Assessment
The Red Clay Consolidated School District uses a variety of standardized and growth measures to track student growth and achievement. Learn more about these assessments below.
Types of Assessments
- Formative assessments are used during instruction and provide feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning. An example is a class quiz where students explain their thinking.
- Summative assessments are generally given after instruction (end of a unit, course, or grade) to evaluate students’ performance against a set of standards. Examples are the state SMARTER test and class unit tests.
- Interim or Benchmark assessments fall between formative and summative and are given to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills relative to a specific set of standards. They are designed to inform decisions at the classroom level and school or district level. An example is a unit test from our reading or math series given to all students in the district at that grade level.
Assessment Participants
- Classroom assessments are determined by individual teachers. Some examples are pre-tests, end of unit or chapter tests, quizzes, and informal assessments to gauge students’ understanding, provide grades, and inform teaching.
- Schoolwide assessments are determined at the school level. Teachers across a grade level or department give the same assessment. Common assessments provide information to identify students who may need additional assistance and to identify strengths and needs in the instructional program.
- Districtwide assessments are determined at the district level. These assessments are given to all students across the district. Certain assessments are selected based on district need and other assessments are given to meet state or federal requirements, such as Response to Intervention (RTI) to identify students who need additional assistance. These common assessments show what students learned, monitor progress, and determine what professional development might be helpful for teachers.
- State and National assessments are determined by the Delaware or U.S. Departments of Education. Delaware System of Student Assessment (DeSSA) includes Smarter testing in reading and mathematics (grades 3-8), Science (grades 5, 8, and high school Biology), Social Studies (grades 4, 7, 11), PSAT (grade 10, Red Clay also tests grades 8 and 9), and SAT (grade 11). It also includes tests for specific groups: DeSSA Alt-1 (alternative test) for students with severe cognitive disabilities, ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English Stateto-State) for English Language Learners (taken until demonstrate proficiency in English). Students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses have an opportunity to take AP or IB exams. Every few years a sample of 4th, 8th, and 12th grade students take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Corey Heacock Ed.D
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Assessments in Red Clay
Testing Windows 2025-2026
| Assessment Name | Assessment Dates |
|---|---|
| DeSSA ELA and Math | April 27 - May 8, 2026 |
|
DeSSA Science: Grade 5, 8 DeSSA Science: Biology |
Week of May 11, 2026 April 27 – May 15, 2026 |
| DeSSA Social Studies Summative Testing: Grade 11 | April 27 – May 15, 2026 |
|
DeSSA Social Studies Through-Year Testing: Grades 4, 6, & 8 DeSSA Social Studies Through-Year Testing: Grades 5 & 7 |
November 2025, February 2026 & May 2026 January 2026 & May 2026 |
| DeSSA-ALT | September - December 2025 & February – May 2026 |
| i-Ready Reading and Math (Grades 2-9) |
Fall: August 27 - September 12, 2025 Winter: January 5, 2026 - January 21, 2026 Spring: May 18, 2026 – June 2, 2026 |
| Acadience (Grades K-1) |
Fall: September 2 - September 5, 2025 Winter: January 14, 2026 - January 22, 2026 Spring: May 19, 2026 – May 26, 2026 |