Guidelines for Using the Assessment System Analysis Template

Assessment System Analysis Template

Guidelines for Using the Assessment System Analysis Template

Complete a matrix or calendar listing each component of the current district assessment system. You may use an existing matrix or calendar, the first two columns of the following chart, or another tool such as the San Diego County Office of Education Assessment Matrix or School Assessment Calendar Template.

Assessment System Analysis Template: Part I

With appropriate stakeholders, complete the first three columns of the following chart to respond to three important questions about each of your current assessments. In the Notes column, respond to the following three questions about EACH assessment:
What does the school or district hope to accomplish with this assessment?
Is this assessment emphasized?
Does this assessment complement others or is it redundant?
As you respond to the questions above, make notes in the “Decisions” column regarding whether each assessment should be included or excluded from the assessment system and/or whether it needs further review or analysis. In the “Priority” column, make preliminary notes about the importance of address this assessment as part of district and school efforts to move toward a balanced assessment system.

Assessment System Analysis Template: Part II

Develop recommendations for refining the district assessment system to bring it into alignment and balance. Consider areas of focus for improving student academic achievement, other district or school initiatives, and available resources (people, time, and money).
For each recommendation, identify the action steps needed to implement the recommendation.
Establish a priority for each action step, and delineate the timeline and responsibilities for carrying out the actions.

Assessment System Analysis Template

Part I: Assessment System Analysis

Assessment System Analysis Template

Assessments / Grade Levels / Notes / Decisions
(Include/Exclude;
Keep as is/Revise) / Priority
(High, Medium, Low)
Place the name of the assessment here / Number of testsby grade level / Use this section to answer these three questions:

What does the school hope to accomplish with this assessment?This question gets to the purpose of the assessment, or why the assessment is used. To answer this question, think about what the purpose of the assessment is (formative, summative) and how the results are used (drive instruction, make decisions about learning).
Is this assessment emphasized? This question documents how often the assessment is used. Less frequent and lengthy assessments are typically more valued in an organization (i.e., CSTs). To answer this question think about how often the test is given, the cognitive complexity of the tasks, and other important factors.
Does this assessment complement others or is it redundant?This question begins to document the connections between assessments in the assessment system. To answer this question, think about the nature of this assessment (its purpose and emphasis in the system) and how that nature aligns with other assessments. For example, is the cognitive complexity and frequency of this assessment similar to another assessment in the system, i.e., does the assessment system have both a final exam and 12 week benchmark assessment?

/ In this section, begin making some notes about whether this assessment should be included/ excluded from the system and or reviewed further. / In this section, note the priority for addressing this area in district or school efforts to move toward a balanced assessment system.

Part II: Recommendations and Priorities

Recommendations / Action Steps / Priority / Timeline / Responsibility
Describe recommendations for the work needed to refine the district assessment system to bring it into alignment and balance. / Identify the action steps needed to implement the recommendations. / Establish a priority for each action step. / Delineate the timeline for accomplishing each action step. / Assign responsibility for both implementation and monitoring of each action step.