Assessment and Evaluation
BELIEF STATEMENT
At University of Toronto Schools, assessment is continuous
and employs a variety of methods. Evaluation of student
achievement includes (i) formal progress reports, and (ii) when
necessary, a plan for improvement. The assessment policy is is
applied consistently throughout Grades 7-12 (F1 to S6). This
policy supports provincial policies for assessment and
evaluation based on the provincial curriculum expectations and
achievement levels outlined in the elementary and secondary
curriculum guidelines.
DEFINITIONS
- Assessment- the process of gathering information from a
variety of sources that accurately reflects how well a
student is achieving the curriculum expectations.
- Evaluation - the process of judging the quality of
student work on the basis of established criteria, and
assigning a value (i.e., level, letter grade, or numerical
mark) to represent that quality.
Assessment is the systematic process of collecting
information or evidence about student learning. Diagnostic
assessment is used at the beginning of a unit to help determine
a starting point for instruction. Formative assessment provides
information to students, as they are learning and refining their
skills. Summative assessments at the end of units and a course
give students an opportunity to synthesize, apply, or otherwise
demonstrate their learning. Summative assessments are counted
toward the student's final mark.
Evaluation is the judgment teachers make about the
assessments of student learning based on established criteria.
These judgments are made in relation to the achievement of
curriculum and program goals, and expectations and outcomes,
using information gathered by a variety of assessment tools.
GENERAL POLICY EXPECTATIONS
In general, the assessment and evaluation tasks, strategies,
and tools used in UTS courses should:
- be based on the four broad categories and descriptions
in the Achievement Chart;
- be varied in nature, administered over a period of time,
and designed to provide students with the opportunity to
demonstrate the full range of their learning;
- maintain a balance among all four categories of the
Achievement Chart;
- be appropriate for the learning activities used, the
purpose of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the
students;
- be fair to all students;
- ensure that students are given clear directions for
improvement;
- promote students’ ability to assess their own learning
and to set specific goals;
- be communicated clearly to students and parents at the
beginning of the course and at other appropriate points
throughout the course.
SPECIFIC POLICY EXPECTATIONS
In addition to the general policy expectations outlined
previously, the following expectations incorporate important
principles of assessment and evaluation:
- Equity and fairness should be reflected in assessments
administered to students. Collaboration by teachers of the
same course is required to ensure a consistent approach to
assessment in all sections. Students in different sections
of the same courses should be provided with similar
opportunities to demonstrate their achievement. Thus, the
nature and frequency of assessments, the types of assessment
employed, and the evaluation criteria and scoring rubrics or
marking schemes used must be consistent among all sections
of the same course. In addition, the emphasis and weighting
of achievement categories and the method of determining
grades or marks must be consistent among all sections of the
same course.
- The grade level, the curriculum expectations and the
achievement chart, should be considered when determining the
nature of a summative assessment. A range of assessment
strategies/options, appropriate to the nature and content of
the course, should be considered when designing assessment
tasks.
- In credit courses, final evaluations are worth 30% as
per Ministry policy and should address all categories in the
achievement chart. A range of assessment strategies to
ensure course expectations are met will need to be
considered. Emphasis in the final evaluations should reflect
the emphasis of the achievement categories in the term.
- In all of their courses, students should be provided
with several and varied opportunities to demonstrate the
full extent of their achievement of the curriculum
expectations, across all four categories of knowledge and
skills.
FINAL SUMMATIVE EVALUATIONS
All credit courses will have a final evaluation in the form
of an examination, performance assessment, essay, culminating
project, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the
course content. The final evaluation will be administered
towards the end of the course, usually within the final four to
six weeks of the academic year. All F1 to S6 formal examinations
and summative tests will be scheduled during the designated
examination period in June.
- Final evaluation schedules takes into account fairness
to students with respect to timing for proper review and
study.
- Accommodations on final evaluations for Exceptional
students (e.g., extra time) and all other students who have
received approval remains consistent with the accommodations
provided throughout the year.
- Final evaluations administered toward the end of the
course will be consistent with the assessment experiences
that the students have had during the course.
70% Course Work 30% Final Summative Evaluation
- In keeping with Ministry policy, final marks in credit
courses (F2 to S6) will be weighted 70% Course Work and 30%
Final Summative Evaluation.