CSCS School-wide Learning Outcomes

A Report on the Monitoring of ENDS, Curriculum

Design, Assessment and School Improvement

Report for the 2014-2015 School year Executive Summary

Colorado Springs Christian Schools November 2015

October 15, 2015 Page 2

Table of Contents

1. Executive Overview

2. Curriculum Design for CSCS a. History and Process b. Assessment and Analysis c. Conclusion

3. CSCS School-wide Learning Outcomes with competencies (Adopted October 2006)

4. Summary of Yearly Monitoring Reports

a. 2014-2015 i. Elementary ii. Woodland Park iii. Middle School iv. High School v. All School Summary

5. Appendices a. Appendix A – Curriculum Design Model for CSCS b. Appendix B – Mapping of Outcomes to ENDS

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Executive Overview CSCS School-wide Learning Outcomes

The following report is a description of the assessment program at CSCS and how it assists in helping to

determine the alignment of the instructional program to the Board ENDS. This Executive Summary will

seek to explain the overall concepts presented in the report and the general conclusions reached through

the analysis of this year’s data.

Curriculum Design for CSCS – (pg. 4-6) This section briefly explains how the seven Outcomes were

developed from the Board Ends, Core Values, 8 Imperatives and Strategic Plan of the school. (Appendix

B shows the mapping of the Outcomes to the Ends.) It also explains the process of developing

assessments and how the analysis of those assessments help CSCS to be in a continual school

improvement cycle which is crucial to the ongoing excellence of the school program. (This section is the

same from year to year and is provided for those who have not read the report before.)

CSCS School-wide Learning Outcomes – (pg. 7) On one sheet of paper, the overall Outcomes of the

school are listed. Under each of those, competencies have been developed to define what a maturing

CSCS student should look like. These are the targets that our teachers are working toward at each stage

of instruction. These Outcomes encompass far more than academics. They are more broadly descriptive

of all that we intend a CSCS student should be, which helps put the Board Ends into practical terms as

student outcomes.

Summary of Yearly Monitoring Reports for 2014-2015 – (pg. 8-13) In this section, a report for the

year reflects the results from all the assessments that have been collected. Some notable improvements

were that teachers did a better job of reporting results with our new form allowing us over time to look at

trends and not just one year’s results in isolation. Teachers also reported what they did as an intervention

when one student or a group of students did not meet the expected criteria. Principals have taken a more

active role in looking at individual assessments, dropping some, and helping teachers to revise others.

They also did a better job of analyzing the results leading to specific areas to target for improvement.

Overall, it is apparent that teachers are showing that they understand how to use the data they are gaining

from these assessments and specifically from formative assessments to better shape their teaching.

Going forward, principals have committed to more active oversight of the assessments during the

school year. They found that some teachers omitted assessments and by the time the principal checked

with them over the summer, it was too late to do anything about that. There also was a lack of hand-off

to new teachers in a few cases. This will be improved by the continued use of our tool for curriculum

mapping, Curriculum Trak, because the assessments and their rubrics can be attached, and will be easily

accessible. Principals need to revisit the assessment report frequently during the school year to work on

the stated goals for the following years. While some assessments were dropped and others revamped, we

will be working on a better approval process when assessments are updated. Finally, we noted that a

better system needs to be developed so that it is clear when the main goal is accomplished or when

students are not reaching the goal due to lateness or not following directions such as format or required

citations.

A section is devoted to each Outcome for each campus. A few examples are given to illustrate how

these are measured and to give the board and Superintendent confidence that the educators are indeed

striving to measure the constructs in the best way they can. These examples are not meant to be

comprehensive or exhaustive. The report from the principals to the Executive Director of Academic

Services includes all the assessments for each campus.

All School Summary – (pg. 14) The final section sums up the value of this process to our teachers and

for our principals.

Test Scores – (pg. 15-16) Charts show student tests scores by campuses.

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CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR CSCS

History and Process

In 2005-2006, the administration and teaching staff took the Mission Statement, ENDS statements, Core

Values, 8 Imperatives, and concepts from both the Accreditation and the Strategic Plan and developed

seven basic Student Outcomes which all CSCS students should demonstrate after experiencing a CSCS

education. (See Appendix A for a visual representation of that process.) Subsequently, competencies

were developed that demonstrate what it would look like if the school were to accomplish its objectives

on each Outcome. With the faculty, work continued to refine the competencies and to develop

assessments that directly line up with those competencies. Knowing the assessments which teachers use,

both the curriculum and the instructional practices are able to be evaluated in light of their ability to help

those goals be achieved. Once those are established, each teacher knows what is expected of them and

the students know what is expected of them. The administration is able to say with assurance, that the

goals are met, or analyze and adjust instruction in order to make that happen the next time.

Several years ago, when the administration reported on the ENDS, they were only able to show a few test

scores as objective data. Most of the documentation was anecdotal information. Now, over 90% of the

information provided to the administration is given in terms of students accomplishing set objectives with

pre-defined criteria. Only in a few cases, when the objectives are hard to quantify, are the measures more

descriptive in nature than quantifiable. However, they are based on indicators for all students rather than

what we had in the past which were a few isolated success stories.

