Assessment Cluster of the Quality Indicator
Map
The goals expressed in DoDEA’s Community Strategic Plan
(CSP) plus compelling educational research provide the basis
for the Quality
Indicator Map (QI Map). The QI Map is divided
into four main areas called clusters. The Curriculum,
Instruction, Assessment, and Environment clusters were selected
based on the relevance these areas have in implementing standards-based
programs.
The Assessment Cluster reinforces that on-going assessment
of student learning supports student development and uses
a variety of measures. The components of the Assessment
Cluster are:
- A-1. Assessments
are used to make instructional decisions in support of the
standards.
- A-2. Assessments
are used to measure and improve standards-based student performance.
Each component (best practice) of the QI Map identifies several
dimensions of the best practice which are outlined in the
QI Map so you can see the layout of the elements and the
continuum. Moving from left to right the quality indicators
increase in complexity and rigor. Implementation is
the standard level of performance that we wish to obtain
for all programs and classroom. Innovation will
evolve from committed and talented teachers given the resources
to achieve.
The terms used to identify each level of the continuum are:
- Initiation - The
beginning stages of using a practice.
- Involvement - Limited use and
or partial implementation.
- Implementation - Fully functioning
and meeting expectations.
- Innovation - Exemplary level
of use with additional creative enhancement of the practice.
Assessment Cluster Continuum
|
Initiation |
Involvement |
Implementation |
Innovation |
A-1. Assessments
are used to make instructional decisions in support
of the standards. |
The teacher plans instruction without assessing students’ current
knowledge and skills. |
The teacher uses formal and informal assessments
to determine students’ current levels of knowledge
and/or skills but designs instruction with no clear
connection to standards. |
The teacher routinely uses formal and informal assessments
to determine students’ current levels of understanding,
knowledge and/or skills, and to design instruction
in support of the standards. |
The teacher and students use formal and informal
assessments to determine what the students know,
what they need to know, and how instruction should
be differentiated for students to meet the standards. |
Assessments are used for record keeping, grading,
managing the classroom environment, and/or forming
fixed instructional groups. |
Assessments
are used to form fluid or temporary instructional
groups of students requiring remedial instruction
of isolated knowledge and/or skills. |
Assessments are used
to adjust and differentiate instruction and learning
activities as appropriate to ensure students’ ability
to meet/exceed standards. |
Based on assessment results, students are provided
opportunities to work individually or in collaborative
groups and on varied assignments designed to
support their learning. |
A-2. Assessments
are used to measure and improve standards-based student
performance |
The teacher provides the students with a score or
grade without using specific criteria to measure
their performance. |
The teacher provides the students with criteria used
to measure their performance after the assessment
is completed. |
The teacher provides the student with the criteria
for demonstration of success in meeting the standard
and shares examples of meeting/exceeding the criteria. |
Students participate in the development of the criteria
for demonstration of success in meeting/exceeding
the standards. |
Teacher feedback is provided in the form of a grade.
The teacher provides students with limited or no
opportunity to re-do their work after the assessment
is given. |
Teacher feedback is provided based on isolated skills
or knowledge and not on the criteria. |
The teacher provides feedback to students linked
to criteria. |
Students monitor and improve their performance,
using feedback from teachers, peers, and self-assessment.
Students
are encouraged to assist the teacher in documenting
and monitoring their progress. |
The assessment is seen as the conclusion to the activity. |
Students are encouraged to review their mistakes
and re-do their work. |
Students are provided on-going opportunities to improve,
based on the criteria. |
Students review tests/performances, find ways to
improve, and repeat the test/performance to document
mastery/understanding. |
The teacher uses the same forms of assessment for
all students. |
The teacher uses different forms of assessment only
for students identified with special needs. |
Retesting/assessment is used to document mastery/understanding.
The teacher uses multiple forms of assessment to
allow all learners to demonstrate progress toward
attainment of the standards. |
The teacher provides students with opportunities
to choose how they will demonstrate their current
levels of understanding, skills, and/or knowledge
and opportunities to retest or repeat a performance. |
Curriculum Cluster | Instruction
Cluster | Environment
Cluster | Return
to QI Map overview
|