Ongoing Assessment: Module 1 Course Overview

1. Ongoing Assessment:Module 1 Course Overview Developed by Mary McLean, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Exceptional Education University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2. How do we design interactions and learning environments that support and enhance development? How do we ensure that children actually learn and gain new skills? How do we know what to teach? Through this course, we will explore how ongoing assessment is a process that can answer some of these questions. Activity 1:1: As an introduction to this course, begin by engaging participants in thinking about how they define assessment? Ask each participant to think about an experience that he/she had involving assessment, it might be an experience in an educational or other setting or it might be an experience that involved them and their children. As they think about this experience, reflect on these questions: what was the environment like? how were you or your child given information or instruction? how did this experience make you feel? what were the results or outcomes of this experience? Ask participants to share some of their thoughts. Post some key words or thoughts and refer back to these during the delivery of the course.Through this course, we will explore how ongoing assessment is a process that can answer some of these questions. Activity 1:1: As an introduction to this course, begin by engaging participants in thinking about how they define assessment? Ask each participant to think about an experience that he/she had involving assessment, it might be an experience in an educational or other setting or it might be an experience that involved them and their children. As they think about this experience, reflect on these questions: what was the environment like? how were you or your child given information or instruction? how did this experience make you feel? what were the results or outcomes of this experience? Ask participants to share some of their thoughts. Post some key words or thoughts and refer back to these during the delivery of the course.

3. How do we know that early intervention is effective? The task is not to find the best intervention for everyone, the goal is to determine the best intervention for this child and family, at this time, in this situation. (Meisels, 2006) A related question that is being asked more frequently is �How do we know that early intervention is effective?� We must ask many questions to determine if early childhood is effective. It is not one answer to every situation. Dr. Meisels states that some policy makers are searching for one solution rather than looking for solutions that are matched to the uniqueness of children and families. For further discussion of the accountability issues in early childhood refer to �Accountability in Early Childhood: No Easy Answers http://www.erikson.edu/files/nonimages/opmeisels2006.pdf A related question that is being asked more frequently is �How do we know that early intervention is effective?� We must ask many questions to determine if early childhood is effective. It is not one answer to every situation. Dr. Meisels states that some policy makers are searching for one solution rather than looking for solutions that are matched to the uniqueness of children and families. For further discussion of the accountability issues in early childhood refer to �Accountability in Early Childhood: No Easy Answers http://www.erikson.edu/files/nonimages/opmeisels2006.pdf

4. Thoughts to consider as we explore assessment Child assessment should inform instruction and teacher practices Fair and equitable assessment begins not with a test but with observation of the child Performance standards must assess the child�s performance, not the child�s life experiences �The best way to evaluate a child�s performance is to study performance, not something else.� (Meisels, 2007) Children develop at different rates and have different life experiences. As we gather assessment information it is critical to not create biases based on a child's life experiences. Dr. Meisels promotes observation of a child�s performance compared to performance standards as a means of learning about the child and as a basis for creating learning experiences that are fair, equitable, and instructionally relevant. For further information refer to �Children and Social Policy: Standards and Assessments for Young Children� http://www.erikson.edu/files/nonimages/csp1.5.07.pdf  �The best way to evaluate a child�s performance is to study performance, not something else.� (Meisels, 2007) Children develop at different rates and have different life experiences. As we gather assessment information it is critical to not create biases based on a child's life experiences. Dr. Meisels promotes observation of a child�s performance compared to performance standards as a means of learning about the child and as a basis for creating learning experiences that are fair, equitable, and instructionally relevant. For further information refer to �Children and Social Policy: Standards and Assessments for Young Children� http://www.erikson.edu/files/nonimages/csp1.5.07.pdf

5. What About Ongoing Assessment? In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on accountability for educational programs. This is especially true for school-aged programs, but it is also true for early childhood special education and early intervention programs. The emphasis on government oversight of federally-funded programs was driven initially by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). GPRA was passed in 1993 and requires all federal agencies (not just the Department of Education!) to established goals for each of their programs and to report data annually to Congress on progress toward those goals. In 2001, the Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) of the Executive Branch of the federal government introduced the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) assessment which aligns GPRA results with the federal budget development process. The re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2001, (known as No Child Left Behind or NCLB) raised the stakes of accountability for regular education programs by requiring improved results on statewide achievement tests each year. In 2004, the re-authorization of the Individuals with Disability Education Act followed the example of NCLB by establishing a monitoring program for states that requires the development of a State Performance Plan (SPP) and an Annual Performance Report (APR) to report progress on an annual basis. Among other things, for Birth to 3 programs and early childhood special education programs, each state must report on progress toward three child outcomes from entry to exit from programs. Through this course we will explore how to utilize ongoing assessment as an effective and appropriate strategy for supporting our work with young children and being responsive to initiatives to gather information about child outcomes. All individuals working with young children and their families have a professional responsibility to know about and thoughtfully select appropriate assessment strategies, then to use that information to guide and support development and learning (McAfee and Leong, 2007). Additional information on the Wisconsin Birth to 6 Child Outcomes System can be found in the OSEP Child Outcomes Training Guide at the following site: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/Early_OSEP.htm In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on accountability for educational programs. This is especially true for school-aged programs, but it is also true for early childhood special education and early intervention programs. The emphasis on government oversight of federally-funded programs was driven initially by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). GPRA was passed in 1993 and requires all federal agencies (not just the Department of Education!) to established goals for each of their programs and to report data annually to Congress on progress toward those goals. In 2001, the Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) of the Executive Branch of the federal government introduced the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) assessment which aligns GPRA results with the federal budget development process. The re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2001, (known as No Child Left Behind or NCLB) raised the stakes of accountability for regular education programs by requiring improved results on statewide achievement tests each year. In 2004, the re-authorization of the Individuals with Disability Education Act followed the example of NCLB by establishing a monitoring program for states that requires the development of a State Performance Plan (SPP) and an Annual Performance Report (APR) to report progress on an annual basis. Among other things, for Birth to 3 programs and early childhood special education programs, each state must report on progress toward three child outcomes from entry to exit from programs. Through this course we will explore how to utilize ongoing assessment as an effective and appropriate strategy for supporting our work with young children and being responsive to initiatives to gather information about child outcomes. All individuals working with young children and their families have a professional responsibility to know about and thoughtfully select appropriate assessment strategies, then to use that information to guide and support development and learning (McAfee and Leong, 2007). Additional information on the Wisconsin Birth to 6 Child Outcomes System can be found in the OSEP Child Outcomes Training Guide at the following site: http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/Early_OSEP.htm

