Learning Access®: The Vantage Learning Platform
Why select different testing systems for different purposes when you can select a single, sophisticated uniform testing system that does it all, from management and assessment to remediation, curriculum development, and alignment?
Different Assessments, Different Purposes
Whether you need a system for online high-stakes assessment or a customized strategy for student progress monitoring and diagnostic purposes, Vantage Learning has the solution.
High-Stakes or Low-Stakes Summative Assessments
Summative assessments are given once and measure the accrual of student knowledge in specific academic areas. Annual high-stakes assessments are federally mandated in reading, math, and science for Grades 3–8; states often require testing in additional grades and subjects and as a prerequisite for graduation from high school. Low-stakes summative assessments are given at the end of a course of instruction to measure student performance and are frequently given in conjunction with diagnostic and/or formative assessments.
Diagnostic, Benchmark, or Placement Assessments
Diagnostic, benchmark, or placement assessments are typically given at pre-determined times—for example, at the beginning and end of the school year in foundation coursework, at the beginning and end of a specific module of instruction, or at the time of admission into a new grade, school, or college. These assessments identify students in need of instructional intervention by diagnosing the strengths and weaknesses possessed by the student in relation to the content being measured. They also provide educators and administrators with a snapshot of student performance both before and after the intervention to determine its effectiveness.
Formative or Progress Monitoring Assessments
Formative or progress monitoring assessments are given frequently over the course of instruction in order to inform teaching and learning. These assessments contain common aligned tests and provide results upon which instructional plans are based. The primary purpose of these assessments is not to assign a grade to students but rather to inform the teaching process by measuring students’ understanding of the material being taught. Assessment results are provided quickly and are used to plan instruction for the next day or week.
Sophisticated, Uniform Assessment Solutions
At Vantage Learning, we recognize that individualized needs demand individualized solutions. The Vantage Learning Platform™ (VLP) is an educational technology solution that goes beyond assessment and instruction to create customized assessment solutions at a fraction of the cost. VLP™ forms the foundation for Vantage Learning’s Uniform Online Testing System™ (UOTS) and Student Progress Monitoring System® (SPMS). Whether assessments are conducted online or offline, this customizable and secure platform can be used by states or large school districts and educational service centers to create solutions for the following:
- Summative or high-stakes assessments—Manage the entire assessment process from registration through scoring and reporting
- Diagnostic, benchmark, or placement assessments—Deliver immediate assessment results and in-depth reports with diagnostic data on student performance
- Formative or progress monitoring assessments—Provide a robust, data-driven testing and reporting solution to drive instruction in core academic areas
Traditional Paper and Pencil Assessments
Many school districts do not have the sufficient technology infrastructure or computer resources to conduct assessments online. These institutions rely on traditional paper and pencil examinations for statewide high stakes tests and district-level benchmark assessments. However, an inefficient scoring process typically hampers this delivery method. It may take weeks or even months for educators to get back test scores, and by that time, the data is out of date and the opportunity to provide remediation and individualized instruction based on the results has long passed. School districts using paper and pencil assessments need a way to provide teachers timely data in order to drive individualized instruction. The Solution – VANScan®.
