Comprehensive Assessments
Who We Work With
To achieve our goals of disseminating scientifically based research about the nature and value of a comprehensive assessment program, the Comprehensive Assessment team collaborates with a variety of organizations.
Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center
Members of the Comprehensive Assessment team work with the Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center (AACC) to identify and disseminate research on best practices in the use of various assessment tools. The NYCC is currently collaborating with the AACC to design and deliver technical assistance to the Syracuse City School District on the use of formative assessment practices in 4th and 5th grade mathematics classes. The project will continue through the summer of 2009. Read more about the New York Formative Assessment Technical Assistance Study.
New York State Education Department
The role of the Comprehensive Assessment team is to provide technical assistance to NYSED around the development and use of comprehensive assessment systems in districts throughout the state. The team accomplishes this goal by providing current, scientifically based research and promising practices on formative assessment to key NYSED staff and facilitating NYSED discussions about evidence- based policy in formative assessment. In addition, the team's technical assistance project with the Syracuse City School District informs NYSED about the development of a comprehensive district assessment model and provides guidance on the processes and tools required to effectively implement formative assessment practices in the classroom.
During the spring of 2008, the Comprehensive Assessment team is conducting three, cross-departmental meetings with NYSED staff to:
- Provide an introduction to NYSED's role in the Formative Assessment Project in Syracuse, NY;
- Review research-based information about formative assessment practices;
- Develop a shared vocabulary around formative assessment;
- Establish a working definition of formative assessment for use within NYSED;
- Review information about current practices in state departments of education in the area of formative assessment;
- Explore models of district support to implement formative assessment; and
- Establish agreement within the working group about future initiatives in the area of formative assessment and develop a plan to bring these group decisions to internal leaders.
Syracuse City School District
The Comprehensive Assessment team provides technical assistance to the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) in implementing formative assessment practices in mathematics in ten targeted elementary schools. During ongoing workshops, the team disseminates evidence-based formative assessment strategies to existing leadership groups within the district, including district administrators, instructional support teachers, and building-based math leadership teams. The team also holds ongoing planning meetings with a district-level steering committee comprised of staff from instructional technology, curriculum, administration and special education.