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Assessments

The purpose of the District Assessment Plan is to provide a process to verify student understanding and attainment of the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and assessment anchors and the district curriculum. The district shall utilize multiple assessment techniques to measure student progress toward the standards. The three types of assessments included in this plan are classroom-based assessments, district-based assessments and external assessments.
 

Classroom-based Assessments

Classroom-based assessments (CBA) are integrated into the curriculum and provide teachers with ongoing information regarding the level of a student’s progress and the extent of their understanding. Classroom-based assessments include a variety of measures such as tests, performance tasks, products, written work, and observation checklists. CBA data is summarized every nine weeks, reviewed with students, and sent to parents.
 

District-based Assessments
District-based assessments  are evaluative measures that have been created and/or adopted at the district level. These assessments are common across the grade level and provide valuable information for both individual students and groups of students on their performance in the Pennsylvania Core Standards. District-based assessments include a variety of measures such as final exams, DIBELS, writing samples, performance tasks and content common assessments.  

 
Teachers receive training regarding the assessments and use them consistently across the district.
 

External Assessments

The Lower Dauphin School District utilizes standardized tests as external assessments. These standardized tests include both the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test (PSSAs) and the Keystone Exams.
 
The PSSA is a required assessment tool in grades 3-8 for all the English/Language Arts and Mathematics Pennsylvania Core Standards.
 
Students in grades four and eight also take a PSSA Science Test to measure their knowledge of the state Science Core Standards. Information gleaned from the state assessments is analyzed and used with other district measures and data to determine student academic growth as well as school and district performance.
 
The PSSA English/Language Arts will be given April 13-17; the PSSA Math test will be given April 20-24; and the PSSA Science test will be given April 27-May 1. There will be a window for make-ups May 4-8.
 
 Educational tours and trips will not be approved during the testing window dates.
 
The Keystone Exam will assess students’ ability to meet state Standards in Algebra, Literature and Biology. Students must complete a Keystone Exam in each of these subjects as end of course exams. Some middle school students who were or are enrolled in algebra in grades 7 and 8 will take the algebra exam at the end of the school year. Testing dates for the Keystone Exam will be May 13-27. There will be a winter administration of the Keystone Exam December 3-17 and/or January 7-21. There will also be a summer administration of the Keystone Exam July 27-31.
 
Students who do not test proficient on the Keystone Exam will be given opportunities for additional instruction with the goal of re-taking the exam to earn a score of proficient or advanced.