Professor Eva L. Baker is co-
director of CRESST, which is
collaborating with the Los
Angeles Unified School District
to develop new comprehensive
standards-based assessments
to monitor progress and
improve instruction for Los
Angeles children.
In collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) is developing new comprehensive standards-based assessments to monitor progress and to improve instruction of Los Angeles children. Financially supported by a contract with LAUSD, the project is expected to span three years.
"The contract," said LAUSD Superintendent of Schools Sid Thompson, "represents a unique university-school district collaboration and an exceptional opportunity to combine resources to address mutual needs."
Eva L. Baker, GSE&IS professor and co-director of CRESST, will lead the project to develop assessments in language arts, mathematics, history, and science at multiple grade levels. Based on key types of learning, including conceptual understanding, problem solving and communication, the assessments will provide guidance for focusing classroom instruction and creating meaningful learning activities to help students attain the district standards. The strategy also will emphasize local understanding of the assessment measures, help in adapting instruction to meet goals, and accommodations to language and other special needs of students.
"The LAUSD Assessment System will consist of standardized, norm-referenced content tests, knowledge tests, and a performance-based assessment component linked to clear, rigorous academic standards for all students," explained Baker.
It is expected that results will be reported at individual student, school and district levels and that the assessments will meet the requirements of the new California state assessment system which is under development. "Results from the assessments will be used for multiple purposes including school accountability and program improvement," said CRESST Project Director Frances Butler, who will oversee the operational phases of the program.
The project also includes a strong teacher capacity-building component, added Ted Mitchell, dean of the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. In the first year, CRESST will work in LEARN and Los Angeles Systemic Initiative schools to try out new tests and to acquaint teachers with assessment models previously developed by CRESST and how teachers can incorporate the assessments into instructional and assessment activities.
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