Assessment

Transitioning to New Assessments

AB250 requires the State Superintendent of Instruction, Tom Torlakson, to make recommendations for changes to STAR that reflect an assessment system that would meet the requirements of the current Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The Plan, which was presented by the California Department of Education, to legislature, and consequently to the State Board of Education in January 2013.

Proposed changes to STAR that would require new legislation:

Eliminated

• Grade 2 (CST, CMA, CAPA)
• Grade 8 History-Social Science
• Grade 2-8 Standards Test in Spanish (STS)

Remaining Assessments

• English Language Arts (CST, CMA, CAPA)
• Mathematics (CST, CMA, CAPA)
• Science (CST, CMA, CAPA)

View a PowerPoint presentation on the Star Reauthorization

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菠菜网lol正规平台 Assessment Terminology

 Diagnostic Assessment

Ed Code 60603 defines diagnostic assessment as:
“ . . . assessment of the current level of achievement of a pupil that serves both of the following purposes:"

• The identification of particular academic standards or skills a pupil has or has not yet achieved.
• The identification of particular academic standards or skills a pupil has or has not yet achieved.
   

 Formative Assessment

Ed Code 60603 defines formative assessment as:
“Assessment tools and processes that are embedded in instruction and are used by teachers and pupils to provide timely feedback for the purposes of adjusting instruction and to improve learning.”
 

 Interim Assessment

Ed Code 60603 defines interim assessments as:
“ . . . an assessment that is given at regular and specified intervals throughout the school year, is designed to evaluate a pupil’s knowledge and skill relative to a specific set of academic standards, and produces results that can be aggregated by course, grade level, school, or local education agency in order to inform teachers and administrator at the pupil, classroom, school, and local education agency levels.”
 

 Summative Assessment

Ed Code 60603 defines “achievement test” as:
“ . . . any standardized test that measures the level of performance that a pupil has achieved in the core curriculum areas.”

 

This graphic illustration, taken from The Role of Interim Assessments in a Comprehensive Assessment System (2007) provides a concise way of understanding the types of assessments and their parameters being more of a continuum in light of their intended purpose and use.

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Webb’s Depth of Knowledge

In the past, 菠菜网lol正规平台 has included “Bloom’s Taxonomy” in its Essential Elements of Effective Instruction. Based on the latest research on the Levels of Thinking, 菠菜网lol正规平台 teachers are shifting to a new paradigm to guide their teaching. 菠菜网lol正规平台 has adopted “Webb’s Depth of Knowledge” to base their lesson planning. Learn more about the similarities  between Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge. For an easy-to-read chart  on Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

NYC Public Schools has created a great video on an in-depth look at how DoK aligns with Common Core.