How do Assessments Fit In?

Last time, we discussed standards. If standards are the goalpost and curriculum is the roadmap, then assessments are the checkpoints along the way. They help teachers, students, and families see if they’re headed in the right direction towards those end of year goals.

Dr. Russo recently shared our district’s assessment calendar for the year. Since those dates are now on everyone’s radar, here’s a little context as to why we test and how the types differ.

There are two main types of assessments (and I’m using a sports analogy here, so bear with me):

• Formative assessments: these are like practice drills during the season. They happen throughout the year and help teachers adjust instruction as needed. In LV these include benchmarks, quizzes, and exit tickets. They guide day-to-day teacher and help catch misunderstandings early.

• Summative assessments: these are like the championship game - they happen at the end of the union or season and show how well students have mastered the content. In our district, these include state mandated assessments in ELA, Math and Science. They provide a big-picture view of student growth and help the district evaluate how effective our instruction is school wide.

While the Board of Education doesn’t have a direct say in which assessments are given, it does approve the district’s assessment calendar, ensuring the schedule aligns with state learning standards.