Assessment Tools in Continuous Improvement

Strategy Implementation Guides

A Strategy Guide defines and explains the critical components of a strategy.

• Using a Strategy Implementation Guide to Support Continuous Improvement – PowerPoint

Planning Tools

Planning Tools describe activities and steps needed to successfully implement a strategy.

• Using a Planning Tool to Support Continuous Improvement – PowerPoint

Implementing a Balanced Assessment System

Schools can move student learning forward by implementing comprehensive and balanced assessment systems that meet the learning, teaching, and information needs of decision-makers at every level: student, parent, teacher, school, district, and state.

The critical components of a high-quality balanced assessment system are described in the Strategy Implementation Guide for a High-Quality Balanced Assessment System (at right), including the use of the formative assessment process, interim/benchmark assessments, and summative assessments. A companion document, the Planning Tool:  Balanced Assessment System (at right) maps out possible activities for implementation.

Let’s Do This

• Strategy Implementation Guide: Balanced Assessment System
• Planning Tool: Balanced Assessment System

Boost Your Knowledge

• Curated Collection of Resources on a Balanced Assessment System
• Learning Point – Balanced Assessment System
• Learning Moment Video – James Pelligrino
• Assessment Literacy Standards
• Assessment Learning Modules

Implementing the Formative Assessment Process

Formative assessment is a process used during teaching and learning to improve student outcomes. It’s one of the most effective instructional practices that schools can adopt.

The critical components of the Formative Assessment Process are described in the Strategy Guide (at right). A companion document, the Planning Tool, maps out possible activities for implementation.

Let’s do This

• Strategy Implementation Guide: Formative Assessment Process in the Classroom
• Planning Tool: Formative Assessment Process in the Classroom

Boost your knowledge

• Curated Collection: Formative Assessment
• FAME Program
• Learning Moment- Margaret Heritage on Formative Assessment
• Learning Point- What do we mean by formative assessment?
• Assessment Literacy Standards
• Assessment Learning Modules

Implementing Early Literacy Assessment Systems

Michigan has an excellent foundation and momentum to improve literacy instruction for our youngest learners. But at the same time, collectively we need to give more deliberate and informed attention to the role assessment can and should play in supporting literacy development.

Articulating, developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating an early literacy assessment system includes:

• using knowledge about quality assessment systems,
• knowing how literacy develops and should be assessed to support young learners and
• understanding the conditions and structures necessary to support the capacity of teachers and their organizations to integrate effective use of evidence-based assessment practices and assessments.

The Early Literacy Assessment Systems (ELAS Guide) provides guidance and resources for districts developing and implementing an early literacy assessment system. See the Planning Tool (at right) and an explanation of the ELAS Guide (at right).

Let’s Do This

• Planning Tool: Early Literacy Assessment System

Boost your knowledge

• ELAS Webpage
• ELAS Guide
• ELAS Executive Summary
• Assessment Literacy Standards

Implementing a High Quality Arts Education Program

The Michigan Arts Education Instruction and Assessment Project (MAEIA) supports Michigan school districts, buildings, educators, and the public in implementing a high-quality arts education program in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts for all K-12 students.

The critical components of a high-quality arts education program are described in the Strategy Guide (at right). Two Planning Tools map out possible activities for implementation of the MAEIA assessment and instructional resources and the Program Review Tool (at right).

let’s do this

• Strategy Guide:  Michigan Blueprint of a Quality Arts Education Program
• Planning Tool: MAEIA Arts Education Program Review Tool
• Planning Tool: MAEIA Arts Instruction and Assessment

boost your knowledge

• Michigan Arts Education Instruction and Assessment (MAEIA)
• Michigan Blueprint of a Quality Arts Program
• MAEIA Overview
• Program Review Tool
• Program Review Tool – Learning Module

Implementing Interim/benchmark assessments

P.A. 149 sets the expectation that all districts will administer an Interim/Benchmark Assessment at least two times in the academic year (beginning and end of the year, and encourages a mid-year 3^rd administration) to students in grades K-8 in ELA and Mathematics. Districts choose from a list of four approved IBs or create their own. They report the results to the MI Department of Education.  As with all assessments, Interim/Benchmark’s should be constructed to meet a primary purpose for the assessment, which is dictated by the primary user of the assessment information.

The critical components of interim/benchmark assessments are described in the Strategy Guide (at right). A companion document, the Planning Tool, maps out possible activities for implementation.

let’s do this

• Strategy Implementation Guide: Interim/Benchmark Assessments
• Planning Tool: Interim/Benchmark Assessments
• Strategy Implementation Guide: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Interim and Tools for Teachers

boost your knowledge

• Curated Collection- Interim Benchmark Assessments
• Learning Point- What do we mean by interim/benchmark assessments?
• Learning Moment- Marianne Perie- Roles of interim assessment in a balanced assessment system
• MDE Benchmark Assessments
• Assessment Literacy Standards

Implementing effective grading and reporting

Effective grading can support students to become independent, self-directed learners and get the full benefits of high-quality teaching and assessment. Grades can provide important information for students, parents, teachers, and others; but to be useful, grades must be meaningful, accurate, consistent, and support learning. The effective use of research-based grading and reporting processes is vital to support student success.

The critical components of research-based grading and reporting processes are described in the Strategy Implementation Guide (at right). A companion document, the Activity Planning Tool, maps out possible activities for implementation. These tools, which are based upon the work of Ken O’Connor, will be beneficial to districts and buildings as they move into effective grading and reporting.

let’s do this

• Strategy Implementation Guide: Effective Grading and Reporting to Support Learning
• Planning Tool: Effective Grading and Reporting to Support Learning

boost your knowledge

• Learning Point: Grading for Learning 
• Learning Moment: Ken O’Connor: How do we achieve grading practices that support high quality teaching and assessment? 
• A Case for Standards-Based Grading and Reporting 
• How to Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards (Fourth Edition)