Increasing student achievement is one of the main goals of the Ankeny Community School District (ACSD). How does a teacher measure growth in student learning? ACSD teachers assess student learning in a variety of ways, giving students the opportunity to present evidence of their learning in different ways as evidenced in the District Assessment Plan.
The ACSD’s Math Content Standards are as follows:
These standards are measured when the benchmarks for each grade level are measured on district-wide and classroom assessments. From the data collected on these norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, annual and long-range goals are established. The 2001-2002 Annual Improvement goals for math are listed below.
The ACSD’s Science Content Standards are as follows:
These standards are measured when the benchmarks for each grade level are measured on district-wide and classroom assessments. From the data collected on these norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, annual and long-range goals are established. The 2001-2002 Annual Improvement goals for science are listed below.
To establish growth in reading, math, and science, the District assesses every student with the exception of those special education students whose IEP indicates that they should be exempt from the district-wide tests. In addition, those ELL students who do not have a command of English for basic comprehension and are in the first three years of receiving services from the ACSD could also be exempted from taking the district-wide exams. The special education and ELL teachers complete a district-designed form for those students who do not take the district-wide assessment. On this form, the alternative assessment used must be listed and turned in with the test that is administered. The District’s records contain these forms.
The ACSD does not administer norm-referenced tests in only fourth, eighth, and eleventh grades. ITBS is administered in February to third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, and the ITED test is administered to ninth grade students in February and eleventh grade students in September. In addition, all tenth grade students take the PLAN (formerly P-ACT) in September. Because the District is committed to improving student achievement, multiple forms of data are collected for analysis that will guide instruction for all students.
The ITBS/ITED norm-referenced tests only provide the District with one piece of information about student learning. To complement these standardized tests and to measure all of the benchmarks with each content standard, the District uses criterion-referenced performance tasks locally designed or purchased from testing companies. The multiple district-wide assessments that are used and the grade levels at which they are administered are listed below.
Grades K-3 Reading Diagnostic Assessments
| Data Reported | Tool Used to Collect Data | Grade Levels | Content Standards Measured |
| Reading Accuracy | Running Records | K-5 | Analysis and Interpretation |
| Reading Fluency | Grade Level Probes | 1-5 | Comprehension |
| Phonemic Awareness | District Assessments based on Yopp-Singer | K-1 | Analysis and Interpretation |
| Oral Reading Ability | Running Record/Fluency Probe | 1-5 | Analysis and Interpretation |
| Comprehension | Story Retelling | K-5 | Comprehension |
Sixth Grade Multiple Reading Assessment
The Stanford Open-Ended Reading assessment is used in the fall of the student’s sixth grade year and is administered to all sixth grade students unless the student has an IEP stating that s/he takes an alternative assessment or if the student’s understanding of English is so limited that s/he could not understand the reading even with accommodations. The benchmarks and content standards measured on this criterion referenced, open-ended assessment are listed below.
| Benchmark Measured | Content Standard Measured |
Number of Items |
| Paraphrases main idea and supporting details | Analysis and Interpretation | 2 |
| Notes sequence | Comprehension | 1 |
| Uses literary devices (character) to enhance understanding | Analysis and Interpretation | 1 |
| Summarizes information read | Comprehension | 1 |
| Makes and supports inferences | Analysis and Interpretation | 2 |
| Draws conclusions from written selection | Analysis and Interpretation | 1 |
| Expresses opinions using support | Analysis and Interpretation | 4 |
|
Reads to understand author’s idea(s) and Purpose(s) |
Analysis and Interpretation | 3 |
|
Uses text and prior knowledge to make connections |
Analysis and Interpretation | 1 |
Many of the skills measured on this assessment are also measured on the ITBS. In determining whether a content standard has been measured, both district-wide assessments are analyzed.
