Special Education Credential of Competency Standard #8: Assessment

1. PA Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) February 11, 2009 Special Education Credential of Competency Standard #8:Assessment

2. Pennsylvania’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Recognizing that the placement decision is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decision, our goal for each child is to ensure IEP teams begin with the general education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and Services before considering a more restrictive environment.

3. District, IU, Preschool Agency Policy Your local district’s policies regarding paraeducator job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities provide the final word!

4. Standard #8: Assessment K1: Rationale for Assessment K2: Assessments in reading K3: Assessments in mathematics S1: Demonstrate basic collection techniques as directed S2: Make and document objective collection techniques as directed

5. Agenda Foundations of assessment/progress monitoring What makes an assessment “objective?” Reading assessments/progress monitoring and data collection practice Mathematics assessments/progress monitoring and data collection practice

6. Learner Objectives As a result of your engagement in this training, you will be able to: 1. Describe the rationale for assessing student progress in learning reading and mathematics 2. Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate reading and mathematics assessments. 3. Describe what makes an assessment objective 4. Demonstrate basic assessment/progress monitoring data collection techniques

7. What Assessment Used to Be Testing after instruction to determine grades, and using standardized test scores to see how students compared with others nationwide (McMillan, 2008).

8. What Assessment is Now A process of gathering information (data) about what students know and are able to do in order to make instructional decisions 8

9. Assessment is Objective Objective means gathering data and recording it… • Without being affected by personal bias or prejudice • Without guessing about reasons behind the data • Without judging if it is good or bad Only recording data that are measurable and observable

10. The PA Academic Standards/Assessment Connection Define the essential knowledge, understandings, and skills for all students School districts are held accountable for demonstrating that their students are making adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward these standards so students have the best chance at success as adults

11. Definition: Evaluation Process of interpreting and making judgments about assessment information to apply to instruction 13

12. Definition: Progress Monitoring Ongoing process which involves: Collecting and analyzing data to determine student progress Making instructional decisions based on the review and analysis of student data 14

13. The measurement of a student’s skills is just as important as the teaching of those skills.

14. Uses for Assessment Determine eligibility for special education services Determine current skill levels in order to set IEP goals and progress toward these goals Select appropriate instruction and strategies Determine if our instruction is making a difference

15. Assessment: How do you gather information about student learning? Handout 1 Brainstorm: List the assessments that you use in your school. Share with your neighbor.

16. Types of Assessment Formative Summative Diagnostic

17. Formative Assessments-to “inform” student learning Ongoing measure of the impact of instruction on learning; given on a more frequent basis and during instruction • Spontaneous questioning/feedback • Observation, participation, group work • Projects, homework • Quizzes

18. Spontaneous Questioning Predict: “Tell me what you think will happen in this story?” “What do you think will happen next?” Apply Background Knowledge: “Tell me what you know about…(a topic that will be discussed in the reading selection).” “Has this ever happened to you?” Retell: “Tell me all about what we just read.” “Tell me two things that you learned from reading this?”

19. Feedback Example Point out one thing that was done correctly “Yes, that last sound in the word ‘mat’ is /t/.” Demonstrate the correct way. “Watch while I say all of little sounds in the word. /m/ /a/ /t/” Point out the place where a correction was made. “There are two different sounds here, /m/ and /a/, not one.”

20. Providing Feedback “Feedback that is specific, targeted, and immediate provides the information students need to improve. It is how students know if their work matches up with the standard and what else is needed to meet the standard. It helps students understand the nature of the target or standard as well as the criteria that are used for evaluation” (McMillan, 2008, p. 146)

21. Handout #1—Formative Assessments In your list of assessments you listed as used in your school, which ones would fall under the “formative” heading? What are your responsibilities as they apply to these assessments? Turn to your neighbor and compare

22. Summative Assessment-To “document” student learning Before-after/pre-post Serve as a screening tool Inform us on whether we meet our objective with regard to student progress-exit criteria

23. Summative Assessment- Examples • End of lesson; end of unit; end of chapter tests • DIBELS • Math Scoring Digits Correct • 4Sight Benchmark (pre/post) • PSSA/PASA • GRADE (Group Reading Assessment) • Gates-McGinitie Reading Tests • Woodcock Johnson Reading Mastery • Report cards

24. Helping Students Study for the Test Read over notes taken in class within 24 hours of taking them Break tasks into small increments Make a plan for studying a little at a time rather than cramming the night before Review vocabulary words and what they mean in context to the topic being studied

25. DIBELS: Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills • Measurement used to determine if a student in the early grades is on benchmark in reading skills. dibels.uoregon.edu

