Thornwood High School IB Assessment Policy

Definition of Assessment and Philosophy.
Assessment is the gathering and analysis of information about student performance. It identifies what students know, understand, can do and feel at different stages in the learning process. It is the means by which we analyze student learning and the effectiveness of our teaching and acts as a foundation on which to base our future planning and practice. It is central to our goal of guiding the student, from novice to expert, through the learning process.

Thornwood Mission Statement: Thornwood High School will provide challenging learning opportunities in a safe and supportive environment in which high expectations are established.  Our aim is for students to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to become lifelong learners who responsibly and productively influence our world.

Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning.
Assessment is central to the International Baccalaureate goal of thoughtfully and effectively guiding students through the five essential elements of learning: the understanding of concepts, the acquisition of knowledge, the mastering of skills, the development of attitudes, and the decision to take responsible action.

Who is involved in student assessment?
Everyone concerned with assessment–students, teachers, parents, administrators, and board members–must have a clear understanding of the reasons for the assessment, what is being assessed, the criteria for success, and the method by which the assessment is made.
Both students and teachers should be actively engaged in assessing student progress as part of the development of their wider critical thinking and self-evaluation skills.

Student self-assessment is a key component of an IB Program.

Why do we assess?
Using the written curriculum, and in collaboration with colleagues and children, the teacher generates questions which guide structured inquiry and instruction. These questions address the eight key concepts, which help lead to productive lines of inquiry. Assessment focuses on the quality of student learning during the process of inquiry and instruction and on the quality of the products of that learning. Assessment is, therefore, integral to the taught curriculum. It is the means by which we analyze student learning and the effectiveness of our teaching and acts as a foundation on which to base our future planning and practice. It is central to our goal of guiding the student, from novice to expert, through the learning process. Assessment is an essential part of the instructional cycle. It provides information about student learning and development, as well as a framework for planning, self-reflection, and collaboration.

Students Assessment Shall:

• Give feedback for current status and future improvement
• Lead to performance increases
• Be formative wherever possible
• Assess current requirements of IB and State/National practices
• Assess current knowledge and drive lesson planning through feedback

Students’ learning is promoted through:

• Assessing prior knowledge and experience
• Differentiating instruction to meet individual needs
• Engaging learners in reflection to determine strengths and weaknesses and to set goals
• Providing feedback for students
• Expanding student learning opportunities
• Building a profile of children’s understanding

Information about student learning is provided through:

• Examples of student work or performances
• Statistics relating to benchmarks and/or rubrics or test scores
• Test results

Program evaluation uses a variety of student assessments to:

• Assess the levels of students’ current knowledge and experience before embarking on new learning
• Assess new learning
• Guide teacher planning and presentation
• Assess student performance relative to national, state, and local standards as well as DP expectations
• Focus on closing the achievement gaps among students

What does the IB teacher assess?
Through the IB Program of Standards and Practices, IB teachers strive to provide the opportunity for learners to construct meaning primarily through structured inquiry. This is accomplished by emphasizing the connections between subject-specific knowledge and multiple skills and themes. Feedback should be given on student progress and performance in each of these areas.

Additionally, feedback should be provided on the attributes listed in the IB Student Profile: Inquirer, Communicator, Thinker, Risk-Taker, Knowledgeable, Principled, Caring, Open-Minded, Well-Balanced, Reflective. This profile serves to increase the students’ awareness of, and sensitivity to, the experiences of others beyond the local or national community, thus promoting an understanding that there is a commonality of human experience. At Thornwood High School, we assess performance and progress in each of the following subject areas: English, Spanish, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Film, Chemistry, Psychology and History, ESS, and TOK.


When does assessment occur?
Assessment is something that occurs every day in some manner. A variety of assessments demonstrates our belief that students learn in different ways, at different rates, and at different times. The result of assessment is considered a critical element that influences teacher decision-making and guides student learning.

Types of Assessments

*All assessments are aligned and in compliance with the Thornwood IB Inclusion Policy as well as the Thornwood Academic Integrity Policy.

