between assessments FOR and assessment OF learning • Keys to sound classroom assessment and the relationship between assessments and student motivation • Step by step process for unpacking standards into student friendly formative learning targets

15. High Schools OF Purpose Learning Targets continued • Strategies for involving students in the ongoing assessment of their own achievement • Power of learning teams as a professional development strategy for assessment literacy and idea sharing to improve student assessment skills.

16. Examining Student Work Building Common Assessments Classroom Assessment FOR Learning Learning Teams Learning Teams & Embedded Classroom Practice

17. High Schools OF Purpose Learning FOR All! • 75 learning teams • 500 secondary participants • ISD, Local, public, private, charter • Survey of participants

18. What Did We Learn? • Many teams continued to function • Respondents reported using what they learned • Need for more PD, time, support and to engage more of their • An emphasis on formative assessment processes • Professional development into embedded classroom practice? • How can we scale up effective classroom assessment practices to all Michigan teachers?

19. Focus for New Cohorts • Understand Foundational Formative Assessment • Learning Community in a Formative Culture • It’s Not Formative Unless….. • Foundational Training: Dec 1 & 2 or Dec 4 & 5 • Training and technical assistance: Measured Progress, Dover, NH • Studying the process of scaling up of formative assessment literacy via a statewide model – no other state is doing this!

20. 2008-09 Cohorts • Kent • Macomb • Ingham • Montcalm • Ionia • Wayne • Ottawa • Shiawassee • Wexford-Missaukee • Mason-Lake • Saginaw

21. A State-Wide Professional Development Model Formative Assessment and Coaching for K-12 Educators * Projected numbers

22. Participating ISDs, RESAs and ESDs

23. 2008-2009 MI Educators

24. Formative assessment is a planned process in which assessment-elicited evidence of students' status is used by teachers to adjust their ongoing instructional procedures or by students to adjust their current learning tactics. - W. James Popham, 2008

25. CCSSO Draft Definition of Formative Assessment Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes. FAST/SCASS Austin, Texas October 2006

26. It’s Not Formative Unless… • Teachers have a plan before they walk into the classroom. • The Learning Targets are clear and linked to every part of The Formative Assessment Process. • Feedback for Learning is actionable. • Teachers analyze student assessment evidence as a way to revise their instruction

27. Monthly Themes

28. Resources • Website – readings, examples • Site-Visits • Coaches • Monthly Meetings • Measured Progress staff and OEAA contact

29. Monthly Meetings

35. Tiered Research Model

37. For More Information: Kimberly Young youngk1@michigan.gov Kathy Dewsbury-White kdwhite@inghamisd.org

38. Educator Panel: • Bobbiesue Adams – Fowlerville • Leah Beck – Dearborn Heights District #7 • Kathleen Bowling – Fowlerville • Kassandra Lawhorne – Bath • Ben Mainka - Fowlerville • Taryn Sonesson – Wayne RESA • Gabe Sowa - Bath • Laura Telepo – Dearborn Heights District #7