Assessment

Philosophy of Assessment:
Immaculate Conception School utilizes a variety of assessments to measure student learning and guide in differentiating instruction, ensuring that all students achieve. The combination of the assessments used creates a balanced review of each child’s ability and achievement as they include formal, informal, summative and formative assessments. This variety of assessments enables teachers to make the most effective educational decisions for students, and helps determine the needs for professional growth and development.
 
Assessment Plan:
Our Assessment Plan calls for standardized testing using the NWEA MAP in the Fall, Winter and Spring for K-Grade 8. This standardized assessment enables us to measure student achievement and growth in Reading, Language and Mathematics.

We administer the OLSAT 8 in the Fall for grades 3-8 to measure ability.

Teachers use curriculum series tests to measure progress in academic subjects as well as daily homework, quizzes and teacher observations. Additional activities provide assessment detail such as foldables, storyboards, reports and projects.

Teachers differentiate for students to meet their needs. This is done by providing options for children based upon their interest, ability, learning style, or readiness level.

The Star Reader Test, which can be administered in the Fall, measures students' reading levels to aid students and teachers in choosing the appropriate level of books. The students are then reassessed to evaluate growth in the Spring and Winter.

The data from these assessments is studied by teachers and shared with parents at our Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences. Teachers use the data to determine content areas needing more instruction/practice, and individual student data to aid in flexible grouping and differentiation of instruction.

Each teacher provides an interim grade report for their individual students that goes home to parents. Grades, both in letter form and standard scores, are given at the conclusion of each term on student report cards.
 
In our Blended Learning approach, students use a variety of online programs to enhance their individual learning following a path set just for them. Students spend time in the Station Rotation Model: with their teacher in small group instruction, on the computer or iPads with individual time on math and reading programs, and on their own with curriculum work assigned by the teacher.
 
DreamBox, a program for math instruction, used in grades K-4, has reports the teachers utilize in individual conferences with their students, analyze to direct their instruction, and share with parents. RAZ Kids, a program for reading comprehension, also provides numerous reports for conferencing with students and parents. Our NWEA MAP reports are also used in student and parent conferences, allowing the students to see their level of achievement growth and potential for even further growth. Teachers analyze the data using our Data Walls and individual/class reports creating plans to help students who are not at grade level reach, or surpass, grade level status by the end of the year.