Teachers make countless instructional decisions every day — but those decisions are only as strong as the information behind them. This session brings clarity to what “proficient” truly means and shows how performance levels can become powerful tools for understanding student learning. We’ll explore how Depth of Knowledge (DOK) helps teachers design and evaluate learning experiences that match the cognitive demands of the standards. You’ll see how performance level descriptors reveal the thinking required for specific items, making it easier to determine whether students are meeting expectations — and what to do next when they’re not. Through practical examples, you’ll learn how to use performance levels to interpret assessment results, identify instructional needs, and plan targeted next steps that move students forward with purpose and confidence
