District check‑ins show mixed results; district warns single check‑in is limited predictor

Public Schools of Robeson County staff reported Check‑in B results on March 4 and emphasized that the DPI check‑ins are formative snapshots that do not test identical standards each administration and therefore are limited as single, district‑level predictors of end‑of‑grade outcomes.

An assessment presenter said Check‑ins give granular, item‑level feedback teachers can use to adjust instruction but warned that each check‑in tests different standards and that comparing a single check‑in across years can be misleading. The presenter noted that about 75 percent of schools improved on Check‑in B overall compared with last year, with specific increases in third‑grade math at 86 percent of schools and other grade‑level variations (for example, fourth grade 58 percent; fifth grade 79 percent). "This is something teachers need to look at with the class item report," the presenter said, describing the item‑level data teachers receive.

Staff identified recurring weaknesses: multi‑step word problems and calculator‑inactive items in math, constructive responses, sixth‑grade ratio and proportion pacing misalignment, and specific reading standards (RI8 and literature standards) that are often taught more heavily late in the semester. The presenter said some standards tested on the check‑in may not yet have been fully taught at the time of the administration, and district staff provide principals with spreadsheets mapping tested items to pacing so schools can confirm whether standards were taught when interpreting the results.

District staff said they meet with principals and regionally to review check‑in item analyses and provide school‑level presentations; these meetings aim to help principals identify peers for collaborative improvement and to target professional development. Staff recommended that principals and teachers consider which standards had been taught before deciding how much instructional time to allocate in response to check‑in results.

The committee discussed alignment and pacing; staff said they work to align check‑ins to district pacing where possible and provide principals with item‑level guidance. The presenter reiterated that check‑ins are one of several tools — alongside Classworks and curriculum‑embedded assessments — used to monitor progress.