We take a proactive approach of defining the assessment process and systematically verifying that it is

actually happening. It depends on the following five components:

Well-defined targets (Outcomes and Competencies derived from the ENDS) See Appendix B

Targeted content and activities (aligned curriculum and instruction)

Consistent measurements/assessments

Regular data collection and analysis

Appropriate intervention when goals are not met (instructional or individual)

Basic tenets:

1. Collaborative – means everyone works together, contributes, flexes, adjusts, and synthesizes the

information and process. Developing assessments is not a top-down process but rather one that is

developed at the classroom level, approved by department heads and ultimately the

administration.

2. Innovative – willing to take a fresh look, determine another alternative, thinking of assessment in

a more authentic way, thinking about accomplishing tasks overtly that have just been assumed

were happening or that were taken for granted.

3. Student-based – the focus is on learning, not just teaching. The focus of the report is going to be

on Student Outcomes, not teacher activity. “I taught the lesson but they just didn’t learn it.” That

is like saying, “I sold the product, but they just didn’t buy it.” Was it really sold if it wasn’t

bought?

Throughout the school year, teachers collected assessments which reflected students’ progress on the

competencies which were identified as benchmarks. Some of those are more quantifiable and others are

less so. Some competences can only be inferred from surveys, self-assessment, or observable indicators.

For example, though the ENDS target the idea of knowing if students have made a personal commitment

to Jesus or if they attend church, all we can do is ask them. Teachers and administrators cannot measure

their heart’s commitment nor can attendance be taken at their churches to see if those things are true. In

cases where results cannot be verified empirically, other observable indicators or self-disclosing

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statements will be used as evidence of goal accomplishment. In every year’s report, there will still be

some descriptions of activities in some parts of the report. The reason is that we believe we are

addressing the targeted goals, but we may not have an assessment which yields a measurable response for

results. In those cases, we will report evidence of participation even if we don’t have a quantifiable

measure of efficacy. Fortunately, these are the small minority. Most are now being measured by

quantifiable assessments which are reported to the administration. One area that we continue to target for

growth is the ability to improve the written criteria, or rubrics upon which those are measured.

In our understanding of what it takes to accomplish the ENDS, it is important to note that all the

competencies that contribute to those ENDS are often just building blocks to the larger Outcome. This

becomes clear especially in the case of the elementary school. For example, as teachers begin to address

the question of understanding history or literature through a biblical worldview, it is necessary to bring

that down to a skill which can be taught at various grades. In second grade, that might be the ability to

differentiate between a fact and an opinion. At the middle school level, the assessment might be for

students to identify evidence which does or does not contribute to a conclusion. Those are pre-requisite

skills for students in upper grades to be able to distinguish one biblical worldview from others.

Of utmost importance to the board when evaluating the ENDS, is the question, are we accomplishing our

mission…and how do we know? The system of assessments we are developing is designed to target the

essential questions, define what those outcomes would look like when measured, and then determine how

our young people are doing. After that, we strive to take that data and improve our program every year

so that we do a better job of accomplishing that mission.

Assessment and Analysis of Results

Looking at the data, it is clear that for the most part, students at CSCS have learned the material and are

ready for the next level of instruction. That is what we would expect and what we saw. However, it was

not the case 100% of the time. When it was not true, we looked more closely at the results to see what

we could learn from those failing to achieve success at our expected rates:

1. Students may not have learned the material as expected and the teacher and/or principal may have

discussed a better way to teach the material the next time the unit was presented. This is an

appropriate use for the analysis of the data and should always be a consideration when the students do

not succeed as hoped.

2. Students have learned the material and demonstrated the targeted objectives but not to the level we

expected. Perhaps we set our standards too high and were expecting mastery at levels of perfection

rather than those of a normal curve. In other words, our assessments needed adjustment in either

content or calibration.

3. Individual students may have struggled on the assessments when the majority of the students

demonstrate mastery but a segment of the population still performs at an unacceptable rate. Then the

teacher and support services for the student must decide what individual interventions are necessary

to insure that the enduring concepts of that unit are mastered before the student is expected to move

on to higher levels.

Having assessment data that is both formative and summative in nature allows teachers to use and

communicate results in a cycle of improvement which affects all three of the factors mentioned above.

At any given time, the teacher can make adjustments to the teaching, assessing, or intervention part of the

learning process.

It should be noted that common assessments are going to resemble minimum standards in some cases.

Fortunately, the classroom experience is much richer and far more challenging than these minimal

standards would make it appear. The standards for basic competencies might seem easy to achieve in

some cases. That is partly to do with the teachers’ willingness to work with 100% of the students until

they achieve these, no matter what it takes. The teachers have identified these core competencies as those

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basic building blocks without which the student cannot go forward. It is because of that that many times

the score will be 100 percent! If the student does not achieve it the first time, the teacher will work with

them until they do.

Other skills and concepts in the classroom are going to be more difficult and will tax even the student

who craves additional challenge. These problems are still very much an integral part of all the students’

education because they make them think and stretch, but those skills would not be in the realm of things

considered to be required for all. It is extremely important to understand that difference between

competencies and all the rest of the learning experiences that go on in a classroom throughout 172 school

days. They cannot begin to be captured and reduced to a one page document of competencies. However,

the value of the list of competencies is in making sure that this group of skills is intentionally taught and

consistently assessed for all students. These are the essential building blocks of success for future

learning.

