Across the country, conversations in schools, board meetings, and education departments focus on “grade level.” Grade level refers to the educational progress of a student. When we question whether students are performing on grade level, we are asking what skills students are demonstrating and if those skills are aligned with the standards for the grade those students are in. Turning attention to grade level performance is important; we want to know how our students are doing. Rates of grade level performance are also valued when comparing student performance across districts or states.
Grade level performance vs. growth
However, when we only focus on grade level performance, we can overlook growth. Imagine you have a student entering seventh grade. That student is entering the school year reading at a fourth-grade level. Now, you might be thinking, “how does the system let that happen?” The student will be expected to perform at grade level but is starting three grades behind. Throughout the year, the student receives support from the teacher and maybe help from home, and engages in lessons. By the end of the year, scores on interim and summative assessments show the student is now reading at a sixth-grade level. In the eyes of the summative assessment, the student is still below grade level. That view negates all of the growth the student has made.
Collaborating to develop assessments that recognize growth toward mastery
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Success-Ready Students Network (SRSN), and Marzano Research are collaborating to develop a new environment for accountability and assessment—one that recognizes growth as students advance toward mastery.
The project has two main objectives: an authentic, learner-centric accountability system and a growth-to-readiness assessment system. Together, these objectives will ensure students progress through K-12 schooling in a way that will leave them high school, college, career, and workplace ready.
SRSN is in the process of preparing a waiver to shift to interim assessments brought by other vendors in lieu of the state test. They are focusing on what it will take to build an assessment system aligned with competency-based education that the federal education system will accept for accountability.
A current challenge is, while the state of Missouri may allow them to use a new assessment system, the federal system will require the summative assessment. Until a new assessment process is developed and accepted by the federal system, school districts working with SRSN will have to double-test. Marzano Research is continuing to support SRSN’s reporting needs for the state accountability system, analyze survey results for what administrators and teachers would like to see in competency-based education and a new assessment, and provide technical assistance throughout the federal waiver process.
Celebrating student gains
When we focus on growth, we are not ignoring the standards, nor are we suggesting we lower the bar. We are celebrating the progress each student has made, as measured by interim assessments and activities throughout the school year. Students entering below grade level will have the opportunity to demonstrate gains in their learning as they work toward content mastery. Students at or above grade level will continue to make gains and advance in their learning as well. Growth to mastery is not about changing the standards. It is about changing the system, and the perspective, to enable students to meet the standards.
