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Common does not mean doing the same thing all the time.

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When standardized tests are the measure: The research is crystal clear, formative use of common assessment is one of the most potent learning
strategies for the classroom.

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Common assessment practices good for student learning. Reflection on assessment practices & instruction.

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Team-developed common assessments can build the capacity of the team to achieve higher levels. "When a team discovers the current curriculum and their instructional practices are ineffective in helping students acquire essential skills, its members are able to pursue the most powerful professional development because it is specific, job-embedded and relevant to the context of their content, strategies, their team, and their students."

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A final assessment would be summative for those who met the standard (levels 3 & 4), but formative for students below standard (levels 1 & 2).  How does  that easily get reported using PowerSchool?

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Working smarter not harder, in terms of using common formative assessments is a challenge.  What are some good ways to over come the isolationist nature of a classroom and share assessment and data with other teachers?   The easier we can make this, the more likely it is to happen.

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We are capable of designing assessments that are as good as any state test "teacher designed assessments to obtain scores for students that rival standardized and state tests in their accuracy”

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Sharing and having a basis of comparison transforms data into information, giving teachers ongoing feedback regarding the proficiency of students according to standards agreed upon by the team. Common assessments help teams with this feedback and collaboration

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With FAR being the common language for facilitating PLC's to transform our schools into data-informed spaces, common formative assessments are a critical part of gathering AND comparing data to make that data
informative.

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"The final assessment was summative for those who met the standards (level 3 and 4), but formative for students below standard (level 1 and 2)."..."Results were quickly communicated along with next steps for those not successful. This means that the struggling students had additional learning opportunities beyond the final test that might have the
effect of meeting standard proficiency."

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Research from Marzano proved that "a school or district could use teacher designed assessments to obtain scores for students that rival standardized and state tests in their accuracy."
However, at the beginning of the article, the author argues that creating the assessments require "reflection, trusting relationships and, at times, re-learning and reassessing."
I agree with Marzano on the research and understand that it's very possible and I know we can do it! Buuuuuuttttttt, I think we need to work really hard on what the author is talking about with the messiness of even beginning to create/use/evaluate the assessments. This is what I see the role of the DC is - helping our peers to be comfortable with the messiness so that we can create/use/evaluate common assessments.

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Having common assessments allows all students to have a similar educational experience. It also allows teachers to share results, and enables them to reflect on teaching practices to best meet the needs of all students.

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Common assessments are a strong predictor of how students will perform, what students know, how successful the unit was, and how aligned teachers are on a team/grade level. It also allows for equitable teaching practices so that certain classrooms are not receiving different levels of instruction or being held to lower expectations.

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Common assessments provide teachers and departments with the ability to evaluate their units and instructional strategies.

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Team developed assessments can address what happens when students struggle.  I agree to an extent here, although given that students often struggle in different ways, I'd be cautious that this isn't taken as a one-size-fits-all approach.

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Having teacher created common assessments leaves flexibility in the way we assess the students. The way to assess the student is up to the team of teachers that know the students best and the way they can demonstrate their understanding best. They are living documents that are revised and improved over time. They help inform our teaching practices.

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Working with the  team to develop, assess, reassess formative assignments allows teachers to develop the best possible product with the focus of meeting the needs of where all students are at...

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Teachers who share expertise can build the overall repertoire of strategies to help students learn. "It takes a village"

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Common Assessments address the equity component of the district vision.  All students will be receiving a similar experience from every teacher in that particular subject area.