Conclusion

In the past, teachers were left to make the leap from the ENDS to the curriculum activities and they did

not see the connection to results-oriented school improvement. Because of that, they saw work on

ENDS, School Improvement Plans, Response to Intervention, accreditation, etc. as disconnected

concepts. Our attempt has been to clearly develop the relationship between our lofty goals and the daily

grind. The goal now has been to create a curriculum design and school improvement model by which we

can target and track the big important goals that define CSCS.

The ENDS, Mission Statement, Core Values, 8 Imperatives, Strategic Plan, and Accreditation Standards

all represent guiding principles for us. However, because they are written in such broad strokes and with

a long-term focus, Student Outcomes were needed to provide a more tangible way to describe what will

actually be produced in students, during the elementary, middle school, and high school years. The

Student Outcomes are pictured as the product of what a student should look like who would embody all

those ENDS. The image is defined by the competencies. Projected on paper, the target takes shape. We

know what a fully educated CSCS student should look like, act like, know, and be able to do. Then we,

as the educators, work with the parents and the student so that they become that CSCS student. The tools

to be used are the activities done in the classroom, the curricular objectives to be implemented, the

assessments to be used, and then the interventions to be employed. We break those down into grade

levels and even into units thereby guiding our daily instruction. The result is that we know the ultimate

goal and we know the appropriate milestones along the way.

It is this model of curriculum design and monitoring the ENDS that will help turn rhetoric into reality!

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CSCS School-wide Learning Outcomes

The vision of Colorado Springs Christian educators is that a maturing CSCS student

1) Understands and commits to a personal relationship with Christ and pursues ongoing spiritual

development

a) understands the gospel, salvation, and how to present that to others

b) understands and practices spiritual disciplines such as devotions, personal Bible study, and prayer

c) understands and pursues spiritual maturity and a deepening dependence upon the Holy Spirit

d) is involved in a local church

e) commits to a personal relationship with Christ

2) Understands and articulates a biblical worldview and operates from that perspective in the world

a) develops, articulates, and defends a biblical worldview

b) demonstrates application and relevance of a biblical worldview to daily decision making

c) knows and is able to articulate differences between Christianity and other worldviews

d) knows how to dialog effectively with those who hold other worldviews

e) is able to defend one’s faith

3) Is academically prepared in all areas (reading, writing, listening, speaking, science, math, social studies,

languages, Bible, technology and the arts)

a) is a creative and critical thinker who can apply learning to solve real world problems

b) utilizes technology responsibly and effectively

c) can appropriately access and use various types of information resources

d) appreciates and/or participates in the arts and literature

e) demonstrates academic competence which is required for next level of academic pursuit

f) is well prepared for standardized academic testing

g) communicates effectively in both verbal and written forms

h) can communicate in at least one additional language

i) knows the Bible in concept and through memorization

4) Develops moral integrity, demonstrated by righteous living and stewardship

a) makes choices based on biblical principles

b) respects life

c) lives according to biblical standards in family and personal relationships

d) is a wise steward in use of personal, financial, and natural resources

e) is a responsible citizen in the local community and the world

5) Is able to relate well and work well with others, including other cultures and respects the worth of every

individual as made in God’s image

a) can explain being created in the image of God

b) respects individual differences, valuing each person as God’s creation

c) able to work together in groups

d) can understand and appreciate people of different cultures

6) Is a lifelong learner, prepared for next stage, including intellectual, spiritual, physical, social, and

emotional health

a) pursues ongoing learning as it relates to next stage, including careers

b) applies learning to healthy choices affecting lifestyle

c) develops a love for learning

d) recognizes the spiritual implications of acting upon one’s learning

7) Is a servant leader, prepared and motivated for lifelong service and involvement in missions, knows and

applies spiritual giftedness

a) can articulate the biblical mandate for service and missions, including responsibility to the poor and lost

b) participates in service experiences

c) understands missions from personal experience or from personal exposure to the message/impact of

missions

d) develops leadership skills

e) understands and utilizes spiritual gifts

f) identifies personal strengths and talents

g) applies gifts in leadership/service

h) works within the body of Christ according to the variety of gifts in the body

E 1.2.1, 1.4, 1.5

E 1.2.3.2

E 1.2.5, 1.3, 1.3.1,

1.3.3, 1.3.4, 1.3.5

E 1.2, 1.2.3, 1.2.3.1,

1.2.5, 1.3.6

E 1.2.4, 1.3.2

E 1.2.2, 1.2.4, 1.4

E 1.3.7, 1.2.4

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Summary-2014-2015 School Year

In reviewing the assessments for the ’14-‘15 school year, there are several general observations that are

worth noting:

1. With the new form in place, teachers and administrators are being more thorough in reporting the

results of assessments giving valuable data that can be tracked from year to year. Last year, an

emphasis on data-driven instruction has helped teachers value the process more in order to

improve instruction and set future goals.

