How to Track Student Progress with Eureka Math

The Eureka Math Program provides many assessment approaches which is great!

It is always better to have a variety of methods to assess students rather than just one.  We never want to depend on a one test one day approach to grading when we want a picture of how a student is doing overall.
 
Before you can plan your data tracking system, first get to know the variety of assessments that are provided within the Eureka Math program. It is also important to collaborate with your grade level team of teachers. 

​As I mentioned in the previous article, Eureka Math and Your Grade Level Team, creating an aligned method of planning is very important for the students.  It is also important to create an aligned system of assessment and evaluation of students.  Think ahead to any student-based modifications that will need to be put in place for each assessment.  Work as a grade level team to be sure the assessments are still a fair tool and meeting students needs.

Aligning with the school report card system is also very important to plan before you begin assessments.  If your school uses a letter or number grading system, be sure to create a conversion chart as a school to be sure each teacher is interpreting the scores exactly the same for report card purposes.
 
Tracking student progress closely is also extremely important for RTI or (response to intervention).  Knowing which students are in need of extra support or services is crucial.  This program supports the data that is needed for all students. 
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Where Can I Find the Eureka Math Assessments?
 
The Teacher Edition book for each Module is an excellent resource! Read ahead in this book before you start teaching the module. This book will contain each lesson practice page for the students as well as the assessments.  The end of module assessments are already created for you based on the skills that were taught within the unit.  Get to know what will be assessed at the end of the module test.  This will help you be able to plan out what the students will need to master.
 
There is also a Mid-Module task.  This is great to see where students are in need of support before they get all the way to the end of the module assessment.  You want to provide additional support in the areas of weakness when you see students are struggling before they reach the end of the unit.
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Daily Assessments
 
Each lesson has an Exit Ticket.  This is such a useful tool.  It is very brief and contains examples from that day’s lesson.  Have the students complete an exit ticket each day after the lesson is completed.  This will help you to assess your students daily.  This is very important.  When you see a concept was not understood by a few students, you can provide support for them in differentiated center based activities or in small groups.  When you find that a concept is difficult to grasp for most or all of the students.  Then it will drive your instruction for the next day to reteach this skill to be sure you are not moving on before the students are ready.  This is not only an effective way to assess your students, but also to be sure they are learning and engaged in the math content.
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Tracking Student Data
 
Create an organized data management system.  For example, google sheets can provide a grid format to place student names with corresponding grades.  You can create a new tab for each type of assessment all in one place!  Think of the best way for you to be organized and save your precious time.  I find electronic grade books are the way to go!  Whether I am home or at school, I do not worry if I forgot my gradebook.  All of my student data is always within reach.
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Fluency Assessments
 
The Eureka Math program also provides fluency assessments.  These are found in the student Practice Book.  These tasks are organized to be timed and provide students opportunities to increase their scores.  
 
Have students complete section A in an allotted time.  Then challenge them to beat their score and complete section B in the same allotted time.  You can increase or decrease the time given to provide modifications.
 
Make this a fun and exciting activity!  Allow students to track this data on their own.  You can create charts for each student.  Organize these charts so that each one contains boxes to represent how many facts are correct in a graph format.  Students can color the boxes to show the amount of facts they got correct each time.  They will watch the bar graph climb to show higher success each time they complete a fluency activity.  When students participate in their growing success they will feel ownership of their improvements and work to make the bar graph grow even higher after the next sprint task.
 
Keep these charts in an individual folder for each student instead of creating a display for the class.  Students will be at a variety of levels with these tasks.  Students driven to beat only their own score will feel empowered rather than defeated if they are trying to compete with other students’ scores.
 
Overall, the Eureka Math program provides a variety of data to assess students in an overall way.  Keeping student data in an organized well managed way will help you to be proactive in your student grading as well as be sure students’ needs are continuously being met.