Growing Success Document

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GROWING

SUCCESSassessment, evaluation and reporting: improving student learning


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Welcome to the 2008 symposium on assessment, evaluation, and reporting. On behalf of

Minister Wynne, our thanks and appreciation for your involvement in this exciting new initiative.

Over the past few years, through the shared commitment of educators across the province,

Ontario has set and achieved a standard that is recognized around the world. Out of forty

countries participating in the 2006 PIRLS Grade 4 reading literacy study, only two countries

outperformed Ontario. Our 2006 PISA results likewise placed us among the elite in the

worldwide education community in science, reading and math.

Together, we have accomplished a great deal in a very short time. Since 200203,

the numbers of English-language students passing the OSSLT are up 12 percent and the

numbers for French-language students are up 4 percent. Likewise, primary French-languagestudents at Level 3 and above in writing are up 15 percent, and junior English-language

students at Level 3 and above in reading are up 8 percent. We are also seeing positive

early results in credit accumulation and graduation rates among our secondary students.

Today, we mark the launch of an important step forward that will help us maintain that

high standard, and benefit students, parents and teachers by consolidating and coordinating

our K-12 policies in assessment, evaluation and reporting.

Our policies in Ontario for assessment, evaluation, and reporting are well aligned with the

best thinking of experts in this field, and current with international policies and research.

At the same time, we know there is work to be done.

First and foremost, our policies for assessment, evaluation, and reporting reside in manydocuments and in many forms, including:

Guides to the Provincial Report Card

Curriculum policy documents

Program planning and assessment documents

Program and diploma requirements documents

The Ontario Student Record The Ontario Student Transcript

ESL and ELD programs and services documents

Memos, PPMs, Q&As and other documents.

These policies have also evolved over the years. So we need to update policy in some of our

G RO WI N G SU CC ES S | assessment, evaluation and reporting: improving student learning


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Parents and students need to know that the marks we give them are fair, and that the

process is transparent. They need to know what we are looking for in student work. They

need to know that we are being consistent in making our decisions for both elementary

and secondary students. And they need to know that they can make decisions about sec-

ondary pathways and post-secondary pathways with confidence.

Clearly, while much of our policy is well established, there is an urgent need to clarify and

consolidate, to ensure that policy is aligned, consistent, and clear, and that every student

in the system is benefiting from the same high-quality process.

The role that assessment and evaluation play in improving student learning is undeniable. It

is important to recognize that there may be a need for modifications and accommodationsthroughout the assessment and evaluation process.

We must recognize that individual students or specific student groups may have different

needs. This government has demonstrated its commitment to this goal through supporting

the needs of specific groups such as Aboriginal students, students who receive special edu-

cation services and programs, boys in literacy, English Language learners and students in

ALF/PDF programs. The program we are launching today will enable us to better support

students with specific needs.

Equally important, the comprehensive process we begin today should provide clarification

for the assessment and evaluation of the two generic curriculum expectations for the

French-language education system. These reflect the need for students in French-language

schools to master the French language and the cultural referents of the francophonie in

order to excel in their learning. These two generic expectations are at the centre of their

success in school.

Achieving this goal will require the commitment of the entire education community. It is

a very ambitious task, and one that we believe must be undertaken by educators, for

educators, using all of the knowledge and experience and resources we have availableacross the province.

Your contribution, as system leaders, will be critical to the success of this important initiative.

Through your collaboration we will be able to establish a common understanding of the

issues and address the challenges we face, taking many perspectives and points of view



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We welcome you to the task, and once again thank you for the key role you will play

in maintaining the highest standards of excellence for education in Ontario.

George Zegarac Dominic Giroux Avis Glaze

Assista nt Depu ty Mi ni ster Assi sta nt Depu ty Mi ni ster Ch ief Exec ut ive Offi cer

Strategic Planning and French-Language Literacy and Numeracy

Elementary/Secondary Education and Educational Secretariat

Programs Division Operations Division



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THE PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION


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The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.

Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students strengths

and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each subject/course

in each grade. This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and

instructional approaches to students needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of

programs and classroom practices.

Assessment is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources (including

assignments, day-to-day observations, conversations or conferences, demonstrations,

projects, performances, and tests) that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving

the curriculum expectations in a subject/course. As part of assessment, teachers provide

students with descriptive feedback that guides their efforts towards improvement. Evaluationrefers to the process of judging the quality of student work on the basis of established

criteria, and assigning a value to represent that quality.

Ontario curriculum documents (revised)

The recognition that improved student learning is the primary purpose of assessment and

evaluation practice is one of the most important changes in policy over the past fifteen years.

Assessment and evaluation are no longer used solely to assign final grades and to rank

and sort students.

While assessment, evaluation, and reporting will always serve the purpose of identifyinglevels of student performance, their major purpose is to teach and to contribute to student

growth. This is a core belief that must live in each and every classroom if we are to meet

our stated goals of success for all and closing the gap.

In the classroom, we foster student growth by clearly defining learning goals,

scaffolding learning experiences, providing varied opportunities for practice, and giving

meaningful feedback.

Assessmentand evaluation are terms that have often been used interchangeably. Policy

differentiates them in order to ensure that diagnostic and formative assessment are given

as much of a profile as summative assessment or evaluation. Too often, evaluation

the assigning of a value or grade has been the focus of assessment evaluation and

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Policy



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Research has shown that the most effective type of assessment for improving student learning

is formative assessment, or assessment for learning.

Lorna Earl, in her book Assessment as Learning, describes three different approaches to

classroom assessment: (1) assessment of learning, (2) assessment for learning, and (3)

assessment as learning.

Assessment oflearning has a summative purpose and is done near the end of the

year/course/unit. This type of assessment collects evidence for evaluating the students

achievement of the curriculum expectations and for reporting to students and

parents/guardians.

Assessmentforlearning and assessment as learning have a formative purpose.

Lorna Earl describes assessmentforlearning as follows:

When they are doing AssessmentforLearning, teachers collect a wide range of data so

that they can modify the learning work for their students. They craft assessment tasks that

open a window on what students know and can do already and use the insights that comefrom the process to design the next steps in instruction. To do this, teachers use observation,

worksheets, questioning in class, student-teacher conferences, or whatever mechanism is

likely to give them information that will be useful for their planning and teaching. Marking

is not designed to make comparative judgments among the students but to highlight

[students] strengths and weaknesses and provide them with feedback that will further their

learning [Teachers] use their personal knowledge of the students and their understandingof the context of the assessment and the curriculum targets to identify particular learning

needs. AssessmentforLearning happens in the middle of learning, often more than once,

rather than at the end. It is interactive, with teachers providing assistance as part of the

assessment. It helps teachers provide the feedback to scaffold next steps.

