The Benchmark Test... Why?

The Working Definition of the Benchmark Test: A test that shows how much of the entire course curriculum a student has mastered at a particular point during the year.  For example, the 9-week Benchmark Test provides an indication of how much of the entire course content a student has mastered after nine weeks of school. 

The unasked and unanswered question is, “What is the value of a benchmark test?”

There is a short answer and a long answer. Here is the short answer:

Most benchmark tests are a waste of instructional time and debilitating superstitious instructional practice.

The long answer explains why the above ”short answer” is, in fact, the case.

There are two times during the year when a benchmark is appropriate:

1. The end of the year.  At the end of the year there should be a common, cumulative assessment that gives an indication of how much of the content for the course was mastered.  This test can be the State’s EOC (End of Course Exam), or for courses that do not have an EOC, it can be the district final.  The data from the EOC/Final then informs the current grade level teachers on what is working and what should shored up going into the next year.  The data also informs the teachers in the next grade what learning deficits need to be addressed and what the student seemingly has learned.

2. At the end of the first semester, there can be a benchmark.  This provides teachers with an idea of how much progress has actually been made and what still needs to be addressed in the upcoming semester.  This benchmark should be disguised as the semester final.  The majority of the questions on the final should address covered material. But embedded in the final there are key preview questions.  Just don’t grade the preview questions.  The results on the preview questions are for staff use only.

Any additional benchmark tests that are administered during the year are simply a waste of instructional time. 

Why are benchmarks debilitating superstitious behavior? 

The answer is that students (especially at-risk students) should not be expected to know what we have not taught.  Any benchmark (other than the EOC), by definition covers “to be taught” material.  When students do poorly (the logical outcome) on the benchmark, it demoralizes students and makes teachers defensive.  Yet, we feel compelled to keep engaging in the process… debilitating superstitious behavior.

The bottom line: Teach more; Assess quickly; Benchmark less.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Legendary Leadership Badge Recipients (November 2014)

There are those that don’t understand the power of reflective observation.  They mistakenly believe that there is nothing to learn after a few cursory visits to a classroom.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, the most important key to building insight and deeper understanding about teaching and learning is to engage in a steady volume of daily classroom observation.  What we have learned over the past ten years is that about every 300 classroom observations, the observer will notice, discern and/or learn something new... something that was previously hidden. It is the “Eureka” moment, and there is nothing else like it in instructional leadership.

In this pursuit, there is the PowerWalks Legendary Leadership Badge that is earned every 300^th PowerWalks Observation. The following instructional leaders have already earned the Legendary Leadership Badge for the 2014/2015 school year (as of 11/30/14).

  

2 Badges

Twyla Thomas: November 2014; October 2014

1 Badge

Lorie Bratcher: November 2014

Sean Cain: November 2014

Michael Clifton: November 2014

Mary-Margaret Crandall: November 2014

Charlie Crisp: November 2014

Rita Faulkner: November 2014

Rankin Hitt: November 2014

Jenny Morris: November 2014

Jennifer Phillips: November 2014

Jessica Robert: November 2014

Chris Viator: November 2014

Sandra Wilson: November 2014

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Superintendent Writes... Changing Tires Doing 75 m.p.h.

A LYS Superintendent shares the following:

I don’t think the changes to the Texas math standards are getting nearly enough attention. I have heard complaints from math teachers all year about how convoluted and confusing the entire situation is. If you are late to the game, let me catch you up.

Some high school math standards (TEKS) are going to middle school and some middle school math standards (TEKS) are going to elementary school. Now, we need to keep in mind that the TEKS are not a curriculum. The TEKS are a scope, but include no sequence, and certainly no resources. Districts are struggling to keep up with the changes, adapt their scope and sequence, and find appropriate instructional resources. This is a daunting task for a large district with a full time C&I department. For small districts, the situation is almost unmanageable, especially since the resources available in CSCOPE were removed. I find this situation analogous to attempting to change a flat tire on a car while doing 75 m.p.h. down the interstate. It’s just not a good idea. But there are other concerns more pressing than timing, adapting, and finding resources.

If a high school principal were short a math teacher and could only find a middle school certified math teacher that would essentially be a no-go. The teacher would not hold the proper certification, would likely not have the needed college course work, and would not be considered highly qualified in many cases. The principal would have to send notice to parents, corrective action plans would be put in place, etc.

Why?

