Curriculum & Assessment

Curriculum & Assessment

The Hoquiam School District Teaching and Learning Department is committed to providing the best education materials for our students and teachers.  The Teaching and Learning Department oversees acquiring and distributing of curriculum materials, as well as State Assessments (CAA, COE, WaKIDS, SBAC, and WIDA).

Assessment is an important part of the curriculum; it is a part of the learning experience, not separate from it. Here are some of the purposes of assessment:

  • Opportunity for students to demonstrate what they know and can do.

  • Determine whether students are meeting the learning objectives.

  • Modify the curriculum and individualize instruction accordingly.

  • Identify students with special needs.

  • Provide teachers with objective information for grading.

  • Motivate students to improve their performance.

  • Evaluate effectiveness of programs

  • Communicate student progress with parents, school, and community.

STATE ASSESSMENTS

Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) Options - Most Washington state public high school students will fulfill the assessment portion of the graduation requirements by passing state exit exams. If students don't pass on their first attempt, there are retake opportunities. Some students, however, may need to demonstrate their skills a different way. For these students, state-approved alternatives called Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) options, are available after the student has attempted the state assessment. Please visit OSPI Graduation Alternatives for more information on CAA options.

Collection of Evidence (COE) - The COE is an evaluation of a set of work samples based on classroom work prepared by the student with instructional support from a teacher. OSPI, in conjunction with Washington state teachers, develop and implement COE passages, tasks, and prompts for reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Please visit COE Local FAQs for more information on the COE Local Assessment.

Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) - The Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) is a transition process that helps to ensure a successful start to the K-12 experience and connect the key adults in a child's life. Visit the WaKIDS website or the OSPI WaKIDS webpage for more information. The three components are:

  1. Family connection welcomes families into the Washington K-12 system as partners in their child's education.

  2. Whole-child assessment gives kindergarten teachers information about the social/emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy and mathematics development of the children in their classrooms, so they may tailor their instruction to the individual needs of each child.

  3. Early learning collaboration aligns practices of early learning professionals and kindergarten teachers to support smooth transitions for children.

Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC) - Per their website, the SBAC states: "The Smarter Balanced assessment system includes a comprehensive suite of standards-aligned assessments and tools - including instructional supports, interim assessments, and summative assessments - to support effective teaching and maximize learning for each individual student." Visit the SBAC  or the OSPI SBAC webpage for more information.

WIDA - Per their website, OSPI states: "Washington is part of the 41-state WIDA Consortium that promotes educational equity for multilingual learners through language development standards, assessments, and high-quality professional learning for P-12 educators." Visit the OSPI WIDA page for more information.

DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS

In addition to state required assessments, the Hoquiam School District also provides a variety of assessments to monitor teaching and learning. Some of these assessments include:

  • Renaissance (STAR)

  • DIBELS (mClass)

  • HMH Growth Measurement

  • Curriculum Based Measurements

  • Classroom Exit Tickets