District Administration - April 2010 - (Page 3)

adVerTiseMenT Missouri district uses predictive assessments to improve teaching and learning Acuity, from CTB/McGraw-Hill, leads to increases in student scores on state tests T r a c k i n g s T u d e n T p r o g r e s s T o wa r d with demonstrating their knowledge and skills in the constructedstate-mandated assessments and outcomes was a challenge for the response item format,” klein says. “acuity allows them to practice and prepare for these types of items.” park Hill school district just outside of kansas city, Mo. a suite of reports available for the student, class, school and district Fifty percent of students in grades 3 through 8 passed the Missouri assessment program (Map) in communication arts and math. levels enables teachers and principals to evaluate their instruction by standard. “students’ weaknesses and teachers used classroom can be identified and monitored assessments to gauge learning. as instructional interventions are But the district still lacked the implemented,” klein explains. ability to consistently measure The accuracy of the predictive performance against the state’s assessments is the critical feature grade-Level expectations for klein and the park Hill dis(gLe) or predict results on the trict. “Because acuity predictive Map. assessments are scaled within Jeff klein, the district’s execuand across years, i feel confident tive director of research, evaluaabout the inferences i make retion and assessment, says the disgarding students’ growth,” klein trict was “tired of being surprised asserts. “This is the only gradeby scores at the end of the year.” level expectations-based prodThe district knew it needed uct for which i could make that to find a better way of assessclaim.” ing progress toward end-of-year since implementing acuity in standards-based outcomes. To a c h i e v e t h a t g o a l , “Acuity has helped Park Hill take the next step 2006, the district’s performance park Hill adopted the acuity into the world of standards-based education. on the Map has improved 10 percent across the board, and at all inFormative assessment solution It has helped teachers move from a focus on grade levels students perform sigfrom cTB/Mcgraw-Hill. acuity nificantly above the state average. integrates predictive and diagnosteaching to a focus on learning.” with acuity, the district is tic assessments, reports, instrucable to have consistent, reliable tional resources, item banks, and feedback that enables educators item authoring—all aligned to state standards and designed to improve student achievement. The to focus on standards throughout the year. Better, more timely dealignment to state standards and the technical quality of the acuity cisions can be made about programs and strategies based on needs predictive assessments were critical factors to park Hill, klein says. evidenced through assessment results. “acuity has helped park Hill take the next step into the world of “we believe acuity is the best benchmark predictor of the Map that standards-based education,” says klein. “it has helped teachers move is available.” all students in grades 3 through 8 take the predictive assessments from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning.” in communication arts and math three times a year; students in grade 5 take the predictive assessment in science as well. The assessments For more information on Acuity and to view a demo, visit allow educators to accurately predict student performance on the AcuityForSchool.com or call 800-538-9547. Map and to prioritize instructional plans to focus on areas needing improvement. “acuity has helped us move from working on hunches to working on concrete numbers,” says klein. Like the Map, the predictive assessments include both selectedand constructed-response items. “previously, our students struggled http://www.AcuityForSchool.com http://www.AcuityForSchool.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - April 2010

District Administration - April 2010
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Health
Standards
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Conversations
Sports for Life
Reaching Digital Natives on Their Terms
RTI Goes Mainstream
Double Duty: Schools as Community Centers
Online Edge
Tech Disruptions
Product Focus
New Products
Student Counsel

District Administration - April 2010