She describes assessmentas

learning as follows:

Students, as active, engaged, and critical assessors, can make sense of information,

relate it to prior knowledge, and master the skills involved. This is the regulatory process

in metacognition. It occurs when students personally monitor what they are learning and

use the feedback from this monitoring to make adjustments, adaptations, and even major

changes in what they understand Assessment a Learning is the ultimate goal where students

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Step Two in planning is to determine what assessment methods, strategies and tools are

appropriate to gather the relevant evidence of student learning. From Ms. J.s previous

experience teaching other courses, she knows that the assessment task(s) for the final 30%

evaluation should be rich, complex and meaningful. It will be an opportunity for the students

to demonstrate the synthesis of their learning.

The assessment tasks throughout the course should prepare the students for the final 30%

evaluation. Ms. J. will work with students to ensure that they understand the learning they

will be expected to demonstrate. She will have them work with her to create many of the

assessment tools (e.g., rubrics, checklists) so that they know how they will be assessed

and evaluated.

Adapted from

Policy to Practice: A Teacher Resource Document to Support the Implementation of the

Ontario Provincial Secondary Assessment Policy


SecondaryIllustration


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ELEVEN GUIDING PRINCIPLES


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In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead

to the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluation

strategies that:

1. address both what students learn and how well they learn;

2. are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level

descriptions given in the achievement chart;

3. are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide

opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;

4. are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the

needs and experiences of students;

5. are fair to all students;

6. accommodate the needs of students with special education needs, consistent with the

strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan;

7. accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction;

8. ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement;

9. promote students ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals;

10. include the use of samples of students work that provide evidence of their achievement;

11. are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course or the

school term and at other appropriate points throughout the school year.


These eleven principles, identified in Ontario curriculum policy documents, ensure that

assessment, evaluation, and reporting are fair, valid, reliable, and focused on improving

student learning. They are the backbone of all assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy.

Each of the succeeding sections of this document can be seen as a reflection of one or

more of these principles.

They are rich, challenging statements that need to be unpacked so that they can come alive

in the classroom If they are understood and implemented we will have more meaningful

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In ministry policy, the eleven guiding principles are referred to as assessment and evaluation

strategies. These strategies are based on the Principles for Fair Student Assessment

Practices for Education in Canada (1993). This document was developed by a Working

Group guided by a Joint Advisory Committee. The Joint Advisory Committee included two

representatives appointed by each of the following professional organizations: Canadian

Education Association, Canadian School Boards Association, Canadian Association for

School Administrators, Canadian Teachers Federation, Canadian Guidance and Counselling

Association, Canadian Association of School Psychologists, Canadian Council for Exceptional

Children, Canadian Psychological Association, and Canadian Society for the Study of Education.

In addition, the Joint Advisory Committee included a representative of the Provincial and

Territorial Ministries and Departments of Education.

In daily life, our capacity to accurately self-assess and self-regulate reflects understanding.

Metacognition refers to self-knowledge about how we think and why, and the relation

between our preferred methods of learning and our understanding (or lack of it). The

immature mind is thus not merely ignorant or unskilled but unreflective. A nave student,no matter how bright and learned, lacks self-knowledge to know when an idea is out

there or a projection; to know when an idea seems objectively true but really only fits the

students beliefs; or to know how templates or frames for perception shape how and what

the student understands.

Grant Wiggi ns and Jay McTighe,

Understanding by Design

(Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2005), p. 101.

Fairness in assessment and evaluation is grounded in the belief that all students should be

able to demonstrate their learning regardless of their socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender,geographic location, learning style, and/or need for special services teachers should

consider the following specific strategies for reducing assessment bias:

Examine how your classroom complements or conflicts with the school experiences and

assessment techniques which are familiar to recent immigrants and indigenous peoples.


Context


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Provide modifications to tests and other assessment measures for students with excep-

tionalities and those with limited proficiency in English.

Take steps to reduce the effects of test-wiseness on academic achievement design

carefully constructed test items, utilize multiple formats, provide reviews prior to testing.

Involve students in the development of evaluation criteria develop rubrics with theassistance of students.

Adopt a range of formative and summative assessment strategies that encompass different

ways of demonstrating task mastery speaking, writing, and performing.

Balance the weight given to different types of traditional and authentic performance-based

assessment data when arriving at final course grades.

Most importantly, reflect on pre-conceived notions that may affect the marks/grades

you assign to particular groups of students.

Louis Volante, Reducing Bias in Classroom Assessment and Evaluation,

orbit

(OISE/UT), 36, 2 (2006), p. 35

Chriss students are asked to complete a piece of persuasive writing. Before students begin

to work on the assignment, Chris discusses the criteria and rubric with the students. When

Chris returns the pieces of writing with attached rubrics, she holds a conference to discuss

the writing with each student. During the conference, Chris and the student set goals

together on how to improve the next piece of writing.

Superior-Greenstone District School Board,

Guidelines for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement:

Principles and Standards for Effective Practice,

p. 15

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THE ACHIEVEMENT CHART


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Principle 2: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are based both

on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given

in the achievement chart.

Principle 9: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that promote students

ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals.

Principle 10: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that include the use

of samples of students work that provide evidence of their achievement.

The achievement chart identifies four categories of knowledge and skills. The achievement

chart is a standard province-wide guide to be used by teachers. It enables teachers to make

judgements about student work that are based on clear performance standards and on a

body of evidence collected over time.

The categories, defined by clear criteria, represent four broad areas of knowledge and skills

within which the subject expectations for any given course/grade/subject are organized.The four categories should be considered as interrelated, reflecting the wholeness and

interconnectedness of learning.

The categories of knowledge and skills are:

Knowledge and Understanding

Thinking

Communication

Application

Teachers will ensure that student work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced manner

with respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations is

considered within the appropriate categories.

The characteristics given in the achievement chart for level 3 represent the provincial

standard for achievement of the expectations in a given course/grade/subject. Parents of

students achieving at level 3 can be confident that their children will be prepared for work

in the next grade or subsequent courses.

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achievement at level 4 does not mean that the student has achieved expectations beyond

those specified for a particular course/grade. It indicates that the student has achieved all

or almost all of the expectations for that course/grade, and that he or she demonstrates the

ability to use the specified knowledge and skills in more sophisticated ways than a student

at level 3.

