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Assessment Information

Grand Forks Public Schools is committed to measuring student progress and achievement. For the purpose of being accountable for student achievement, Grand Forks Public Schools maintains a comprehensive program of assessment for all students. There are two types of assessment: formative and summative.

  • Formative assessments occur during the learning process and are often referred to as “assessments for learning."; Formative assessments are used to plan instruction to meet student needs and to determine student needs. Feedback from formative assessments is intended to happen frequently to improve and monitor student learning. These assessments are:

o Progress monitoring checks - once every 2-8 weeks, using District Benchmark assessments
o Curriculum assessments
o Formative assessments and scales are used by Grand Forks Public Schools, individual schools, and/or teachers based on standards and curriculum.

  • Summative assessments happen at the end of the learning process and are often referred to as “assessment of learning"; These assessments are used to measure achievement on a completed task, project, unit, or course. Summative assessments are often used for reporting on student progress.

Federally and state-mandated assessments include:

  • NDA+ ELA and Math - given once per year to students in grades 3-8 and 10
  • NDA+ Science - given once per year to students in grades 4, 8, and 10
  • NAEP - given one time every other year to students in grades 4 and 8
  • WIDA Access 2.0 - given one time per year to English Language (EL) students. All

EL students must participate in the North Dakota English Language Proficiency Assessment. The assessment measures students; academic English language in each of the four language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

  • Grand Forks Public Schools will offer the ACT (grade 11) to interested students.

District-determined assessments include: 

  • Star Early Literacy, Star Reading, and Star Math - given three times per year to students in grades K- 11
  • Nagleiri Math Assessment – given once per year in grade 4
  •  Panorama Student Surveys are used to measure social emotional and well-being needs of students – given 3 times per year in grades K-12

Why so many assessments? A variety of assessments are necessary to help address the needs of our students. Data collected from assessments will lead to improved instruction and student achievement if used properly. Therefore, no single assessment could measure a student’s total learning in a school environment. We use multiple measures to get a complete picture of student performance.

Information

Parent Directive Form

Parental Directive Guidance (LINK) Under state law, parents can direct school districts not to administer any state test or state assessment required in accordance with section 15.1-21-08 in ND Century Code. This form should be completed to withhold the administration of a student assessment. Each assessment and subject require a separate form. Please complete the form and submit to the principal prior to the start of the assessment.

This form can be used for the following assessments:   • NDA+
Science (Grades 4, 8, 10) • NDA+ English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 & 10) • NDA+ Math (Grades 3-8 & 10) • STAR Early Literacy (Grade K-1) • STAR Reading (Grades 1-11) • STAR Math (Grades 1-11) SFN61287.pdf 108.74 KB (Last Modified on January 26, 2022)