Body of Evidence FAQ

What do we mean by "Body of Evidence"?

The SBI/EBR system is evidence based.  Our purpose in collecting a body of evidence is to:

• Allow teachers to determine a defensible and credible enduring Skill score based on a representation of student learning over time.

• Clearly communicate where a student's learning is based on a proficiency scale to inform instructional decisions and push student growth.

• Show student learning of Level 3 targets through multiple and varying points of data.

• Provide opportunities for feedback between student and teacher.

What is included in the body of evidence?

Anything can serve as evidence, as long as it's aligned to the standard that is being measured.  Evidence can be formal or informal assessments, projects, quizzes, papers, oral presentations, or even exit slips.   Some teachers have documented evidence of learning through a conversation with a student.  All these examples would be considered pieces of evidence that go into a (larger) body of evidence.

What is the role of homework?

We support homework as practice.  Homework is not about perfection but about practicing what was learned in the classroom.  Homework helps master the concepts worked on in class.  Homework completion may be reported by a classroom teacher through use of the FPS Guidelines for Success of the North Dakota Career Ready Practices.

Why do we not include homework in the body of evidence?

What is termed "homework" (practice of new learning in the classroom) is not factored into the determination of an academic topic score, in part because we only want to include evidence that we know was completed independently by the student.