2. Teachers and administrators continue to improve the assessment process. They are committed to

using these assessments to evaluate and improve the attainment of our Expected Student

Outcomes as they grow in valuing the process.

3. While the assessments are becoming more standardized in general and consistency has grown and

will need to continue to grow between the assessments of both elementary campuses, high school

will now need to work on refining assessments to make sure they fit the outcomes along with

becoming more consistent in reporting. Middle school is now in a position to address gaps in

reporting outcomes and strengthening assessments to improve results.

Below, overall results are reviewed by Outcome. It should be noted that the assessments mentioned are

only representative of the assessments given. In total, there are more than 250 assessments given K-12.

Outcome #1- Relationship with Christ… In a variety of ways, CSCS students are assessed to see if they

demonstrate the fruit of what it means to have a relationship with Christ. We want students to both

understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ as well as be able to explain that to

others. There is a strong, biblical sequence to the assessments as we move through our grade levels.

Assessments at lower grades begin the process by emphasizing students’ understanding of “who they are

in Christ,” moving on to comprehension of a personal relationship with Christ – beginning with salvation,

and progressing into developing their own walks with the Lord through daily disciplines and servanthood.

This is continued through Middle School and High School, and students are given tools necessary to

present Him to others as the students venture outside the halls of school and interact with others. We

want them to understand for themselves and practice when completing the Great Commission the skills

necessary to affirm their faith. It’s exciting to see this progression and an honor to be available to the

Lord to support families and influence young lives. While the goal is that every student experience that

on a personal level, it is hard to measure. Assessments in this area address presenting the gospel in a

clear manner, giving a personal testimony of faith, defending their faith to others, and demonstrating the

personal disciplines of the faith including Bible reading, journaling, memorization, prayer, and attending

church. While we realize that many of these are practices that may be measured in terms of assignments

or observation, it is encouraging that students are completing them with heartfelt responses. Essays and

journals that students write do reveal the growth in their spiritual journeys. When students are asked to

share their testimony orally, it is obvious to the teachers which ones are saying the “right words” and

which ones are sharing the reality of their hearts. Some of the assessments measure optional participation

and those signs are encouraging as well. Students may also choose not to include anything spiritual in

their responses even though they are asked to do so. That, too, is very helpful to our teachers who try to

stay tuned in to each student. Overall, students scored between 90-100% in the assessments that asked

them to articulate or share their faith. Rubrics were used to check that students included various points of

understanding.

Elementary church attendance reported 98%, by grade levels, which was up from last year. This was

encouraging to our staff. Woodland Park was considerably lower than the previous year, reporting 68%

for church attendance this year. They will need to be consistent in the way the questions are asked to

achieve more accurate information. Middle school reported 97% involved in church life. In high school

84% took the survey giving us information on churches attended in the area and involvement in area

youth groups with 60% reporting 21-39 non-NHS service hours during the school year. 100% of the

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eighth grade students met with the high school principal and shared their testimony with her in the spring,

prior to entering high school. New students also shared their faith in Christ, prior to admittance to high

school. The focus has been lately to testify about Jesus being Lord and Savior and not just a friend. The

international students also are not expected to know the Lord as Savior prior to coming to CSCS. Our

faith and lifestyle as well as our Bible classes are explained to them prior to their admittance. It is our

privilege to share Christ with them as they are here and several have come to know the Lord each year.

Outcome #2 - Able to articulate and defend biblical worldview…For this Outcome, students are asked

in a variety of ways to articulate and defend their biblical worldview. That may seem challenging for

young children but the teachers have found ways through activities that compare and contrast a biblical

view of the world with that of other cultures that they are studying in social studies. Students are able to

identify which beliefs are the same or different and how those beliefs affect decisions about how man

treats others and even how society is organized. In Elementary each of the assessments in this area,

except for Kindergarten Bible verse application (up 14% from last year), found students scoring at 94%

or better as grade level groups. Woodland Park in science reported that their apologetics project helped

the 4th grade class understand that it is important to have evidence for what you believe. Middle School

has an excellent assessment in this area that has the students reflecting on the worldview expressed in

literature. For example, after the students read The Call of the Wild, they wrote a letter to the author

expressing their concerns about his worldview and how they as Christians see life differently. In addition

in Science 7, students took a world view objective test covering the biblical integration question asked on

the tests throughout the year. 100% reached the desired criteria of achieving at least partially proficient

or above on the rubric used. High school has a variety of assessments in this area. Honors Chemistry

students (100%) scored at the 80% level or higher, explaining why it is reasonable to believe that God

exists and God is still involved in the world. Many students have developed their Godly worldview while

some are still taking their parent's view or challenging it because they have not reached the maturity or

trials to develop their own faith. It is presented throughout the curriculum so that students can confront it

in a number of classes. These are just a few examples of the types of assessments used to measure this

Outcome. Teachers used essays, letters, charts, Venn diagrams, scene writing, papers, and even the

paraphrasing of Proverbs 31 to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of their worldview and

the differences in the worldviews of others. In general, teachers felt that the students met the goals set for

them. Also, for those international students who are not yet Christians, a change in the rubrics should be

considered. A review of that will occur prior to next year’s assessments.

