BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT 501

2130P

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

TESTING AND ASSESSMENT

Tests and assessments shall be administered to students to measure student learning and progress. Assessments are of five types: state-required, district-required, program-required, classroom-based and external. State- and district-required assessments are developed and administered under the supervision of the District Assessment and Evaluation Specialist. Program-required assessments may be under the supervision of several departments, including Federal Programs or Special Education. Voluntary assessments may be offered to schools or classes from time to time as opportunities arise and must be reviewed and approved by the Deputy Superintendent prior to use with students.

I. STATE REQUIRED ASSESSMENTS:

A. Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)

• Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10
• Test schedule: April/May
• Data provided in late August–The data will be in the form of percent of students meeting the “standard” performance set for that grade. Students are compared to the standard.
• Reporting–Data will be in the form of individual student reports for parents, classroom data for that teacher, school data for the administrator, staff and site council to review, and district data for district administration to review and present to the Board and the public at a meeting in September.
• District and individual schools are accountable for increasing student performance. (See Policy 2004.)

B. Grade 2 Reading Proficiency

• Grade 2
• Test schedule: Fall, winter, spring

Data provided in November, March and May–The data will be in the form of a reading level for each student. For any student who does not read at the identified proficiency level, the teacher must inform the parents at the fall parent-teacher conference, provide specific information about the current level of performance and the instructional strategies to be used to address the problem. All identified students must be retested in March and/or May to ensure progress toward proficiency.

C. Language Proficiency

1. Language Assessment Scale (LAS)

• Age 5-6 Pre-LAS
• Age 7 + LAS
• Test schedule: January and February
• Data provided–Each student's listening and speaking skills are assessed against a standard. Level 1 is a non-English speaker, Levels 4/5 are “fluent.”

2. Washington Language Proficiency Test (WLPT)

• Grades K–12 all students who qualify for ELL program, regardless of length of time in the country
• Test schedule: February/March
• Data provided–Measures ability to read and write in English. Scored Levels 1–4 with Level 4 defined as at standard for exiting the ELL program.

II. DISTRICT-REQUIRED ASSESSMENTS

A. Reading Assessment

• Grades K–5
• Test schedule: November, March and June for Grades K–2; November and June for Grades 3–5
• Data provided:
  • To parents at conferences and in the report card in November, March and June. This assessment provides information about the student's reading level in relation to expectations for student reading level.
  • To the teacher about the instructional and independent reading level of each student. This assessment provides insight into both the strategies each student uses (K–2) and the level of reading performance (K–5).
  • To the school for review by staff and site council to assess reading program and plan use of resources.
  • To the district for review by administration and presentation to the Board and public at a meeting in February.

B. Math Assessment

• Grades 5 and 8
• Test schedule: Available four times each year–fall, winter, spring, and summer.
• Data provided–This assessment s measures student performance connected to the EALRs. The level of student performance will be identified in relation to an expected grade level score.
  • Parents will receive information about their student's performance in each content strand.
  • Teachers will receive class performance information.
  • Schools will receive school-wide data for reviewing the math program by the staff and site council.
  • The district will have district-wide data to assess the math program and present to the Board and public as requested.

C. Writing Assessment

• Grades 3, 6, and 9
• Test schedule: January for grade 3, 6; April for grade 9
• Data provided–This assessment measures student performance using the 6 Trait model and provides data for each trait (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) and for 5 modes (expository, imaginative, descriptive, narrative, and persuasive).
  • Parents will receive a student performance report that includes a score for each trait.
  • Teachers will receive a class summary with the scores for each student. They will also receive information about the mode scores for their class to support planning for instruction or professional development.
  • Schools will receive school summary data, including information about the mode scores to support planning for student improvement as well as school-wide professional development.
  • The district will have school summary and district summary data including mode scores to assess program effectiveness. The data will be presented to the Board and public at a meeting in February.

D. Technology Assessment

• Grades 5, 8, and 11
• Test Schedule: student and staff Mankato self-report given in October, performance assessment with a sample of students done in May
• Data provided–The assessment provides insight into the progress of individuals in their application of technology to their work.
  • Teachers receive their own self-reports to review their need for professional development and their implementation of technology in teaching.
  • Schools receive the school-wide data on technology application to assess improvement and plan for professional development.
  • The district receives the district-wide data to assess improvement and plan for professional development. The data will be presented to the Board and the public at a meeting in June.

III. PROGRAM ASSESSMENTS

A.   Highly Capable Program–See Policy 2170 for assessment of highly capable students.

B.   Title I Program–See Policy 2500 for assessment in Title I programs.

C.   Special Education Program–See Policy 2161 for assessment of students with disabilities.

IV. CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTS

• These assessments are developed and administered by classroom teachers for several purposes, including measuring student learning, placing students in instructional groups, or planning next teaching activities.
• Classroom assessments are important tools used to support student learning. They provide students with multiple opportunities to show what they know and can do and may be more valid measurements than one-time, on-demand assessments.

V. EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS

• These are assessments created by and for outside agencies. Such assessments may be voluntary (i.e., offers to help norm a new test) or mandatory for identified schools, grades, or programs (i.e., National Assessment of Educational Progress, NAEP).

Adopted: December 10, 1998

Revised: February 14, 2005

Dale E. Kinsley                                                                                February 14, 2005

Superintendent of Schools

BELLINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Bellingham, Washington

ASSESSMENT TIMELINE

1 = DRA - Developmental Reading Assessment

2 = DRP - Degrees of Reading Power

Return to Table of Contents