acuity assessment tests: wvcs conducts quarterly
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Acuity Assessment Tests: WVCS conducts quarterly assessments to measure depth of
knowledge of each standard, for each student, in Math and
Language Arts. Targeted IXL assignments will prepare stu-
dents for quarterly Acuity assessment tests. With Acuity's new interface, educators can instantly create instructional remediation
and enrichment plans based on each student's assessment results, ensuring that the
right instructional support is assigned at the right time for every student. Administra-
tors and educators can trust that the assessment results are valid and reliable, because
the items were developed using the same process CTB/McGraw-Hill used to develop
items to meet the unique specifications of the Smarter Balanced and PARCC summa-
tive assessments.
The Acuity CCR assessment solution empowers educators to consistently measure stu-
dent mastery of the new college and career readiness standards, while preparing stu-
dents to learn the real-world skills required of them on their consortia's summative as-
sessment, in college and a career.
Prepare for K–12 High Stakes Assessments with the Largest Common Core Perfor-
mance Task Item Banks Students need to be able to find, evaluate, synthesize, and use knowledge in new con-
texts, frame and solve non-routine problems, and produce research findings and solu-
tions. With Acuity's Common Core Performance Tasks, educators can measure stu-
dents' cognitive and reasoning skills as well as their ability to apply knowledge to
solve realistic, meaningful problems, and use the results to target and improve in-
struction.
CHARACTERISTICS
Reflects a real-world task and/or scenario-based problem
Exercises a student's ability to analyze, interpret, problem-solve, report, and more
Measures one or more of the Common Core State Standards
Engages students with relevant and meaningful content
Addresses 21st century skills Can be combined with multiple choice, constructive response, or other item types on
a single test
Informs assessment, instruction, and learning
Acuity offers a collection of Performance Task Banks featur-
ing rigorous Common Core aligned, research-based Perfor-
mance Task items in Mathematics and English Language Arts.
CTB Task Bank
Performance Tasks authored by CTB content experts English Language Arts PTsMulti-step PTs with authentic passages and varied activity
types for complex, skills-centered tasks Mathematics PTsComplex PTs using student-relevant, real-world scenarios with in-
creasingly complex processes
MARS Task Bank
MARS (Mathematics Assessment Resource Service) is a research and development col-
laboration that works with a diverse range of clients. MARS provided advice and support
in the design and development of high quality performance assessment, curriculum sup-
port materials, and professional development for and through performance assessment.
Over 300 MARS tasks, all in Mathematics
Grades 3–12
Measures a variety of Common Core standards and skills Gates Foundation task bank, all in Mathematics, consistent coverage across High
School Common Core standards *The Gates Foundation partnered with the MARS organization to produce perfor-
mance tasks that meet the most up-to-date Common Core State Standards.
DELIVERY and SCORING
Score on the "essence of the task" includes multiple rubrics matched to claims, tar-
gets, or standards
Score with paper-pencil responses in view View student responses in a rubric, enter score points and respond to students all
online (no papers to carry home)
Enables students to upload their own performance task test file
Extend administration over a couple of days since PTs are created in steps
Takes less than one class period to administer (for most PTs)
Supported by Acuity's most popular reports
What is the role of educational assessment in edu-
cation today? As the nation searches for ways to improve student achievement, educators and policy
makers continue to evaluate and reform their education systems. Educational testing, or
assessment, is a key component of all education systems. Assessments can be used in
schools to monitor educational systems for public accountability; help improve curricula;
evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and instructional practices; measure student
achievement; and determine a student's mastery of skills. Although educational testing is a complex field, there are several basic principles that
provide a foundation for further understanding.
What are the key foundational principles for education-
al assessment?
Standards, Then Testing When states and communities set out to reform their education systems and schools, it
is imperative that a logical sequence of events be followed toward setting and achieving
goals. First, goals for each education system must be set. Second, standards need to be
adopted that outline what children should know and be able to do at certain levels.
These standards should be written in a way that will help students meet the stated goals.
Following the setting of standards, curricula need to be produced that will help teachers
help their students meet the standards. And lastly, assessments should be developed to
measure students' progress toward meeting the standards. In other words, assessment
should follow, not lead, the movement to reform our schools. As we continue to find
ways to improve education, it is important for educators and policy makers to stick with
a sequence that starts with goal setting and ends with assessment. Only then can we
build and use new tests that accurately measure student achievement.
