Testing

The Caesar Rodney School District uses a variety of standardized and growth measures to track student growth and achievement. Learn more about these assessments below.

Types of Assessments

• Formative assessments are used during instruction and provide feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning. An example is a class quiz where students explain their thinking.
• Summative assessments are generally given after instruction (end of a unit, course, or grade) to evaluate students’ performance against a set of standards. Examples are the state SMARTER test and class unit tests.
• Interim or Benchmark assessments fall between formative and summative and are given to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills relative to a specific set of standards. They are designed to inform decisions at the classroom level and school or district level. Examples may include test from our ELA or Math series, SMARTER Interim Assessments that are given to all students in the district at that grade level.

Assessment Participants

• Classroom assessments are determined by individual teachers. Some examples are pre-tests, end of unit or chapter tests, quizzes, and informal assessments to gauge students’ understanding, provide grades, and inform teaching.
• Schoolwide assessments are determined at the school level. Teachers across a grade level or department give the same assessment. Common assessments provide information to identify students who may need additional assistance and to identify strengths and needs in the instructional program.
• Districtwide assessments are determined at the district level. These assessments are given to all students across the district. Certain assessments are selected based on district need and other assessments are given to meet state or federal requirements, such as the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)  to identify students who need additional assistance. These common assessments show what students learned, monitor progress, and determine what professional development might be helpful for teachers.
• State and National assessments are determined by the Delaware or U.S. Departments of Education. Delaware System of Student Assessment (DeSSA) includes Smarter testing in reading and mathematics (grades 3-8), Science (grades 5, 8, and high school Biology), Social Studies (grades 4-8, 11), PSAT (grade 10, CR also tests 9 and 11), and SAT (grade 11). It also includes tests for specific groups: DeSSA-Alt (alternative test) for students with severe cognitive disabilities, ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State) for Multilingual Learners (taken until demonstrating proficiency in English). Students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) have an opportunity to take AP. Every few years a sample of 4th, 8th, and 12th grade students take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP randomly selects schools and students to assess. Individual student and school results are not provided. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, schools receiving Title I federal funds must participate in NAEP reading and mathematics assessments at grades four and eight.
   

Assessment Notification to Famlies