The descriptions of the levels of achievement given in the chart should be used to identify

the level at which the student has achieved the expectations. In all of their courses/grades/sub-

jects, students should be given numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate the full

extent of their achievement of the curriculum expectations across all four categories of

knowledge and skills.


In Ontario, as well as in other jurisdictions, we have moved from norm-referenced assessment

to criterion-referenced assessment. Teachers evaluate student work in reference to criteria

that are standard across the province, instead of comparing it with work done by other

students, ranking student performance, or assessing it in relation to standards developed

by individual teachers for their own classrooms.

In the previous system of assessment, standards varied from teacher to teacher, and school

to school, and this led to results that were not always fair for all students. With criterion-

referenced assessment, we have well-defined standards commonly understood andconsistently applied across the province. As a result, assessment of student achievement

is fairer and more reliable.

The achievement chart identifies four categories of knowledge and skill that are consistent

across subject areas and across panels. These categories help teachers demonstrate the

interconnectedness of learning. They focus the teachers assessments and feedback on

knowledge and skills, rather than the particular tools or methods of assessment, such as

tests or labs, which may vary. They assist teachers in focussing assessment on the higher

level skills thinking, communication and application that allow students to manipulate,

organize and use the knowledge and skills they have acquired.

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Philip Cohen suggests that it is critical that the criteria for an assessment be carefully

designed, including the specific tasks that will be required of the student and the way

in which each element will be assessed.

Cohen uses the example of a Grade 4 teacher who teaches a unit on the life cycle of a plant.

The teacher has her students create a childrens book that explains the subject to Grade 3students. Before they begin, the teacher shows the students models of childrens books that

fit the criteria for the levels of achievement. For each achievement level, specific criteria are

provided that relate to content (e.g., understanding the function of seeds and flowers), as

well as to quality of writing (e.g., how well the text is organized). Instead of taking a test

at the end of the unit, students receive ongoing supervision, guidance, and feedback as

they work on their books.

The teacher reports that, with this kind of assessment, the students learning has tremen-

dously increased, along with their engagement with the material, because they know

what they are doing has a valid purpose.

Adapted from Cohens quote in

Me Read? No Way! A Practical Guide to Improving Boys Literacy Skills

(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2004), p. 43.

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GRADING AND REPORTING


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Principle 1: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that address both

what students learn and how well they learn.

Principle 2: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are based both

on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given

in the achievement chart.

Principle 8: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that ensure that each

student is given clear directions for improvement.

Principle 11: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are communicated

clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course or the school term and at

other appropriate points throughout the school year.

All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction, but evaluation focuses

on students achievement of the overall expectations. A students achievement of the

overall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specificexpectations. The overall expectations are broad in nature, and the specific expectations

define the particular content or scope of the knowledge and skills referred to in the overall

expectations. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specific

expectations should be used to evaluate achievement of the overall expectations, and which

ones will be covered in instruction and assessment (e.g., through direct observation) but

not necessarily evaluated.


Achievement is reported on the Provincial Report Card using letter grades and percentage

marks. For all students in Grades 1 to 6, student achievement should be reported as a lettergrade (A, B, C, etc.) with a plus or minus sign as required. For all students in Grades 7 and

8, student achievement should be reported as a percentage mark (85, 72, etc.).

The following table shows how the four levels of achievement used for assessment in the

new ministry curriculum documents correspond to the letter grades/percentage marks usedE

lementaryPolicy

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Level Definition Letter Grade Percentage Grade

(Grades 16) (Grades 7 and 8)

Level 4 The student has demonstrated the A+ 90100

required knowledge and skills. A 8589

Achievement exceeds the provincial A- 8084

standard.

Level 3 The student has demonstrated most of B+ 7779

the required knowledge and skills. B 7376

Achievement meets the provincial B- 7072

standard.

Level 2 The student has demonstrated some C+ 6769

of the required knowledge and skills. C 6366Achievement approaches the provincial C- 6062

standard.

Level 1 The student has demonstrated some D+ 5759

of the required knowledge and skills D 5356

in limited ways. D- 5052

Achievement falls much below the

provincial standard.

R or Below 50 The student has not demonstrated the R Below 50

required knowledge and skills.

Extensive remediation is required.

R/ Below 50 does not correspond to one of the four achievement levels. R/ Below

50 is used for reporting purposes to flag the need for remediation and parent involvement.

R signals that additional learning is required before the student will begin to achieve

success with this grades expectations.

For subjects for which strands are indicated, fill in the students letter grade or percentage

mark for each strand, for the appropriate reporting period. No composite grade for the subject

as a whole is required. For all other subjects, fill in the students letter grade or percentage

mark for the subject.

Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 18, 1998


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entaryPolicy


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New Policy re: Strands in Mathematics

First, Second, and Third Reporting Periods. Fill in the students grade/mark for each strand

that is part of the students instructional program. If a particular strand is not part of the

students program during a reporting period, indicate this in the comments and leave the

grade/mark column blank. A grade/mark must be filled in for each strand for at least two

reporting periods, and each reporting period must show a grade/mark for at least two strands.

Deputy Minister Memo dated September 5, 2000

New Policy re: Strands in Language

In the revised Grades 1 to 8 Language, 2006, curriculum policy document the number of

strands has been changed from three to four; Oral and Visual Communication is now dividedinto Oral Communication and Media Literacy. Student achievement of the expectations for

Oral Communication and Media Literacy is to be reported in the existing Oral and Visual

Communication field on the elementary provincial report card. Implementation of this

curriculum policy began in September, 2006.

Director Memo dated June 22, 2006

Student achievement must be communicated formally to students and parents by means of

the Provincial Report Card, Grades 912. The report card provides a record of the students

achievement of the curriculum expectations in every course, at particular points in the school

year or semester, in the form of a percentage grade. The percentage grade represents thequality of the students overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the

corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.

A final grade is recorded for every course, and a credit is granted and recorded for every

course in which the students grade is 50 per cent or higher. The final grade for each course

in Grades 9 to12 will be determined as follows:

Seventy per cent of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the

course. This portion of the grade should reflect the students most consistent level of

achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to

more recent evidence of achievement.

Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an exami

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The following table provides a summary description of achievement of each percentage

grade range and corresponding level of achievement:

Percentage Achievement Summary Description

Grade Range Level

80100% Level 4 A very high to outstanding level of achievement.