Because the state has deemed a middle school certified teacher is not educated, certified, or qualified to teach the high school math TEKS. Should a middle school principal attempt to hire an elementary certified teacher to teach middle school, the same scenario would unfold, because once again the state has deemed an elementary certified teacher is not educated, certified, or qualified to teach middle school math TEKS. So, please explain to me, what is the difference if the state sends the TEKS to the teacher without the education, certification, and qualification to the teacher? In one scenario we were placing the teacher in a situation in which she would not be able to properly address the TEKS; in the other scenario the state moves the TEKS to teachers who are not properly able to address the TEKS. All of this as if the bureaucratic wave of a wand suddenly gives teachers the education, certification, and qualification to teach the more advanced TEKS. The net effect on the child is the same whether you move the teacher to the TEKS or the TEKS to the teacher: the child loses. I now have to find ways to teach my TEACHERS some of the math they need to know in order to be able to teach the children!

I would encourage all superintendents to bring their Boards up to speed on this issue quickly. We need to respond with Board resolutions directed to our SBOE and legislative representatives. Given that the next legislative session starts in a few weeks, the timing is perfect and the timing is now. I am more and more convinced that we are not witnessing the failure of Texas public education. Rather, we are witnessing the failure of Texas public education POLICY, and only our elected officials can remedy the situation.

Mike Seabolt

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

PowerWalks Hero Schools (November 2014)

In furtherance of a LYS Nation tradition, we will take this time to tip our caps to the campuses that have embraced the most important step in creating and maintaining an action oriented professional learning community.  These are the campuses that have conducted an extraordinary number of formative classroom observations in a given month. In November, the Hero Schools met or exceeded the targets below:

Big Schools – 250 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 95 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations.

For December, due to the Christmas holiday, we will adjust the targets:

The December Hero School Targets

Big Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 125 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 65 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 40 PowerWalks Observations.

For the record, the schools in the LYS nation conducted a total of 9,197 PowerWalks observations this past month.  But enough stalling, here are your thirty-two PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of November 2014.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools	Junior High & Middle Schools	Alternative Schools	Combined Campuses	High Schools
Mary Martin ES (WISD – small school): 470	Winona ES / MS (WISD – small school): 368	San Marcos School (JWPCS – very small school): 142		Mayde Creek HS (KISD – large school): 906
Winona ES / IS (WISD – small school): 424	Big Spring IS (BSISD - small school): 215	Afton Oaks School (JWPCS – very small school): 57		Morton Ranch HS (KISD – large school): 379
David Crockett ES (WISD – small school): 336	Big Spring JH (BSISD – midsized school): 212			Fairdale HS (JCPS – large school): 322
Rennell ES (CFISD – midsized school): 313	Magnolia JH (MISD – midsized school): 195			Winona ES / HS (WISD – small school): 236
Raymond E. Curtis ES (WISD – small school): 253	Refugio JH (RISD – small school): 135			Weatherford 9th Grade Center (WISD – small school): 113
Veterans’ Hill ES (HISD – small school): 252	Dublin IS (DISD – very small school): 85
Washington ES (BSISD – small school): 214
Ray ES (HISD – small school): 212
Refugio ES (RISD – small school): 181
Dublin ES (DISD – very small school): 176
Cottonwood Creek ES (HISD – small school): 151
Juan N. Seguin ES (WISD – small school): 146
Marcy ES (BSISD – small school): 139
Stephen F. Austin ES (WISD – small school): 139
Hutto ES (HISD – small school): 135
Johnson ES (HISD – small school): 128
Marlin ES (MISD – very small school): 124
Goliad ES (BSISD – small school): 119
West Avenue ES (NEISD – small school): 112

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top Tweets From the Week of November 23, 2014

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us.  To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of November 23, 2014.

1. Congratulations to LYSer, Steve Snell! He is the new Superintendent for Spring Hill ISD! (By @LYSNation)

2. Congratulations to LYSer, Marc Puig! He the new Superintendent for San Benito CISD! (By @LYSNation)

3. Congratulations to LYSer, Kenny Estes! He is the new Superintendent of Alvarado ISD! (By @LYSNation)

4. Congratulations to LYSer, Doug Killian! He was named the Austin Chamber of Commerce's Superintendent of the Year! (By @LYSNation)

5. “The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize.”- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (By @RYHTexas)

6. Don't let others talk you out of taking imperfect action, when they don't offer anything better. (By @tgrierhisd)

7. Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to produce uncommon results. –Unknown (By @Sports_HQ)

8. Losing is a learning experience. It teaches you humility. It teaches you to work harder. It's also a powerful motivator. (By @CoachKWisdom)

9. Today's Quote:  “A mind needs books, just as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” (By @DrRichAllen)

10. The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) has now sold more than 68,000 copies! Thank you, LYS Nation! (By @LYSNation)

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook