Pacing Guides, Assessments and Report Cards

1. Pacing Guides, Assessments and Report Cards

2. What is the Purpose of Our Pacing Guides? • To save teachers time and make them aware of which topics need to be covered each quarter, as well as the associated standards that will be assessed. • They are a teacher’s itinerary for teaching, that places topics in a sensible order. While the lessons and teaching style can be different, the standards, assessments and basic content are taught in the same order. • They are tied to benchmark assessments that occur at the end of each instructional segment. • They delineate what teachers should teach and when they should teach it, so they can then examine data and make decisions to increase student learning.

3. What our Pacing Guides are NOT • They are a guide and can never be viewed as the standard by which all students will learn. • Some students need more time and explanations. • Moving forward with an inadequate understanding of some topics may result in leaving students behind.

4. Subject Areas • Pacing Guides are available for ELA and Math on the Curriculum and ARE Infonet pages:

5. Pacing Guides May Change • Guides are reviewed and changed, if necessary, based on teacher feedback • EX. After year one with the new ELA curriculum, Unit 6 was eliminated for Grades 2-6, to allow a more in depth coverage of Units 1-5

6. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS? • To create consistency of  content across the district, and ensure that instruction is aligned to the adopted standards-based core curriculum. • To inform teachers and administrators of student progress and effectiveness of instruction in the adopted standards-based core curriculum. • To provide timely data to teachers and administrators in order to make decisions that will inform and improve instruction, resulting in increased student achievement. • To provide data with which to identify students who are in need of Tier 1, 2 or 3, interventions.

7. Intervention Pyramid

8. Administration and reporting OF BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS • Curriculum based assessments • Following Each Unit • ELA • Paper/Pencil or Online grades K (6) and 1 (6) • Online for grades 2-6 (5) and 7-12 (4) • Math • Paper/Pencil or Online grades K (5) and 1 (7) • Online for grades 2-5 Math • Grades 6 (7) 7-8 (6) Paper Pencil Mid-year and End of Year • Math • Online Grades 9-12 • This data is uploaded into Illuminate, our assessment data system, for reporting purposes • Data is uploaded to the K-6 Report Card in Illuminate • Grade 7-12 District Assessments Do Not Populate the Aeries Report Card

9. Purpose of Elementary Report Cards • To communicate student progress, achievement of grade level standards, and responsibility, to parents, students and other staff. • Progress is determined through multiple measures (district and classroom assessments, student artifacts, informal observations, etc.) • Students assigned a number, indicating how well they mastered grade-level standards. • Same levels as the state assessments • Documents student performance over a period of time and provides feedback regarding concerns and strengths. • Assists in determining interventions necessary to support student achievement.

10. Elementary Report Card Levels • “4” = Student is exceeding standards - A student is doing excellent work. When a child receives a “4,” it means that he/she is consistently demonstrating a high level of proficiency or knowledge. If a student earns a”4,” he/she understands the concept or skill that has been taught and has taken the concept to or skill to a level of understanding or proficiency beyond what is normally expected at that grade level. • “3” = Student is meeting standards - Agrade a both students and parents should be proud of. A “3” means that a student’s work consistently meets grade level expectations. A “3” also means that, during this quarter, the student demonstrated he/she understands the assessed concepts/standards and can apply that knowledge appropriately. • “2” = Student is nearly meeting standards- This means there is room for improvement in a student’s work. A “2” means progress has been made, but because of one or more reasons (lack of effort, understanding, consistency, for example) he/she is not yet doing “3” work. A “2” covers a broad spectrum, from those students who are making slow, steady progress to those who are making faster progress but are not consistent enough to be earning a “3”. • “1” = Student is not meeting standards – This means there is reason for concern. If astudent receives a “ 1”, it means that he/she demonstrates difficulty understanding or achieving grade level knowledge and skills. The student, parents, and teachers should be working together to ensure the student moves towards grade level standards.

11. Information From Teacher Assignments Information From Curriculum Embedded District Common Assessments Uploaded from Student Assessment System Information From Teacher Observation Information Uploaded From Student Information System

12. Assessments and Reporting are Part of the Instructional Process Instruction Assessment Report StudentAchievement Instruction Re -Assess