Parents' Guide to Galileo
Teacher instructions | Parent instructions
In order to make sure your child is on track to pass AIMS, the district piloted a new assessment plan during the 05/06 school year. This is in the form of an online benchmark testing program called Galileo. Tucson based ATI developed this program that is aligned with the Arizona state mandated AIMS test. Galileo allows parents access to reports that are intended to give teachers and parents valuable information about students' learning and progress
SUSD is focused on specific standards that are tested by AIMS in reading, writing and math. Standards are broken down into Performance Objectives (P.O's), which are defined as what children need to know and be able to do. There are approximately 30 P.O.'s, aligned with AIMS, that the district has determined as essential for every student to learn and master each year. P.O.'s are identified at each grade level and approximately eight of these are targeted every quarter in reading, writing and math. This provides the foundation for what is being taught in all classes across the District curriculum. This process has been woven into State and Federal requirements for assessment through our District Assessment Plan, our NCLB plan as well as other assessment requirements.
The purpose of establishing Essential Performance Objectives is to create a framework for teachers so they can plan consistent instruction, as all students are accountable for and tested on these Performance Objectives. Every school is teaching the same set of standards in reading, writing and math but teachers have the freedom to use instructional methods and strategies in ways that best fit the needs of their students. The Essential P.O.'s do not represent a teachers entire curriculum in reading, writing and math but it's the foundation on which planning is based. Mastery of Essential Performance Objectives also ensures that students have fundamental knowledge and skills that are necessary for success in the next grade. Utilizing Galileo data benefits all students because Instruction can be tailored to address the individual needs of all students including those who have mastered the Essential Performance Objectives and those students who have not.
Starting in the 06/07 school year, parents will have the opportunity to view student data through online access to test results. Ultimately, the District Assessment Plan is designed to provide students, parents and teachers with valid, timely and reliable test results. The data will be used to determine whether students are on track to meeting the standards tested on AIMS at the all levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Teachers used the AIMS blueprint to determine the P.O.'s appropriate for each grade level in reading, writing and math. Each year they are reviewed for possible modifications.
Click here to see a complete list for each area tested.
http://www.susd.org/district/professionaldevelopment/essentialst.cfm#essential
http://www.susd.org/DISTRICT/assess/whatisaims.cfm
Galileo benchmark tests are scored in the following form:
Exceeds the standards - 93-100 This denotes superior academic performance on challenging subject matter.
Meets the standards - 80-92 This denotes solid academic performance on challenging subject matter.
Approaches the standards - 60-79 This denotes partial understanding of the skills and knowledge necessary for proficient work at grade level.
Below the standards - 40-59 This denotes a limited understanding of the skills and knowledge necessary for proficient work at grade level.
Falls Far Below the standards - 0-39 This denotes insufficient understanding of the skills, there is serious gaps in knowledge and skills and may require remediation.
The performance level indicates your student can continuously perform what is described for that level. Your student may be capable of performing some of the skills described at a higher level, but not consistently enough to have reached that level of performance.
Those students achieving scores that Meet or Exceed the standards demonstrate an area of strength and a strong indication of passing this section on the AIMS test. Those achieving scores that Approach, Meet or Fall Far Below demonstrate a weaker area and possibly needing reinforcement in order to pass this section of the AIMS test.
Galileo test results will be available at the end of the first quarter grading period during the 2006/07 school year.
