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3.6 Test Scores Used to Inform Instruction Test scores are used to identify gaps in curriculum or between groups of students for instructional implications. 
Suggested Evidence
Related Resources Tools AIMS Website This website provides Arizona teachers, administrators, students, and parents access to the AIMS Hotline phone number for tutoring help, an overview of the AIMS test, sample tests, study guides, and information about tuition waivers. Publisher: Arizona Department of Education The Achievement Gap: Is Your School Helping All Students Succeed? This article is written for parents who are selecting a school for their children; it presents specific questions to ask the principal about issues of equity as well as what to look for when you visit the school. The questions in this article can be used by principals and all educators to assess their own schools. Author: Victoria Thorp Publisher: GreatSchools.Net Articles NEW! Formative Assessment and Next-Generation Assessment Systems: Are We Losing an Opportunity? This article discusses the common misconceptions of formative assessment, and then provides descriptions and the distinctions of effective formative assessment instruction. Author: Margaret Heritage Publication Date: 2010 Publisher: Council of Chief State School Officers NEW! Assessing the Assessment: Rubric Training for Pre-service and New In-service Teachers This article explains how rubric training can lead to the increased reliability of assessments. Author: Michael Lovorn, Ali Reza Rezaei Publication Date: 2011 Publisher: Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation Journal NEW! Informing Writing: The Benefits of Formative Assessment This report provides recommendations on how to use formative assessment to improve writing. Author: Steve Graham, Karen Harris, and Michael Hebert Publication Date: 2011 Publisher: Alliance for Excellent Education A Summary of Nine Key Studies: Multi-Tier Intervention and Response to Intervention for Students Struggling in Mathematics This report summarizes nine studies regarding evidence-based practices for Tier 2 interventions, as well as explains how to use RTI to help students struggling to learn mathematics. Author: Benjamin Clarke, Russell Gersten, and Rebecca Newman-Gonchar Publication Date: 2009 Publisher: Center on Instruction Assessing Student Progress with a Rubric In this article, the authors discuss the benefits of using rubrics in the classroom, and how these rubrics can be used as formative assessment instruments. Author: Harry and Rosemary Wong Publication Date: 2006, October Publisher: Teacher.Net Gazette Benchmark Assessments for Improved Learning This article discusses the role of benchmark assessment in a balanced assessment system. Author: Joan L. Herman, Ellen Osmundson, & Ronald Dietel Publication Date: 2010 Publisher: Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center Closing the Achievement Gap: How Schools Are Making It Happen This article includes a discussion of some approaches that are getting results, the influence of teacher attitudes, the impact of student attitudes and resource disparities. The article also provides links to organizations dealing with this issue and a list of additional readings. Author: Robert Rothman Publication Date: Winter 2001/2002 Closing the Achievement Gap: Principles for Improving the Educational Success of All Students. This article reviews policies and practices that have been effective in closing the achievement gap. Author: Wendy Schwartz Publication Date: December 2001 Publisher: ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education Enhancing Student Learning This article explains how profound achievement gains can be created using formative assessments. Author: Rick Stiggins and Jan Chappuis Publication Date: 2008 Publisher: District Administration Finding Balance: Assessment in the Middle School Classroom This article mentions how a balanced assessment program can help teachers better assess student learning. Author: Stephen Chappuis and Rick Stiggins Publication Date: 2008 Publisher: National Middle School Association Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom This article discusses how a balance of formative and summative assessments can provide a clear picture of achievement. Author: Catherine Garrison & Michael Ehringhaus Publication Date: 2007 Publisher: National Middle School Association 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) Including At-Risk Students in Standards-Based Reform This report is a resource for developing effective strategies to address at-risk student needs, both through professional development and instructional practices. Publication Date: November, 1999 Publisher: Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning 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 Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement This report contends that increased expectations are best met by providing added instruction that corresponds with the specific reading and writing requirements of each academic course in middle and high school. Author: Rafael Heller and Cynthia Greenleaf Publication Date: 2007 Publisher: Alliance for Excellent Education Making Math Count: Problem-Solving Time This article discusses how creating time for problem-solving discussions can increase student learning. Author: Katie Gurule Publication Date: 2007 Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Raising