09-10 Assessment Letter

							Ramsey Elementary                                                                   Michael Fisher
2200 Ramsey Road                                                                                 Principal
Phone: (412) 373-5856
Fax: (412) 858-1058
E-mail: mfisher@gatewayk12.org


August 31, 2009

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

Continuing this year as part of our ongoing effort to be become informed educators, we will be
implementing three benchmark assessments. Benchmark assessments are designed to be given
periodically to provide an estimate of student performance/growth and to help inform instruction. The
three benchmark assessment tools that we will use include DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
Literacy Skills), 4Sight Benchmark Assessments, and AIMSweb M-CBM (Mathematics - Curriculum-Based
Measurement). By utilizing these tools, we are more equipped to monitor each student’s progress
throughout the year and to intervene more readily when a student needs help. Please see the
information below for a brief description of each benchmark assessment.

DIBELS is an early literacy assessment that is used in Grades K-6. These assessments are a set of
standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy development. They are designed to be
short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of reading skills. These
measures are predictive of later reading proficiency and assist in identifying students who are not
progressing as expected. The three DIBELS benchmark assessments will be given in September, January,
and May. Additional assessments will be given to individual students as needed to measure their progress
and to ensure that they are growing. To learn more about DIBELS go to http://dibels.uoregon.edu/.

The 4Sight Benchmark Assessments provide an estimate of student performance on the PSSA
(Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) or state assessments in reading and math, as well as
diagnostic sub-skill data to guide classroom instruction and professional development efforts. The 4Sight
Benchmark Assessments will be given in Grades 3-8 and 11 in reading and math. Each assessment is one
hour in length. A baseline assessment is scheduled for September and subsequent assessments at the
end of each quarter/grading period. To learn more about the 4Sight Benchmark Assessments go to
http://www.successforall.net/ayp/4sight.htm.

AIMSweb M-CBM is a set of standardized early numeracy and mathematical computation assessments
that will be used in Grades K-4. Similar in structure to DIBELS, these assessments are short in duration
and used to monitor growth in regards to early numeracy skills and basic computations. As with the
DIBELS and 4Sight assessments, AIMSweb M-CBM helps teachers promote the growth and achievement
of each student by providing information that guides their instruction. The three AIMSweb M-CBM
benchmark assessments will be given in September, January and May with additional assessments being
implemented with individual students as needed to measure their progress and to ensure growth. To
learn more about AIMSweb M-CBM go to http://www.aimsweb.com/measures-2/mathematics-cbm/.

If you have any questions about DIBELS, 4Sight, or AIMSweb M-CBM please feel free to contact my office
at your convenience.

Sincerely,


Michael W. Fisher
Principal, Ramsey Elementary



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