Outcome #3 – Academically prepared in all areas… continues to be the Outcome with the most

assessments. Overall, assessments showed that students were well prepared for success at the next level,

whether that means another grade at CSCS, college, missions, the military, or a career. In elementary, all

of our grades, 3-5, both Central Campus and Woodland Park achieved the Blue Ribbon status for

Reading. (There are no posted cut scores for grades K-2.) This remained consistent from last year. In

math, the results were very close at both campuses, but we missed it by under 10 points at the third grade

level (and the fifth grade level at Central). Strategies are being planned to address that. For example,

Woodland Park is implementing daily computation breaks. (See the chart at the end of the section.) In

middle school, we reached the Blue Ribbon level for reading and math at all grade levels except for 6th

grade math, which missed it by 6 tenths of a point (0.6). This was an increase from last year. It appears

that the adjustment to the math curriculum after analysis in August impacted the effectiveness of the

curriculum for this age group. In addition, the previous PTO laptop computer project helped the

Language Arts department be more effective as they implemented the new web-based reading program,

Reading Plus©, this year. (See chart at the end of the report.)

In High School, after a record high year on the ACT the previous year, our scores were closer to our

normal average. However, our score of 24.5 was still above the Blue Ribbon cutoff for the ACT (24.3).

The state average was 20.7 and the national average was 21.0. A very different population typically takes

the ACT and SAT tests in our state. The typical Colorado high school student headed to college takes the

ACT (57,300 students in CO). Students from CSCS predominantly take the ACT over the SAT for

college entrance though roughly one-third of our students, on average, will take an SAT test at least

October 15, 2015 Page 10

once. All of our juniors now take an official state ACT test, but those scores are reported separately from

those given in ACT’s Annual College Readiness Letter to the school which reports the achievement of

our graduates on the ACT over time. On average, roughly two-thirds of our students individually take the

ACT. International students are more inclined to take the SAT as are students considering post-

secondary institutions on the eastern and western seaboards. (These schools, in general, tend to be more

selective in their admissions criteria though there are always exceptions to this rule.) Students applying

to in-state institutions as well as those in the midsection of the United States tend to favor the

ACT. Therefore, the number of test takers are much smaller (6,485 in CO) and so the SAT average scores

are much higher. In looking at our school’s test results on both tests, it is important to note these

distinctions. It would be better to compare our scores to national averages since SAT test takers across

the country represent more of a typical cross section. You will see both the CO averages and the national

averages on the chart at the end of this section.

A new measure of college preparedness was the number of college credits earned by students in our high

school this year. One new class was offered so we now have thirteen dual credit classes from three

universities. 92% of the class of 2015 took at least one AP®, Honors, or Dual-Credit course. They earned

over 331 college credits during their senior year in high school.

In conjunction with colleges, the ACT measures academic areas they believe students are ready for

college coursework. This means that students meeting this criteria will not need a review course prior to

entering college.

While all of the above focused on standardized tests, there are many other assessments that teachers

administered for Outcome 3. Some of these are criterion-based assessments such as the Dibels reading

tests, which are administered throughout the year, helping our teachers to stay in touch with how each

child is doing on their reading skills. Some of the measures are mastery tests that are given at the end of

the semester or the end of the year. The results of these are used to help students receive extra help or for

recommendations for tutoring or future placement. Another example is our Math Mates or RFCs (Ready

for College) math skills tests, written by our own teachers that spiral through the necessary math skills so

that students do not just learn a skill and forget it. Teachers keep the important skills sharp in students so

that they do not have to relearn those months later because they have forgotten how to do them. Skills

such as Bible memorization, art, PE, and playing a musical instrument are all carefully and

developmentally introduced, developed, practiced, mastered, and assessed as appropriate. Principals at

all four campuses review each assessment individually, work with the teacher on the expected as well as

the achieved results, and then discuss any changes in instruction that need to occur the next year. These

October 15, 2015 Page 11

results are then reported to the Executive Director of Academic Services, and the analysis is again

reviewed and changes are made, refining the instructional process yet again. This is at the heart of our

continuous improvement cycle for the academic program.

Outcome #4 – Develops moral integrity… Anecdotally, this area has been observed among our students

at the elementary level. When areas of conflict, lying, stealing, etc. have come up this year, our teachers

have done an excellent job of not just providing discipline, but helping the students to understand what it

is they have done, what God's standards are, and why those standards work in our best interests. At

present, the elementary has only one assessment that they feel fairly measures this at such a young age.

This was the first year that the WP campus joined in with this assessment. It is called the Parable of the

Talents and it has focused on the aspects of honesty and stewardship. They give every student $5 each.

Students are asked to invest it to see if they can multiply the money and in doing so, use the proceeds to

bless someone. The activity has been a great one on several levels. In Middle School, developing moral

integrity which is demonstrated by righteous living and stewardship was focused on particularly by Bible

6, Computer I, History 8, and Yearbook. The activities and assessments planned became more personal

to students through a survey, discussion, evaluation of their behavior at home, role-playing, and even

going out into the community as promoted by the annual Serve-a-thon. In HS, students discuss moral

purity, choices of a life partner, and other aspects of righteous living that they will be faced with now and

after graduating. Students respond to some items anonymously and in other cases write about what

decisions they would make and why. Some standards are lived out in high school, and some are seen as a

measurement of future decisions as students live out what they have learned in class. In some cases, a pre

and posttest are used to determine the students’ response to a situation before and after the instruction is

given. Teachers felt that students made age-appropriate choices based on biblical principles, and they

responded within expected grade appropriate ranges.

