A reader asks
the following:
SC,
We are new to using the LYS Short-term
Trend Analysis Form in our PLCs.
At our last meeting there was much debate over the time allotted to
giving the quick 10-question checkpoint. We allow 30 minutes for the
checkpoint, but the instructional leaders at campuses feel that many of their
students need 40-minutes or more to complete. They believe that taking up
an assessment before students have had time to complete it is
"demoralizing" to some of our students.
Please explain the significance of
keeping with the time limit, or is it okay to extend?
SC
Response
What you
describe is common and predictable pushback.
First, let me
line out an assessment schedule for you:
Week 3:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
Week 6:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
Week 9: Mid-term
(45 minutes or less) (district and campus use)
Week 12:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
Week 15:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
End of
Semester: Final (90 minutes or less) (district and campus use)
Week 21:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
Week 24:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
Week 27: Mid-term
(45 minutes or less) (district and campus use)
Week 30:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
Week 33:
Checkpoint (30 minutes or less) (campus use)
End of
Course: Final (90 minutes or less) (district and campus use)
Notes: (a) If
a STAAR test is administered in the course the week before, or the week of a
checkpoint, SKIP the checkpoint. (b) A practice STAAR test can be substituted
for the week 27 mid-term. (c) If it is a STAAR tested class, skip the second
semester final and replace it with a final checkpoint.
Second, ask
just enough questions that can reasonably be answered in the time frame of the
assessment. Which means for: (a) Checkpoints, it will generally be 10 of
fewer questions. (b) Mid-terms, it will generally be 20 or fewer questions. (c)
Finals, it will be 30 or fewer questions.
Third, in the
STAAR environment, test taking fluency and pacing are critical. Adhering to the
allotted testing time hones student processing skills and gives teachers
critical information on student problem solving fluency. If the issue is
too many questions for the time frame, reduce the number of questions. If
the issue is inadequate student processing speed, that is instructional
information that is vital for the teacher.
Additionally,
the short, timed checkpoint protects instructional time. Teachers argue
that they do not have enough time to teach the required content. If this
is the case, then in the classroom the best solution is to teach a lot, assess
quickly, adjust, and repeat.
Finally (and
this upsets teachers), demoralized students are more a function of the teacher,
not the student. If the teacher communicates that the uses of checkpoints
are progress gauges and growth indicators, then the “grade” has less
significance. If the teacher communicates that the highest score (grade) is the
goal, then “low” scores are bad. What are your teachers communicating?
Implementing
the checkpoint process correctly is hard work. If it were easy, everyone
would do it. It boils down to this question, “Do you want to use your checkpoints to sort kids (traditional
practice) or improve adult practice (exceptional practice)?”
I hope this
better clarifies the process.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
- Call Jo at (832)
477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for
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Presentations)
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