At Oakhurst, we embrace the power of student-engaged assessment practices to build student ownership of learning, focus students on reaching standards-based learning targets, and drive achievement.
Teachers and administrators use multiple assessments (both formal and informal) to understand the development of individual students and make decisions to best meet their needs. There is no one assessment that paints the entire picture of who a student is. Each school year, students are administered a series of informal as well as formal assessments to measure their progress and inform instruction. Pre-tests and post-tests are given to determine student proficiency of skills and concepts and inform the how and what of instruction. Teachers also check for understanding throughout each lesson. Some of the formal assessments administered to our students during the course of the school year are explained below.
Screening - a quick and simple assessment of key indicators of performance in a particular domain considered to be predictive of more complex performance in that domain.
Universal Screening - Systematic assessment of all children within a given class, grade, school building, or school district on academic and/or social-emotional indicators for the purpose of identifying students who may require additional support.
First and second grade students will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). This assessment examines a range of reasoning and problem solving skills in the Verbal, Non-verbal and Quantitative areas. CSD uses the CogAT to identify academically gifted students.
IRLA is the formative assessment tool from American Reading Company that is used in conjunction with the literacy curriculum. The assessment supports teachers in the evaluation of students' reading behaviors and skill level, and determine next steps to accelerate students' reading growth.
MAP® has the unique ability to measure a student’s achievement and academic growth, independent of grade, across time. Having the right data is a key component in making learning more individual to each child. MAP® testing is correlated to the Georgia Common Core Standards.
Students are administered the MAP® tests online. The tests are administered in the auditorium, and the media center; where computers are set-up for the purpose of MAP testing. Students are administered MAP testing three times each year – fall, winter, and spring.
Acadience Reading Diagnostic is a set of untimed measures that are administered individually to understand the reading skills of students.
The Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) is a year-long, performance-based assessment aligned to the state mandated content standards. Throughout the year, teachers may assess students and record GKIDS data based on their system's curriculum map or report card schedule.
Student progress will be communicated in multiple formats.
See below:
Term 1 — Parent/Teacher Conference
Term 2 — Progress Report
Term 3 — Data update
Term 4 — Parent/Teacher/Student Conference and Progress Report
Term 5 — Data Update
Term 6 — Progress Report
Students tell the story of their own learning journey when they present a portfolio of work to family members. A variety of subject areas are represented in this reflective 10-15 minute discussion, allowing family members to learn about progress toward academic goals and habits of scholarship.