Outcome #5 – Understanding what it means to be made in the image of God, working well with

others, appreciating those of another culture, and respecting the worth of others…This assessment

has several aspects. The assessments for these strands are covered by both the Central Campus and

Woodland Park and both felt that their students accomplished them well. The school environment

provides lots of opportunities for students to demonstrate both selfish and selfless attitudes, whether on

the playground or in the classroom. One assessment was conducted in fifth grade Spanish. That lesson

teaches students how to discern the needs of someone new to a culture, appreciating their position in that

culture, and finding ways to help them. 85% of fifth graders at Central Elementary and100% at

Woodland Park were able to answer the questions assessing their comprehension of that concept.

Kindergartners at the Central Campus were the others assessed within this sub-point. They learned about

differences between our culture and the cultures of other people groups around the world. While no

assessments target “anti-bullying” behaviors, these assess characteristics of students that would be bully-

prevention characteristics. We stress that students who are made in the image of God behave in certain

ways and treat others in like fashion.

In Middle School, these strands were particularly tackled by all the English classes, the math department,

and History 8. Posters, essays, paragraph writing, role-playing, and a group problem solving activity

were used to assess this outcome. We looked at topics such as racism and tied that to God’s love for

everyone as the Creator. It is still difficult to determine if students embrace all they are hearing at the

heart level, but according to the assessments, students were able to articulate why racism is wrong and

antithetical to God’s nature. In addition, steps taken this year were to continue Core Groups where every

student was assigned to a staff member for prayer, encouragement, and relationship navigation. Again,

the students appeared to positively embrace the new program as evidence by informal reports given by

students to teachers.

At the High School, science students wrote an essay expressing their view of how they are created in

God’s image. In several classes, students worked together in groups to solve a problem, complete an

assignment, design and complete murals made out of colored masking tape, or accomplish a major

October 15, 2015 Page 12

project such as the Reformation Fair which is put on by High School students for their peers and those in

Middle School and Elementary.

These are just a few examples of assessments that demonstrated that our students collaborate and

acknowledge the value of working together as a team. One of the biggest challenges for our domestic

students continues to be understanding and accepting the international students who are so different than

they are. Many individual students reach out and befriend some of them, but when the students from

China or Korea are together and speak their own language, it makes it difficult for our domestic students

to know how to reach out. Some student leaders are setting a great example and the interaction seems to

be growing in a positive direction. It will take time and we will continue to watch that balance of

international and domestic students closely. The administration and faculty will have to be even more

proactive in helping the domestic students reach out through events and personal encouragement when

possible.

Outcome #6 - Lifelong learner, prepared for the next stage, including intellectual, spiritual,

physical, social, and emotional health… Good teachers tend to be life-long learners and play a key role

in helping to pass on a love for learning to their students. Also important are the choices we make as

educators in selecting curricular materials which motivate children to not only learn “right now” but also

to continue to learn about those topics after they leave the classroom. One of our goals is to instill a love

for reading in our students. At the elementary level, third graders are transitioning from the traditional

“learn to read” stage into the “read to learn” stage. With that comes the beginning of enjoyment in

reading for some of them. The Accelerated Reader assessment has been a good motivator and helps

encourage students to focus on comprehension of the stories they’re reading. About 95% of the third

graders reached the desired goal for the Accelerated Reader points (Central and Woodland Park).

In Middle School, assessment of this outcome is not as strong as it should be at the middle school level.

However, one part of the outcome focuses on being prepared for the next stage in regards to spiritual and

social health. A beginning-of-the year chapel by the principal focuses on each student committing

themselves to the Behavioral Expectations as seen in the handbook. 100% of the students the following

day in homeroom signed a statement that they would agree to those expectations. Another assessment in

science helping students apply learning to healthy choices affecting lifestyle was completed where MS

students do an assessment simulating impairment from alcohol (from spinning in a circle) and try to

accomplish tasks. 100% came to a logical conclusion about a person’s judgment when under the

influence of alcohol which can impact a healthy lifestyle.

One interesting statistic this year was tracking the high school seniors and their choice of classes. In

High School, the science department has seen an increase in the number of seniors taking science during

senior year. Three years of science are required for graduation, but with the addition of dual credit,

students seem to be taking more advantage of taking the upper level science classes. This year, 74% of

the senior class took at least one science class their senior year. This is a significant rise over the 66% last

year. Five seniors took five science classes during high school at CSCS. The science department wants to

continue to promote seniors taking a fourth year of science to better prepare students for the university

level. Eleventh grade English classes wrote an essay addressing the issues of rights, justice, responses to

injustice, and spiritual implications. 93% of the students reached the desired criteria. While none of these

things ensures that students will continue these habits into adulthood when there are no longer external

motivators, it certainly helps develop the understanding and patterns of behavior that are more likely to

establish the internal disciplines that will assist in that process.