26. DIBELS Assesses: • Naming Alphabet Letters • Initial Sound Fluency (Phonemic Awareness) • Phonemic Segmentation (Phonemic Awareness) • Reading Nonsense Words (Phonics) • Oral Reading Fluency (Fluency)

27. Letter Naming Fluency Sample: W x t V l m n S b q R e F a

28. Oral Reading Fluency This student read 97 WRC/3 Errors

29. Data Collection • “When you are working with students on activities, pay close attention to your students’ responses. When errors are made, note what kinds of errors they are making” (Glaser, 2006) • Learn how to record student performance • Anecdotal notes-tell about your learning session with the student • Checklist-use an observation skill list • Specific feedback-supervisor may request specific feedback • Correct and error counts-record correct and error responses

30. Data Collection: Phonics Case Scenario: Josh • Oral Reading Fluency • Students does well… • Student errors… As per the ORF assessment being read to you, make a note of what the student is doing well, what errors are being made and if there are any other issues you think are important to share with the teacher.

31. What did you find out?

32. 4Sight • Aligned with PA standards and assessment anchors • Reading and math with baseline and quarterly assessments • Group administered (60 min.) • Online assessment/database • Determines “reading level” • Aligns with PSSA and performance level score ranges: advanced, proficient, basic, below basic www.successforall.net

33. Tips on Administering Assessments Make sure students are in a quiet location Make sure students have pencils available—typically no erasing on timed 1 min tests (cross through). Don’t provide assistance on assessments unless directions allow for it. Most assessments are administered “cold” –no memorization or practice effect.

34. Handout #1—Summative Assessments In your list of assessments you listed as used in your school, which ones would fall under the “summative” heading? What are your responsibilities as they apply to these assessments? Turn to your neighbor and compare

35. Diagnostic Assessment Pinpoints where instruction needs to begin (include basic measures of reading and math skills) Core Phonics Survey GRADE (Grades 9-12) Group Reading Assessment Diagnostic Evaluation); GMRT (Gates-McGinitie Reading Tests)

36. MathAssessment

37. Math Assessment:Two Approaches General Outcomes Specific Skills

38. General Outcomes - Examples Specific Skills - Examples • The medical profession measures height, weight, temperature, and/or blood pressure. • McDonald’s measures how many hamburgers they sell. • General Outcomes approach for reading measures Oral Reading Fluency. • Bone density to measure prediction of growth patterns. • Cost of oranges, apples, and bananas during the first week of September • at Giant. • Specific Skills approach for reading measures segmenting and blending sounds.

39. Math Assessment: Two Approaches Appropriate for all students, including learning support and at-risk students, working in the general education curriculum (reading and math). General computation skills are tested periodically. Appropriate for all students with IEPs, particularly those with significant disabilities. Skills that are being worked on in IEP goals are periodically tested. General Outcomes Specific Skills

40. How Do We Assess Basic Math? General Outcomes- Scoring Digits Correct Specific Skills-Periodic Tests of Individual Skills From IEP Goals

41. What is the Specific Skills Approach?

42. Specific Skill Example Complete the graph for Jeff. Use this data: 9/4 55 % 9/21 63 % 9/7 57 % 9/25 61 % 9/11 58 % 9/28 59 % 9/14 60 % 10/1 62 % 9/18 62 % 10/5 63 %

43. Graph for Specific Skills %

44. What is the General Outcomes “Scoring Digits Correct” Approach?

45. Why Do We Use the “Scoring Digits Correct” Approach?

46. Digits Correct Scoring 4 x 4 = 16 2 digits correct-1 and 6 33 + 22= 55 2 digits correct-5 and 5 3x9=17 1 digit correct-7 505 + 458 953 2 digits correct-9 and 3

47. Let’s Look At How We Administer the General Outcomes Scoring Digits Correct Test or Probe.

48. Materials Needed • Student Test or Probe • Answer Key (Digits Correct Scoring Guide) • Stopwatch • Pencil

49. Math Probe Directions • Place the math probe in front of the student. • 2a. Say these specific directions to the student for the first probe: • Today we are going to learn about a math test that you will take every week. This test has all kinds of math problems you are learning to do this year. This is what the test looks like. (Hold up a test). This test has 25 problems. You may not know how to do some of the problems. That’s OK. . .Just start with problems that you know and do them first. Then work on the more difficult problems. Try to do your best work.

50. Math Probe Directions (continued) 2b. Say these specific directions to the student for the remaining probes: It is time to take your weekly math test. As soon as I give your test, write your first name, your last name, and the date. After you’ve written your name and the date on the test, turn your paper over and put your pencil down so I’ll know you are ready. Modify the directions- I want you to do as many problems as you can. Remember, start with problems that are easier for you. Then do the more difficult ones. Try to do your best work. Ready. . .Turn your papers over and begin [start timer].