This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and district practices. Discussing issues that impact students, teachers within their classrooms, and the larger school community, Formative Assessment Leadership explores how leaders can implement effective professional development and positive change in their schools. Breaking down formative assessment into manageable, understandable parts, the authors provide: An exploration of what formative data-based decision making looks like Scaffolding that enables school leaders to effectively integrate processes into their own school structure Discussion of potential barriers to success and how to overcome these challenges Practical examples that help ground the formative assessment leadership concepts A range of worksheets and templates to help implement formative assessment leadership in your schools

This collection of articles from Educational Leadership pulls together some of the best pieces on formative assessment and feedback that will help educators understand how to best use the data they have at their fingertips. The authors tell fellow educators about how to use formative assessment to shape the next phase of instruction and how to look for patterns in students' assessments and assignments—the mistakes students frequently make and the signals that tell what individuals need, what groups of kids need, and what the whole class needs.

Learn, do, and lead with the guidance of Formative Tools for Leaders in a PLC at Work(R) by Kim Bailey and Chris Jakicic. With this practical resource, you'll first discover how to gather evidence from staff about PLC practices, processes, and products. Then you'll explore how to use that evidence to gauge the effectiveness of your professional learning community (PLC) and make informed and targeted decisions about your collective next steps for a school culture of continuous improvement. This book will teach you how to implement professional learning communities more effectively: ● Discover how to gather formative evidence from a number of sources to implement collaborative structures and a schoolwide change process. ● Understand how to use the three stages of assessing, analyzing, and acting as a formative feedback loop to improve instructional practices. ● Gain clarity on what makes a successful professional learning community and where to focus your school's energy and effort moving forward. ● Access tools and templates designed to support and strengthen team practices in order to shape school culture and ensure learning for all students. ● Explore how teams effectively answer the four critical questions of a PLC. Contents: Acknowledgments Table of Contents About the Authors Foreword Introduction Part 1 Chapter 1: A Culture of Learning for All Chapter 2: The School's Collaborative Structures Chapter 3: Quality Instructional Practice Chapter 4: Schoolwide Systems of Support Part 2 Chapter 5: A Focus on Getting Clear About What Students Should Know and Do Chapter 6: A Focus on How Teams Gather Information About Student Learning Chapter 7: A Focus on Supporting Students Who Need Additional Time and Support Chapter 8: A Focus on Responding When Students Have Already Learned Epilogue References and Resources Index

Formative assessment is one of the best ways to increase student learning and enhance teacher quality. But effective formative assessment is not part of most classrooms, largely because teachers misunderstand what it is and don't have the necessary skills to implement it. In the updated 2nd edition of this practical guide for school leaders, authors Connie M. Moss and Susan M. Brookhart define formative assessment as an active, continual process in which teachers and students work together—every day, every minute—to gather evidence of learning, always keeping in mind three guiding questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? What strategy or strategies can help me get to where I need to go? Chapters focus on the six interrelated elements of formative assessment: (1) shared learning targets and criteria for success, (2) feedback that feeds learning forward, (3) student self-assessment and peer assessment, (4) student goal setting, (5) strategic teacher questioning, and (6) student engagement in asking effective questions. Using specific examples based on their extensive work with teachers, the authors provide - Strategic talking points and conversation starters to address common misconceptions about formative assessment; - Practical classroom strategies to share with teachers that cultivate students as self-regulated, assessment-capable learners; - Ways to model the elements of formative assessment in conversations with teachers about their professional learning; - "What if" scenarios and advice for how to deal with them; and - Questions for reflection to gauge understanding and progress. As Moss and Brookhart emphasize, the goal is not to "do" formative assessment, but to embrace a major cultural change that moves away from teacher-led instruction to a partnership of intentional inquiry between student and teacher, with better teaching and learning as the outcome.

Assessment literacy leads to improved outcomes for all Do you know how to ensure teachers have the knowledge and skill to use assessment data to improve student learning? Do you know the influence that student involvement in assessments has on motivation and learning? This book guides you and your leadership team through 10 assessment literacy goals with practical content, how-to’s, success indicators, and activities to extend and process learning. You will come away understanding the attributes of comprehensive and balanced assessment systems, the necessity for clear academic achievement targets, and why assessment quality is essential. In addition to providing rubrics, processes, and practical tools that work across all grade levels and subject areas, this book shows you how to: Work with staff to integrate formative assessment and sound grading practices Communicate with all members of the school community about student learning Protect students and teachers by avoiding unethical and inappropriate assessment use Use student assessment information to improve and inform instruction Develop assessment policies that support quality assessment practice Advance your understanding of assessment so your teachers can accurately measure learning, practice effective formative assessment strategies, and ensure and maintain a comprehensive and balanced assessment system in your school or district.

Teams that engage in designing, using, and responding to common formative assessments are more knowledgeable about their own standards, more assessment literate, and able to develop more strategies for helping all students learn. In this conversational guide, the authors offer tools, templates, and protocols to incorporate common formative assessments into the practices of a PLC to monitor and enhance student learning

This text explains how formative assessment, when applied properly, helps to create a structured and rigorous learning environment that increases student achievement.