PRIMARY DEMI ASSESSMENT
What is the DEMI?
The Primary DEMI is a developmentally appropriate asset-based assessment for TK-2nd grade students. It values home language, integrates students’ life experiences, and opens a window into the strengths of students’ mathematical thinking.
The Primary DEMI deepens teachers’ knowledge about how to notice and respond to students’ math thinking and promotes a strength-based teacher lens. It provides an actionable report to track student growth and support teachers with ideas and next steps.
THE INTERVIEWS
The Primary DEMI consists of a sequence of one-on-one interviews, spanning a developmental numeric reasoning continuum across TK-2nd grade. Designed to fit into the day-to-day life of a classroom, each interview takes 10-15 minutes, utilizes concrete materials, and is administered by the teacher through a digital dashboard.
MULTIPLE PURPOSES
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Track student growth within and across years
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Support teachers in noticing and responding to student math thinking
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Create an actional report that focuses on student assets
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Provide teachers and parents with ideas for next steps
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Provide opportunities for students to set goals and track their progress
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Provide district and site leadership with comprehensive information about student assets
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
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Focus on what students CAN do
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Value home language
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Offer a numeric reasoning continuum
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Build teachers’ questioning and listening skills
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Provide answers to “what now?”
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Develop with teacher input
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Support teacher implementation
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Align with district math systems
EQUITY AND INCLUSION
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Value students’ home language - translation in a wide range of languages (spoken prompts and student spoken responses)
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Tailor accommodations to students’ neurodiversities (working on ways to capture alternative methods of responding beyond speaking)
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Items built with the input of students and teachers (opportunity to be culturally responsive in the design)