Resource Guide for the Standards and Rubric for School Improvement

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Standard One:
School and District Leadership



Standard Two:
Curriculum, Instruction, And Professional Development



Standard Three:
Classroom And School Assessments

3.1 Design and Implement Assessment System
3.2 Multiple Assessments
3.3 Assessment According to Standards
3.4 Assessments Aligned to Standards
3.5 Students Know What is Required
3.6 Test Scores Used to Inform Instruction
3.7 Monitoring and Reporting Student Progress
3.8 State Accountability Program



Standard Four:
School Culture, Climate, And Communication



ADE Calendar of Events



Best Practices Academies

3.4 Assessments Aligned to Standards

School and classroom assessments are aligned to the Arizona Academic Standards and/or performance objectives.

[W]e should develop…our own end-of-course and formative assessments…[L]et's ensure that these new systems are data-driven. That is, they can clearly reveal both measurable annual progress as well as areas where improvement is needed. This could go a long way toward winning public trust in performance assessment.

Mike Schmoker,
The Results We Want

Suggested Evidence
  • Summative assessments
  • Criterion-referenced tests
  • Performance assessments
  • School-wide assessments
  • Formative and summative assessments
Level of Performance: Exceeds Standards
  • Summative assessments and criterion-referenced tests are aligned in content and difficulty to the AZ Academic Standards concepts and/or performance objectives in seven to nine content areas, including Language Arts, Science, and Mathematics.
  • All summative assessments and criterion-referenced tests are coded using the AZ Academic Standards coding system.
  • Assessments of performance objectives targeted in the school improvement plan include five or more items per performance objective.
  • All summative assessments include a rubric/scoring guide for constructed response, performance response, observation, or portfolio.

Related Resources

Tools
Arizona Academic K-12 Standards   
The ADE site offers all of Arizona's standards for download, by area and by level, along with the standards implementation timeline and an order form to purchase printed copies of the standards.
Publisher: Arizona Department of Education

Designing Scoring Rubrics for Your Classroom   
This article explains how rubrics are used in performance assessment. Describes the different types of rubrics, steps for their design, and where to find additional resources for their development.
Author: Craig Mertler
Publication Date: 2001


Articles
Alignment of Standards and Assessments as an Accountability Criterion   
This article explores the concept of alignment, its methodological considerations, and why it is a key issue in an era of high-stakes testing. The author explains different dimensions of alignment (content and depth), as well as the alignment process.
Author: Pau lLa Marca
Publication Date: 2001

Assessment FOR Learning, the Achievement Gap, and Truly Effective Schools   
"As the mission of schools changes from ranking students to ensuring that all learn to specified standards, Mr. Stiggins argues that the purpose and form of assessments must change as well."
Author: Rick Stiggins
Publication Date: 2008
Publisher: ETS

Helping Students Understand Assessment   
This article states that formative assessments promote learning when they help students address where they are going, where are they now, and they how can close that gap.
Author: Jan Chappuis
Publication Date: 2005
Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)

If You Hate Standards, Learn to Love the Bell Curve   
This article presents how the system of standards and testing may be flawed is better than the alternatives for assessing student performance.
Note: Edweek requires a registration to read the article.
Author: Douglas Reeves
Publisher: Education Week

Interim Assessments: A User's Guide   
The author argues that in order to reduce achievement score gaps, we must advocate rebalancing assessment priorities to bring classroom assessment into the equation.
Author: Kim Marshall
Publication Date: 2008
Publisher: Phi Delta Kappa

Standards: Here Today, Here Tomorrow   
This article contends that while surveys indicate most parents and educators are in favor of standards, they must be executed properly in order to be effective. This is seen to require that standards are teachable, and rigorous yet reasonable, that tests of those standards adhere to certain criteria, and that teachers receive the proper training to help students reach those standards.
Author: Mathew Gandal and Jennifer Vranek
Publication Date: September, 2001
Publisher: Educational Leadership

The Concept of Formative Assessment   
The author discusses the importance of the "many opportunities" to assess how students are learning and then use this information to make beneficial changes in instruction during the course of a year. Resources for teachers interested in formative assessment are included.
Author: Carol Boston
Publication Date: 2002

The Forgotten Middle: Ensuring that All Students are on Target for College and Career Readiness before High School   
This article discusses the importance of the middle grades in ensuring students are prepared for college.
Publication Date: 2008
Publisher: ACT

Using Data to Drive Student Achievement in the Classroom and on High-Stakes Tests   
This article discusses the importance of current and accurate data to assist student achievement.
Author: Greg Decker
Publication Date: 2003
Publisher: THE Journal Online: Technological Horizons in Education


Useful Links
NEW! Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Success   
This report focuses on standards and assessments, data systems, great teachers and leaders, and re-engineering struggling schools.
Publication Date: 2009
Publisher: Carnegie Council for Advancing Adolescent Literacy

Science Resource Page   
This page provides links to help teachers implement the Arizona Science Standard, including links to the Science Standard, AIMS information related to science, ADE professional development opportunities, state and national organizations, and resources for science teachers.
Publisher: Arizona Department of Education

The Curriculum Mapping Knowledge Base   
This webpage is an online resource supporting the development and use of curriculum mapping.
Publisher: Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center




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