At New York Academy, we utilize both formative and summative assessments. These assessments are designs to ensure that instruction is differentiated to meet the academic needs of each individual student. Our assessments include:
- Phonological Awareness Skills Test – PAST (formative)
- Development Spelling Inventory – DSI (formative)
- Developmental Reading Assessment 2 – DRA2 (formative)
- 6 Traits of Writing/Small Moments Scene with Narrative Prompt (formative)
- 4 Traits of Presentation (formative)
- Basic Numeracy and Problem Solving (formative)
- ERB (summative)
Formative Assessments
Formative assessments are given throughout a unit of study and used to gauge student learning, drive instruction, and increase student performance. Teachers are able to respond to students needs quickly and accurately by continually measuring their learning. A student’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is determined – the area of thinking or action that a child is unable to do independently but can do successfully with the assistance of a skilled person (Vygotsky, 1978).
Formative assessments provide data on a regular basis to the teacher to employ best practices per the differentiated needs of each student in word study, reading fluency, reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, and numeracy. As a result, instruction and learning are fluid and can change in accordance with each student’s needs. The formative assessments employed by NYA are used at the start of the year to gain a baseline of academic achievement and at the end of the year to measure growth. They are also used throughout the year to individualize instruction and meet the needs of each student.
Summative Assessments
Summative Assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the end of a unit of study and the end of school year and measure overall growth. They help teachers and the school analyze and reflect upon the strength of our curriculum and learning program.
At New York Academy, we utilize the ERB Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) as an end-of-year assessment. The CTP is a rigorous assessment for high achieving students in areas such as reading, listening, vocabulary, writing, science and mathematics.
Many international parents are concerned about how to measure their child’s learning against peers in the United States. The CTP, which is a nationally norm-referenced summative assessment, allows NYA to do just this. Verbal and quantitative reasoning subtests are part of the CTP beginning in Grade 3.