Achievement is abovethe provincial standard

7079% Level 3 A high level of achievement.

Achievement is atthe provincial standard.

6069% Level 2 A moderate level of achievement.

Achievement is below, but approaching, the provincialstandard.

5059% Level 1 A passable level of achievement.

Achievement is belowthe provincial standard.

Below 50% Insufficient achievement of curriculum expectations.

A credit will not be granted.

Percentage grades below 50 per cent indicate insufficient achievement of curriculum

expectations and signal that additional learning is required before the student can achieve

the expectations to a passing level. (The actual percentage grade assigned should be deter-

mined in accordance with school and school board policy.) At the end of a course, a student

who receives a grade below 50 per cent will not receive credit for the course.

The Ontario Curriculum, Gr ades 912: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000;


Reporting student achievement on curriculum expectations is an extremely important function

of the teaching profession. It is essential for the reported grade to be valid and fair. It is

essential that we as a professional community to do everything in our power to ensure

that grading across the province becomes as consistent as possible.

Each reporting period has a significant impact for students and parents. Certain reports

have greater overall impact and can affect promotion in elementary school and graduation

in secondary school. Grades from high school can affect potential employment opportunities,

postsecondary placements and scholarships

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Given the importance of reporting, we must have a common understanding of the task and

the rules that govern the task. We must continually be working for accuracy and provincial

consistency in grading in relation to provincial standards.

C o l l e c t i n g S u f f i c i e n t E v i d e n c e

Miss Jones is a Grade 5 teacher. She plans her classroom programs with the end in mind,

which means she determines what the final learning should look like. She designs a

culminating assessment task that addresses all four categories of the achievement chart.

She also plans a variety of smaller assessments and administers them throughout the term.

She uses the results of these smaller assessments to reflect on and modify her teaching

practices and programming. She identifies which of the assessments could be used to collect

data so she has sufficient evidence to confidently assign a grade on the report card.

Miss Jones ensures that both she and her students understand the categories and levels

of the achievement chart. At the beginning of each assessment task, she works with her

students to develop a rubric or other assessment tool that is aligned with the achievementchart. She shows students exemplars, and they use them as models. She and the students

discuss what good work looks like and the criteria for it.

Miss Jones also discusses good assessment practices with her colleagues, participates

in group marking in her school, and attends professional development sessions.

Miss Jones ensures that her students are provided with multiple opportunities to demon-

strate their learning.

Adapted from

Ontario Provincial Elementary Assessment and Evaluation:

A Resource Document to S upport the Implementation of Effective Elementary

Assessment and Evaluation Classroom Practices

ElementaryIllustration


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ASSESSING LEARNING SKILLS


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Principle 3: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are varied in

nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for

students to demonstrate the full range of their learning.

Principle 4: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are appropriate

for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences

of students.

P o l i c y f o r E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l s

The Provincial Report Card focuses on two distinct aspects of student achievement: (1)

achievement of curriculum expectations, and (2) development of learning skills. Accordingly,

the report card has sections for reporting on the students achievement of the curriculum

expectations in each subject in the curriculum, and a separate section for reporting on thestudents development of the learning skills required for effective learning. The learning

skills identified on the report card can be demonstrated by the student in all subjects and

in other behaviour at school.

The nine Learning Skills are: Independent Work; Initiative; Homework Completion (work

habits); Use of Information; Cooperation with Others; Conflict Resolution; Class Participation;

Problem Solving; and Goal Setting to Improve Work.


P o l i c y f o r S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l s

Policy for the provincial curriculum and report card requires that students be evaluated in

two areas of learning: (1) curriculum expectations, and (2) learning skills. Teachers are required

to report student achievement for these two areas separately.

The report card provides a record of the learning skills demonstrated by the student in every

Policy


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(EExcellent, GGood, SSatisfactory, NNeeds Improvement). The separate evaluation

and reporting of the learning skills in these five areas reflect their critical role in students

achievement of the curriculum expectations. To the extent possible, the evaluation of learning

skills, apart from any that may be included as part of a curriculum expectation in a course,

should not be considered in the determination of percentage grades.

Ontario secondary curriculum documents (revised);


By reporting a students achievement of the curriculum expectations separately from the

students demonstration of skills required for effective learning, teachers can provide more

specific information to parents and students and identify more clearly the students

strengths and areas in which improvement is needed.

The importance of learning skills for student success is undeniable. Many organizations

highlight the importance of similar skills; for example, a list of employability skills has been

developed by the Conference Board of Canada and Essential Skills and Work Habits havebeen identified by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

Many researchers also highlight the importance of skills similar to the learning skills. For

example, Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and colleagues write about the five dimensions

of learning, and Arthur Costa and Bena Kallich describe sixteen habits of mind. Both these

examinations of learning emphasize the importance of such skills as perseverance, metacog-nition, accuracy, listening to others with understanding, and management of impulsivity.

Robert Marzano, Debra J. Pickering, et al.,

Implementing Dimensions of Learning

(Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 1992);

Arthur Costa and Bena Kallich,

Describing 16 Habits of Mind,

http://www.habits-of-mind.net/whatare.htm (20002001)

Effective learning skills are essential for students success in school and life. It is important

for teachers to work with students and their parents/guardians to ensure that they under-

stand the importance of these skills Students benefit when teachers discuss and model

Conte

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Mr. C. has a good understanding of the learning skills both when and how they relate

to the curriculum expectations and what they look like in the classroom. He knows that his

students will be more successful if they have a clear picture of what behaviours and attitudes

are expected regarding learning skills. On the first day of classes, he explains the role and

significance of the learning skills. He outlines what they are and provides students with the

descriptors from the Guide to the Provincial Report Card. For the first two weeks he workswith students to help them develop a better understanding of each learning skill and to

help build assessment tools they will use to self- and peer assess throughout their learning.

Mr. C. has devised an effective and manageable system of observing and recording students

demonstration of learning skills. As part of his planning, he notes when it is most appropriate

to assess each of the learning skills, based on what students will be doing. He uses assessmenttools such as rubrics and checklists to gather relevant evidence. He also reviews students

self- and peer assessments to check the accuracy of the judgements he makes.

Assessing the demonstration of learning skills over time, in relation to the appropriate tasks

and in collaboration with his students, provides Mr. C. with evidence that he feels confident

he can justify when he assigns an E, G, S, or N on the report card.

