Universal Assessment: Understand the power behind school-wide testing
K-12 education is moving in the right direction with true differentiated instruction. To do this, the first step is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the students. That is where universal screening comes into play.
A universal screener is a test that can accurately assess and place a student on a continuum. Mathematics and language arts tend to be the two areas in which the universal assessment is most commonly used.
An 80/20 breakdown of student performance as expected vs. students needing additional interventions is typical. Response to intervention models, also known as three-tier or four-tier models, are used to track and monitor the interventions used and the progress made. These models have also transitioned to include both academic interventions and behavioral interventions.
Universal screening is the beginning of this whole process. Not all schools have adopted a consistent universal filter. There are different types and different philosophies about how tests are delivered and then used. Data-driven decision making is the next logical step and evaluation of all students.
The school and administration must consider not only the test that will be used, but also how the test will be delivered. Paper evidence or electronic (computerized) evidence? If it is computerized, which is the current direction of education, then understanding the computer to student ratio is essential. A clear organizational and rotation plan is crucial to the success and efficiency of the universal screener.
These decisions must be provided by the administration. A top-down approach is essential. Management must also provide clear expectations about what should be done after the results are received.
The most efficient and practical solution to data-driven decision making is to let technology do the work. Let technology prescribe state standards-aligned practice tests and lessons on an individual basis directly after the universal assessment.
A challenge for many schools is computer access time. How much time will students have access to computers each week? This question is the fundamental question that needs to be answered before writing a plan to address not only the initial universal filter, but also the ongoing need for computer time to address poor skills.
Should the lessons complement the curriculum taught in class? Or should the lessons address only the specific skills that students need on an individual basis? Or maybe a combination of both.
Follow-up questions include: How long between follow-up assessments? How long must a student have on the computer before being tested again?
The power of school-wide tests allows teachers knowledge of 2 things: the location of each student’s general knowledge and the prediction of state tests.