Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

 

Harmony Public Schools integrates a personalized assessment and learning system (“blended learning”) into its instruction and intervention models. Students have access to adaptive educational software platforms that assess strengths and weaknesses in different content areas and create unique learning paths to facilitate content mastery. Students are tracked and assessed within the software, allowing them to progress at their own pace.

The norm-referenced NWEA MAP (Northwest Evaluation Association Measure of Academic Progress) assessment allows Harmony educators to track student growth in K-8 compared with other students who take the test nationwide. MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) creates a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level—precisely measuring student progress and growth for each individual.

Additionally, all elementary students take a reading benchmark called mCLASS at the beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year. Results from these assessments drive targeted, small-group reading instruction for K-5 students, including additional progress measures as needed.

Secondary students are also encouraged to take ACT and College Board tests such as PSAT, SAT, and AP exams. Harmony school programs are designed to help students be successful in these exams, which are critical for matriculation in top-notch American universities. Based on these criteria, Harmony schools are listed as top high schools in the United States by U.S. News and Washington Post.

Other norm-referenced assessment tools include LAS Links for the assessment of ESL (English as a Second Language) students and CogAT for Gifted and Talented identification. There are also diagnostic and ongoing assessment tools for students with learning disabilities.

Harmony also incorporates authentic assessment tools such as portfolio-based and performance-based tools through project-based learning. Students develop 21st-century skills i.e. communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and technology literacy while working on curriculum-based or year-round self-initiated projects. Learning becomes relevant and meaningful. Assessments are based on rubrics. 

Harmony utilizes actionable data dashboards making multiple forms of assessment data easily accessible to teachers and principals. The dashboards provide real-time data for educators to assist students in setting personalized goals to improve their performance and keep parents up-to-date regarding their children’s progress toward goals.