SHORT CYCLE ASSESSMENT-

IT’S A LONG STORY!

Presented by: Diane Burtchin, Karlene Fredericks, Tricia Hastings, Rachel Hinz, and

Christine Price

Rossford Exempted Village School District

SHORT CYCLE ASSESSMENTS ARE: Based on a curriculum that directly aligns

with the standards teachers must teach A series of formative assessments given

over a year A tool for instruction- by reviewing the

test result data teachers can identify strategies and resources that led to student success

Assessments that show what students can and cannot do- teachers can provide detailed feedback and adjust instruction to meet student needs

PRIMARY AIM To determine whether a student has

learned what they are supposed to learn It is important to begin with the end in

mind…So what is the end?Then we adjust our instruction to meet

these needs

7 STEPS OF SCA DEVELOPMENT Understand the state standards Understand the state assessment

(layout, format, content, scoring, vocabulary, etc.)

Develop a pacing guide Develop the SCA’s Administer the SCA’s Analyze the data Adjust instruction accordingly

THE CYCLE

Teach

Assess

Plan

BENEFITS OF SCA Help teachers find out exactly where each

student is with regard to the standards We get the information ahead of time so

remediation is an option SCA’s show a year’s growth by comparing

scores from year to year They require an enduring understanding

of the material being taught (just like the OAA)

Show teaching strengths/areas of weakness

THE FOUR E’S SCA’s give planned and purposeful

exposure to the benchmarks, indicators, etc.

SCA’s build resilience and endurance for students to sit through the test and work through tough questions

SCA’s help teachers develop expertise in their abilities to ask higher-level questions, make instructional decisions based on the data, and collaborate both within and across grade levels

SCA’s empower students to become responsible decision makers for learning

OUR RESOURCE… Short Cycle Assessment :

Improving Student Achievement through Formative Assessment

Authors: Susan Lang, Todd Stanley, Betsy Moore ISBN: 9781596670730

Grade range: K-12

This was our resource for learning more about the SCA process

THE SCA PROCESS IS A THREE YEAR PROGRAM.Year One: Review standards Identify what a student would need to

do in order to demonstrate mastery Analyze the standard according to

Bloom’s Taxonomy Develop a Pacing Chart for the year Begin to look at curriculum alignment Develop questions for the assessments

and create the assessments Give assessments and make revisions

SCA YEAR TWO: Give assessments Meet for Common Grading Meet for Data Analysis

Identify best practicesShare resourcesContinue to work to align curriculum to

standards Identify questions that need revisionsPrepare for student feedback

SCA YEAR THREE: Continue to align curriculum to

standards Develop intervention programs Give assessments Meet for Common Grading Meet for Data Analysis:

Identify questions students struggled with in order to re-teach concepts

Identify questions that need revisions Identify best practicesShare resourcesPrepare for student feedback

PACING GUIDE AND

KNOWLEDGE OF STANDARDS

1st Standard

for 6th grade math

Numbered

indicator

Grade Level

This test question would be labeled 6.1.2.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!!! Copies of 6th grade standards will be

distributed With a partner or small group – number

each mastery item with grade level, standard, and indicator

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR STANDARDS? Partial copies of 6th grade math Short

Cycle Assessment will be distributed Identify the standard/indicator for each

of the questions assigned to you

FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION IN DEVELOPING A PACING CHART Number of standards per quarter Degree of difficulty of standards each

quarter Textbook standards & their alignment

with the pacing chart

Curriculum implementatio

nsrecorded

to enhance and improve the

quality of student

success over time

PROS OF PACING CHART Intra-district moves amongst students

does not impact content material covered at previous/new school

Quick and concise reference for teacher review

Pacing guides designed to follow lesson/skill sequence in textbook series

Ensures that no standards fall through the cracks or are not addressed

Allows teachers to see the big picture for the school year

CONS OF PACING CHART Subject content must be covered by

specific deadline – does not take into account re-teaching that may be necessary for student mastery

Lack of flexibility in schedule/teaching content

WRITING QUESTIONS FOR SCA

ALIGNMENT OF SCA QUESTIONS TO OAA Multiple Choice Answers Short Answer (2 points) Extended Response (4 points) Similar Format Integrates all levels of Bloom’s

Taxonomy

BENEFITS OF QUESTION WRITING Teachers become knowledgeable about

standards and indicators Writing questions is a process of

continuous improvement and revision Challenges teachers to develop

questions involving higher levels of thinking

Increased teacher understanding for mastery of content

COMPLICATIONS OF QUESTION WRITING Plagiarism and Copyright Lack of effort/stakeholder buy-in Teacher disagreement can lead to

disengagement Process supports and facilitates

discussion regarding the quality of question

Fidelity of questions Are we assessing what is intended by the

standard? Does the question accurately measure

student knowledge/mastery?

ANSWER RUBRICS Establish clear, objective answer rubrics

in order to sustain accuracy in scoring Increase collaboration amongst

educators with a collection of sample responses to refer to as models prior to scoring

SAMPLE ANSWER RUBRIC

Question # 5:Complete the following Chart with the two missingNumbers and identify the Formula used.

Rubric:2 points – Student correctly identifies the formula AND both values for Y1 point – Student correctly identifies the formula OR identifies both values for Y0 Points – Student does not identify the correct formula and does not identify both values for Y

Formula: (y *2) – 2 = xX= 30Y=7

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY REFRESHER

QUESTION WRITING PRACTICE 1 standard 6 groups

Each group will develop a SCA question utilizing Bloom’s Taxonomy for the assigned standard

Create 1 multiple choice answer and 1 short answer or extended response question

These questions must include a rubricPay attention to the format of the question

since it should mimic that of an OAA question

COMMON GRADING Entire grade level for a subject meets to

grade short answer and extended reponse questions

A few samples of student responses for each question are shared, discussed, and agreements of points earned is reached

Grading proceeds. If questions regarding a response occur it is shared with the group

Notes are taken. If common errors are being made we can look at the question during data or instruction

DATA ANALYSIS VISUAL

MC ANSWER ANALYSIS VISUAL

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT YOU WILL SEE FROM THE DATA Where the students are in their learning Where students need to go in their learning How to group students by readiness level

(not by subject) but by specific skills Who suffers from test anxiety Who has the ability but does not put forth

the effort What type or format of question students

struggle with the most Student needs that will inform instructional

decisions

PROS AND CONS OF THE SCA PROCESS

PROS OF THE SCA PROCESS Creates grade level/subject collaboration Increases involvement in

learning/understanding standards Allows for common grading time to

establish continuity of answer rubrics Teacher accountability Students practice format and prepare for

OAA throughout the year Sharing of experiences, ideas, resources Alignment within the district on what is

being assessed and therefore taught

CONS OF THE SCA PROCESS Time consuming to create questions and

rubrics Increased teacher absence from school

due to analyzing data and grading during the school day

Teacher expectations for student achievement vary

Administering tests, reviewing of tests, and re-teaching content from tests impedes progression of instructional standards

Concern of student test anxiety and assessment inundation

QUESTIONS Please feel free to contact us with

questions: Diane Burtchin

dburtchin@rossfordschools.org Karlene Fredericks

karlene@classicimgs.com Trisha Hastings

thastings@rossfordschools.org Christine Price

cprice@rossfordschools.org