6. As this graphic of Wisconsin�s Birth to 6 Child Outcomes System shows, the collection of data in Wisconsin for accountability starts with ongoing assessment: Step1: Utilize authentic, ongoing assessment practices. The purpose of these modules is to assist practitioners in developing and implementing quality ongoing assessment practices which will form the basis for the collection of accountability data, but more importantly, will inform instructional practices for individual children and groups of children in early childhood settings. As this graphic of Wisconsin�s Birth to 6 Child Outcomes System shows, the collection of data in Wisconsin for accountability starts with ongoing assessment: Step1: Utilize authentic, ongoing assessment practices. The purpose of these modules is to assist practitioners in developing and implementing quality ongoing assessment practices which will form the basis for the collection of accountability data, but more importantly, will inform instructional practices for individual children and groups of children in early childhood settings.

7. Formative and Summative Assessment Formative Assessment Assessment for learning Ongoing during intervention Informs instruction Benefits the children who are being assessed Summative Assessment Assessment of learning Completed as a child is exiting a program Informs accountability or program evaluation Benefits programs Accountability or outcomes assessment is summative assessment. Summative assessment summarizes what has been learned. In the case of child outcomes data that is reported to the U.S. Department of Education, data from entry into and exit from either the Birth to 3 or early childhood special education program is compared to determine whether progress (and how much progress) has been made. However, this determination comes at the exit point from the program when it is no longer possible to improve the program for the particular children who were assessed. Ongoing assessment is formative assessment. Ongoing assessment takes place on a continuous basis. It begins with initial assessment to determine what knowledge and skills a child has upon entry to a program or services. It continues during daily routines and activities as practitioners observe and assess learning and make changes in instruction that can improve learning. The goal of formative assessment is to gain an understanding of what and how children are learning in order to make changes that will improve instruction. Accountability or outcomes assessment is summative assessment. Summative assessment summarizes what has been learned. In the case of child outcomes data that is reported to the U.S. Department of Education, data from entry into and exit from either the Birth to 3 or early childhood special education program is compared to determine whether progress (and how much progress) has been made. However, this determination comes at the exit point from the program when it is no longer possible to improve the program for the particular children who were assessed. Ongoing assessment is formative assessment. Ongoing assessment takes place on a continuous basis. It begins with initial assessment to determine what knowledge and skills a child has upon entry to a program or services. It continues during daily routines and activities as practitioners observe and assess learning and make changes in instruction that can improve learning. The goal of formative assessment is to gain an understanding of what and how children are learning in order to make changes that will improve instruction.

8. The purpose of this training is to provide information on strategies for ongoing assessment that can be implemented in early childhood programs and services The content to be covered in Modules 2 and 3 is presented on the next two slides.The content to be covered in Modules 2 and 3 is presented on the next two slides.

9. Module 2 Definition and Purposes of Assessment What is Ongoing Assessment? What Principles Should Guide Ongoing Assessment? The Role of Assessment Instruments in Ongoing Assessment

10. Module 3 Strategies for Ongoing Assessment: Observation and Documentation Strategies for Ongoing Assessment: Gathering Information from Families and Other Service Providers Using Ongoing Assessment to Inform Instructional Planning

11. Activity 1.2 Ask participants to reflect on the ongoing assessment practices they currently implement in their classroom or service delivery setting. They should think about what they assess and how they assess. After sharing with a partner, each dyad should report to the group. Activity 1.2 Ask participants to reflect on the ongoing assessment practices they currently implement in their classroom or service delivery setting. They should think about what they assess and how they assess. After sharing with a partner, each dyad should report to the group.Activity 1.2 Ask participants to reflect on the ongoing assessment practices they currently implement in their classroom or service delivery setting. They should think about what they assess and how they assess. After sharing with a partner, each dyad should report to the group.