With 3-week checkpoints, if they are administered correctly, the assumption should be that performance will be lacking.  After all we are asking high rigor questions almost immediately after students have been first exposed to the content.  As long as the poor performance is not due to being off pace, everything else can (and generally will) be corrected over the course of the school year. 

There are of course ways to “cheat” at checkpoints.  Most prevalent are to review for the checkpoint, extend time on the checkpoint, or not count the questions that were missed due to pacing setbacks. This gives the illusion of success when the reality is not as rosy.

Our advice to schools is “Lose the Battle. Win the War.” The battle being the checkpoint, the war being the state accountability test.

When we don’t “cheat” the checkpoint, we are able to determine if we are on pace, what is working, and what is not. With this information, we problem solve and adjust, putting us in a better position to meet the requirements of the state accountability tests.

When we “cheat” the checkpoint, we believe that everything is working as it should.  We don’t adjust and then we are sandbagged by the state tests.  So play it honest. Lose the Battle, Win the War. And if you doubt the strategy, it worked for both Sam Houston and George Washington.

Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
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