Instruction Assessment System
What is it?
An on-going student assessment system helps educators make better decisions to enhance student learning. The on-going student assessment system in a RTI framework is made of the following assessments: outcome, screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, and program.
Why is it important?
It is a system that is reliable, valid, and generates on-going data about students’ progress and interventions’ efficacy. Data from this system are used by problem solving teams to inform student movement between the different tiers or levels of intervention. This system is well-organized and efficient to maximize available resources.
Outcome Assessment – Measures the effectiveness of the overall instructional program. Outcome assessments are used for school, district, and state reporting purposes. In Washington the outcome assessment is the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).
Screening Assessments - Screening assessments are quick and efficient measures of overall ability and critical skills known to be strong indicators that predict student performance. Administered to all students as an initial baseline, these assessments help to identify students who do not meet or who exceed grade level expectations. Results can be used as a starting point for instruction or to indicate a need for further evaluation. Screening assessments may also be known as universal screeners.
Diagnostic Assessments - Define a student’s strengths and weaknesses with critical skills. Diagnostic assessments are often individually administered to students at risk for academic/behavioral failure and provide specific information needed to guide appropriate instruction. In-depth error analysis procedures could also be utilized in a diagnostic manner. Based on the time and resources needed to complete these assessments, only students identified as “at-risk” should be given these assessments. The major purpose is to provide information for planning more effective instruction and interventions.
Progress Monitoring Assessments – Determine whether students are making adequate progress with critical skills given current instruction. These assessments should be administered as part of the instructional routine – weekly, biweekly, or monthly based on student need. This assessment data should be collected, evaluated, and used on an ongoing basis to plan instruction and inform needed intervention. Progress monitoring assessments must be sensitive to learning to accurately and immediately reflect the impact of instruction.
Program Assessments – Program assessments provide additional information about student learning. These do not meet the technical criteria applied to more formal measures and should not replace formal assessments. Typical program assessments include daily quizzes and chapter tests and other formative assessment measures.
Aimsweb
CBMNow
DIBELS
National Center on Student Progress Monitoring
CBM Progress Monitoring
National Center on Response to Intervention - Screening Reading Tools Chart
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