Pre-assessment
Pre-assessment occurs before new learning to uncover prior knowledge and experiences.

Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is infused into the daily learning process. It provides teachers and students with information about how the learning is developing. It helps the teacher to plan the next stage of learning.

Summative Assessment
Summative assessment occurs at the end of a teaching and learning cycle. Students are given the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned by applying their knowledge in new and authentic contexts.

Standardized Assessment
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the United States government requires that we test all children to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility and choice so that no child is left behind regardless of other factors.

IB Internal, External and School-based Assessments

The IB Diploma Programme employs two types of summative assessment to determine the student’s final IB grades: Internal and External Assessments. Subject teachers are well informed of the detailed IB policies that describe the conditions under which these assessments must be administered. IB students receive significant instruction and practice throughout their courses in order to effectively prepare for these challenging tasks. The IB Internal Assessments (IA) provide students with opportunities to show mastery of skills outside of final examinations and reflect the student’s summative achievement rather than an average of formative marks. The principal aim of conducting internal assessment is to evaluate student achievement against those outcomes that do not lend themselves to external written exams. These IA components are marked by the IB teacher before they are moderated by an external moderator. Examples of Internal Assessments are science courses, practical work, language oral interviews, and historical investigations. IB final exams are the major component of external assessment utilized in IB as a great deal of reliability is provided by standardized examination external marking. Other work such as the Extended Essay, English Written Assignment, ToK Essays and Art Showcases are also externally assessed by IB examiners. In addition to the IB internal and external assessments, IB teachers utilize school-based student assessments that are essential for student success and contribute to the students’ report card marks. These marks are based on unit and cumulative tests using past IB exam questions, practice exams, and in class and homework assignments modeled on IB assessments, etc. These school-based assignments may be evaluated on a 1-7 score based on IB grading criteria and mark bands. However, the report card grade each student earns in a particular IB course is not tied directly to the marks earned on the formal IB assessments, but is reflective of work completed in preparation for those summative assessments. The methods as outlined below support our school based assessment practices.

The IB Diploma Program at Thornwood High School subsumes these school-based interventions to nurture student responsibility regarding submission of major assignments and unit tests and to provide information to parents in order to help maximize student achievement.  IB teachers clearly outline all assigned work to students in class with due dates noted.  All IA’s and major assignments are posted on the shared Google calendar.  Subject, test date/assignment and due date are noted on the school calendar and Google Classroom.  Absenteeism shall not exempt students from missed assessments or tests/exams.  Late submission of a major assessment the teacher shall implement the following interventions: Conference with the student to determine the reason for not meeting the deadline and determine a new due date when the assignment or alternate assessment can be submitted in consultation with Curriculum Head of Department and IB Diploma Coordinator; – If the second due date is not met by the student, the teacher shall make contact with the parents; & If after contact with the parents, the major assessment is not submitted, then the teacher will use professional judgment to determine the appropriate response. Assigning a zero for work not submitted may occur in the absence of other evidence of learning.

Final grades shall be determined by the Board Policy of 40% Quarter 1, 40% Quarter 2, and 20% Exam grade.  Homework is a significant tool that contributes to the student’s successful mastery of topics taught in class, achievement of course outcomes and grades. It is highly recommended that IB students spend some time each night working on each of their IB subjects.  The amount of time will vary depending on course workloads at different times in the year and the nature of the homework tasks.

What are the characteristics of effective assessments?

• Have criteria that are known and understood in advance
• Allow learners to synthesize and apply their learning, not merely recall facts
• Promote student reflection and self-evaluation
• Focus on the production of quality products or performances
• Highlight student’s strengths and allow them to demonstrate mastery/expertise
• Allow learners to express different points of view and interpretations
• Provide feedback regarding every stage of the learning/teaching cycle
• Based on student needs, interests and learning styles (student-driven)
• Involve collaboration between students and teachers
• Produce evidence of student growth and learning that can be clearly reported  and understood by students, parents, teachers, administrators, and board members
• Identify what is worth knowing

What are the characteristics of an IB specific assessment at Thornwood?

