2016 – 2017 Common Quarterly Writing Assessment/Narrative Q1

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Melissa Linton

2016 Common Quarterly Narrative Writing Prompts, Rubrics, and Directions have been updated.

Please check to be sure you have the most recent rubrics and prompts. Note: Some prompts have remained the same and others have changed. There are some grade levels that overlap – for example, Grade 6 teachers may choose the elementary prompt or the middle school prompt. Please choose the best prompt for your students and collaboration teams.

The Middle School ELA CQA Committee met, and since the AMP is no longer, the committee decided to reinstate the Narrative Writing Prompt for first Quarter! Please note this change. The grade 7 and 8 grade Narrative Rubric has been added to the Quarter 1.

The ELA Writing Committee encourages all teachers to use the standard-reference rubrics throughout the school year, not just for the common assessments.

Click here for Quarter 1 Scoring Guides

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Linton at ext. 8861

CQA K-8 Math Assessments discontinued

Link

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year! After reviewing assessment calendars and requirements for students, the district instructional team decided that administering KPBSD Common Quarterly Math Assessments in grades K-8 were no longer a requirement. We encourage teachers to work at the school level to develop common assessments that meet the needs of your students and your PLC goals.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Melissa Linton at x8861.

Common Quarterly Math Assessment Memo

Elementary Standards Referenced Reporting Committee

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Christine Ermold, Ed.D.

The SRR Committee met on 1/14/16 and saw that while there is still a need to support the growth of our teachers in their ability to understand and use SRR to the fullest benefit of our students, overall, the results show dramatic changes in teacher knowledge and practices. As has been typical, approximately 33% of elementary teachers responded to the survey. Among other celebrations, committee members noted that for the first time in our district, almost 95% of responding teachers indicated they “know how to help students use standards-referenced rubrics and scores to advance their learning.” This reflects huge growth over the last three years, and the committee sincerely appreciates the time and effort everyone has dedicated to learning how to use this approach successfully. This information, along with a copy of each site’s survey results, were sent to principals in late January, 2016.

Additional important points the Committee wanted to convey to all teachers include:

The Standards Referenced Reporting Committee carefully reviewed the survey results from the December 2015 survey, and extends their appreciation to everyone who took the time to respond.
With a response rate of 33%, the committee noted that while a quarter of teachers supported adding the science standards to the report card, 20% or less supported adding social studies, health, or fine arts standards.
Comments from survey respondents indicated there is still a need for strengthening understanding and use of standards based grading practices across elementary schools in the district, but that overall, teachers indicated they are both confident and skilled in the use of standards and standards referenced reporting.
In light of the input provided through the survey, the limited professional development resources likely available with declining budgets, and the other topics demanding the attention of teachers and parents, the committee decided not to add any other standards to the elementary report card or make further modifications to the report card. We are working on adding the NGSS standards into PowerTeacher so that teachers can attach them to assignments if they wish (but they will not show up on the report card.) We are also working on adding a summary of science units by grade that teachers could attach as a quarterly comment to the report card, if they wish.
The committee did want to make sure that all elementary teachers were aware that a change in the language on the report card (and on all tools in the ‘S’ drive) was implemented near the start of this school year in response to teacher feedback. Specifically, the language of the 0-4 scale was edited to indicate the score applies to the “expected” or “taught” parts of the standard, rather than “all” of the standard to resolve concerns of teachers that use of the word “all” caused confusion.

The district is also currently developing summary statements of each elementary science unit that will be loaded into PowerTeacher as an option for teachers to use when adding comments on the report card. Also, as a result of requests from high school science teachers, the Next Generation Science Standards will also be loaded into PowerTeacher so teachers can link standards to assignments or record observations of the standards, if they wish. It is important that elementary teachers note that the NGSS standards will not show up on the report card, though. Questions regarding this information may be directed to a site principal, an Effective Instruction coach, or Christine Ermold, Ed.D., Director of Elementary Education and Professional Development.

2015 Quarter 1, Common Quarterly Writing Assessment Prompts and Directions

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Melissa Linton

Please click HERE to view the 2015 Common Quarterly Writing Assessment Prompts, Directions and K-6 Scoring Guides.