Adapted from

Policy to Practice: A Teacher Resource Document to Support the Implementation of the

Ontario Provincial Secondary Assessment Policy

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LATE AND MISSED ASSIGNMENTS


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Principle 5: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are fair to

all students.

The provincial report card focuses on two distinct, but related aspects of student achievement:

(1) the achievement of curriculum expectations, and (2) the development of learning skills.

Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 18, 1998;


To the extent possible, the evaluation of learning skills, apart from any that may be included

as part of a curriculum expectation in a course, should not be considered in the determination

of percentage grades.

The Ontario Curriculum, Gr ades 912: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000;

Ontario secondary curriculum documents (revised)

P o l i c y C l a r i f i c a t i o n S t a t e m e n t

Policy for the provincial curriculum and report card requires that students be evaluatedin two areas of learning: (1) curriculum expectations, and (2) learning skills. Teachers are

required to report student achievement for these two areas separately. At the elementary

level, the nine learning skills identified on the report card are: Independent Work, Initiative,

Homework Completion, Use of Information, Cooperation with Others, Conflict Resolution,

Class Participation, Problem Solving, and Goal Setting to Improve Work. At the secondary

level, the five learning skills identified on the report card are: Works Independently,

Teamwork, Organization, Work Habits/Homework, and Initiative.

The position of the ministry is that the separate evaluation of the achievement of the

curriculum expectations and the development of the learning skills provides students

and parents with better information and more clearly identifies a students strengths

Policy

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Late assignments should be reported as part of learning skills such as Independent Work

and Homework Completion at the elementary level, and Works Independently and

Work Habits/Homework at the secondary level.

Teachers may use a variety of methods for dealing with late and missed assignments, including:

assisting students to develop better time-management skills;

preparing a full-year calendar of major assignment dates for every class;

maintaining ongoing communication with parents about due dates and late submissions

and scheduling parent conferences if the problem continues;

taking into consideration legitimate reasons for missed deadlines, allowing for the

extremely busy lives students have today and, for some, a lack of home support and

using counselling or peer tutoring to try to deal positively with problems;

holding teacher/student conferences;

setting up student contracts;

having major assignments submitted in stages so students are less likely to be faced

with an all-or-nothing situation at the last minute;

using detentions to require the student to work on the assignment;

mark deduction mark deduction as a consequence of late and missed assignments

should however be used as a last resort.

In some cases, district school boards have provided guidelines that further interpret ministrypolicy and assist teachers in making these decisions. You may wish to contact your local

school board to see if it has any such guidelines in place.

Clarifying Statement provided by Curriculum and Assessment Policy Branch

There is no research to indicate that using marks as a punitive measure contributes to a

students achievement. Many experts in the field of assessment speak against this practice.

For example, according to Ken OConnor,

At the high school level in my former school district, penalties for handing work in late

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not have clear meaning. Second, the punitive nature of the penalty provides a powerful

disincentive for students to complete any work after it is more than one or two days late.

In both examples, no intelligent student would bother completing the work after three days.

Such policies are obviously opposed to a learning/success orientation that the work is

done and that learning occurs holds more importance than when the work is done and

when learning occurs.

Ken OConnor

How to Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards

(Glenview, IL: LessonLab, 2002), p. 100.

Also, according to Douglas Reeves,

there are at least a few educators experimenting with the notion that the appropriate

consequence for failing to complete an assignment is to require the student to complete the

assignment. That is, students lose privileges free time and unstructured class or study-hall

time and are required to complete the assignment. The price of freedom is proficiency,

and students are motivated not by threats of failure but by the opportunity to earn greater

freedom and discretion by completing work accurately and on time.

Douglas B. Reeves, The Case Against the Zero,

Phi Delta Kappan

86, 4 (December 2004): p.324

The fact that a student submits work late or fails to submit an assignment does not provideinformation regarding his/her achievement of the curriculum expectations. Not meeting

deadlines for assignments or not submitting required work are inappropriate behaviours

that are disciplinary issues best addressed by the teacher or administration and best reported

under the learning skills.

Using mark deductions for late assignments or assigning zeros for missed assignments

leads to a misrepresentation of student achievement. The awarding of a zero is particularly

unfair, because it lowers a students overall grade by a disproportionate amount.

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In an effort to deal with lates and absences, the York Region District School Board has

developed a positive approach called A Culture of Responsibility. They suggest the

following steps:

Establish a school (preferably) or departmental policy which identifies key learning skills

which students have responsibility to demonstrate for example,

> punctual and regular attendance

> responsibility for completing tasks, including all work missed when absent from class

> completion of assignments on time and with care

> working consistently, effectively, and cooperatively to meet the requirements of each

course

Discuss with students the issue of deadlines, the reasons for them, and the importanceof meeting them. Invite students to share experiences they have had or know about

which show the importance of deadlines and the consequences of not meeting them.

Explain clearly the importance to you and to the students for submitting assignments

on time. You teach other classes and wish to put a quality effort into assessing the

needs and achievement of all your students. You also wish to move on to other work,

ensuring that students have the prerequisite knowledge before you proceed.

Assure students that you are aware of the fact that they have assignments and tests

for other subjects, and that there can be some flexibility within a reasonable time frame

around due dates if students make you aware of their other obligations.

Allow for the possibility that there may be some occasions when certain obstacles may

interfere with a students completion of work, and encourage individuals to approachyou ahead of due dates if possible with their concerns or difficulties.

Provide a reasonable time frame within which assignments will be accepted.

Establish fair consequences for work not submitted on time, which place the emphasis

on achievement; e.g., make-up responsibility, parent contact, out- of- class follow-up.

Take significant actions early in the game to help students break old, bad habits suchas failure to do assignments or tests. Involve them in encouraging dialogue and specific

instruction. Contact parents for assistance and support.

Help students to understand why they may be having difficulty submitting assignments

on time and show them how to take some initiative to identify their particular problem

d k i i l i i

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Let students know very clearly that you cannot give them a grade on work that they do

not submit. To earn the credit, they must demonstrate that they can meet the expectations

in your subject.

Adapted from Cathy Costello and Barry McKillop,Dealing with Lates and Absences,

orbit(OISE/UT) 30, 4 (2000): pp. 4546

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STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS:

MODIFICATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS


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STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS:MODIFICATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Principle 4: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are appropriate for the

learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of students.

Principle 5: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are fair to all students.

Principle 6: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that accommodate

the needs of students with special education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined

in their Individual Education Plan (IEP).