• Uses current examination marks from IB internal and external assessment criteria for purposes of standardization and improvement.
• Uses IB style questioning as found in historical examination documentation from IB.
• Is in alignment with national and state standards as required by the state of Illinois and Department of Education in the United States.
• Promotes student learning through formative means.
• Reasonable feedback turnaround on exams.
• Is recorded in standardized grade form and IB grade form also communicated to students/parents.
• Is recorded in Powerschool for record purposes. May be recorded as standardized grades and IB grading systems.

Frequency of IB Assessment

IB assessment can be formative or summative. Formative assessment must be given at least once per unit (topic), however more is highly suggested to support the feedback and learning process. Summative assessments can be given at the end of each unit or at the end of grading periods such as semesters. Summative assessment analyzes summary learning, but can still be used, and is suggested, to improve learning just as formative assessments. 

Combining National and State Standards and DP Standards

Where possible, National and State standards and DP requirements will be combined into common outcomes. In cases where this is impossible, the teacher shall teach and assess these standards separately when needed. For Example, if a national standard does not fit into the DP standards, the teacher shall teach and assess the national standard in addition to the DP standards and assessments. If the curriculum allows this to be on the same assessment, this is allowed.

How do students demonstrate learning ?
Assessment strategies form the basis of a comprehensive approach and represent Thornwood’s answer to the question, “How will we know what we have learned?” These methods of assessment include a broad range of approaches and have been selected to provide a balanced view of the student.

• Observations:All students are observed regularly with a focus on the individual, the group, and/or the whole class.
• Performance Assessments:Students are presented with a task that represents the kind of challenges that adults face in the world beyond the classroom. It requires using a repertoire of knowledge and skills to accomplish a goal or solve an open-ended problem. In addition, it entails the thoughtful application of knowledge rather than recalling facts. It has an identified purpose or audience, involves a realistic scenario, it has established criteria and requires developing an authentic product or performance.
• Cross Discipline Skills Assessments(research, thinking, communication, self-management and social skills): The focus is on the process and skill application rather than on the product. These skills are regularly observed in real contexts using checklists, narrative notes, and inventories.
• Open-Ended Assessments:Students are presented with a challenge and asked to provide an original response.
• Tests/Quizzes:These single-occasion assessments provide a snapshot of students’ specific knowledge.
• Homework: Daily and weekly assignments/assessments
• Portfolios:An ongoing, purposeful collection is composed of selected student work and is designed to demonstrate growth, creativity, and reflection.
• Standardized testing

How do  Thornwood IB teachers record student progress?

*All assessments are aligned and in compliance with the Thornwood IB Inclusion Policy as well as the Thornwood Academic Integrity Policy.
The previously identified assessment strategies are put into practice at Thornwood by using the following assessment tools.

• Rubrics:Rubrics are established sets of criteria used for scoring or rating students’  tests, portfolios, or performances. The descriptors tell the student and the assessor which characteristics or signs to look for in the work and then how to rate that work on a predetermined scale. Rubrics can be developed by students as well as by teachers.
• Benchmarks/exemplars:These are samples of students’ work that serve as concrete standards against which other samples are judged. Benchmarks/exemplars can be used in conjunction with rubrics or continuums. Benchmarks should be appropriate and usable within a particular school context.
• Checklists:These are lists of information, data, attributes, or elements that should be present.
• Anecdotal records:Anecdotal records are brief, written notes based on observations of students. These records need to be systematically compiled and organized.
• PowerSchool: grades updated weekly
• Continuums:These are visual representations of developmental stages of learning. They show a progression of achievement or identify where a student is in a process.

How is student growth reported to parents and students?
Reporting is a means of giving feedback from assessment. Effective reporting should:

• involve parents, students, and teachers as partners.
• reflect what the school community values.
• be comprehensive, honest, fair, and credible.
• be clear and understandable to all parties.
• allow teachers to incorporate what they learn during the reporting process into their future teaching and assessment practice.
• include the Powerschool program.

