Assessing Student Achievement
There are a variety of assessments that are used to determine strengths and areas for growth at DaVinci Academy. Students are assessed in order to determine instructional level, measure basic skills, monitor student progress toward achieving state academic standards, and evaluate program effectiveness.
Tests Administered at DaVinci Academy
Data-Driven Assessments
Interim assessments are administered throughout the year to determine student understanding of Minnesota academic standards and to inform reteaching strategies for teachers.
NWEA MAP Assessments
The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment is computer-based and administered in reading, math, and science (grades 5 and 8) three times per school year. These assessments are used to identify students’ instructional levels and are used to monitor academic growth and program effectiveness.
Nationwide/Statewide Assessments (ACCESS, MCAs, and MTAS)
The Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for (ACCESS) assessment is a federally-required language proficiency assessment given to students who have been identified as English Language Learners and is used to monitor student progress. The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are state-mandated assessments that assess student progress toward achieving Minnesota standards in reading, math, and science. Data is used to determine program effectiveness and for school accountability by the state. The Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) is utilized by a small percentage of students receiving special education. The MTAS is used as an alternate assessment to the MCAs.
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) measures a student’s inductive and deductive reasoning abilities and capacities in verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative tasks. Scores on this assessment reflect a student’s ability to identify relationships and demonstrate flexible thinking. The CogAT is given in grade 2 and to some students new to DaVinci in grades 3-5. This assessment is used as one of the measures of eligibility for gifted/talented services.
