It’s helpful to know the difference between formative and summative assessments:
Formative assessment
The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student
learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by
instructors to improve their teaching and by students to
improve their learning. More specifically, formative
assessments help students identify their strengths and
weaknesses and target areas that need work and help teachers
recognize where students are struggling and address problems
immediately. Formative assessments are generally low stakes,
which means that they have low or no point value.
Summative assessment
The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student
learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it
against some standard or benchmark. Summative assessments
are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point
value. Examples of summative assessments include: midterm
exam, final project and CRCT. Information from summative
assessments can be used formatively when students or faculty
use it to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent course
ASSESSMENTS AND MEASUREMENTS
The following information provides a brief overview of the key assessment tools administered at Mary Lin. For a more
comprehensive document including all tests used in the State and district, please refer to the Student Assessment Handbook below
and/or the Testing & Assessments page found on the Atlanta Public Schools website.
Georgia Department of Education Curriculum-Instruction Student Assessment Handbook 2013-2014 FINAL.pdf
SCHOOL LEVEL – MARY LIN ELEMENTARY
Easy CBM: Mary Lin’s choice for a Universal Screener given to students 3X a year to monitor progress and provide feedback for
intervention.
 Universal Screener assessments are designed to be short, repeatable, age-appropriate skills-based assessments. With the results
of the Universal Screeners, teachers are able to analyze a snapshot of a student’s performance in reading and math and
compare these results to the norm scores to determine strengths and weaknesses.
 Quick test (fluency strands = 1 min., reading comp & math = 10-35 min. depending on grade level).
 Students scoring below 25th percentile will have a research-based intervention provided by teacher.
Results: Raw score translated to norm-referenced percentile. Frequency: 3x -Fall, Winter, Spring
DISTRICT LEVEL – ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CAAS (Computer Adaptive Assessment System): Also referred to as Performance Series by Scantron (vendor).
 APS has used this for 3 years but 2013-14 is the first year it is required of K-9 in Reading and Math. Some schools use it for
Science assessments as well but they are not required. The first district-wide assessment APS has implemented.
 CAAS takes about 45-90 minutes per subject area. The number of questions vary by grade and content area. Test shuts down if
student misses too many questions and extends if student does well.
 Being a computer adaptive test means it can assess grade level content (like CRCT) but also pinpoint strengths and deficits far
above/below grade level to give a closer gauge of a student’s ability.
 Scores reported numerically as being in range of BELOW, ON, ABOVE grade level. Score reference changes (350 is high in Fall but
375 may be high in Winter). Score is translated to predict Student Growth compared to other students in the district (once there
are at least 2 data points).
 APS uses CAAS to identify students’ strengths/weaknesses so teacher/school can adjust instruction. Growth data can show
schools/classrooms whose students are learning above and below district averages for similar students.
 Data can spotlight promising effective practices of schools and teachers to improve struggling schools and teachers.
 APS uses results as one of the identification criteria for Gifted Program eligibility.
 Schools are provided a table on how CAAS scale score aligns with performance on CRCT for grade level and national norm. Data
shows how students perform against state/national standard but not against each other.
 Parent report can be generated to let families know how student did.
Results: Scaled individual score compares to standard, national norm, and is used for growth (what was called Value Added).
Shows how APS students compare nationally and across grade level within APS. No school-to-school score comparison.
Frequency: 3x (Fall, Winter, Spring) K-2 and 2x 3-5 (CRCT is Spring score)
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STATE LEVEL – GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (GDOE)
Georgia Milestones Assessment System
http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-andAssessment/Assessment/Documents/Introducing%20Georgia%20Milestones%20June%202014.pdf
GAA (Georgia Alternate Assessment):
The GAA is a portfolio of student work that enables the demonstration of achievement and progress relative to selected skills that
are aligned to the Georgia curriculum. Students with significant cognitive disabilities may be assessed via an alternate assessment
based on alternate achievement standards.
ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners)
ACCESS for ELLs is a standards-based, criterion referenced English language proficiency test designed to measure English learners’
social and academic proficiency in English.
SLO (Student Learning Objectives):
These are pre- and post-tests for students in all non-tested course areas (non-CRCT/EOCT like Music, Drama, Art, PE) that deliver
info on student growth to teachers. They are part of the Teacher Keys evaluation system as well. Frequency: 3x - Fall, Winter, Spring.
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress): Given to NAEP-selected schools only but not to all students within school.
Grades 4 & 8 every two years are subjects. Given between Jan-Mar, this will gather data from various schools and subsets of those
schools to compare students nationally.
School Measurement Tool
CCRPI (College & Career Readiness Performance Index): The Index has been designed around the level of achievement required for
a student to enroll in two or four year colleges and universities and technical colleges without remediation, fully prepared for college
level work and careers.
 Each school will receive a score out of 100 points, just like what students receive in their classes. A school and district’s overall
score will be made up of three major areas: Achievement (70 points possible), Progress (15 points possible) and Achievement
Gap (15 points possible).
 CRCT scores will be the key indicator for grades 3-8. In addition to the three major areas, schools can receive “Challenge Points”
to add to their score (up to 10 points). Schools can receive these points if they have a significant number of Economically
Disadvantaged (ED) students, English Learner students and Students with Disabilities meeting expectations.
 Schools can also receive points for going beyond the targets of the CCRPI by challenging students to exceed expectations and
participate in college and career ready programs. Results: Out of 100 with all sorts of extras. See
http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-andAssessment/Accountability/Documents/CCRPI_onepager_Achievement_Progress_and_AchievementGap.pdf for more details.
Frequency: Annually
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