Using Performance Assessments to Support Student Learning in Pasadena Unified School District. Performance Assessment Case Study Series
Author: Adams, Julie
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Performance Based Assessment,High School Seniors,Urban Schools,School Districts,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Educational Environment,Outcomes of Education

Pasadena Unified School District (Pasadena Unified) introduced the senior defense to help each student develop the skills, abilities, and mindsets associated with the district's ideal graduate. These include critical, creative, and innovative thinking; effective communication and collaboration; a healthy mind and body; cultural competence; and students being prepared for college and the career(s) of their choice. After developing this vision, the Pasadena Unified Board of Education passed the senior defense as a graduation requirement, signaling a commitment to equitable access to high-quality learning for all students. Pasadena Unified's approach is grounded in research on how performance assessments help students and educators strive for meaningful learning goals, while also reliably assessing student learning. The Pasadena Unified case study draws on data from a range of sources, including documents, district administrative data, interviews with a range of personnel at the district and school levels, focus groups with teachers and students, observations of senior defense presentations, and observations of professional learning opportunities for teachers and staff. The study provides an in-depth description of how Pasadena Unified has attempted to advance districtwide implementation of the senior defense. The authors identified five of the emerging implications of Pasadena Unified's performance assessment practices for student learning and teacher practice: (1) Starting with a clear vision for students' college and career preparation can be a powerful driving force for implementing performance assessments; (2) Having opportunities to observe performance assessments--in addition to receiving clear and consistent messaging about the purpose and components of such assessments--can help staff, students, parents, and community members see the value in this work; (3) Implementation of a districtwide performance-based graduation requirement can be supported by ensuring that educators have sufficient time and resources; (4) Strong supports can help teachers and students succeed, especially in the early years of implementing a new performance assessment policy; and (5) Engaging in performance assessments can positively influence educators' instructional practices, even as the work is just starting out. This report is part of a series of three case studies examining the key district-, school-, and classroom-level conditions necessary to support high-quality performance assessment practices. All three districts (Los Angeles [ED610904], Oakland [ED610903], and Pasadena) actively participate in the California Performance Assessment Collaborative (CPAC), a community of educators, researchers, and technical assistance providers who are working to study and advance the use of performance assessments throughout the state. A cross-case study that accompanies this report provides insights across all three case study districts, as well as recommendations for district policymakers interested in implementing well-designed performance assessments within their own context. [For the cross-case study, see ED610900.]