Formative Assessment and Progress Monitoring for Paraprofessionals

Why Formative Assessment Matters for Paraprofessionals

Formative assessment is the ongoing process of gathering information about how a student is learning during instruction, not just at the end of a unit. As a paraprofessional, you are often the closest adult to students during practice activities, small-group work, and one-on-one support. That proximity makes you a valuable source of real-time data. Your job is to collect that data accurately, record it clearly, and report it to the supervising teacher so they can adjust instruction. You do not diagnose learning disabilities, assign grades, or make placement decisions — those responsibilities belong to licensed educators.

Three Core Data-Collection Methods

1. Frequency Tally

A frequency tally counts how many times a specific, observable behavior or response occurs during a set time period. You define the behavior before you start — for example, "student reads a word correctly" or "student raises hand before speaking" — and place a mark on a tally sheet each time it happens. At the end of the session, you total the marks. Frequency tallies work best for discrete, countable behaviors that have a clear beginning and end.

Tips for accuracy: Agree on the exact definition of the target behavior before the session begins. Count only what you directly observe; do not estimate. Record the start and end time so the supervising teacher can interpret the rate, not just the total count.

2. Anecdotal Note

An anecdotal note is a brief, factual written description of what you saw and heard during an instructional moment. Think of it as a snapshot in words. A strong anecdotal note includes the date, time, setting, exactly what the student did or said (in observable terms), and any relevant context. It does not include your interpretations, labels, or guesses about why the behavior occurred.

Example of observable language: "Jaylen read the sentence aloud three times before answering the comprehension question correctly."

Non-observable (avoid): "Jaylen seemed confused and anxious."

Use plain, professional language. Avoid slang, nicknames, and emotionally loaded words. Remember that progress notes may become part of a student's educational record and could be reviewed by parents, administrators, or specialists.

3. Running Record

A running record is a systematic, real-time transcription of a student's oral reading. As the student reads aloud, you mark each word on a coded form: a check mark for words read correctly, a written substitution for errors, and standard symbols for omissions, insertions, and self-corrections. Running records are widely used in literacy instruction to determine reading accuracy and identify error patterns.

Running records require practice. You must listen carefully, mark simultaneously, and keep pace with the student without interrupting the reading flow unless a student is completely stuck. If accuracy falls too low (the student cannot read most words), note that and stop rather than allowing a frustrating experience to continue — protecting student dignity is part of your professional role.

Writing a Progress Note

After collecting data, you compile your findings into a brief written progress note for the supervising teacher. Use a structured format:

• Date and time: When did the session take place?
• Context: What activity, subject, and setting?
• Observation: What did you see and hear? (Use observable language.)
• Data: What do your tallies, notes, or running record show?
• Next-step recommendation: What does the data suggest the teacher might want to know or try next?

The next-step section is where paraprofessionals sometimes overstep. Keep recommendations in the form of questions or observations — "The data may indicate the student benefits from additional practice with short-vowel words; you may want to review" — rather than directives. The teacher makes instructional decisions; you provide information.

Professional Communication Norms

When you verbally summarize data to a supervising teacher, follow these norms:

• Be concise. Teachers have limited time. Lead with the key finding, then offer details if asked.
• Stay objective. Report what happened; do not editorialize.
• Respect confidentiality. Discuss student performance only with the supervising teacher and appropriate school staff, never with other students, parents without authorization, or community members.
• Know your scope. You may say, "My running record shows she substituted short-vowel words eight times in the passage." You may not say, "I think she has dyslexia."

Safety and Professional Boundaries

Data you collect is part of a student's educational environment. Errors in recording — guessing totals, writing inferences as facts, or omitting important context — can harm students by leading to incorrect instructional decisions. Accuracy is an ethical obligation. If you are unsure whether you recorded data correctly, note that uncertainty in your progress note rather than presenting incomplete data as definitive. Always ask your supervising teacher to clarify data-collection procedures before a session, not after.