Conferences
Parents, students, and teachers are all valued partners in the reporting process and in sharing the responsibility both for learning and accounting for student progress. Pathways for communication need to be open and reciprocal.  IB Parent meetings occur twice annually.  Parent teacher conferences are also offered each academic semester.

Progress Reports

Progress reports are sent home every mid-quarter.  Parents and Students can check grades daily through the use of PowerSchool. District-mandated report cards are sent home every quarter. Since IB units are not reflected on our district report card, we strive to communicate, share, and reflect on student learning at the end of each unit.

Reporting IB Grades  

*All assessments are aligned and in compliance with the Thornwood IB Inclusion Policy as well as the Thornwood Academic Integrity Policy.

IB Course evaluation and student achievement is communicated throughout the academic year via a variety of methods.  At the beginning of each year, IB course curriculum outcomes and assessment practices are communicated through course descriptions provided to students in class and in google classrooms and IB parent meetings. 

Parent-teacher interview sessions are held once each semester in October and March. The presence of a parent at these sessions is strongly recommended to allow parents to conference with individual IB teachers to discuss the student’s progress.  As needed, teachers consult with parents on an individual basis. IB course grades, based on school-based assessments, are formally reported to students and their parents at the end of Semester 1 Year 11, Semesters 1 & 2 Year 11 and Semester 1 Year 12. Reporting is recorded through PowerSchool.

These report cards provide IB students with an IB grade of A to F for each IB course as well as a grade for TOK and any additional class in which the student may be enrolled. Report cards also include a rating for citizenship and include comments if needed. Marks in IB courses are reported using the standard A-F Board Policy and can be translated into International Baccalaureate 1 – 7 marking scale as described below.

                                                            IB Grading Scale

The 1-7 marks are based on the IB standardized criteria on levels of achievement in each course.

The final IB scores, received during July following the senior year, are based on the IB internal and external assessments, not on school-based assessments. Students are notified of their final IB marks in early July through access to a secure IB website. Requests are made to the IB Diploma Programme Coordinator in Semester 2 for official IB results to be sent directly from the IBO to universities in July.

Earning the IB Diploma

To achieve the IB Diploma Programme students must take one course in each of five academic groups: Language A1, Language B, Individuals and Societies, Experimental Sciences, and Mathematics. They must also take a sixth course, either an Arts course or additional course from one of the groups listed above and successfully complete the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE) and Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) requirements. Each one of the IB subjects is graded on a 1-7 scale. To determine diploma eligibility the marks in each of the six subjects are totalled. Combined performance in the Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, which are marked on an A-E basis, contribute up to three (3) additional points to a student’s total, according to the chart below.

Upon successful completion of the IB Diploma students can earn up to a maximum of 45 points. Each course completed in the six groups provides a maximum of seven (7) points plus an additional three (3) bonus points may be awarded for their combined performance on ToK and the extended essay. In order to receive an IB Diploma, a student must complete all assessment components for each of the six subjects and complete the TOK, EE and CAS requirements. A student must earn at least 24 points (if a candidate scores less than 24 points, the diploma is not awarded) and meet the following additional rules and requirements:

• CAS is not assessed but must be completed in order to pass the diploma
• There is no “N” awarded for TOK, the EE or for a contributing subject.
• There is no grade E awarded for TOK and/or the EE.
• There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
• There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL).
• There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL).
• The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects. (For candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count.)
• The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects. (Candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL.)
• The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the final award committee

Roles and responsibilities of teachers and staff for implementation and review of policy

All Thornwood High School teachers and staff in the IB Program will annually review the Assessment Policy along with all other policies associated with IB.  The IB-Coordinator will make sure this is implemented at vertical and horizontal meetings.  New teachers will be provided with Professional Development both through IB as well as internal Professional Development to ensure the proper learning of policies and procedures. It will be the responsibility of the classroom teachers to maintain policies and procedure for IB that are in alignment with both IB and Thornwood High School.