Outcome #7- Leadership, gifting, service, and involvement in missions… Overall, the assessments for

Outcome 7 demonstrated that students, even at a young age, learned about service, missions and their

ability to use their personal gifts in that area. Accomplishments for these assessments show a high degree

of engagement and understanding. Many of our students are serving in school and non-school related

opportunities. Some of the projects included organized events like the Great Fall Clean-up and

Elementary Ministry Nights where students and parents take on a specific project and work together.

October 15, 2015 Page 13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome 4 Outcome 5 Outcome 6 Outcome 7

CELM

WP

MS

HS

Central Elementary second graders served others by collecting toys and coloring books for the Children’s

Hospital in Denver, and third graders continued to serve a neighbor lady by making cards, taking her

gifts, and singing for her. Kindergartners had a 100% success rate with being able to explain what

missionaries do. Woodland Park reported a good number of service opportunities and a high rate of

voluntary involvement by students. A majority of their students were involved in leadership or service

responsibilities around the school whether it be through flag patrol, carpool duty, classroom jobs, or

setting up or cleaning up for events. The planned and the unplanned curriculum in this area is powerfully

impacting the character of CSCS students for Christ and his kingdom. Participation in service at the MS

was nearly 100% because students joined in the Serve-a-thon as whole classes. This past year 48% of the

students got involved in acquiring sponsorships which was considerably higher than the previous year.

Overall, the students reported positive feelings toward their involvement in service.

At the high school level, National Honor Society students were the only students who have to track and

turn in their hours, which this year logged in at 2010 hours. Furthermore, there are many assessments that

occur apart from the service projects that measure this Outcome. The second aspect of this Outcome is

being aware of missions and the needs of the less fortunate. In Spanish 3 class, for example, students

brought three verses addressing the needs of the poor. 100% completed a paragraph in Spanish about

poverty applying these verses and met the criteria according to the rubric. The Missions Fair continued

for another year and was successful again. Students became aware of opportunities and needs, both

locally and globally. Students also became aware of missions trips that their churches were involved in

and were encouraged to pursue those. The new coordinator needs to be assisted to complete the

assessment that goes along with this activity.

Finally, student leaders are developing their leadership abilities in a wide variety ways. 100% of the high

school student government leaders completed their checklists which reflected that they completed their

tasks for the event in which they were involved. Events were completed successfully.

CSCS Assessment Result Analysis 2014-2015 (Chart is illustrative and not exhaustive.)

October 15, 2015 Page 14

All-campus Suggestions for Next Year:

Principals should verify that all assessments are given and have results. In light of several new

faculty members, hired for the 2015-2016 year, new to our assessment process, care needs to be

taken to not lose continuity of accomplishing assessments.

Principals need to write the assessment report(s) throughout the year to be able to capture the

missing information and make appropriate changes during the year. The format for the report

needs to be standardized across all campuses for more accuracy in tracking assessment results.

Principals need to begin tracking year-to-year results visually, producing better analysis while

assisting faculty in using the data to improve student results on assessments.

Teachers need to attach the assessment and rubric to Curriculum Trak so they do not get lost when

there is a change of faculty teaching a course. Our new Curriculum Director will help with this

process.

Growth has occurred in assessment consistency between the Woodland Park and the Central

Elementary Campuses. This will need continued growth and alignment. Middle School will need

to address gaps in outcome coverage, and high school, with the new principal, should take the step

of evaluating all assessments to see if they actually tie into our Expected Student Outcomes.

All School Summary

The overall purpose of collecting these assessments is to have a better sense of how we are doing on the

Expected Student Outcomes and to continue to progress in school improvement. Though there is still

room for improvement, I have seen the benefit of this process first as a middle school principal and now

as Executive Director of Academic Services. Our two new principals are beginning to see the value of

this effort and will strive to improve on the foundation already built. The Expected Student Outcomes

are being intentionally addressed, measured, and then analyzed. This process has the benefit of helping

us improve our education in these important areas.

Our Outcomes are a summary of how we accomplish our ENDS, achieve our distinctives, and meet our

goals. They encompass who we are…an excellent Christian school. The path to excellence then is one

that finds us repeatedly asking how we are doing and how can we do better. Our assessments help us do

that and so we will continue to work with them and strengthen our school in the process.

Respectfully submitted,

Diane Meeter Executive Director of Academic Services

October 15, 2015 Page 15

CSCS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT 2014-2015

Woodland Park

Elementary School

TerraNova 2015

CSCS National

Scores

reflecting 85th

percentile*

CSCS National Scores

reflecting 85th

percentile* Scores Scores

In In

READING MATH

Kindergarten 554 N/A 542 N/A

1st grade 607 N/A 540 N/A

2nd grade 627 N/A 618 N/A

3rd grade **656 641 625 631

4th grade **673 658 **661 653

5th grade **681 671 **676 671

* School Mean Scale at 85th percentile of National School Norms (BLUE RIBBON)

http://www.capenet.org/pdf/2015NBRSscores.pdf

**Scores at or above the 85th percentile nationally

Blue Ribbon Norms not available for grades K-2

Central

Elementary School

TerraNova 2015

CSCS National Scores

reflecting 85th

percentile*

CSCS National

Scores

reflecting 85th

percentile*

Scores Scores

in In

READING MATH

Kindergarten 571 N/A 512 N/A

1st grade 620 N/A 548 N/A

2nd grade 629 N/A 578 N/A

3rd grade **650 641 622 631

4th grade **663 658 **655 653

5th grade **689 671 669 671

* School Mean Scale at 85th percentile of National School Norms http://www.capenet.org/pdf/2015NBRSscores.pdf

