Student Assessment

The Purpose of Assessment

Assessment of Learning is a summative measure of what a student has learned after instruction has ended, such as: unit test, mid-year exam, final exam.
Assessment for Learning is a formative measure of what the student already knows and does not know, so the teacher may plan future instruction accordingly.
Assessment as Learning occurs when the assessment is the learning activity, such as a culminating project, an activity or project that is designed to also be a measure of learning. These are also known as performance assessments and typically include a scoring rubric.

What is the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS)?

The WSAS is a statewide program designed to provide information about what students know in core academic areas and whether they can apply what they know.

Standardized Tests given in Lake Geneva Schools:

Assessment for Reading Readiness

Wis. Stats 118.016(1) requires an early literacy screener to be administered to all 4-year-old kindergarten to 2nd-grade students in public school districts and charter schools. School boards and charter schools are authorized to select a valid and reliable assessment of literacy fundamentals to fulfill this requirement. The purpose of this requirement is to:

Identify students who are struggling to learn to read
Find out what each student is ready to learn next, and
Check each student’s reading progress during the school year.

In the Lake Geneva schools, we use the following early literacy screeners:

4K: Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS)
5K, First Grade, Second Grade: AIMSweb Plus and i-Ready

i-Ready

Lake Geneva Schools chooses to administer i-Ready tests to students in grades 5k - 8 in English Language Arts and Mathematics. I-Ready tests are administered three times a school year in the fall, winter, and spring. I-Ready tests are nationally normed and provide feedback to students, parents, and teachers regarding the student’s growth and progress toward academic goals. Additionally, classroom teachers use i-Ready test results to identify areas of strength and need for students in their learning. Teachers also use these results to guide their instruction. Lastly, following the administration of the i-Ready test, each student is provided an individualized online learning plan called My Path, which offers online instruction that motivates students on their paths to proficiency and growth.

Wisconsin Forward Exam

During the 2015-16 school year, Wisconsin introduced a new assessment called the Wisconsin Forward Exam. This assessment aims to measure students' performance against the Wisconsin Academic Standards, which delineate the knowledge and skills necessary for college and career readiness. The Forward Exam is conducted online each spring during the school year at:

grades 3-8 in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics,
grades 4 and 8 in science and,
grades 4, 8, and 10 in social studies.

Supports for students with disabilities and English language learners are integrated into the system to ensure accurate measurement of student progress. The Forward Exam is a high-quality, research-based, cost-effective online assessment aligned with Wisconsin's standards. It features customized test questions with innovative formats that have been reviewed and approved by Wisconsin educators.

PreACT Secure

PreACT Secure is an online test given to 9th and 10th graders, matching the ACT and its College and Career Readiness Standards. It measures students' English, reading, math, and science learning.

Educators will see that PreACT Secure is similar to the ACT in many ways, including implementation, test delivery, scoring, and reporting. PreACT Secure scores can predict how well students might do on the ACT in 11th grade and if they're ready for college-level work.

The ACT with Writing

Eleventh-grade students in Wisconsin high schools will sit for the ACT with Writing®, covering Reading, Math, English, Science, and Writing. The ACT can be conducted by districts either on paper or online, and accommodations and English Learner (EL) supports are accessible in both formats. Scores from the ACT with Writing, when taken with ACT Standard Time or ACT-approved accommodations, hold multiple benefits for students, including college admission, scholarships, course placement, and NCAA eligibility.

ACCESS Test

Federal and state regulations require that English Learners (ELs), including those receiving special education services, undergo annual assessments to measure their English language proficiency (ELP) and ensure progression toward full proficiency in English. Beyond meeting these legal obligations, the yearly ELP assessment proves valuable for planning and instructional purposes, serving as the most reliable measure of a student's ELP. Most ELs undertake the ACCESS for ELLs assessment annually, while those identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 2004) and expected to engage in the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment can opt for the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs instead of the regular assessment.

The ACCESS for ELLs assessment is tailored to evaluate English language proficiency, aligning with the WIDA Consortium's ELD Standards that underpin Wisconsin's EL instruction and assessment approach.

Alternate ACCESS for ELLs serves the same purpose as the standard assessment for students in grades 1 through 12, offering a paper-and-pencil format suitable for eligible students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)

The DLM™ assessment measures the academic progress of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in the subject areas of ELA and Mathematics at grades 3-11, Science at grades 4 and 8-11, and in Social Studies at grades 4, 8, and 10. This is an online assessment delivered via the computer; however, some students may need their teacher to present the items to them. The teacher will then enter the student’s response into the online platform.

The DLM system is designed to map a student’s learning throughout the year. The system will also use items and tasks that are embedded in day-to-day instruction. Instruction for these students is based upon the Wisconsin Essential Elements and aligns with the Wisconsin Academic Standards. This gives teachers the opportunity to see what students know during the year when teachers still have time to change instruction to better support student learning.