District Informs Instruction with a User-friendly, Developmentally-Appropriate Assessment

York, ME | serving 1,872 students in K – 12

SUMMARY

York is a small district with two elementary schools, located on the southern coast of Maine. The district is implementing a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework to ensure that all students receive quality instruction reflective of their individual needs. York has been administering the Children’s Progress Academic Assessment (CPAA) to inform instruction and plan targeted remediation sessions in kindergarten through grade 2 since 2009.

I feel strongly that the CPAA is what testing should be. The quality of the assessment and the support is stellar and we find the information so valuable… In contrast, with some other assessments we’ve used, the user-friendly aspect was conspicuously absent and the technology was often problematic.

Dr. Maryann Minard
Director of Curriculum

CHALLENGE

Prior to using the CPAA, York educators were administering the Terra Nova as a large-scale assessment measure to students in grades 2 through 9, with a variety of additional measures used to monitor the achievement of young learners, such as the Brigance Test of Basic Skills, running records, Everyday Math tests and locally developed benchmark assessments in kindergarten through grade 1. “Teachers would review the information generated by these tools, but it was often perceived as too cumbersome to obtain a snapshot of student performance that would inform instruction,” says Dr. Maryann Minard, the district’s Director of Curriculum.

Minard recounts, “We explored several assessment programs for the early grades. Some were clearly not developmentally appropriate. We wanted to find a universal screener for our young students that would provide rich, accurate data in a manner that would not intimidate young learners and require extensive loss of instructional time. We said, ‘We’re not going to settle!’” After piloting the CPAA, district administrators and teachers unanimously agreed that it would be the formative assessment of choice for their youngest students.

SOLUTION

York’s educators have used the CPAA since 2009 in kindergarten through grade 2. It is administered to all students three times a year and is, at times, used more frequently with at-risk students. “We really believe in the value of formative assessment. Our teachers use the data in the classroom for informing instruction and we love having the data so readily available for the literacy and math educators and the administrators,” says Minard.

The CPAA has played a valuable role in the district’s evolving RTI process. At Tier I, classroom teachers use CPAA reports in combination with benchmark assessments, locally developed assessments and teacher expertise to help determine how to best adapt instruction to student needs. At Tier II, teachers sometimes collaborate with their grade-level peers, using CPAA data to assist in identifying students who may benefit from additional small-group instruction outside of regular class time.

“Our goal is to reach and challenge all students by targeting their individual strengths and needs. We must especially prioritize working with young students who are most at risk,” says Minard. In seeking to challenge each student according to his or her ability, the district values collaboration and professional development. Aside from working together in regular Professional Learning Communities (PLC) meetings, York teachers sometimes work with the district’s RTI consultant and the teacher of students identified as gifted and talented to develop appropriate next steps.

“When we were just getting started with the CPAA, my hope was that teachers might use it twice a year. I was so excited to see them decide to administer it at least three times a year,” Minard shares. “We are pleased with how easy it is to use CPAA reports. The information is immediate, clear and personalized.”

Aside from using reports in a school setting, teachers also share parent reports with families. The York team attributes its confidence in the CPAA to Children’s Progress’ support and training. Minard says, “It’s delightful to be working with a group that focuses so much on quality service. The web-based technology has made access and preparation for testing sessions a very smooth process for us.”

The CPAA is a useful tool for measuring growth throughout the year in the key areas of math and literacy. With immediate access to results, teachers are able to identify students who need extra support with specific skills and strategies. The suggested activities are helpful for intervention groups.

Pam Audet
Teacher, Grade 2

IMPACT

Instant Information Drives Differentiation
Teachers in each grade meet regularly to share best practices and discuss challenges. At these meetings, grade level teachers have been able to use CPAA reports to identify and group students from several classrooms for skill-specific Tier II pull-out sessions. Using CPAA data to differentiate instruction across multiple classrooms helps the district allocate teacher and specialist time efficiently and allows students to get timely help with specific skills.

Differentiation also occurs within each classroom. “CPAA reports give us ideas not just for students who are at risk, but also for those who should continue to reinforce skills with practice or need enrichment,” says Minard.

Developmentally-Appropriate Format Encourages Youngest Students
“We have been amazed at how engaged and motivated the students are. I have had a student say to me, ‘That was such a cool game. I hope I can do it again!’” Minard recalls. Age-appropriate format and content were critical for York’s educators from the get-go. The CPAA’s animated graphics, positive feedback and scaffolding have helped them ensure that each student is challenged in line with his or her developmental level. “We like knowing that the assessment was developed at Teachers College with a focus on developmental appropriateness,” Minard adds.

Single Reporting Interface Puts Everyone on the Same Page
Using the same assessment from kindergarten through grade 2 has been helpful for keeping everyone in the district on the same page about performance and progress. The web-based reports are easy to navigate and available immediately to inform decision-making at the class, school and district level. This helps York’s educators collaborate across buildings. “Getting the information we need with just a few clicks and being able to use it right away is a great advantage,” affirms Minard.

I value the variety of skills assessed with the CPAA and how easily engaged our young students are with it. I am impressed with how simple it is for the teacher to access the results and how these results can help inform instruction.

Pam Whelan-Roy
Teacher, Kindergarten