Assessment - Columbia Heights Educational Campus - BETA v9

Assessment

Rubrics designed by teachers provide a clear, objective understanding of what is required to meet any given standard. Rubrics are descriptions of what is required to meet the standard when completing an assignment.   Students must use rubrics to help them improve their work.   At CHEC we have a culture of revision, so that all students get used to reviewing and revising their work.

Work not meeting or exceeding the standards is returned to the student with commentary so that the student can revise the work to meet the standards.

Portfolios

Another way in which the Columbia Heights Educational Campus measures student progress is through the use of portfolios in each class.  A portfolio is a collection of students' work which demonstrates that they have met the Standards in that class. This collection includes the students' comments and analysis of why they feel this work demonstrates that they know the subject matter.   All students have to present portfolios in front of a panel of adults and other students.

The benefits of using portfolios for students include the opportunity for revision- whereby the students correct their work and deepen their understanding of the content.  Students also benefit from the experience they gain in organizing and presenting their work and the pride they take in reviewing their own growth and accomplishments from each course. All CHEC students are required to complete and present their portfolios at the end of the semester/year in all grades and all subject areas.  This is a promotion requirement in grades 6 through 11, and a graduation requirement in grade 12.  Each advisory the student is required to complete authentic portfolio products and to demonstrate how the projects obtain the rating of meets or exceeds standards through an oral presentation of his or her portfolio before a panel of parents, teachers, community advocates or students.  The advisory presentations in November and April are considered formative presentations.  These presentations enable the students to gain knowledge of portfolio protocols and at the same time develop their formal presentation skills. In January and May portfolio presentations are summative or final presentations. The student earns 40% of their grade through successful completion and defense of their portfolio.  The portfolio is a requirement for all Bell and Lincoln students including those who transfer in after the beginning of the year.

Standardized Testing

All students in grades 6-10 in the District of Columbia Public Schools must take a standardized test every spring. This test measures basic skills in reading and math.  While it is not the only way to tell how well a student is doing in school, it is an important measure of progress.  The DC Comprehensive Achievement System (DCCAS) has four levels of achievement: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced.   The "No Child Left Behind" law requires that all schools meet proficiency targets every year.  

All CHEC classes teach the skills necessary to do well on the standardized test.  The school requires attendance at after school tutoring for those who have not yet reached the Proficient level.  It is each student's responsibility to take this test seriously, and to take advantage of the extra help available so they can improve their scores every year.  

Assessment of English Language Learners

In order to assess how well English Language Learners are progressing, all students with a language other than English in the home, who have not yet achieved English language proficiency, must take the ACCESS for ELL's test every spring.  This test is used to determine if students are ready to exit the ESL program.