Benchmark Assessments in Literacy

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Benchmark Assessmentsin Literacy

• Jefferson County Schools
• Susan Roberts
• K-12 Literacy

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Purpose of Assessment?

• Assessment should inform instruction.
• Any test worthy of the time to administer must
  yield authentic information about where the child
  is now and where the child needs to go next.
• Assessment should yield the childs reading
  level.
• Assessment should inform the teacher about what
  processes the child is or is not using.
• Assessment should inform the teacher about the
  childs strengths and weaknesses in reading.

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Balanced Literacy

• Four Blocks Grades 1-3 and Big Blocks Grades 4-8
• Best Practices Model Multi-level and
  Multi-approach
• Guided Reading
• Working with Words
• Self-Selected Reading
• Writing
• Five Core Components
• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics / Decoding Skills
• Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Fluency

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Benchmark Assessments

• Curriculum Based Measures
• Authentic
• Valid and Reliable
• Inform Instruction
• Research Based

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Third Grade Benchmarks

• Scott Foresman Baseline and End-of-Year
• Four Square Writing
• Sight Words (high frequency words)
• Scott Foresman Fresh Reads Word Accuracy and
  Comprehension

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Fourth Grade Benchmarks

• Scott Foresman Baseline and End-of-Year
• Four Square Writing
• Word Accuracy and Comprehension
• Scott Foresman Selected Fresh Reads

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Fifth Grade Benchmarks

• Scott Foresman Baseline and End-of-Year
• Four Square Writing
• Word Accuracy and Comprehension
• Scott Foresman Selected Fresh Reads

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Optional Assessments

• ThinkLink Discovery Education
• DIBELS
• Checklists
• Anecdotal Records
• Rating Scales and Rubrics
• Portfolio Documents
• Informal Reading Inventories Running Records
• Kid Watching (Observational Comments)

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Additionally

• Literacy Coaches to support balanced literacy
  instruction
• Testing Window August 17 September 3
• Third Grade Sight Words / High Frequency Words
  Correlation with Fry List and Scott Foresman
• Assessment Portfolio on each child

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More Support

• Coming soon to a school near you
• Literacy Coaches and
• PLCs
• Instructional Strategies
• Professional Book Studies
• Support for Struggling Readers
• TODAYBreak-out sessions 3,4,5 with literacy
  coaches!