**Scores at or above the 85th percentile nationally

Blue Ribbon Norms not available for grades K-2

October 15, 2015 Page 16

Middle School

TerraNova 2014

CSCS Scores

in

READING

National

Scores

reflecting 85th

percentile*

CSCS Scores

in

MATH

National Scores

reflecting 85th

percentile*

6th **690 682 686 687

7th **688 688 **703 698

8th **707 701 **731 713

* School Mean Scale at 85th percentile of National School Norms (BLUE RIBBON) http://www.capenet.org/pdf/2015NBRSscores.pdf **Scores at or above the 85th percentile nationally

Colorado Springs Christian High School

Mean ACT score*

48 test takers at CSCS

57,328 test takers in Colorado

1,924,436 nationally

CSCS Avg. Composite = 24.5

State average Composite = 20.7

Nation average Composite = 21.0

Percentage Meeting College Readiness Benchmark

Eng. = CSCS 88%; State 63%

Mathematics = CSCS 60%; State 40%

Reading (in Social Studies) = CSCS 75%; State 43%

Science = CSCS 69% ; State 39%

Meeting all four = CSCS 48%; State 26%

Mean SAT score*

14 test takers at CSCS

6,485 test takers in Colorado

1,698,521 nationally

CSCS Avg.: Reading = 544; Math = 629; Writing = 527

State Avg.: Reading = 582; Math = 587; Writing = 567

National Avg.: Reading = 495; Math = 511; Writing = 484

*Class of 2015. Students from CSCS predominantly take the ACT over the SAT for college entrance though roughly one-third of our

students, on average, will take an SAT test at least once. All of our juniors now take an official state ACT test, but those scores are reported

separately from those given in ACT’s Annual College Readiness Letter to the school which reports the achievement of our graduates on the

ACT over time. On average, roughly two-thirds of our students individually take the ACT. International students are more inclined to take

the SAT as are students considering post-secondary institutions on the eastern and western seaboards. (These schools, in general, tend to be

more selective in their admissions criteria though there are always exceptions to this rule.) Students applying to in-state institutions as well

as those in the midsection of the United States tend to favor the ACT. In looking at our school’s test results on both tests, it is important to

note these distinctions.

October 15, 2015 Page 17

APPENDIX A

October 15, 2015 Page 18

Appendix B - Mapping of Outcomes to ENDS

1.0 At a reasonable cost, students are equipped with the spiritual discernment, the moral courage and the academic

excellence to impact society through responsible, effective Christian living.

1.1 Tuition is affordable to most families that desire a Christ-centered education for their children. (Not

related to Outcomes)

1.2 Students demonstrate spiritual and moral integrity. (Outcome 4)

1.2.1 Students understand and commit to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to the

life-long process of being conformed to His image. (Outcome 1)

1.2.2 Students discover and develop their God-given gifts, talents and abilities and apply them

in daily living. (Outcome 7e, 7f, 7g)

1.2.3 Students demonstrate moral courage. (Outcome 4)

1.2.3.1 Students make wise, God-honoring decisions because it is their heart’s desire.

(Outcome 4a, 4d)

1.2.3.2 Students articulate and defend their Christian worldview with apologetic skills and

an understanding of opposing world views. (Outcome 2)

1.2.4 Students understand the worth of every human being as created in the image of God.

(Outcome 5a, 7h)

1.2.5 Students know, understand, and apply God’s Word in daily life. (Outcome 3i, 4a, 4c)

1.3 Students are academically prepared to excel in their next stage in life. (Outcome 3)

1.3.1 Students are proficient in reading, writing, mathematics, and the sciences. (Outcome 3)

1.3.2 Students have knowledge and understanding of people, events and movements in history

and the cultures of other peoples and places. (Outcome 5d)

1.3.3 Students appreciate literature and the arts and understand how they can be used to express

and influence their beliefs and values. (Outcome 3d)

1.3.4 Students know how to utilize available resources – including current technology – to

locate, and analyze and evaluate information. (Outcome 3b, 3c)

1.3.5 Students have the ability to listen actively, think critically and solve problems logically.

(Outcome 3a)

1.3.6 Students understand and apply economic principles and are good steward of their finances,

time and all other resources. (Outcome 4d)

1.3.7 Students value personal health and wellness and maintain a level of physical fitness

commensurate with their ability. (Outcome 6b)

1.4 Students are actively involved in their churches and communities. (Outcome 1d, 7b, 7h)

1.5 Students commit to life-long learning and understand the relationship between continued intellectual

and spiritual growth and maturity in Christ. (Outcome 1c, 6)

ENDS