Assessments
At Carmel Clay Schools we believe that no single assessment of academic progress can tell the full story. However, testing can be a helpful tool in assessing whether students are mastering academic standards. Below you will find information on the various assessment tools used at Carmel Clay Schools.
- NWEA MAP Growth
- ILEARN
- IREAD-3
- IAM
- ISTEP (10th Grade)
- WIDA Access
- Early Literacy Intervention
- Assessment Practice
NWEA MAP Growth
Students in grades K-8 take the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments. These assessments are research-based and aligned to the Indiana Academic Standards for Math and English Language Arts. The assessments are computerized adaptive tests that provide us information on the instructional level of each student and the amount of growth that occurs during the school year. The results help us to identify the skills and concepts individual students have learned, diagnose instructional needs, monitor academic growth over time, make data-driven decisions about curriculum, instruction, and resources at the classroom, school, and district levels, and place new students into appropriate instructional programs. Student Progress Reports are sent to families in the fall and spring.
ILEARN
ILEARN measures student achievement and growth according to Indiana Academic Standards. ILEARN is the summative accountability assessment for Indiana students and assesses:
- English/Language Arts (Grades 3-8)
- Mathematics (Grades 3-8)
- Science (Grades 4 and 6)
- Social Studies (Grade 5)
- Biology (High School)
- U.S. Government – Optional (High School)
IREAD-3
The Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD-3) assessment measures foundational reading standards to Grade 3 students each spring. Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, IREAD-3 is a summative assessment that was developed in accordance with House Enrolled Act 1367 (also known as Public Law 109 in 2010).
IAM
I AM measures student achievement and growth according to Indiana’s Content Connectors aligned to the Indiana Academic Standards. I AM is the summative accountability assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades 3-8 and 10. It assesses:
- English/Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and 10)
- Mathematics (Grades 3-8 and 10)
- Science (Grades 4, 6, and Biology)
- Social Studies (Grade 5)
ISTEP (10th Grade)
ISTEP+ is an assessment that measures student achievement beginning in Grade 10. ISTEP+ assesses student achievement levels in English/Language Arts, and Mathematics according to the Indiana Academic Standards that were adopted by the Indiana State Board of Education. ISTEP+ assesses:
- English/Language Arts
- Mathematics
WIDA Access
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), requires state education agencies to establish and implement standardized, statewide entrance and exit procedures for English learners (Section 3113). In accordance with federal regulations, all states are required to:
- identify the languages other than English present in their student population;
- assess the language proficiency of students in order to place them in the appropriate language development program; and
- administer an annual assessment of English proficiency, which includes measuring a student’s oral language, reading, and writing skills in English.
The purpose of the English Language Proficiency Assessments is to determine a student's level of English proficiency. WIDA ACCESS is the English Language Proficiency Assessment administered in Indiana. The W-APT placement test (kindergarten) and the WIDA Screener (grades 1-12) function as a screener that is used for both initial and English Language (EL) program placement of students who are identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP). The annual assessment, ACCESS and Alternate Access, is administered to determine a student's current level of English proficiency. The annual assessment is also used for accountability purposes.
Early Literacy Intervention
Early Literacy Intervention and Indiana Dyslexia Legislation
Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, Indiana’s public and charter schools must meet added requirements to identify, as early as possible, struggling readers who show risk factors for dyslexia. Schools must provide systematic, sequential, and multisensory instruction to meet these students’ needs. All students in grades kindergarten through second grade will undergo universal screeners to check their skills in six different areas. These areas are: phonological and phonemic awareness (ability to separate and change sounds in words), alphabet knowledge (name different letters), sound symbol relationship (phonics), decoding (reading), rapid naming (quickly name common objects), and encoding (spelling). Students who fall below a set score or benchmark on the universal screener will be considered by their school to be “at risk” or “at some risk” for the characteristics of dyslexia. Students who are considered “at risk” or “at some risk” will receive targeted, intensive instruction to grow their foundational literacy skills.
Dyslexia as defined by IC 20-18-2-3.5 is a specific learning disability that:
- is neurological in origin and characterized by:
- difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition; and
- poor spelling and encoding abilities;
- typically results from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction;
- may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge; and
- may require the provision of special education services after an eligibility determination is made in accordance with 511 IAC 7-40.
In accordance with this law, each school corporation and charter school shall report on the school corporation or charter school's website the following information.
What intervention programs are used to assist students who show risk factors for dyslexia?
Students in Carmel Clay Schools who need intervention in foundational literacy skills receive targeted instruction using the Orton-Gillingham Approach. The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a direct, explicit, multisensory, and structured way to teach literacy when reading, writing, and spelling does not come easily to students, such as those with dyslexia.
How many students were identified as being “at some risk” or “at risk” for dyslexia during the 2020-2021 school year?
All students in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades were assessed using approved universal screeners. Of the 3352 students tested, 349 students were found to be “at some risk” or “at risk” for dyslexia.
How many students received dyslexia interventions during the 2020-2021 school year?
In the 2020-2021 school year, Carmel Clay schools had 494 students in grades K-5 working with teachers to receive targeted, intensive instruction in foundational literacy skills and concepts using the Orton-Gillingham Approach.