E l e m e n t a r y R e p o r t C a r d P o l i c y f o r S t u d e n t s w i t h S p e c i a l

E d u c a t i o n N e e d s

If the student has an Individual Education Plan that applies to a particular strand/subject,

it is not necessary, nor is it advisable, to check the IEP box on the students report card

when a student has received only accommodations for that subject/strand.

Deputy Minister Memo dated November 19, 2004

If the expectations in the IEP are based on The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 18but

vary from the expectations of the regular program for the grade, the following statement

must appear in the Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Steps section: The (grade/mark) for

(strand/subject) is based on achievement of the expectations in the IEP, which

vary from the Grade expectations.


S e c o n d a r y R e p o r t C a r d P o l i c y f o r S t u d e n t s w i t h S p e c i a l

E d u c a t i o n N e e d s

If the student has an Individual Education Plan that applies to a particular course, it is

not necessary, nor is it advisable, to check the IEP box on the students report card when

a student has received only accommodations for that course.

Deputy Minister Memo dated November 19 2004

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check the IEP box. If, however, the students learning expectations are modified to such an extent

that the principal deems that a credit will not be granted for the course (see section 7.12 of

Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 912: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999) or

if the expectations are alternatives to the curriculum expectations, the following statement must

be included in the Comments section (along with comments about the students achievement):

This percentage grade is based on achievement of the expectations specified in the

IEP, which differ significantly from the curriculum expectations for the course.


It is exceptionally important that all educators understand the distinction between

modifications and accommodations and the importance of providing them to students with

special education needs. It is not only a matter of fairness and social justice but a legal

right established by regulation.

The obligation of school boards and schools to provide accommodations for students with

special needs is reinforced by both legislation and Ministry of Education policy. Under theOntario Human Rights Code, 1981, which sets out provisions on the duty to accommodate all

persons with disabilities, school boards have the responsibility to provide appropriate accom-

modations that will enable students with special needs to participate in the educational setting.

[I]f the purpose of a lesson is the development of reading skills, the student should work

with materials that are consistent with his or her instructional level. The student may have

modified learning expectations that are drawn from a lower grade. In this case, the lesson

would be modified.

However, if the purpose of the lesson is to appreciate and respond to a particular story,

poem, or other piece of literature, the materials might be consistent with the studentslistening comprehension or grade placement levels. In this case, the teacher may have to

ensure only that the student can easily access the text. The student might need supports,

or accommodations, in the form of a taped text, a reading buddy, assistive technology,

or the voice of the teacher. In this case, the lesson would be accommodated.

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M o d i f y i n g E x p e c t a t i o n s a n d P r o v i d i n g A c c o m m o d a t i o n s

The process for modifying expectations includes the following steps:

The teacher looks at the strengths and needs of the individual student with special

education needs in relation to the subject/course.

The teacher reviews the overall and specific expectations in the curriculum policy document.

The teacher distils the learning expectations found in the Ontario curriculum policy

document to outline a measurable performance task for the particular student.

All learning expectations listed in the IEP should represent what a student can reasonably

be expected to achieve during each reporting period. The students Provincial Report Cardor alternative report card for the term/semester must include his/her achievement of the

learning expectations listed in the IEP.

Example of a modified elementary expectation:

Grade 5 Mathematics: Number Sense and Numeration: Term 1

Overall Expectation:

(Students will) read, represent, compare, and order whole numbers to 100,000,

decimal numbers to hundredths, proper and improper fractions, and mixed numbers.

Modified Overall Expectation for IEP:

(The student will) read, represent, compare, and order whole numbers up to 10,000,

decimal numbers to hundredths, proper fractions, and mixed numbers, and complete

five sample problems in each of quantity relationships, counting, operational sense,

and proportional relationships.

Example of an elementary accommodation:

The student will have access to a study carrel and access to a calculator in mathematics class.

Example of modified secondary expectations

Grade 9 Applied English: Reading and Literature Studies

O ll E i

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Specific Expectation:

(Students will) read student-and teacher-selected texts from diverse cultures and

historical periods, identifying specific purposes for reading.

Modified Specific Expectation for IEP:

(The student will) read five teacher-selected texts from diverse cultures and identifytwo purposes for reading each text.

Example of a secondary accommodation:

The student will have access to teacher-selected texts in audio format and present performance

tasks in oral and/or written format.

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:

MODIFICATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS


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ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:MODIFICATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS


for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences

of students.


all students.

Principle 7: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that accommodate

the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction.

When learning expectations are modified for English language learners, evaluation will bebased on the documented modified expectations. This will be noted on the report card and

explained to parents.

Teachers will indicate, using the appropriate box on the report card, when modifications to

curriculum expectations have been made to address the ESL or ELD needs of English lan-

guage learners.

In completing the report card, teachers do notcheck the modification box to indicate:

that the student is participating in ESL or ELD programs or courses; or

that accommodations have been provided (e.g., extra time to complete assignments,

access to a bilingual dictionary, opportunities to work in the students first language).

English Language Learners, ESL and ELD Programs and Services:

Policies and Procedures for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, Kindergarten

to Grade 12

(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2007)

It is exceptionally important that all educators understand the distinction between modifi-

cations and accommodations and the importance of providing them to English language

learners. It is a matter of fairness and social justice in an increasingly multicultural world.

Ontario schools have some of the most multilingual student populations in the world

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of English, such as Jamaican Creole. Many English language learners were born in Canada

and raised in families and communities in which languages other than English were spoken,

or in which the variety of English spoken differed significantly from the English of Ontario

classrooms. Other English language learners have arrived in Ontario as newcomers from

other countries; they may have experience of highly sophisticated educational systems,

or they may come from regions where access to formal schooling was limited.

Research has shown that it takes five to seven years for most English language learners

to catch up to their English-speaking peers in their ability to use English for academic

purposes. Moreover, the older the children are when they arrive, the greater the language

knowledge and skills that they have to catch up on, and the more direct support they

require from their teachers.


A c c o m m o d a t i o n s

There are a variety of accommodations that will support English language learners as they

develop English language proficiency. These include:

Accommodations to instructional strategies

extensive use of visual cues,

provision of graphic organizers,

peer tutoring,

strategic use of students first languages,

extra time,

providing key words,

pre-teaching key words,

simplifying/repeating instructions as needed, and

providing oral and written instructions simultaneously.