Eleventh Grade Multiple Reading Assessment
This district-designed assessment is administered in the spring to all junior students unless the student has an IEP stating that s/he takes an alternative assessment or if the student’s understanding of English is so limited that s/he could not understand the reading even with accommodations. The benchmarks and content standards measured on this criterion referenced, multiple choice and constructed-response assessment are listed below.
| Benchmark Measured | Content Standard Measured |
Number of Items |
| Paraphrases main idea and supporting details | Analysis and Interpretation | 2 |
|
Reads to understand author’s idea(s) and Purpose(s) |
Analysis and Interpretation | 2 |
| Makes and supports inferences | Analysis and Interpretation | 4 |
|
Extracts meaning of words using context clues |
Analysis and Interpretation | 3 |
Many of the skills measured on this assessment are also measured on the ITED. In determining whether a content standard has been measured, both district-wide assessments are analyzed.
Third Grade Math Multiple Assessment
This district-designed assessment is administered in the fall and again in the spring to all third grade students unless the student has an IEP stating that s/he takes an alternative assessment or if the student’s understanding of English is so limited that s/he could not understand the assessment, even with accommodations. The content standards measured and the growth from the fall to spring on this criterion referenced, constructed-response assessment are listed below.
| Content Standard Measured | Fall | Spring |
| Communication of Mathematical Concepts | 32.8% | 63.2% |
|
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
32.8% | 63.2% |
| Connections: Transference of Knowledge to Life Situations | 24.4% | 43.6% |
| Accuracy in Basic computation | 33.5% | 55.0% |
The numbers in the fall and spring columns indicate the percentage of students who have mastered the Content Standard by scoring a three or above on a four point scale. Teachers have analyzed the data from this first year and will be implementing changes in instruction.
Seventh Grade Math Multiple Assessment
This district-designed assessment is administered in the spring to all seventh grade students unless the student has an IEP stating that s/he takes an alternative assessment or if the student’s understanding of English is so limited that s/he could not understand the assessment, even with accommodations. The benchmarks and content standards and rubric criteria on this criterion-referenced, constructed-response assessment are listed below.
| Benchmark Measured |
Content Standard Measured |
Rubric Criterion Measured |
| Estimates sums and differences |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
Basic Skills |
|
Uses the standards order of operations to evaluate expressions |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
Analysis and Problem Solving |
|
Uses a variety of problem-solving Strategies |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
Analysis and Problem Solving |
|
Clearly explains answers with supporting evidence |
Communication of Mathematical Concepts |
Explanation of Mathematical Concepts |
|
Evaluates and writes multiple operation equations |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
Display of Data |
Many of the skills measured on this assessment are also measured on the ITBS. In determining whether a content standard has been measured, both district-wide assessments are analyzed.
Eleventh Grade Math Multiple Assessment
This district-designed assessment is administered in the spring to all eleventh grade students unless the student has an IEP stating that s/he takes an alternative assessment or if the student’s understanding of English is so limited that s/he could not understand the assessment, even with accommodations. The benchmarks, content standards, and number of items measured on this criterion-referenced, constructed-response assessment are listed below.
| Benchmark Measured | Content Standard Measured |
Number of Items |
| Identifies too little or too much information | Communication of Mathematical Concepts | 9 |
|
Simplifies expression involving order of operations |
Communication of Mathematical Concepts | 1 |
| Chooses the correct operation | Accuracy in Basic computation | 3 |
| Identifies and graphs a linear equation |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
2 |
| Plots a coordinate plane |
Connections: Transference of Knowledge to Life Situations |
1 |
| Collects like terms | Communication of Mathematical Concepts | 1 |
| Solves any linear equation in one variable |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
1 |
| Computes rations, rates, and proportions | Accuracy in Basic computation | 1 |
|
Determines area and perimeter of polygons And circles |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques Connections: Transference of Knowledge to Life Situations |
2 |
| Applies and solves Pythagorean theorem |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
1 |
|
Uses sine, cosine, and tangent to find missing sides of right triangles |
Demonstration of Analysis and Problem Solving skills by Using a variety of Mathematical Techniques |
1 |
Many of the skills measured on this assessment are also measured on the ITED. In determining whether a content standard has been measured, both district-wide assessments are analyzed.
Multiple Science Assessments
During the 2000-2001 school year, the District developed criterion-referenced, constructed- response assessments to measure science benchmarks and content standards in that are not measured adequately on the ITBS/ITED. These assessments will be piloted in ninth and tenth grades during the 2001-2002 school year to "test the test." Full implementation will take place during the 2002-2003 school year.