the Achievement of Low-Performing Students A synthesis of more than 300 research reports and documents. This policy brief identifies some causes of low performance among marginalized students and presents research-based suggestions for local and state decision-makers about how to help teachers improve the academic achievement of these students. Author: Bryan Goodwin Publication Date: May, 2000 Publisher: Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning RTI in a Middle School Culture: Fitting and Tailoring the Approach Through Leadership This article shows how leadership is needed to successfully implement an RTI model. Author: Michelina Manzi, Elizabeth Alderton, and Jean Erdmann Publication Date: 2010 Publisher: Academic Leadership Strategies that Close the Gap (to edit this resource, contact WestEd) This article describes strategies used by teachers to (1) emphasize reading skills, (2) focus on higher-order thinking skills, (3) routinely reteach using a different approach, (4) frequently call on students randomly, and (5) get students emotionally involved. Author: Bell, L.I. Publication Date: 2002, December/2003, January Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Tapping into the Power of Longitudinal Data This article discusses the benefits of a longitudinal data system. Publication Date: 2008 Publisher: National Association of Secondary School Principals Testament to Testing Schools Close 'Achievement Gap' by Pinpointing Trouble Spots with Frequent Assessments This article describes a study of 32 schools in the San Francisco area that looked at gaps in achievement. The practice of frequently testing students to diagnose student needs and modifying instructional practice based on the test results was identified as an effective strategy for closing the achievement gap. Author: Nanette Assimov Publication Date: December 2003 Publisher: San Francisco Chronicle The Best Value in Formative Assessment This article describes the usefulness and differences of summative and formative assessments. Author: Stephen Chappuis and Jan Chappuis Publication Date: January 2008 Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Use of Education Data at the Local Level: From Accountability to Instructional Improvement This report discusses local practices in implementing data-driven decision making. Publication Date: 2010 Publisher: U.S. Department of Education Using Scientifically Based Research to Guide Educational Decisions The No Child Left Behind Act requires educational practices to be based on scientifically based research. This research brief spotlights how educators can use scientifically based research to guide teaching practices, curriculum, and school-wide programs. Author: Jonathan Margolin and Beth Buchler Publication Date: 2004 Publisher: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) Using the Right Data to Determine if High School Interventions Are Working to Prepare Students for College and Careers Author: Chrys Dougherty Publication Date: 2010 Publisher: National High School Center What's Right About Looking at What's Wrong? This article states that by examining the reasoning behind a student's incorrect answer, both the teacher and student can gain new understanding. Author: Deborah Schifter Publication Date: 2007 Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Useful Links Closing the Achievement Gap – Selected Research & Readings This website includes articles and reports on closing the achievement gaps. There are also links to related issues including: at risk, student achievement, remediation, minority/diversity issues and student achievement. Publisher: Education Commission of the States Criteria for Selecting Diagnostic Assessments This webpage offers a series of questions that should be asked when evaluating the quality of data tools. Publisher: Data Use for Improving Learning/CRESST Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better? This analysis of California elementary school performance data has identified four educational practices associated with higher performance among elementary English Learner (EL) students. Author: Kenji Hakuta, Edward Haertel, et al. Publication Date: 2007 Publisher: EdSource The Center for Social Organization of Schools: Data Use This website, designed by the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Texas, provides resources on data-driven decision-making, including reviews of software for analyzing student data. Publisher: University of Texas Working Definition of Formative Assessment This webpage offers a working definition of formative assessment derived from a review of the assessment literature. Publisher: Data Use for Improving Learning/CRESST Other Resources Bridging the Achievement Gap This book describes a variety of schools and school reforms that are closing the achievement gap. A sample chapter can be read online. The chapter includes brief descriptions of successful schools in California, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Texas. This book can be ordered online. Author: John E. Chub and Tom Loveless, eds Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making This guide offers five recommendations to help educators effectively use data to monitor students’ academic progress and evaluate instructional practices. Publication Date: 2009 Publisher: U.S. Department of Education ©2005 WestEd. All rights reserved. |
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