2623 - STUDENT ASSESSMENT

Grant County School

Bylaws & Policies

2623 - STUDENT ASSESSMENT

The Board of Education shall assess student achievement and needs in all program areas in compliance with the law and rules of the State Board of Education. The purpose will be to determine the progress of students and to assist them in attaining student performance objectives and the educational outcome goals of this County.

At least annually, staff members will assess the proficiencies and needs of each student. Procedures for such assessments may include, but need not be limited to, teacher observation techniques, cumulative student records, student performance data collected through standard testing programs, and physical examinations.

The Superintendent shall develop and present to the Board annually a program of testing that includes:

Statewide Assessment Program

All public school students shall participate in the West Virginia Measures of Academic Progress (hereinafter WV-MAP).

			a.	All public school students enrolled in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 shall be assessed at the grade level in which they are enrolled by the West Virginia Test of Educational Standards (WESTEST) to be administered in the spring of each year or the West Virginia Alternate Assessment to the WESTEST.
			b.	All public school students shall be assessed with the appropriate end-of-course (hereinafter EOC) tests at the grade level in which they are enrolled and taking the course. All public school eligible students with disabilities under Policy 2419 or Section 504 will be assessed with the appropriate accommodations and/or with modifications as determined by their respective IEP Teams or Section 504 Committees or LEP Committees.

The second year the EOC examinations are implemented, the grade received by the student on any of those examinations shall constitute no less than fifteen percent (15%) of the student’s final grade for the course. The career and technical EOC examinations will constitute no less than fifteen percent (15%) of the student’s grade effective on the first administration of the exams.

			c.	All public school students enrolled in 4th, 7th and 10th grades, except those participating in the West Virginia Alternate Assessment to WESTEST, shall participate in the Writing Assessment with accommodations and/or modifications as determined by their respective IEP Teams, Section 504 Committees or LEP Committees.
			d.	All public school students enrolled in the 8th grade, except those participating in the West Virginia Alternate Assessment to WESTEST, shall participate in the ACT EXPLORE assessment with accommodations and/or with modifications as determined by their respective IEP Teams, Section 504 Committees, or LEP Committees in the fall of each year.
			e.	All public school students enrolled in 10th grade, except those participating in the West Virginia Alternate Assessment to WESTEST, shall participate in the ACT PLAN assessment with accommodations and/or with modifications as determined by their respective IEP Teams, Section 504 Committees, or LEP Committees in the fall of each year.
			f.	All public school students enrolled in grades 4 and 8 who are part of NAEP State sample shall participate in the NAEP, a component of the WV-MAP. The participant(s) of this test will be determined by a random sample at the national level. All students, except those participating in the West Virginia Alternate Assessment component of WESTEST, will be placed on the school roster from which the random sample will be taken to determine NAEP participation.

WV-MAP shall be managed by the County Test Coordinator who has been provided training in administering the test instruments in this program.

			a.	The Superintendent shall ensure that all school test coordinators and site administrators and/or designees, as well as all other appropriate central office and school building level professional staff, are adequately trained in test administration, interpretation and use.
			b.	The Superintendent shall ensure that school test coordinators and site administrators and/or designees will provide adequate training and staff development for all educators that administer and/or proctor state assessments.
			c.	The County test coordinator in each county shall develop an outline or overview regarding the administration and use of the WV-MAP test results.
			d.	Practice tests, test improvement programs, juried lesson plans and technology may be used to improve student achievement.

		3.	All teachers shall be provided assessment data for the students in their schools and or classroom for the areas of instruction for which they are responsible in order to provide instructional intervention for students. Other professional staff in the school may access the test results by individuals, grade levels and/or groups of students for the purpose of instructional planning.
		4.	The County, school and teacher shall have a system for analyzing, interpreting and using student performance school or County data prior to the beginning of the school year. Data are to be used to identify and assist students who are not at or above mastery on the State approved content standards, objectives and performance descriptors.

School, County or RESA Assessment

The school, County, or RESA may develop assessments aligned with the State content standards, objectives and performance descriptor to drive instructional improvement for all students.

Assessment may include standard, non-standard:

				1)	performance assessments or portfolios;
				2)	observation performance data;
				3)	achievement checklists;
				4)	aptitude tests;
				5)	vocational inventories;
				6)	tests of mental ability;
				7)	teacher made tests and other assessments that are at the direction of and use by the classroom teacher.

The WVDE K-3 informal reading and mathematics assessments are part of the school assessments and are to be used as classroom diagnostic tools.

The County, school and teacher shall have a system for analyzing, interpreting and using student performance, school or County data prior to the beginning of the school year. Data are to be used to identify and assist students who are not at or above mastery on the State approved content standards, objectives and performance descriptors.

The Board shall also require that:

	A.	any student performing below mastery on classroom assessments in reading/language arts or mathematics, shall be provided intervention through extra help, multiple instructional strategies, and extra time in the classroom and in other school settings, as other settings are appropriate;
	B.	parents be informed of the testing program of the schools and of the special tests that are to be administered to their children;
	C.	data regarding individual test scores be entered on the student’s cumulative record, where it will be subject to the policy of this Board regarding student records;
	D.	the results of each school-wide, program-wide, and County-wide test be made part of the public record.

The Superintendent shall implement administrative guidelines which ensure that the State Department’s regulations are complied with regarding administration of the State’s mandated testing program, including the reporting of results.

WV Board of Education Policy 2510, Policy 2320, and Policy 2340