DPS Assessment

1. DPS Assessment Communications
Training
October 10, 2011

2. About SE2
• Communications firm that works on issues within the
public arena
• Expertise and significant experience in education
• Numerous DPS projects
• Hired by Accountability, Research and Evaluation office
to lead communications about the value of assessments

3. Communication Objectives
• Communicate that assessments provide meaningful results in a timely
manner and explain their value
• Show how teaching can be adjusted to meet the needs of the individual
students based on assessments
• Demonstrate that the district has listened to teacher concerns and
criticizes and is selecting assessments that are easier and faster to
administer
• Reinforce the importance of evaluating teacher effectiveness in accurate
and useful ways
• Remind teachers and parents of the tools (e.g. portals) available to
improve access to information about individual students

4. Today's Objectives
• Articulate the importance of assessments and the critical role you
play in communicating this message
• Gather background information about the research the district has
conducted over the past few months, understanding teachers and
parents' perceptions of assessments
• Convey the main vision and goals to promote the value of
assessments
• Understand how and where to talk about these goals, and tools to
help you do so effectively

5. Today's Objectives
• Understanding the importance of assessments and the
critical role you play in communicating this
• Background information about the research the district
Research – Summary
has conducted over the past few months looking at
teachers and parents’ perceptions of assessments
• The main messages behind assessments
• How and where to deliver these messages

6. Types of Research Conducted
• Teacher focus groups
• Parent focus groups
• Teacher survey
• Secondary research

7. Today's Objectives
• Understanding the importance of assessments and the
critical role you play in communicating this
• Background information about the research the district
Communications Strategy
has conducted over the past few months looking at
teachers and parents’ perceptions of assessments
• The main messages behind assessments
• How and where to deliver these messages

8. Consistency in Communications
SE2

9. Audience.
• Values
• Opinions
• Knowledge
• Behaviors / Likely action

10. What Teachers Care About
• The district is developing and implementing helpful
assessments that are easier and faster to use
• The district has listened to their input regarding
assessments and responded with assessments that are
based on standards and align with classroom instruction
• Assessments benefit the growth and overall
achievement of individual students through progress
monitoring and personalized information

11. What Parents Care About
• The growth and achievement of their individual child
• How they can help their child achieve
• That their child is prepared for tests
• What they hear from teachers

13. Assessment Communications Strategy
• Focus on teachers
• Parents depend on teachers for communications and
understanding regarding academic performance
• Teachers' understanding is key for parent understanding
– teachers are the messengers
• This strategy lays the groundwork for LEAP
• Additional resources and tools (e.g. new Parent Portal)
for parents are not available yet

14. Today's Objectives
• Understanding the importance of assessments and the
critical role you play in communicating this
• Background information about the research the district
The Vision and Goals
has conducted over the past few months looking at
teachers and parents’ perceptions of assessments
• The main messages behind assessments
• How and where to deliver these messages

15. Context
• DPS assessments are:
o Developed through an intentional and purposeful process
o Driven by teacher feedback
o Focused on the ultimate goal of student achievement
o In accordance with guidelines set by SB 10-191
o Part of 2011-2012 roll out of assessments in response to
feedback
o Part of a continuous process of updates and enhancements

18. The Vision

19. How and Why
DPS’ Improved Assessments Will Promote Student Achievement By Being More:
How Why
Personalized
 
Efficient Promoting Individual
 
Student Achievement
Meaningful
 
Connected
 

20. Personalized
• More frequent assessments
measure individual student
growth and progress, allowing
teachers to evaluate and address
students’ needs more precisely

21. Efficient
• Administering assessments through
an online platform takes less time
and is easier, giving teachers more
time with students and less time
grading papers and entering data.

22. Meaningful
• Assessments have improved
reporting capabilities, producing
faster results with clear graphs, so
teachers can use the information in a
timely and impactful way

23. Connected
• Assessments align with standards
and curriculum, providing an
accurate and more complete picture
of what a student should know each
day

24. Parent Message Framework
DPS’ Improved Tests Will Promote Student Achievement By Being More:
How Why This Helps Why This Helps
Teachers Parents
Efficient and   
Meaningful
Promoting Individual
Connected and   
Personalized Student Achievement

25. Efficient and Meaningful
• Efficient and meaningful results
and tests mean more teaching
time

26. Connected and Personalized
• Connected and personalized tests
reflect curriculum and get
integrated into classroom
instruction

28. Today's Objectives
• Understanding the importance of assessments and the
critical role you play in communicating this
• Background information about the research the district
Tools for Communicating
has conducted over the past few months looking at
teachers and parents’ perceptions of assessments
• The main messages behind assessments
• How and where to deliver these messages

29. The Role of Stories
• Messages need stories
• For audiences to fully appreciate the value of district assessments,
it is critical that you provide them with examples
• The general structure of effective message delivery is:
o The claim is the compelling, high-level message
o The fact is the specific action and method through which the
message comes to fruition
o The illustrative examples are actual stories and quotes that
demonstrate the reality of the message being delivered

30. Example
CLAIM: Assessments take less time and are easier to administer
through an online platform.
FACT: In order to better focus the time spent
teaching, the district introduced K-5 computer-based
,adaptive reading assessments, which will be easier to
administer, will take less time, and will be integrated into
classroom instruction.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE 1: “Love it! It is about
time we get a tool like this –
quick, informative, manageable and data
driven.” (Teacher)
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE 2: “School was really fun today
because we got to go to the computer lab and take a
test.” (Elementary Student)

31. Activity 1: Give it a try

32. Where to Communicate
Events
Presentations
Network
Website Meetings

33. Activity 2: Say the right thing

34. Recommended Vocabulary
Try This
• DPS tests
• State and district tests
• “Help individual students”
• “Help you help your child”
• Growth
• Progress
• Achievement
• Connected to classroom curriculum
• More accurate

35. Recommended Vocabulary
Try This
• Personalized
• Tied to what students are taught in the classroom
• Teachers can help parents with the results and what to do with
them
• Test scores and grades go hand-in-hand
• Faster results
• Clear reports
• Quick pulse checks to diagnose and adjust

36. Recommended Vocabulary
Instead of That
• Assessment (especially with parents)
• Acronyms and jargon
• Specific tests’ name (especially with parents)
• CSAP (now TCAP)
• Frequent testing, more testing

37. Keep In Mind
• Think about what you say and how you say it
• Put on your “instructional hat” (i.e. be a teacher) when
you are speaking
• Remember that assessments are a work in progress;
continue to talk to teachers, ISs, ARE, etc.
• WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK

38. Questions?
SE2