Our common writing assessments have changed to an on-demand performance task so that our students can have experiences similar to those they will encounter on the State AMP Assessment.

This information will also be posted to the KPBSD Common Assessment Webpage at: http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/departments.aspx?id=26368

Please email Melissa Linton if you have questions or need assistance.

Assessment Literacy Course Opportunity

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Melissa Linton

The KPBSD Curriculum and Assessment Department is offering certified teachers the opportunity to participate in a 3 credit graduate course to enhance professional practice in the area of assessment design. Teachers will learn how the assessment experts from AAI (our AMP developers) create high-quality, standards-based, common assessments. Teachers are encouraged to work in teams to build our bank of common assessments. All content areas are invited and teachers should seek approval from their school administrator before applying.

Click HERE for more information or contact Melissa Linton at extension x8861 or email mlinton@kpbsd.org

Updated Narrative Standard Referenced Writing Rubrics – 2015

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Melissa Linton

Good afternoon!

The Narrative Standards Referenced Writing Rubrics have been updated. There has been a slight change for grades 7 and 8 in the quarterly writing assessment sequence. The ELA Standards shift their emphasis from narrative to informative writing and to support this shift, we will assess informative writing in both first and second quarter.

Click here for Narrative Rubrics

Click here for 7/8 Informative Rubrics

Argument Opinion Writing will remain in place for all grade levels for the third quarter.

Quarter 1: K-6 – Narrative, 7/8 Informative, 9-12 Narrative

Quarter 2: K-12 – Informative

Quarter 3: K-12 Argument/Opinion

*Research – W.4 is assessed when it makes best sense for the teacher to do so.

Prompts, directions and scoring guides will be updated shortly. Information regarding the quarterly writing assessments will be posted on the Instruction Blog, the web page and emailed directly to principals, PD Liaisons, and School Assessment Coordinators.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Melissa Linton, ext. 8861 or mlinton@kpbsd.org

Argument Opinion 3rd Quarter Common Writing Assessment

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Melissa Linton

Below you will find Common Rubrics, Prompts, Directions and Resources for the 3rd Quarter Argument Opinion Common Writing Assessment.

Click below:

ARGUMENT OPINION RUBRICS, PROMPTS, DIRECTIONS AND RESOURCES

The ELA Committee encourages teachers to use the Rubric for instructional purposes as well as for this on-demand assessment. Teachers are also developing student friendly rubrics/checklists to assist in their instruction.

Rubrics may not match the pre-load assignments in PowerSchool. Only input scores for standards that are identified in the common rubric. This misalignment will be corrected in the 2015-2016 school year. Thank you ahead of time for your patience.

As teachers transition to the standards referenced rubrics from the Six Traits, the following resources from Education Northwest may be helpful:

http://educationnorthwest.org/resource/crosswalk-between-61-traits-and-ccss-english-language-arts-standards-writing-and-language

Please send specific feedback to Melissa Linton at mlinton@kpbsd.org or ext. 8861

ELA Common Writing Assessment Committee Members

Secondary Education & Student Activities “Administrivia” (1.21.15)

Posted on January 21, 2015 by JOHN O'BRIEN

Secondary Education “Administrivia” (1.21.15)

Digital Technology Initiative Mid-Year Update:
- We are half way through year 1 of our three year grant from the DEED. Our mid-year report was submitted January 15^th to the independent evaluator (Dr. Dale Cope)
- The 15 teacher cohort is in the middle of their formalized training/PD sessions.
- Most cohort members have completed the Quality Matters online course training curriculum.
- Several Blended Learning topic Lync session trainings have/will also take place throughout this school year.
- 19 Educators attended the iNACOL conference in Palm Springs, CA funded by the grant
- 20+/- Educators will also attend ASTE this February in Anchorage funded by the grant
Activity/Field Trip Travel Possible Technology Assistance:
- David Henson and Jim White are working on a prototype activity trip tracking system that will preload trips, participants, emergency paperwork, and the ability to add/subtract trip participants and add notes/details using a smartphone and a QPC code reader application.
- We are going to be working with some schools to pilot this year and hope to go live district-wide next Fall for all activity and fieldtrips (K-12).
- A new Travel regulations memo will be formalized by the end of this year to reflect all current and any new activity travel expectations for schools (i.e. travel range restrictions, when use of ALMR radio is expected, private vehicle transport restrictions, coaches driving restrictions, and driver on duty/driving time restrictions, etc…).

