In the modern K-12 classroom, assessment should be a bridge to student mastery, not a barrier. This five-hour "pedagogy refresher" provides educators with a soup-to-nuts exploration of the assessment cycle, grounded in the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards. Designed for both new and veteran teachers, this session strips away the complexity of "testing" to focus on the core fundamentals of Assessment Literacy.

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Participants will begin by auditing the Alignment Triad: ensuring a tight, 1:1:1 connection between state standards, measurable learning objectives, and assessment tasks. We will deconstruct the distinct roles of Diagnostic, Formative, and Summative tools, and - crucially - learn how to "triangulate" this classroom data with Universal Screeners and Benchmarking tools to create a holistic picture of student growth.

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A major focus of the workshop is Differentiating without Diluting. Educators will learn research-backed strategies for scaffolding assessments to support diverse learners (including MLLs and students with IEPs) by shifting the method of demonstration without lowering the rigor of the grade-level target. By identifying and removing "assessment noise" - such as heavy linguistic loads or format bias - teachers will ensure their data is a high-fidelity reflection of what students truly know and can do. Participants will leave with a toolkit of "low-lift, high-yield" tracking systems that turn data into immediate, actionable instruction.

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Key Learning Outcomes:

• The Alignment Audit: Map classroom tasks directly to the cognitive verbs of NYS Standards to ensure grade-level rigor.

• The Assessment Spectrum: Strategically utilize the full cycle of evidence—from initial benchmarks and screeners to daily formative checks and unit summatives.

• Scaffolding vs. Modifying: Master techniques to adjust the how of an assessment (e.g., oral response, visual models, chunking) while keeping the what (the standard) at grade level.

• Data Triangulation: Learn to synthesize "Macro" data (benchmarks) with "Micro" data (classroom exit tickets) to drive Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction.

• Noise Reduction: Analyze assessment items for construct-irrelevant barriers to ensure equitable access for all students.