in proactively supporting student learning toward completion of a rigorous course of study needed for the seamless transition into postsecondary education toward a viable ca- reer path. How these integrated systems of support
are implemented and how they will shift school practices are best described through example. What we measure and monitor becomes
the focus of our attention. School districts have begun to use data dashboards of lead- ing indicators of college and career readiness to focus and refine their systems of student support. Leading indicators serve as an ef- fective tool to assess the degree to which student cohorts and subgroups are demon- strating the level of performance required to seamlessly transition into postsecondary education toward a viable career path.
If we were to backwards map these indi-
cators they would include college persistence rates, college enrollment rates, college reme- diation rates, high school graduation rates, A-G completion rates, Early Assessment Program readiness rates, AP enrollment and pass rates, California High School Exit Exam proficiency and pass rates, Algebra 1 completion and proficiency rates, eighth- grade math and ELA CST proficiency rates, fifth-grade math and ELA CST proficiency rates, and third-grade math and ELA profi- ciency rates. Then, as we noticed student cohorts and
subgroups not progressing as desired, our systems of student support would be acti- vated and refined to meet the needs of strug- gling student populations. The looming question is whether our current systems of support align with these leading indicators. The answer is most likely not to the degree needed, as our focus has clearly been on at- taining AYP and API performance targets.
Proactive use of formative assessments Frequent monitoring of student progress
is also reliant upon the design and proactive use of a formative assessment model inclu- sive of monitoring points, performance tasks and authentic assessment of student learning. Just as the data dashboard provides a snapshot in time of the progress of student cohorts and subgroups, frequent formative assessments provide opportunities for just- in-time student support. The frequency of student monitoring,
the clarity of the student performance task and the use of authentic assessment of learn- ing all have a significant impact on the ef- fectiveness of student support aimed at col- lege and career readiness. Frequent, clear and authentic may be a fundamental shift in formative assessment practices for some schools and districts. If formative feedback of students’ development of the four attri- butes of college and career readiness cannot be determined through analysis of formative assessment results, then we may only be as- sessing a students’ ability to use test-taking strategies on a multiple choice exam. Two organizations that have recently begun the long-term commitment of using Continued on page 35
14 4 Leadership
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