Providing Support During Benchmark Assessments
Let me preface this post to day that here in Kansas, we are approaching the end of the school year. Our Spring Benchmark assessment is underway and we have less than 2 weeks of school until summer break. During the summer, I will not be posting as often. My goal is to post once every 2 or 3 weeks.
One of my favorite things about having my schedule set up the way it is is that I can provide a lot of support for my teachers during our benchmark assessments. We do these assessments three times per year, in the fall, winter, and spring for both reading and math. We use Fastbridge for our benchmarks. Since it is a computer-based assessment, students can log in and take the assessment in their ELA and Math classes.
What is the Assessment About?
The reading benchmark assessment consists of 2 parts: AUTOreading and aReading. The AUTOreading is a timed segment where students answer questions about word structure and morphology. Once that section is completed, students are automatically directed to the aReading portion of the test, which goes over vocabulary and comprehension skills.
The third part of the reading benchmark is called the CBM oral reading fluency. A student is provided with 3 passages and directed to read out loud for one minute on each. After the third passage, there is an optional comprehension portion.
How can I Provide Support?
ELA teachers send me an email and let me know what day they are giving the assessment. I do request that they give the assessment early in the testing window so that I have time to do everything I need to do. Our spring assessment window opened on April 28th this year. All 6 ELA classes (2 for each grade level) took their test during the first few days.
I am set up in the Fastbridge system so that I can see data for every student in the school, so it is easy for me to see which students need the 3rd part of the benchmark assessment. In our school, not every student gets the 3rd part, which is the CBM oral reading fluency assessment. Only the students who score below benchmark in both the AUTOreading and aReading portions automatically get CBMed. Some students might also get a CBM if their teacher requests the extra data. I do not make the ELA teachers CBM their own students. They need to move on with their lessons, and it would be wasteful for them to have to provide busy-work while they pulled students individually.
Another way that I provide support for my teachers is helping with make-ups. When students are absent on the day of testing, teachers don’t always have time in their schedules for them to take the assessment. They are moving on with their lessons and units. I will pull students into my room and have them make up the assessment. This helps all of us. The teachers can move on with their lessons, and I get the data that I need to know who needs the CBM portion of the assessment.
My Support Process
Once I access the student data, I make a list of all the students who need a CBM. I created a simple Google Sheets template where I can record all the student names. I also have access to our Powerschool system, so I can look up student schedules. Then I can record the teacher’s names on the spreadsheet. This can be sorted by teacher name during each class period so that I can get to students as efficiently as possible. All the teachers know that I will pulling students for CBMs, which makes things go smoothly as well.
I have a rolling cart that holds my computer and a bin with all the student passages. Throughout the mornings, I can roll my cart around the school and pick up students one at a time from class. We usually do the CBM right there in the hallway so that the student can return to class as quickly as possible.
Each grade level has their 3 passages connected using a binder ring so that we can read through each passage quickly and easily. I usually elect not to administer the comprehension portion after the third passage. For one reason, it takes too much time. I have limited time to get all the students CBMed. In addition, the comprehension portion will not give me any information that I don’t already know. The students are getting CBMed because they scored low on the aReading, which is a comprehension assessment. I already know that comprehension is a struggle for these students, so I don’t feel like it’s necessary to take the time to give it.
Use the Data
After I have all the CBM data, I meet with the ELA teachers in each grade level. I share the CBM data with the teachers, as well as discuss which students to enroll in my pull-out support classes. For more information about how I choose students for my class, check out this post. We also analyze all the benchmark assessment data and look for patterns. This helps us understand what we are doing well and what skills we need to continue to work on. Teachers also use the data to group students for various classroom activities.
Overall, I love my schedule setup the way it is! It allows me time to provide support for my teachers in many different ways. My teachers also express their gratitude that they can focus on running their classrooms without having to worry about another thing added to their plates.
