For administrators who are just embarking on assessment audits, Melissa Spadin of the San Diego County Office of Education has some guidance. It’s all about asking the right questions and identifying the most valuable data.
Sample questions
Academic
- How do we measure learning growth?
- Do we have systematic assessments across the district, and are there opportunities for greater alignment?
- What are we doing with the data we collect?
Behavior
- Are we satisfied with how we assess behavior and the method?
- What is the goal behind gathering this information?
- What behavior data do we collect, and how do we reevaluate on an ongoing basis?
Social-emotional learning
- What competencies do we want to teach and assess?
- How will we measure growth or improvement?
- What current instructional strategies best align with SEL instruction?
Data to consider
Academic
- Grades
- Interim assessments
- Portfolios
- Teacher observations
Behavior
- Attendance
- Grades
- Discipline referrals
- Teacher checklists
- Digital behavior system (Class Dojo)
Social-emotional learning
- Healthy kids survey
- CORE SEL surveys
- REACH survey
- VIA Youth Survey
- Developmental Assets Profile
- To measure SEL more accurately, Spadin also suggests CASEL’s assessment guide.