Distance Learning Program:
Our second semester course enrollment numbers are at 1010 as of this morning (1.21.15). This is early for numbers to be this large and our teachers are near capacity on their individual teacher loads.
Some changes planned include allowing students to enroll in distance classes during the course enrollment period directly from Powerschool (DP/Counselors working on this now)
Next year Credit Recovery Courses for Connections and our K-12 program will no longer be supervised/Teacher of Record by the Distance Learning Program. Like our larger high schools have for years, these schools will now need to oversee Credit Recovery with their own teaching staff.
As the program grows we are hearing concerns/worries from teachers about whether they will eventually be replaced by distance education. This is absolutely not the case and I would be happy to discuss these concerns with anyone. Please refer questions on this matter to me (John O’Brien)

Summer School Credit Recovery Session:
The session will be run just as it has in the past.
Our large high schools provide the program (SoHi, Nikiski, Homer, KCHS, Seward)
All CORE areas are provided (Math, Lang. Arts, Social Studies, and Science)
The program is an “on-line prescriptive” web based program through Pearson called “GRADPOINT”
The Session runs for three weeks in June. Half days (8:00-noon) June 1-19
Principals do their own hiring by emailing internal certified staff to solicit interest
Staff need to be certified and HQ in one of the four CORE areas (preference)

Policy Change TAKE NOTE:
AR 6146.1 High School Graduation Requirements: Additional quality points will be assigned for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses for the purpose of calculating grade point average (GPA). For each passing semester grade in an Advanced Placement course, 0.021 will be added to the student’s cumulative GPA. Effective for SY 2015, the fall semester weighted quality points will be added at the conclusion of the fall semester (like before). In order to receive the spring semester weighted quality points, students must also complete the National Advanced Placement course examination.

IMPORTANT AND TIME SENSITIVE! MyMath ConnectEd – Please Read!

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Melissa Linton

It has come to our attention that Electronic Student Editions of MyMath materials in Connected will soon expire.

ALL teachers who use these digital resources will need to extend the date of usage in the Student Editions, Manage Content Tab.

This PowerPoint (MyMath ConnectEd Redeption Code date renewal) will walk you through a very simple four step process to change the date so expiration will not occur.

Please share as needed and call/email Melissa Linton if you need assistance.

Thank you,

Melissa

x8861 mlinton@kpbsd.org

Aimsweb Winter Benchmark Information

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Michael Hanson

The winter window for benchmark testing is January 1-30.

Here is what should be tested at each grade level for Aimsweb. KPBSD Benchmark Testing Schedule_v3

I have also included a link to a quick chart on the TEN and TEL errors TEN and TEL Error Charts as well as the PDF’s on testing and scoring The New Aimsweb 2_test and scoring, The New Aimsweb 2_National Norms and reporting in the New Aimsweb 2.0.

Please take a moment to look over these documents as they contain all of the information you will need for benchmark testing. Scores for Aimsweb are expected to be entered in by January 30th. (Please do not wait until then to log into Aimsweb.)

If you cannot get into Aimsweb you must go through the forgot password process. If your class list in Aimsweb is not correct please let your school interventionist know or the person at your school who has access to the google doc for adding students. If you do not have an assigned interventionist this will most likely be your I-team coordinator or your principal.

*If you do not have an interventionist please check with your principal to see if they can answer your question or direct you to a person in your building before emailing Michael Hanson.

Log into Aimsweb before December 17, 2014 https://aimsweb2.pearson.com/flex/AIMSwebFrontOffice.html

If you lost your password you must go through the forgot password process. No one else can reset it for you.
Find your class list and make sure it is up to date
Let your interventionist know if your class list is not correct (see above)
*When communicating about your class list to your interventionist, I-team coordinator or principal you must include:
1. What school
2. Student name
3. Student ID

KPBSD Instruction

Leadership

Category Archives: Assessment