Assessment and Evaluation Department Vision Statement, with messages for Students and Parents

The Assessment and Evaluation team believes that quality assessment (classroom and district-wide) and evaluation can be a powerful part of the learning process. We advocate practices that ensure quality assessment and evaluation, including strategic thinking about the purpose, design, preparation, feedback, and instructional follow-up, as well as the appropriate use of classroom, district, state, and norm-referenced assessments.  We believe this assessment and evaluation process is most effective when educators engage, collaborate, and reflect with one another and their students throughout the learning process. Done well, assessment can provide information about students’ strengths and possible areas for continued growth.  However, we are also keenly aware that no assessment score tells the complete story of any student, class, school, or district; those stories are broader and deeper.  What assessment scores can’t tell us about are the individual ideas, talents, personalities, and experiences that make each student special and unique. The stories beyond the scores include school personnel’s varied areas of expertise, community outreach, dedication to life-long learning, and personal and professional commitments to student success.  The stories include all of us working together to move forward on common goals, and that we must value each other as individuals during every step of that journey.  The Assessment and Evaluation team believes that quality, thoughtful assessment and evaluation help teachers and students learn. We believe in the distinct, inherent worth of each person represented directly or indirectly in assessment and evaluation processes. We promise to keep this in mind as we work with individuals, teams, and schools across the district.

For students: to accompany test score reports for students

This is a score on a test. It might be a number. It might be a letter. It might be a percentile. This score tells you, your parents, and your teachers something about what you know and what you don’t know. You and your teachers can use this information to better support your learning. But it is important to remember that this score is not the whole you.  A score isn’t the complete picture of who you are and who you want to become. As a human being you are complex. You are someone who dreams, plays, creates, asks questions, looks for answers, and takes care of others. As educators we promise to remember that you are more than a score. You are a wonderfully complicated being who deserves respect, honesty, and our best efforts to help you become who you want to become.

For parents: to accompany test score reports for parents

The purpose of this report is to share assessment scores that may communicate important information about your child’s knowledge or skills. Teachers use this information to better support your child’s ongoing learning. In addition to the assessment scores, we also want you to know that we realize no score tells the complete story of any student. Assessment scores do not reflect the individual ideas, talents, personalities, and experiences that make each student special and unique. As educators we promise to remember that students are more than scores on assessment reports, and we strive to acknowledge the individuality of each student as we work toward helping every student learn and grow.