Create an Assessment Definition for Inputting Numeric Score Data

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One of the key differences in setting up an assessment definition for inputting standardized test score results is that you typically will be inputting norm reference scores. In addition to basic raw point scores and percentage scores, the following norm reference score types are supported:

• Percentile
• Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE)
• Grade-Equivalent (GE)
• Stanine
• Scaled
• GAP
• Other

When you create an assessment definition for collecting numeric scores, you will identify the sections (score areas), the specific types of basic and norm reference score types to be collected for each section, and the minimum cutoff scores for determining proficiency/mastery levels. You can also align these sections to the curriculum to allow for inputting and reporting of curriculum-aligned scores.

Create a New Assessment Definition for Collecting Numeric Scores

1. Log in and select Assessment Library from the Assessment menu.
   • If this option does not appear, you do not have the necessary access privileges.
2. Click Add New to display the Add New Assessment Definition page.
   • To add a definition without first selecting a curriculum area, click Add New on the Assessment Definitions page.
   • To add the assessment definition to one of the sets of assessment definitions stored at a curriculum area, click the checkmark icon next to that curriculum area, and then click Add New on the Library Detail page.

3. In the Name field on the Add New Assessment Definition screen, enter the unique name of the assessment.

4. In the Stored At field, click the Select link to specify where in the curriculum the new assessment definition will be stored.
5. In the Method field, select Define Layout for Numeric Score Entry.
6. In the Details section, if it is likely that a new version of this assessment will come out each year (with different cutoffs, etc), change the Versioning option to Yes with the initial school year.
7. Select the Number of Sections. 
8. For each section (score area), enter a name in the Section Name column and select the score types to input in the Score Types To Be Entered column.
   • If you select Raw Points, you must enter the maximum number of raw points.
   • If you select Raw Point scores, you cannot also select Percentage scores because those will be calculated automatically.
9. Optionally, use the Indent/Outdent icons in the second column to indent sub-scores to distinguish broader scores.
   
10. In the Curriculum Level Assessed column, if you wish to input curriculum-based score results, select the level of the curriculum the section will be aligned to. Inputting total scores is optional.

11. In the Assessment Rubrics section, if an assessment rubric library has been set up, you can select one or more assessment rubrics to score against.

    • If you are not able to add an assessment rubric, you can create one after you add the assessment definition.

12. Click Accept. The assessment definition is now created.

    • If you were not able to add an assessment rubric in the previous step, you will want to create one now. Go on to the next procedure.

Define the Specific Proficiency Levels

1. On the Assessment Properties & Layout tab of the assessment definition, click the + Add Assessment Rubric (Manually) link.
   
   • If you are not already on the Assessment Properties & Layout tab of the new assessment definition you created, select Assessment Library from the Assessment menu, click the arrow icon next to the curriculum area where the new assessment definition is stored, and then click the spyglass con for the assessment definition you want to view.
2. In the Rubric Caption field on the Assessment Rubric pop-up, enter a name for the new rubric.
3. In the Apply To field, select whether the rubric applies to Total/Section Scores, Curriculum Outline Scores, or both.
4. Define the proficiency levels for your rubric (up to 10 levels). Assign each level a name in the Proficiency Level Name field, a one- to two-character Symbol, and a Charting Color.
   
   • Warning: Make sure the proficiency levels are listed from lowest performance (at the top) to highest performance (at the bottom).
   • Use the icons to insert or remove proficiency levels.
   • Colors are optional, but if provided, allow the reports to be colorized making them easier to interpret. If you are unsure about the best colors, keep in mind that you can easily change them later.
   • If there is a color scheme in the rubric of another assessment definition that you would like to use for this assessment definition, you can bring up this same screen for the other assessment definition, click Copy Color Scheme, return to this screen for this assessment definition, and click Paste Color Scheme.
5. Select whether you want to Add This Rubric to Assessment Rubric Library.
6. Click Accept to save your rubric.
7. With an Assessment Rubric now defined, click the edit (pencil) icon next to the first section.
8. In the Assessment Rubric Cutoffs section, select the Score Type to be used to determine which mastery level students have achieved.
9. In the Cutoff field, Enter the minimum scores students need to obtain to achieve each rubric level. Note that the lowest performing mastery level is not listed because the cutoff score is assumed to be zero.
10. Click Accept to save, or Accept, Next Section to save and continue with the next section. If you select to go on to the next section, you must repeat steps 8-10 for each section
    About Multiple Assessment Rubrics
    You can add an additional assessment rubric by clicking + Add Assessment Rubric (Manually) again, and then you can enter an additional set of cutoff scores for the second rubric.
    Up to five rubrics can be created for an assessment definition. This capability is useful if you want to analyze and interpret test scores based on different sets of proficiency levels.
    
    
11. When the sections are complete, review them all in one place here.
    
    • In step 10 of the previous procedure, you had the opportunity to link each section to a level of the curriculum outline, which enables aligning the sections to the curriculum, which in turn allows inputting and reporting of curriculum-aligned scores.
    • You can review and/or edit these links to outline levels by editing the sections the same way described for entering cutoffs.
    • To align sections to the curriculum for inputting and reporting curriculum-aligned scores, go on to the next procedure.

Align Sections to the Curriculum

1. To proceed now with the curriculum alignment process, click the Curriculum Alignment tab.
2. To align a section to the curriculum, select the section from the Section drop-down menu.
3. Click the + Select/Align… link.
4. Navigate through the outline to the curriculum statements you want to align (for the purposes of inputting curriculum-based scores). Click the edit (pencil) icon next to a curriculum statement to align it.
5. Indicate the score types for this curriculum statement. By default, these are the same score types that you are inputting for the section. In fact, the score types are the same by default and you can check the Auto-Copy Section Scores option to automatically use the section scores as the curriculum-aligned score for this curriculum statement.
6. Select the score type to be used for establishing cutoff scores, and then enter the minimum cutoff score needed to obtain each mastery/proficiency level.
   
   • It is important to note that these mastery levels are defined in the "curriculum rubric" configured in the Curriculum Guide (Create a New Online Curriculum), and not the "assessment rubric" established for this assessment definition.
   • Curriculum-aligned results always use the "curriculum rubric", not the "assessment rubric".
7. Click Accept to save the information, and repeat the process for any other desired statements.
8. Use the navigation trail to exit this screen.
9. Repeat Steps 2 through 8 for each section to be aligned to the curriculum.

10. Look for a prompt informing you that the assessment definition is still "in development". To activate the assessment definition so that it can be administered, click as indicated in the prompt.
    You are now ready to administer (i.e., input scores for) the assessment definition. Refer to Administer an Assessment for Inputting Numeric Score Data.