Accommodations to learning resources

extensive use of visual materials,

simplified texts,

bilingual dictionaries

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Accommodations to assessment strategies

the granting of extra time.

the use of alternative forms of assessment ( e.g., oral interviews, learning logs,

or portfolios), and

the use of simplified language and instructions (e.g., through tasks that require

completion of graphic organizers and cloze sentences).

Adapted from

English Language Learners, ESL and ELD Programs and Services:

Policies and Procedures for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, Kindergarten

to Grade 12Ontario Ministry of Education, 2007)

M o d i f i c a t i o n s

Modification of some or all of the course expectations will also support English languagelearners, especially those students in the early stages of learning English or those who have

had limited prior schooling.

The following is an example of a modification for Grade 8 Language:

Grade 8 Writing expectation:

(Students will) write complex texts of a variety of lengths using a wide range of forms.

Modified expectation:

(The student will) write short, coherent, patterned compositions.

The following is an example of a modification for Grade 9 Academic Mathematics:

Grade 9 Academic Mathematics expectation:

(Students will) describe trends and relationships observed in data, make inferences

from data, compare the inferences with hypotheses about the data, and explain any

differences between the inferences and the hypotheses.

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CREDIT RECOVERY


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CREDIT RECOVERY

Principle 3: Teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that are varied in nature,

administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for students to

demonstrate the full range of their learning.


for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiencesof students.


all students.

Credit recovery has as its foundation Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program

and Diploma Requirements, 1999, which states that, for students who have failed a

course, Where possible the student should be allowed to repeat only the material relating

to the expectations not achieved.

Based on this policy, many different varieties of credit recovery programs have been

developed throughout the province.

Relevant communications sent to the field about credit recovery are as follows:

May 4, 2005: A memo from Ben Levin outlining the codes for credit recovery and signalling

to boards that credit recovery is an expected program in all boards of education.

August 4, 2005: A memo from Catherine Rankin and Dominic Giroux, describing to boards

how to implement the credit recovery course codes.

June 28, 2006: A memo from Ben Levin outlining guiding principles related to credit recovery

as determined by the Student Success Commission (see below).

December 13, 2006: A memo from Sue Durst, Kirsten Parker, and Ginette Plourde on the

credit recovery implementation process providing the operating structure for credit recovery.

February 7, 2007: CDs providing course profiles and relevant memos related to credit recovery

(sent to all Student Success Leaders).

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CREDIT RECOVERY

April 20, 2007: A memo from Andrew Davis on credit recovery and summer school providing

approval for credit recovery programs to be funded in summer school.

September 2007: An updated CD covering all approved courses (sent to the field).

T h i r t e e n G u i d i n g P r i n c i p l e s o f C r e d i t R e c o v e r y

1. Credit Recovery is part of a whole school culture and has equal status with other forms

of course delivery.

2. Credit Recovery is not a replacement for effective, positive instruction and intervention

during the initial credit attempt including the normal supports provided throughSpecial Education.

3. Credit Recovery is one of several options for any student who fails, but the final

determination of Credit Recovery Placement is made by the Credit Recovery Team.

4. Decisions regarding the final placement in Credit Recovery programs must consider

all factors that limited success.

5. The final credit granting for Credit Recovery programs is the responsibility of the Principal.

6. Access to Credit Recovery must be through a recommendation by the Principal and

agreed to by the student and, where appropriate (e.g., students under the age of majority),

the parent(s)/guardian(s) who must share some responsibility for the learning.

7. Credit Recovery programming must consider all factors that limited success in theinitial program.

8. The teacher of the initial program (Subject Teacher) must provide the Credit Recovery

Team with relevant information to be considered when placing the student.

9. Programs must be pedagogically sound and have real and credible educational value.

The integrity of the recovered credit must be preserved by the student demonstrating

achievement of the overall course expectations.

10. Students must have an opportunity to meet course expectations. Students must have

an opportunity to demonstrate achieving course expectations in a variety of ways.

11. Within the Boards capacity to deliver Credit Recovery programs and adhering to the

d di i f ll i C di R h ld b

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CREDIT RECOVERY

12. Eligibility to gain access to a Credit Recovery program shall be based on a variety

of indicators and not solely on a mark designation.

13. The final mark should reflect the achievement of all course expectations. Depending on

the students Credit Recovery program, the mark may be based solely on performance

in the Credit Recovery program or may include results from the initial course and/or

measures of prior learning. Regardless of the method used to determine the final mark,

the evaluation practices must be consistent with Ministry and Board policy.

Deputy Minister Memo dated June 28, 2006

All overall expectations for which the student has not demonstrated level 1 or above (as

indicated in the Credit Recovery Profile provided by the subject teacher) must be covered

and assessed through credit recovery.

The final grade for each course in Grades 9 to12 will be determined as follows:

Seventy per cent of the grade will be determined by either of the two options indicated below,depending on the students Credit Recovery Program. This portion of the grade should

reflect the students most consistent level of achievement, although special consideration

should be given to more recent evidence of achievement. (The Ontario Curriculum,

Grades 9 to 12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000).

Option 1: The grade may be based solely upon the performance in the Credit Recovery Program.

Option 2: The grade may be determined by the merging of previous evaluation provided

by the Subject Teacher for successful attainment of course expectations (as evidenced on

the Credit Recovery Profile) with marks determined through evaluations conducted during

the Credit Recovery Program. Where the Principal has determined that prior learning will

be recognized towards credit recovery, such achievement may also be merged with marks

earned through credit recovery.

Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination,

performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and

administered towards the end of the course (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12:

P Pl i d A 2000)

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CREDIT RECOVERY

1. Which students can be considered for credit recovery?

Students who have, within the last two years, completed an Ontario Ministry of

Education approved course and received a failing grade may be approved by the Credit

Recovery Team to recover the course through the credit recovery process. Students may

only recover the credit of the actual course failed, which limits them to the same type,

grade, and level. For example a student who fails MPM1D can only recover MPM1D and

is not eligible to recover MFM1P. Students who withdraw from a course are not eligible

to recover it through the credit recovery process.

2. Is it possible for a student to fail in a Credit Recovery Program?

A student who does not meet the expectations outlined in the Credit Recovery Learning

Plan may fail in his/her attempt to recover a credit. This failing grade is reported on thetranscript for Grade 11 and 12 courses each time the student attempts a course unless

the student withdraws prior to the completion or submission of the culminating activity

(see question #3).

3. May a board/school require the student to have achieved a minimum mark in the

original course in order to be considered for credit recovery?

