A |
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Alignment |
A match between the written, taught, and tested curriculum. |
Assessment |
The process of observing and accumulating objective evidence of
an individual child’s learning progress (e.g., mastery of objectives). |
| Assessment for Learning |
Assessments that are conducted throughout teaching and learning as the
learning is happening. Teachers are leaning in and conferring with students.
Intervention is happening in real time, and the goal is to help students see and feel in
control of their journey to success. The grading function is laid aside, and each
student learns how to do better the next time. Students know where they are going,
know where they are now, and know how to close the gap.
-- from Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning by Stiggens, et al. |
| Assessment of Learning |
Assessments that are summative and are used to determine if a student has
met district, state, or federal standards. These assessments are usually
standardized tests.
-- from Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning by Stiggens, et al. |
| Assessment, Common |
Assessments that are given by two or more instructors with the intention
of collaboratively examining the results for shared learning, instructional planning for
individual students, and curriculum, instruction, and/or assessment modifications.
Common assessments are formative and connected to essential outcomes / curriculum
standards. They are given to all students enrolled in the same class, course, or
grade level.
-- from Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning by Stiggens, et al. |
| Assessment, Formative |
Assessments that are typically teacher-made, frequent assessments for
whole groups of students to inform the teacher of the next steps in the teaching and
learning process. There are four basic assessment categories: selected response and
short answer, extended written response, performance assessment, and personal
communication. All four methods are legitimate options when their use correlates
highly with the learning target and the intended use of information. Research shows
that use of regular, high-quality formative assessments increases student achievement.
-- from Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning by Stiggens, et al. |
B |
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| Benchmark Tests |
Assessments that are developed externally by central or regional offices
that are given to all students in a specific content at specific intervals that determine
mastery of learning targets for a certain period of time.
-- from Classroom Assessment for Student
Learning by Stiggens, et al. |
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Concepts |
Ideas, events, objects or phenomena that are seen to have certain
properties or attributes. A concept can be named, defined, described and exemplified. |
Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) |
Compares performance to standards deemed appropriate for the
child relative to mastery of an area. Closely linked to content of instruction. |
Curriculum |
What students should know and be able to demonstrate. |
Curriculum Department |
In HISD there are now two Curriculum, Instruction, and
Assessment (CIA) Departments -- one for Secondary and one for Elementary. |
Curriculum Documents |
The Vertical Alignment Matrix provides a developmental map
of HISD curriculum PK-12. These documents, available by content area grade spans,
delineate the responsibility of instruction and support the district’s college-bound
culture by outlining accountability for student learning by grade level. The
Vertical Alignment Matrix provides teachers, parents, board members, the business
community, and all other stakeholders an overall idea of the flow of the HISD curriculum
PK-12.
The TEKS/TAKS Correlations document illustrates the
relationship between HISD objectives, TEKS student expectations, and alignment to TAKS.
When instruction is based on the HISD objectives, teachers can be confident they are
teaching the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Knowledge, skills and concepts
from the state’s framework are embedded in HISD objectives.
The Horizontal Alignment Planning Guide is organized by
grading periods and serves as a guide for planning instruction by bundling objectives into
instructional units. The Horizontal Alignment Planning guide outlines the
district’s recommended sequence of instruction and serves as the scope and sequence
for the course/content area. |
N |
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Norm-Referenced Test
(NRT) |
Compares the child’s performance to that of other children
at the same age or grade. Independent of the context of instruction. |
P |
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Power Objectives |
HISD Power Objectives have the potential to significantly
sharpen and focus curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Power objectives are prioritized
objectives that are derived from a systematic and balanced approach to distinguishing the
objectives that are absolutely essential for student success. HISD Power objectives will
serve as a subset of the complete list of HISD objectives for each grade level content
area/course. HISD Power Objectives will represent the "safety net" of objectives
that each teacher must make sure every student learns prior to leaving the current
grade/course. Students who acquire this "safety net" of knowledge and skills
will exit the current grade/course better prepared for the next grade/course.
Power Objectives Identification Criteria
Three distinct criteria for distinguishing the
“essential” curriculum objectives include the following.
§ Endurance
– Will this objective provide students with knowledge and skills that will be of
value beyond a single test date? For example, proficiency in reading will endure
throughout a student’s academic career and professional life.
§ Leverage
– Will this objective provide knowledge and skills that will be of value in
multiple disciplines? For example, proficiency in creating graphs, tables, and charts and
the ability to draw accurate inferences from them will help students in math, science,
social studies, and language arts. The ability to write an analytical and persuasive essay
will similarly help students in every academic discipline.