Tests Measure Educational Progress—They Don't Create It The purpose of tests is to deliver accurate and reliable information, not to drive educa-
tional reform. Some politicians and policy makers have called for new tests, thinking that
these alone will create educational achievement. What they are really looking for is bet-
ter results. It is important for school administrators and policy makers to understand
that a new assessment system cannot cure an ailing education system. Tests do not cre-
ate better students. Good teachers and good schools do. The problems facing our nation's education system are serious. There is no single cause,
and therefore no single cure. There are no shortcuts to improving student achievement
and creating a world-class workforce. As we continue our search for ways to improve
student achievement, we need to keep our long-term goal in mind and not rush into
thinking that a new testing system will create better schools.
No Single Test Does Everything—The Importance of Multiple
Measures No single test can do it all. A diagnostic test to determine a car's emission level will not
tell you if the tires need air. A different procedure will provide the mechanic with that
information. The same goes for tests in education. No single test can ascertain whether
all educational goals are being met. A variety of tests—multiple measures—is necessary to provide educators with a well-
rounded view of what students know and can do. Just as different tests provide different
information, no one kind of test can tell us all we need to know about a student's learn-
ing. This "multiple-measures approach" to assessment is the keystone to valid, reliable
and fair information about student achievement. Any one type of test—whether it be norm-referenced, multiple-choice or performance
assessment—is only one part of a balanced approach to assessment. Some tests, for ex-
ample, are designed to indicate whether a student needs additional work in specific sub-
jects, while others measure overall group progress toward broadly stated goals. Because
curricular emphases differ from state to state, as do the purposes of different testing
programs, a multiple-measures approach means that states and local school districts will
often use different types of tests to assess students.
The Importance of Valid, Fair and Reliable Assessments All tests and test types—whether they are standardized, multiple-choice achievement
tests or performance assessments—should be held to the same high technical standards
for delivering accurate information. No test should be selected and administered to stu-
dents without first determining how its results will be used and its appropriateness to
the subject matter being assessed. Furthermore, no test should be used without review-
ing its technical strengths, including fairness, validity and reliability. All assessments should be designed, piloted, and published using nationally accepted
technical standards such as those developed by the American Psychological Association,
the American Educational Research Association, and the National Council of Measure-
ment in Education. In recent years, many new assessments and test formats have been
developed. These tests, too, must be held to these same high standards. We should not
permit unvalidated tests—especially those with high-stakes outcomes—to be adminis-
tered to students.
We are privileged at the West Valley Christian School to have a culturally diverse popu-
lation. We are very sensitive, and have made it our business to become educated, about
many cultural differences. Students respect each other and enjoy learning about each
other's unique family traditions and cultural backgrounds. A student body rich in cultur-
al and ethnic diversity as well as a commitment to community service and character de-
velopment provides students a foundation for global citizenship. Helping our students
mature into well-rounded young men and women is an important aspect of our mission.
Through the acclaimed Kids With Character program, students learn the importance of
honesty, responsibility, respect and other essential life values. Art, music and drama in-
struction instill an appreciation for the fine and performing arts. In addition to regular
PE classes, students learn sportsmanship and teamwork in WVC athletics programs.
Our private Christian school has the majority of families traveling from Woodland Hills,
Calabasas, Canoga Park, Northridge, Winnetka, Reseda, Chatsworth, Tarzana and Encino.
As a Christian school we have an open enrollment welcoming families of all back-
grounds
Our increase in enrollment has new students entering at all grade levels from Preschool through 12th grade. Ten percent of our elementary students commute 45 minutes to attend our school. We have a student who left their country’s Olympic development team to train at WVCS and students from other countries who have also chosen our “one of a kind” high school. Our students welcome di-versity and are not afraid to be themselves. They are appreciated for their indi-vidual identity, participate in activities they may have never considered before, and develop strengths they never thought they had. West Valley is a thriving place to be and I am incredibly excited to share it with you.
To ensure a commitment to the most rigorous educational program we are re-placing the outdated norms of Stanford achievement tests with the superior Common Core standards. To further our commitment to excellence, our school will continue to be accredited by WASC, keep class sizes under 25 students, al-low students to use their own one-to-one tablets, and will continue to teach with iPads and interactive boards. Our campus facilities include new buildings, spa-cious playgrounds, green space, security cameras, gated entrance, nutritional food, computer lab, library, performing arts auditorium and a 9,000 sq. ft. gym with weight room.
With Virtual Desktops, Acuity, Velocity, Elite Basketball, and Carnegie Education, and a Theater Arts School, I am confident that WVCS has a bright future in West Hills! I invite you to come see the difference yourself! All these programs are featured on You Tube. Search: WVCS Discover the Difference, WVCS Velocity, WVCS Acuity and WVCS Elite Basketball. See how our programs have attracted the best students, athletes and artists to come to West Hills, California. Whether you are looking for a school for your child or looking for an opportunity to invest in tomorrow’s leaders we welcome your support as we pursue excellence in Christian education.
Derek Swales
School Administrator