Educating Teachers in Student
Assessment, 2011
Surveys of School Administrators and EHHS
Teacher Education Graduates
The Research and Evaluation Bureau
College of Education, Health, and Human
Services
October 2011
This study is part of a continuing series of
studies designed to assess the competence and
performance of EHHS graduates
 2007: Telephone surveys – District principals employing
EHHS teacher education graduates
 2008: Follow-up in-depth interviews – District principals
employing EHHS teacher education graduates
 2009: Interviews – District superintendents employing
EHHS educational administration graduates
 2010: Interviews - District leadership employing EHHS
mathematics, science, and special education teachers
 2011: Online surveys - District administrators and EHHS
teacher education graduates (focus on assessment
competency of 2005-2011 teacher education graduates)
The 2011 focus on student assessment
was in response to several factors*
 Increased national focus on utilizing
education standards and assessments that
prepare students for success in college
and the workplace
 Increased national focus on utilizing
longitudinal data to inform practice and
measure student learning
*as evidenced in the USDOE Race to the Top Grant specifications
2011 Student Assessment Study:
Methodology
 Separate online surveys for administrators
and teacher education graduates were
conducted during summer 2011.
 Administrator response rate: 30% (n=61)
Graduate response rate: 14% (n=186)
 The resulting study is representative of
diverse professional, school, and community
populations.
Survey Respondent Demographics:
Administrators
Current Position
6%
Principal
Curriculum Director
Other
15%
4%
79%
20%
Years in Education
16%
60%
6-10 years
11-15 years
16-20 years
More than 20 years
Survey Respondent Demographics:
Graduates
Teaching Status
Currently teaching
Previously, but not currently, teaching
Has not taught
17%
16%
67%
Grade Level Experience*
18%
19%
Teaching Experience
7%
41%
17%
Less than 1 yr
1-2 years
3-4 years
5-6 years
35%
46%
K
1st-5th
6th-8th
9th-12th
Other
36%
41%
*Some respondents had multiple grade
level experience, resulting in a total
percentage greater than 100%
The following slides compare the opinions of the
administrators and EHHS teacher education
graduates who participated in this study.
Administrators indicated how competent they
perceived new EHHS graduates (2005-2011) in
the areas indicated, while 2005-2011 graduates
indicated how competent they felt in the same
areas following completion of their EHHS teacher
education program.
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to do the following
assessment tasks:
Not at
all
To a small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
Understand value-added
data
Administrators
Graduates
3%
18%
21%
23%
43%
35%
27%
16%
6%
8%
Use value-added data
Administrators
Graduates
21%
27%
21%
26%
31%
30%
21%
11%
6%
6%
5%
11%
14%
16%
33%
39%
19%
20%
29%
14%
Use data generated from
state assessments such
as OAA or OGT
Administrators
Graduates
To a great To a very
extent
great
extent
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to use standardized assessment
data to do the following tasks:
Not at
all
To a
small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a
great
extent
To a very
great
extent
Identify students’ current
competencies
Administrators
Graduates
0%
6%
10%
14%
32%
34%
50%
33%
8%
13%
Assess students’ learning
progress
Administrators
Graduates
2%
5%
3%
13%
44%
32%
36%
35%
15%
15%
Differentiate instruction
Administrators
Graduates
5%
8%
12%
13%
35%
30%
35%
28%
13%
21%
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to use standardized
assessment data to do the following tasks:
Not at
all
To a
small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a
great
extent
To a very
great
extent
Inform instructional
decision-making
Administrators
Graduates
3%
5%
13%
12%
38%
27%
41%
41%
5%
15%
Make summative decisions
Administrators
Graduates
3%
5%
8%
14%
56%
30%
23%
38%
10%
13%
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to use standardized
assessment data to do the following tasks:
Not at
all
To a
small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a
great
extent
To a very
great
extent
Communicate student
learning strengths and
challenges to parents
Administrators
Graduates
2%
6%
15%
19%
35%
28%
33%
30%
15%
17%
Communicate student
learning strengths and
challenges with colleagues
Administrators
Graduates
2%
6%
8%
12%
49%
30%
26%
33%
15%
19%
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to use teacher-developed
assessment data to do the following tasks:
Not at
all
To a
small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a
great
extent
To a very
great
extent
Identify students’ current
competencies
Administrators
Graduates
0%
4%
7%
11%
42%
22%
44%
40%
7%
23%
Assess students’ learning
progress
Administrators
Graduates
0%
3%
7%
11%
30%
23%
50%
39%
13%
24%
Differentiate instruction
Administrators
Graduates
0%
5%
15%
9%
44%
26%
29%
33%
12%
27%
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to use teacher-developed
assessment data to do the following tasks:
Not at
all
To a
small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a
great
extent
To a very
great
extent
Inform instructional
decision-making
Administrators
Graduates
0%
3%
12%
9%
31%
29%
49%
36%
8%
23%
Make summative decisions
Administrators
Graduates
0%
4%
8%
9%
44%
33%
38%
33%
10%
21%
Respondents’ perceived level of graduates’
competency to use teacher-developed
assessment data to do the following tasks:
Not at
all
To a
small
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a
great
extent
To a very
great
extent
Communicate student
learning strengths and
challenges to parents
Administrators
Graduates
0%
6%
12%
12%
39%
24%
32%
34%
17%
24%
Communicate student
learning strengths and
challenges with colleagues
Administrators
Graduates
0%
6%
7%
9%
39%
23%
32%
36%
22%
26%
Administrators identified the following
assessment strengths in EHHS teacher
education graduates
 Excellent ability to competently dialogue with
parents and colleagues regarding assessment
procedures and findings
 Good understanding of summative and formative
assessment, including understanding how these
assessments compliment each other
 Good use of assessment to inform and drive
instruction
 Competent use of assessment to differentiate
instruction
Administrators identified the following
assessment weaknesses in EHHS teacher
education graduates
 Some challenges in developing and using
formative assessments
 Some challenges in using assessment to
differentiate instruction, including assessing the
impact of differentiated instruction
 Some lack of understanding regarding how to
teach and assess learning related to value-added
 Some lack of experience in assessing math
concepts
 Some lack of experience in administering a variety
of formal assessments
Graduates felt well prepared regarding the
following aspects of student assessment after
completing their EHHS program:
 Strong understanding of and familiarity with
reading assessments
 Strong ability to effectively communicate with
colleagues and parents regarding students’
assessments and identified strengths and
weaknesses
 Good understanding of formative vs. summative
assessments and how to use both in the
classroom
 Adequate understanding of how to use
assessment to inform differentiated instruction
Graduates did not feel well prepared regarding
the following aspects of student assessment
after completing their EHHS program:
 Some challenges understanding and using data
generated from standardized assessments,
including creating lesson plans driven by
assessment outcomes
 Some challenges using assessments to
differentiate instruction, including assessing the
impact of differentiated instruction
 Some lack of understanding regarding how to
teach and assess learning related to value-added
 Some lack of understanding regarding how to
create teacher-developed assessments
Study participants made the following
suggestions for improving graduates’
assessment competencies
 Incorporate real-world scenarios in teaching
assessment skills, including multiple types of
assessments
 Expand learning related to using assessment to
inform differentiated instruction and assessing the
impact of differentiated instruction
 Expand learning related to alternative assessment
strategies
 Expand learning related to understanding and
using standardized and value-added assessment
data