What is the Toolkit?
- A robust set of professional learning experiences, processes, and tools to support educators at the district and classroom level
- Organized by modules in learning/doing sessions, with classroom application
- Designed to support curriculum-anchored assessment systems for both classroom teachers and system leaders
Why a Toolkit?
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Establish a common vision for student performance and assessment in classrooms and local systems using principles of equity
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Promote a culture of collaboration among educators around assessment centered on equity: student identity, assets, and academic success
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Provide tools and processes to build assessment literacy and practice
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Support ongoing growth and development of educators through collaborative professional learning
What guiding beliefs were used in the development of the Toolkit?
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High-Quality Assessment: We believe assessments become part of an equitable system when they are:
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Accessible to students to show what they know
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Coherent with the students’ opportunities for learning and growing
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Empowering to students to take action in their own learning
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Asset-oriented so that students can bring their true self to the task
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Reflect non-negotiable elements of alignment to the NGSS
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Assessment as a System: We believe classroom assessments are one of many tools and one part of an assessment system that support learning.
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Assessments are valuable when they open doors and provide paths toward student success.
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Assessments are not valuable when they are used to shame, blame, or present barriers to opportunities.
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Professional Learning: We believe professional learning is imperative for developing high-quality instruction and assessment and should:
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Provide tools and processes to engage in learning that directly connects with classroom practice
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Be collaborative and sustained over time
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Be culturally relevant, asset-based, and part of the school and district culture
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Curriculum Embedded: We believe that assessments can serve students best when they are intentionally used with the taught curriculum.
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High-quality instructional materials are a central component of an assessment system.
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Clearly established learning and assessment goals drive instruction and assessment.
What comes in each Toolkit module session?
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Facilitation guide and notes
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Presenters slides
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Participant handouts and tools
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Editable working templates
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Additional resources for facilitators
Who created the Toolkit?
The CA NGSS Toolkit for Student-Centered Assessment was developed as part of a multi-year collaborative effort of California educators and other assessment leaders across the United States.
Special Acknowledgement is given to:
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John Spiegel, San Diego County Office of Education
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Maria Chiara Simani, California Science Project
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Rudy Escobar, Stanislaus County Office of Education
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Sara Cooper, Learning Policy Institute
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Katie van Horne, Learning Policy Institute
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The countless teachers and educators that piloted the processes, tools, and professional learning in the Toolkit and provided ideas, perspectives, and feedback
Who can I contact to learn more about the Toolkit?
John Spiegel
District Advisor, Curriculum and Instruction, San Diego County Office of Education
Co-Director, San Diego Science Project
john.spiegel@sdcoe.net
Maria Chiara Simani, Ph.D.
Executive Director, California Science Project
Adjunct Faculty, University of California, Riverside (Department of Physics and Education)
maria.simani@ucr.edu
Rudy Escobar
STEM & Computer Science Cooridnator, Stanilaus County Office of Education
rescobar@stancoe.org