§ Readiness
for the next level of learning – Will this objective provide students with
essential knowledge and skills that are necessary for success in the next grade level or
the next level of instruction? For example, fourth-grade teachers are unanimous that
reading comprehension and math facts recall are essential for third graders who wish to
enter the fourth grade confidently and pursue fourth-grade studies successfully. |
Process Skills |
Processes, habits of mind, and strategies students use to apply
content-specific skills and knowledge. Process skills in the disciplines include:
§ Mathematics
– Problem Solving, Communication, and Logical Reasoning
§ Science
– Safety, Inquiry, Critical Thinking
§ Social
Studies – Critical Thinking, Communication, Problem Solving and Decision Making
Use of communication, tools, technology, problem solving, placing math in
real-world situations to help students learn to process mathematics in a variety of
representatives. |
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SE’s /
Student Expectations |
Describes the specific
knowledge or skill students should be able to demonstrate. SE’s are a
“subset” of each TEKS statement listed in the State curriculum. TAKS test
content is based on selected SE’s from each content area. |
Sequence |
The order in which objectives are taught. |
Strands |
The broad categories for knowledge and skills for which
instruction must be provided in each discipline.
§ Language
Arts – Listening and Speaking; Reading; Writing, Viewing and Representing.
§ Mathematics
– Number, Operation & Quantitative reasoning; Patterns, Relationships, and
Algebraic Thinking; Geometry and Spatial Reasoning; Measurement; Probability and
Statistics; Process Skills
§ Science
– Matter and Energy; Change; Properties and Patterns; Systems; Heredity; Natural
World; Process Skills
§ Social
Studies- History; Geography; Economics; Government; Citizenship; Culture; Science,
Technology, and Society; Skills |
Standards-Based Curriculum |
A standards-based curriculum in HISD includes using
district-developed objectives based on the state framework of TEKS and Student
Expectations with further clarification to support grade level/course instructional
planning and assessment. The following three curriculum tools support total
instructional alignment: Vertical Alignment Matrix, TEKS/TAKS Correlations, and the
Horizontal Alignment Planning Guide. |
Strategies |
Processes, procedures and routines used
to help students learn specific skills and knowledge. |
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TAKS |
The Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. As mandated by the
76th Texas Legislature in 1999, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) has
been administered in Texas schools starting with the 2002-2003 school year. The TAKS
measures the statewide curriculum in reading at Grades 3-9; in writing at Grades 4 and 7;
in English Language Arts at Grades 10 and 11; in mathematics at Grades 3-11; in science at
Grades 5, 8,10, and 11; and social studies at Grades 8, 10, and 11. The Spanish TAKS is
administered at Grades 3 through 6. Satisfactory performance on the TAKS at Grade 11 is
prerequisite to a high school diploma. |
TAKS
Information Booklets |
Booklets that provide information regarding the scope of content tested on the
TAKS (The TEKS and SE’s that will be tested) as well as sample items showing the
formats in which content will be tested. These may be downloaded from the TEA website:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/taks/booklets/index.html |
TEA TAKS
Blueprints |
Define how many questions will appear on TAKS, as well as the number of
questions per objective. TEA says the TAKS Blueprints establish the length of each test
and the number of test items measuring each objective. They have been developed to ensure
that each subject-area/grade-level test includes a variety of the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) student
expectations eligible for assessment. In addition, each subject-area blueprint reflects an
appropriate distribution of the TEKS across objectives for that grade level. |
TEA TAKS Rubrics
|
Writing - TAKS compositions will
be scored on a four-point scale, with 1 being the lowest score and 4 being the highest.
The rubric is based on five criteria—focus and coherence, organization, development
of ideas, voice, and conventions—which will be considered equally in the scoring of
each composition. The same writing rubric will be used to evaluate TAKS compositions at
all grades assessed: Grade 4 English, Grade 7, Grade 10, and Grade 11 Exit Level.
Reading - The TAKS reading rubrics will be used to score the three short answer
questions that will be included on the reading test at Grade 9 and the English language
arts tests at Grades 10 and 11 Exit Level. Short answer questions will be scored on a
four-point scale, with 0 (Insufficient) being the lowest score and 3 (Exemplary) being the
highest. There are three separate reading rubrics—one to score the question attached
to the literary selection, one to score the question attached to the expository selection,
and one to score the question that requires students to make a connection between these
two selections. The score students receive on each question is based on their ability to
provide a reasonable answer and support it with relevant and accurate evidence from the
text. |
TEKS |
The Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills; the state-mandated curriculum for
Texas. The TEKS are embedded in the HISD curriculum. |