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F-100-AR: Student Assessment

References:

F-100
B-150 Appeals Concerning Student Matters
Education Act, Section 197, Section 56
Alberta Education, Student Records Regulation 97/2019
Guide to Education, ECS to Grade 12
Alberta Education Regulation 80/2019
Alberta Education Teaching Quality Standard
Alberta Education Leadership Quality Standard

Definitions
1. Assessment – process of collecting information on student performance that includes a variety of evidence designed to provide information to monitor and improve student learning.
  1. Diagnostic Assessment – occurs before instruction begins so teachers can determine students’ readiness to learn new knowledge and skills, as well as obtain information about their interests and learning preferences.
  2. Formative Assessment – assessment experiences that result in an ongoing exchange of information between students and teachers regarding student progress toward clearly specified learner outcomes; this information is not used for grading purposes.
  3. Summative Assessment – assessment experiences designed to collect information about student learning in order to make judgments about student performance and achievement at the end of a period of instruction; this information is shared with students, parents/guardians and others who have a right to know.
2. Equity - is a process, amount, or extent of assessment is appropriate for the student, situation, conditions, and context, endeavoring to remove barriers for students to demonstrate the extent of their learning and/or understanding.
3. Evaluation – a process of triangulating evidence of student learning to make a reasoned judgement about a student’s progress towards curricular expectations or learning outcomes.
4. Grade or Mark – a letter, number or performance level reported at the end of a period of time as a representation of student performance based on a variety of summative assessments.
5. Professional judgement – is informed by professional knowledge of curricular expectations, context, triangulation of evidence of learning, methods of instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning.
Student Assessment in Kindergarten to Grade 12 - Teachers apply current and comprehensive practices and procedures to ensure that assessment, evaluation and reporting are valid and reliable and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students.
1. Teachers apply practices and procedures that are transparent and equitable for all students.
  1. Assessment practices and procedures consider the diverse needs of students.
  2. Assessment practices and procedures are communicated at the beginning of courses and other appropriate times during the learning process.
  3. Teachers share learning goals, processes, and success criteria with students at the beginning of an assessment cycle.
  4. Each school must make known the division assessment policy, including the appeal process, to all stakeholders.
2. Teachers apply practices and procedures that are intentionally planned to align to the curriculum expectations and learning outcomes.
  1. Teachers plan in order to gather information about student learning, both diagnostically and formatively, as part of the teaching and learning process.
  2. Teachers plan in order to gather information about student learning and achievement summatively as part of the teaching and learning process.
  3. Information gathered from assessment informs practices for high quality teaching and learning.
  4. Teachers develop high quality assessment tasks and tools to yield valid and reliable evidence of student learning to make a reasoned judgement about student achievement.
3. Teachers apply practices and procedures that provide students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate their progress towards achieving the learning outcomes from the curriculum.
  1. Assessments are flexible and differentiated to respond to diverse student needs.
  2. Student demonstration of learning includes conversations, observations, and products that yield triangulation of evidence of student learning.
  3. Students are responsible for demonstrating their learning.
4. Teachers apply practices and procedures that provide ongoing feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful and timely to support improved learning and achievement.
  1. Teachers provide students with meaningful feedback in relation to the students’ progress towards the learning outcomes.
  2. Teachers provide feedback that supports students for next steps in their learning.
  3. Teachers create opportunities that allow students to engage with feedback to further their learning.
5. Teachers apply practices and procedures that communicate and report student learning in an ongoing manner that provides clear information about student growth and achievement using reasoned professional judgement.
  1. Teachers employ varied methods of communicating and reporting student learning.
    1. For Kindergarten children, the division Kindergarten Exit Document will be completed at the end of the school year.
    2. For elementary students (grades 1-6) and junior high students (grades 7-9) student progress will be reported using a division approved reporting tool.
    3. For high school students (grades 10-12) student progress will be reported using an online grade book available through a parent portal.
    4. When appropriate, and in consultation with school administration and the parents/guardians, an Individual Program Plan (IPP) may be used in place of a division approved reporting tool.
  2. Determining a grade involves analysis and interpretation of multiple sources of evidence of student learning provided by students.
  3. Student achievement is reported in relation to curricular expectations and learning outcomes or learning goals, prioritizing the most recent evidence of student learning.
  4. Student effort, work habits attendance, and behaviours are reported separately from progress towards the learning outcomes.
Student Records
1. Schools are required to respect the confidentiality of student evaluation records and to release them only to those entitled to receive them in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, Students Records.
2. Schools are required to maintain accurate records pertaining to student evaluation in accordance with division policy.
3. Schools are required to store student assessment records in accordance with division policy.
Testing Programs
1. Schools are required to make provision for the administration of tests and examinations as mandated by Alberta Education and the division.
Appeal Procedures
1. If a concern with an assessment or grade arises and is unable to be resolved with the teachers, the individual may appeal to the school principal.
2. The school principal will investigate the course of the concern and render a decision which will be shared with the individual.
3. The decision of the principal is final.