July 2008 — Features
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Elementary Schools : The Time Is Now
Assessment is a first step. Once the data is in their hands, educators need to make it work to the benefit of their students. Districts are working to provide teachers with the tools needed to do just that. St. Mary Parish School Board in Louisiana has found that the combination of an online formative assessment tool and online, standards-based resources has boosted student student's area of deficiency and then go immediately into the online database (NetTrekker d.i.) and quickly find supporting resources at the child's own learning level.
At Lemon Grove School District in San Diego County, formative assessment has had demonstrable impact on achievement. The district moved its six elementary schools from "underperforming" to "high-performing" through school reform that includes ubiquitous access to technology. Throwing off an old paper-based data system for a new electronic one was key. The new system offers cross-tab options, historical data, and custom data views, affording the district's educators more information on theirstudents in more depth than ever before.
Another example of higher student achievement fueled by technology-based formative assessment is found in Virginia. In 2002, the state launched the Algebra Readiness Initiative in an effort to tackle the subject matter most responsible for student dropouts. The goal of the program is to identify and assist kids who are at risk for not passing ninth-grade algebra. A diagnostic math test given at the beginning of the year indicates which students need instructional intervention and where they need it most. The students receive state-funded math tutoring throughout the school year and are retested in the spring to see what progress they've made.
How effective is the program? Since its launch, Virginia has seen a 17-point gain in the statewide end-of-course passing rate for Algebra I students: from 75 percent in 2001-02 to 92 percent in 2006-07.
What's new in Kansas, New York, Oregon, and Washington
As is true of any issue, to apprehend academic deficits, early diagnosis is key. Twenty-first-century technology tools can have a major role in accomplishing this by helping with data collection, analysis, and classroom intervention. The days of canvas bags filled with paper quizzes and thick gradebooks are fading. As teachers embrace the use of technology tools to conduct ongoing assessments, more students will have opportunities to achieve through data-driven decision-making.
Christine Fox is director of professional development and research for SETDA.
Cite this Site
copy text (above) for proper citation
