"Valuable for practitioners who wish to improve their teaching and their students' learning, and for researchers concerned with putting ideas of formative assessment into teaching practice." -Richard J. Shavelson, Margaret Jack Professor of Education Stanford University "Drawing from conceptual principles and empirical findings that establish the crucial role of ongoing formative assessment, the authors describe a professional development framework and program that prepares teachers to adjust their teaching to student thinking in the moment and to refine assessments to better reveal students' understandings throughout instruction." -Joan I. Heller, Director Heller Research Associates A reflective process for integrating assessment and instruction! Because assessment and instruction are two sides of the same coin, it is critical for teachers to not only assess what students understand, but also use that information to adjust their teaching. Assessment-Centered Teaching (ACT) is a unique practice that allows teachers to gather information during instruction to uncover learning gaps and guide students toward deeper understandings of complex ideas. Suitable for all grade levels, this resource describes how reflective practitioners can use the ACT portfolio to reflect on, modify, and improve their curriculum and instruction. The forms included on the CD-ROM guide teachers through the process. This book encourages educators to: Reflect on their own practice Systematically examine student progress toward identified learning goals over time Monitor instruction and assessment for continuous improvement Assessment-Centered Teaching helps teachers, professional developers, and school teams establish quality instructional goals and implement ongoing formative assessment to promote student success.

"This book offers a compelling message of hope and resolve. The authors' three-year journey in a multiplicity of diverse, underperforming, high-poverty schools across the nation has resulted in a treasure chest of knowledge and experiences about how to professionally develop data coaches in ways that benefit some of our most underserved students. This book provides powerful resources to those who have the belief, passion, and desire for implementing collaborative data inquiries in schools and districts." -From the Foreword by Ruth S. Johnson Use data as an effective tool for school change and improvement! How can data coaches create a collaborative culture in which data is used continuously and effectively to improve teaching and learning? The Data Coach's Guide to Improving Learning for All Students provides detailed guidance for helping schools move away from unproductive data practices and toward examining data as a catalyst for systematic and continuous improvement in instruction and student learning. To help both current and aspiring data coaches facilitate school-based data teams and lead teachers in collaborative inquiry, the authors demonstrate a data model that has been field-tested and proven to be effective in: Narrowing achievement gaps between students in all content areas and grade levels Achieving strong, steady gains in local and state assessments in mathematics, science, and reading Using data as a springboard for powerful conversations about race/ethnicity, class, educational status, gender, and language differences Developing shared values and a vision for creating a high-performing, data-informed school culture This culturally responsive resource benefits staff developers, teachers, and administrators interested in creating change through effective data practices, and includes a CD-ROM keyed to the book, with templates, handouts, PowerPoint slides, resources, and sample goals and agendas.