Rationale+and+Goals

Assessment Rationale
===Career and Technical Education instructors have typically assessed student performance using informal assessment methods consisting of assessment that is more spontaneous, less obvious and structured and which typically occurs during the instruction process. Examples include teacher observations and questions, performance tasks, and checklists. === ===Perkins IV legislation and funding requires 2S1 Technical Skill Assessment (TSA) to measure the percentage of Career and Technical Education (CTE) concentrators who pass a skill assessment aligned with industry-recognized standards. These are formal, standardized assessments which measure not only technical skills, but related academic skills, and must be incorporated into the CTE curriculum. === ===CTE instructors are faced with the challenge of offering curriculum content, instructional methods, and forms of assessment that are aligned with standards. Standards aligned learning links curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Assessment becomes an essential part of instruction. In this system, assessment and instruction are like two sides of the same coin. === ===Classroom assessments should enhance student learning and instruction. Classroom assessments should demonstrate what students need to know and be able to do and also focus on understanding and procedural skills. The assessment becomes a guide for student learning by providing teachers with information needed for making instructional decisions. === ===This assessment mindset makes a shift from thinking of assessment as something done only at the end of teaching to assessment as an ongoing, integrated, part of instruction. Assessment experts suggest that we begin with the end in mind. Instead of starting with textbooks and lesson plans, instructors should begin with the desired outcomes (performance standards), then determine evidence for meeting the standard and finally plan the learning experiences and instruction to ensure students achieve the desired standard. ===

===· Develop an assessment plan to help students become more successful in demonstrating acquired knowledge and skills by improving test scores on the end of the year Technical Skills Assessments. ===

===· Implement changes in the CTE climate and curriculum delivery to include regular, formal assessment of both program specific technical skills and the essential academic knowledge and skills required to be successful in all careers. ===

===· Implement the curriculum changes and assessment tasks necessary to support the paradigm shift from informal to formal testing/assessment in CTE and provide for increased student success on TSA assessments. ===