The Authentic Standards-Based Environment

"Why are standards so important, and how do they improve student learning? In her new book, The Simply Assessment Handbook and Implementation Manual: An Easy-to-Understand How-To Guide Connecting Standards, Learning Targets, Assessment, Data, and Action, Eileen Depka dives into standards-based student learning and develops a resource that frames a wide-ranging and logical approach to implementation. Using data-driven methods and comprehensive insights, Depka unpacks standards and their construction in a way that will not only enhance classrooms strategies but also improve learning schoolwide. Following an introduction, Chapter 1 delves into how to unpack standards and explain them to students. Chapter 2 describes how to utilize the unpacked standards to create standards-based learning targets. Chapter 3 examines assessment design and provides tools that help ensure rigor. Chapter 4 discusses the designing of standards-based rubrics and how they can be used to increase student success. Chapter 5 examines common assessments and ways to implement them effectively. Chapter 6 dives into utilizing unpacked standards to report data and to better understand learning. Chapter 7 compiles tips, suggestions, and a variety of tools to best support teachers, schools, and districts looking to better implement standards-based learning"--