Family Handbook 2018-2019

School Routines
and Hebrew reading assessments administered
individually and math sections given as a short timed
whole-group test. Scores are compared to national
norms with the target score representing the 50th
%ile for national norms. Students who score below
target may require additional support to ensure that
they are able to make sufficient progress. Teachers
will share this information with parents at parent
teacher conferences.
The OHDS Benchmark Assessment for Writing has
been developed by OHDS faculty to assess student
growth in writing in alignment with the Common
Core Standards. Teachers administer the assessment
during one class period, providing a target prompt
and assessing students’ writing samples using a
rubric that scores different qualities of student
writing including ideas, organization, voice, etc.
Writing rubric scores are used to identify areas of
strength and areas where a student, or groups of
students may need additional instruction. Writing
samples and rubrics will be shared with parents at
parent teacher conferences.
The NWEA MAP testing is used to measure
individualized growth. Testing takes place in
grades 3-8 at two scheduled benchmark periods,
approximately 4 months apart, during the school
year. MAP testing includes assessment in the three
areas of math, reading, and language arts, with each
section administered on a different day. MAP tests
are untimed and are administered using an online
platform that adjusts to each individual test taker.
The average testing time per section is 50 minutes,
though testing times can vary significantly between
students.
MAP testing enables teachers to establish a baseline
for each student, calculate projected growth for
that student, identify areas of strength and areas
for growth, as well as provide information to
support individualized goal-setting. MAP scores
and growth summaries will be shared with parents
at parent teacher conferences and may lead to
recommendations for extra challenge, extra practice
or further assessment. Students in grades 4-8 work
with their teachers to evaluate their own scores, note
areas of progress, and determine personal goals for
future growth.
Testing and Score Communication
Parents are informed of the benchmark assessment
periods in the school calendar and also by email
several weeks before the assessment period. Parents
are informed about the importance of being present
for the assessment periods. The schedule is provided
in the email.
Testing and Score Communication
Benchmark assessment scores for AIMSweb,
MADYK, OHDS Writing Benchmark Assessment and
MAP will be available to parents at parent teacher
conferences.
OHDS uses MAP benchmark data internally to
determine what a student is ready to learn and to
measure progress. Scores are securely held within
OHDS and are not included with student transcripts.
However, parents may request their student’s
scores to be shared with another school or outside
agency for purposes of enrollment, application, or
evaluation. All requests for scores for these purposes
go directly to the OHDS Learning Specialist.
Procedures for Extra Time, Missed Tests
or Opting Out
OHDS values instructional time in class and works
to consolidate our benchmark assessment period
to ensure the least impact possible on classroom
instruction. It is important that each child is at school
during the benchmark assessment period. We ask
that parents not schedule appointments, trips, or
School Routines
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