No. The Credit Recovery Team determines a students admission to the Credit Recovery

Program. The mark achieved in the original course is only one factor considered in

determining admission. The course must have been failed within the last two years

of the request for admission to a Credit Recovery Program in order for the student to

be considered by the Credit Recovery Team.

4. May a board/school predetermine a final grade for a student in the creditrecovery program?

No. The final grade a student receives in the Credit Recovery Program is individually

determined based upon achieved expectations in accordance with The Ontario

Curriculum Grades 9 to12: Program Planning and Assessment, 2000.

Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of anexamination, performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the

course content and administered towards the end of the course

Seventy per cent of the grade will be determined by one of the following:

a) Solely upon the students performance in the Credit Recovery Program.

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CREDIT RECOVERY

Where the Principal has determined that prior learning will be recognized towards

credit recovery, such achievement may also be merged with marks earned through

credit recovery.

5. Can a board/school carry over the culminating activity portion of the grade from

the original course failed?

No. This portion of the mark is determined by the credit recovery teacher.

Questions and Answers, April 4, 2007

Credit Recovery represents the first recommendation of the Student Success Commission.The Student Success Commission representing the Elementary Teachers Federation of

Ontario, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, the Ontario Secondary School

Teachers Federation, Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens,

the Ontario Public Supervisory Officials Association, the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers

Association, Association des gestionnaires de lducation franco-ontarienne, the Council

of Ontario Directors of Education, the Ontario Principals Council, the Catholic PrincipalsCouncil of Ontario and the Ministry of Education has a dual mandate:

to provide advice to the Minister with respect to the implementation of current and

proposed Student Success Initiatives, and

to endorse implementation models that will promote the sectors commitment to

every student.

Credit Recovery was identified as a first area of focus because consistency in existing

programs is desirable and because it is an essential option for students who fail one credit

or more in Grades 9 and 10. It is important that each student receives a quality Credit

Recovery experience.

Deputy Minister Memo dated June 28, 2006.

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CREDIT RECOVERY

It is September 5th and sitting before you is an anxious young woman named Hope who

has failed Grade 10 Applied Mathematics (MFM 2P). Also present are her parents. You have

reviewed the Credit Recovery Course Placement Form provided by Hopes original teacher.

It indicates that she had attained a final grade of 37 during semester 2 of last year. Her teacher

Ms. Trig indicated that Hope had achieved level 1 in two of the overall expectations in the

Measurement and Trigonometry strand (use their knowledge of ratio and proportionand solve problems involving right triangles) and level 2 in one of the overall expectations

in theModelling Linear Relationsstrand (manipulate and solve algebraic equations).

She was below level 1 in the remaining six overall expectations which she is therefore required

to cover. During your conversation with Ms. Trig, she also indicated that Hope would be

successful if she attended regularly but had experienced some personal family problems

which resulted in serious non attendance causing major gaps in her knowledge andunderstanding of the course material. The Course Placement Form also included the School

Credit Recovery Teams approval for Hope to participate in the credit recovery process.

Together you develop a learning plan for Hope which identifies the overall expectations she

must cover as well as the types of assessment you will be using to determine a final grade

for her. You explain the policy requirement that 70% of the final mark will be for course

work and 30% will be for culminating activities she will do near the conclusion of the credit

recovery process. You advise her that you will take into account her success in the three

overall expectations she is exempt from studying and that these expectations may be part

of the culminating activities. You also indicate that there will be some online learning which

you think she will find both useful and enjoyable. Your interview concludes with your expec-

tations for her attendance and the workload. Throughout the interview, you have provided

encouragement for her to succeed. The document is then signed by everyone present. Two

months later, Hope has finished the credit recovery process and you are pleased to record

Hopes final grade of 73 on the Credit Recovery Learning Plan.

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OUTSTANDING ISSUES


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OUTSTANDING ISSUES

The following is a preliminary list of issues that have frequently arisen in relation to the policy

statements under the preceding tabs in this document. The consultation process will address

these issues, as well as others that are identified by stakeholders.


What can we do to make assessment and evaluation less burdensome for teachers?

How can a teacher assess so many expectations?

What does a classroom that uses assessment to improve student learning look like?

How does a teacher create a meaningful balance between assessment for learningand assessment of learning?


Why should teachers be concerned with these principles? Are the eleven principles listed in order of importance?

How are these principles made visible in the classroom?


Why is the achievement chart so important in the Ontario Curriculum?

How is the achievement chart used to develop rubrics and how do the two differ?

Are the four categories of the achievement chart of equal importance?

Why are there no descriptors for below level 1 in the achievement chart?


How should the achievement chart categories be balanced to determine marks?



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OUTSTANDING ISSUES

How should assessment evidence be collected for secondary students for the

70 per cent/30 per cent mark division? Should there be policy related to the timing

of assignments?

What role does professional judgement play in the evaluation of student achievement?

Why is there a 20 per cent range for A and a 50 per cent range for failure? Is it necessary to report grades/marks by strands for the elementary panel?

Should student achievement be reported by achievement chart categories?

Do grading and reporting practices provide meaningful information to parents and

engage them?

How can the Response Form be improved on the provincial report cards?


Should learning skills be aligned to essential skills?

Should the learning skills be aligned for the elementary and secondary panels?

How are learning skills taught, assessed and evaluated?

How can the learning skills be better highlighted?


Should students receive a zero for missed assignments?

Should students be deducted a certain number of marks for late assignments?

What should the criteria be for deducting marks?

What is meant by to the extent possible?

How should the 050 mark range be handled when students marks are averaged?



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OUTSTANDING ISSUES

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS: MODIFICATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

What is the difference between a modification and an accommodation?

What is the process for developing an IEP with modifications and accommodations

linked to provincial assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy?

How are assessment and evaluation conducted for students with special education needs?

How is achievement for students with special education needs reported on the provincial

report card?

How can fair and effective modifications be made for gifted students?

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: MODIFICATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

What is the difference between a modification and an accommodation?

What supports can be provided to teachers to assist them in correctly incorporating

modifications and accommodations in the assessment, evaluation, and reporting of

achievement for English language learners?

How is a teacher to report if a student has received a modification to a program?

CREDIT RECOVERY

How should the final mark be calculated for a course recovered through the credit recoveryprocess, keeping in mind the assessment policies of the ministry?

Should the assessment practices for credit recovery programs be different from those for

other courses taken for the first time?

Should the culminating activity required in all credit recovery programs be an exit

examination and reflect all of the cour

Documents

Growing Success Document