Posts tagged Assessment

It was a great day earlier this week for everyone at Cole Elementary School. We received word from the Indiana Department of Education that all 31 of our students had passed the IREAD3 Assessment! This was such a great piece of news for everyone involved.  The IREAD3 is a new assessment given to all third graders across the State of Indiana in March to assess basic reading skills.  There are no exemptions from IREAD3.  All students, including special education and English as a Second Language learners, must take the test.  The results of the test require action by the school.  Students who do not pass the IREAD3 are required to be retained (up to two times) unless a special education case conference decision says otherwise, or if the student’s English proficiency is in the lowest two tiers.

This test brought anxiety to our third graders.  It also brough anxiety to our third grade teachers and staff.  Obviously, we want all students to be proficient, strong readers and understand the importance of strong reading.  We have adjusted daily schedules to focus on reading.  We have held parent meetings.  We have done many other assessments of our students.  We are charting benchmark and growth levels of our students.  Our focus, like the focus of all schools across the board, has been strong toward reading. Still, the students and staff knew the ramifications for students not passing.  The day of testing was long, tiring, and stress-filled.  Students cried.  Teachers encouraged.  The whole school worked hard on noise level and was supportive during this testing day.  It was a team effort.

So, when the news came out that all of the students had passed this test, there was definitely a call for celebration.  We held an impromptu school-wide assembly and called all staff members and all third graders forward.  Then I shared the great news. Applause roared through the gymnasium.  Teachers cried. Students cried. Students applauded.  An affirmation of a job well-done and for lots of effort and sweat equity.  It was a great day for everyone.  If you look at the picture, there are two lines.  One with third graders and one with Cole Staff.  Hugs, high fives, and handshakes are being exchanged.  I am out front giving hugs and “Good Job, I am proud of you” to each student.

This was a great day for everyone.  I am very proud of the accomplishment.  When I think about the students who took the test, they gave EFFORT.  I don’t think I would be any less proud of the students had they not passed the test because they left it all on the field.  They tried hard.  Our teachers worked hard.  The test is a snapshot.  It’s a glimpse.  It is not the complete picture.  That’s my hesitation with judging schools solely on test scores.  But sometimes a group of students, a staff, and a community need a buoy of confidence.  Our IREAD3 scores gave just that.  I am proud of the parents for helping to emphasize reading.  I am proud of my staff for working so hard, encouraging, and fighting the good fight.  I am proud of my students above all for showing EFFORT.  Because in life, when it’s all said and done, you can have the best support from home, the best training, but if you don’t give the EFFORT, you won’t succeed.  Cole Cubs, well done! It was a great day for everyone when we found out all of our students had passed IREAD3.  I am proud of you all!

I once again have to brag on the Cole Staff for finding a very simple, but visual and powerful solution to a problem. The problem is a good problem to have “How do we display student growth in a visible, meaningful, and impactful way that doesn’t require a ton of time and effort?” The answer, “The Growth Tree”.  This tree was constructed by our art teacher and with little slips of paper created by a first grade teacher, we have an instant, visual, and impactful way to highlight growth.

The concept is simple. When a student reaches his/her end of the year benchmark goal (for a first grader, it would be to reach a 2.0 or higher on a variety of measures, second grade would strive for a 3.0 or higher, etc.), the student receives a slip of paper with whatever that benchmark goal is.  For the first grader, it would say 2.0 on it. He/she would then go to the lobby after writing his/her name on the slip, put the slip on a leaf, and hang it from the tree.  The other way a student can earn a leaf is to reach 1.0 growth (one year’s growth) on a measure.  So, once a child grows a full year on that measure, up the tree their name goes. This allows for the struggling, below level learner to earn a spot.  It also highlights the dual importance of both a year’s worth of growth and reaching the specified end of the year benchmark. 

Simple touches like this make me smile.  The tree is a great addition to our stunning lobby and any parent or child can easily stop by and find their leaf of success. Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest.  I love this one.