Growing Success Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools, Grades 1-12

1. Growing SuccessAssessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools, Grades 1-12 Overview for Parents and Guardians Fall 2010 Elementary Version

2. Learning Goals Participants will: • become familiar with key themes of the Growing Success policy; • understand the role of assessment for, as and of learning; and • understand how to interpret the Elementary Progress Report Card.

3. What is Growing Success? 2010-2011: Year of Implementation

4. Purpose In May 2010, the Ontario Ministry of Education released the 1st edition of Growing Success. The purpose of this new policy document is to: • update, clarify, consolidate, and co-ordinate policy; and • achieve fairness, transparency, equity, and consistency across the province in the assessment, evaluation and reporting of student learning.

5. Fundamental Belief of Growing Success The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Growing Success, p. 6

6. Key Themes of Growing Success • Renewed commitment to clear communication when reporting to parents • Focus on Assessment for and as learning • Student’s roles and responsibilities with respect to providing evidence of learning • Six common Learning Skills and Work Habits for grades 1-12

7. What’s New?Elementary • The school year is now divided into two terms. • There are three formal reporting periods within the two terms. • The reporting schedule is as follows: • Elementary Progress Report Card – November 2010 (Middle of Term 1) • Elementary Provincial Report Card – January 2011 (End of Term 1) • Elementary Provincial Report Card – June 2011 (End of Term 2) • Learning skills and work habits appear first on each report card. • Greater emphasis on student involvement in the assessment process.

8. Classroom Assessment Today Assessment plays a critical role in teaching and learning. In today’s classroom, assessment is used for the purpose of: • improving learning; • informing instruction; • guiding next steps; and • helping students to monitor their own progress towards achieving learning goals. Growing Success, p.28, 29

9. What is Assessment for and as Learning? Some classroom examples are: • learning goals and criteria are shared • feedback is given and used • self-assessment and goal setting are ongoing • Practice Time! • Skill building • Coaching

10. What is Assessment of Learning? • Some classroom examples of assignments for evaluation are: • Projects • Tests • Presentations • Performances Game Time! • Evaluation and Reporting • End of term provincial report cards

11. Student Roles and Responsibilities

12. Student Role and Responsibilities Students are: • important partners in the assessment process • responsible for providing evidence of their learning within the time frame specified by the teacher, and in a form approved by the teacher.

13. YRDSB Policies • Late and Missed Assignments • Cheating and Plagiarism

14. Growing Success:Understanding the Elementary Progress Report Card

15. Purpose The purpose of the Elementary Progress Report is to: • communicate a student’s development of learning skills and work habits and general progress in working towards the achievement of the curriculum expectations * in all subject areas; and • establish a positive tone for learning for the remainder of the school year. Growing Success, p. 50 & 66 * Or expectations in the IEP

16. Page 1 – Progress Report Rating Scale for Reporting Learning Skills and Work Habits 1. Responsibility 2. Organization 3. Independent Work 4. Collaboration 5. Initiative 6. Self-Regulation E - Excellent G - Good S - Satisfactory N - Needs Improvement Growing Success, p. 55

17. Home-School PartnershipLearning Skills and Work Habits “It is expected that teachers work with students and parents to ensure that they understand these learning skills and work habits and their importance.”Growing Success, p.13 Students will develop learning skills and work habits when teachers: · discuss and explicitly teach these skills; · explain how these skills will be assessed and evaluated; and · work collaboratively with parents to help develop these skills. Growing Success, p.13

18. Page 2- Progress Report Rating Scale for Reporting Academic Progress Teachers describe general progress in working towards the achievement of the curriculum expectations*. • Progressing • Very Well • Progressing • Well • Progressing • With Difficulty Growing Success, p. 50,56 * Or expectations in the IEP

19. Interpreting the Progress Report The progress report is a spring board for the parent-teacher interview. • It answers the question, “How is my child doing?” • When reading the report, consider both the letter symbol/check mark and the comment. Together they tell the whole story of your child’s progress. • The comment describes in overall terms, your child’s strengths and next steps for improvement.

20. YRDSB Definitions  Progressing Very Well The student is currently demonstrating significant learning in relation to the curriculum expectations and is expected to achieve the learning goals of the term.  Progressing Well The student is currently demonstrating sufficient learning in relation to the curriculum expectations and is likely to achieve the learning goals of the term.  Progressing With Difficulty The student is currently demonstrating some learning in relation to the curriculum expectations and may not achieve the learning goals of the term. The student is being supported to achieve the learning goals.

21. Reporting Timelines Elementary Progress Report Card • Report to be sent home: November 8-10 • Interviews to be held: November 11 (evening) and November 12 (PA day)

22. “Parents have an important role to play in supporting student learning.”Growing Success, p.8