Assessment Policy

At Nuestro Mundo we understand the importance of using assessment to inform the teaching cycle. The purpose of assessment is to inform instruction. We believe that assessment is used to determine student mastery of concepts, acquisition of skills and knowledge and to increase students’ awareness of their own learning.

Following research in dual language immersion, Nuestro Mundo believes that the language of assessment should match the language of instruction. Our assessment strategy should prioritize language comprehension and development to promote bilingualism and biliteracy for all students.

Our assessment strategy will include formative and summative measures, as well as opportunities for students to take agency in how they demonstrate content and language mastery. We believe that communication around student growth is essential to our partnership with families. Through communication and partnership with families, we hope to empower families to celebrate and support their student’s ongoing growth.

Formative assessments are used to help teachers support students by modifying and guiding their teaching within the classroom. There are different types of formative assessments to help inform instruction:

• Observations
• Selected responses
• Exit slips
• Running records
• Checklists
   

Summative assessments take place as a teaching and learning cycle concludes. Students use these assessments to demonstrate what has been learned by applying their knowledge in relevant and novel ways. The performance assessment  informs and improves student learning and the teaching process. The summative assessment task for each unit of inquiry is designed at the beginning of each unit by instructional teams, and directly measures understanding and proficiency of both content and language standards. A detailed rubric is used as the assessment tool by teachers and as a self-reflection tool by the student. At the end of each unit of inquiry, students complete a reflection response summarizing their key understandings. Examples of summative assessments include reports, theatrical performances, presentations, displays, audio-visual products, and the 5th grade Exhibition.
 

At Nuestro Mundo teachers and students will collaborate in the collection, reflection, and presentation of student work through digital portfolios. During the 2025-2026 school year, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will do a pilot of portfolios. All classes at all grade levels will collect evidence of learning using portfolios during the 2026-2027 school year. During this period from 2025-2027, each student will contribute at least one artifact and self-reflection for each Unit of Inquiry. Students will work with their teacher to choose the evidence of learning to include in the portfolio. Students will reflect on their growth with one of the learner profile attributes. 

Each portfolio will contain examples of a student’s work and has two main objectives. First, portfolios can be used as an instrument of self-reflection in which students can view the breadth of their work and reflect on their own growth over time. Secondly, portfolios facilitate communication between the school and families. Portfolios will help families to see their student’s progress throughout the school year and throughout their time at Nuestro Mundo. As students reflect on their own growth, families will reflect on and celebrate their students’ growth as well. The authentic work assembled in the portfolio will be representative of the child’s true abilities and will reflect aspects of the International Baccalaureate PYP approaches to learning and learner profile attributes that may otherwise be challenging to measure using standardized screeners and assessments.

State Assessments:

• Forward
• ACCESS
• Act 20 (Fastbridge/Aimsweb 3 times yearly)

District Assessments:

• Fastbridge Reading: Spanish K-5 & English 4&5
• Aimsweb Reading: English 4K-3
• Microphases K-5
• Bridges Interim Math Assessments K-5
• Climate Survey 3-5
• Fastbridge Math K-5
• TS Gold 4K
• Achieve3000 3-5
• AAPPL (Interpersonal Communication) 5th 
• Naglieri 2nd
   

Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, 5th grade students will participate in a culminating project of their learning at a PYP school, called exhibition. 
 

In addition to reviewing formative data at weekly team meetings, grade level teams review screener data three times a year: beginning of year, mid-year, end of year. During data review meetings, teams reflect on literacy and math screener results and identify core instructional strategies to accelerate student progress. The MTSS team also reviews and reflects on student data throughout the year. 

Teachers and staff at Nuestro Mundo regularly communicate student progress with families. In the fall and spring the school holds conferences with families to review progress. During conferences with families, teachers review student work, including portfolios, in relation to the transdisciplinary themes and share the results of performance assessments based on content and language objectives. Conferences with families are an opportunity to communicate about and reflect on student growth, strengths, and areas in need of focus and improvement. Families and teachers partner to celebrate successes and identify areas of opportunity for growth. 

Additionally, report cards are posted for families twice per year, at the end of first semester and at the end of second semester. This report card uses progress-based language where students are evaluated on their progress toward standards over the course of a school year. 
 

Rubrics will be used as a tool to evaluate performance assessments that include content objectives and language objectives. Students will reflect on their learning and growth with the use of rubrics. Students will be provided opportunities for agency in how they demonstrate their learning and growth. At times students will be able to contribute and collaborate on the rubrics. 

Progress Monitoring is available through Fastbridge for both reading and math. Fastbridge EarlyReading (K-1) and CBM (grade 2-5) are available for progress monitoring for reading. Fastbridge EarlyMath (K-1) and CBMautomaticity (2-5) are available for progress monitoring for math. 
 

Students with IEPs or 504 plans may have assessment accommodations listed within their plans. Examples of some accommodations are: having the assessment read aloud, use of manipulatives, scribed responses, use of multiplication chart, access to a quiet area, breaks, testing by a preferred adult, and testing over multiple days. Accommodations are based on student need and are determined on an individual basis by the student’s IEP or 504 team. 

Note: This assessment policy reflects our commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering educational environment for all students. The IB Leadership Team will review this assessment policy annually, in order to maintain fidelity to the mission and vision in the development of curriculum.