Resources Required
Providing a set of iPads in all 54 classrooms (currently available)
Maintaining a contract with Seesaw ($8,213.00 for 849 students)
Implementation Considerations
Addressing limited current use of Seesaw across classrooms
Recognizing the need for intentional training and clear expectations
Prioritizing consistent professional development on authentic assessment practices (CoSN Leadership Survey, 2024; Alacam & Olgan, 2016)
Training teachers to effectively use Seesaw as a digital portfolio tool
Leadership Requirements for Successful Implementation
Securing permission to prioritize professional development and PLC focus on portfolio assessment and authentic learning
Securing permission to emphasize instructional strategies that support embedded assessment practices
Establishing clear expectations for consistent classroom implementation
Requiring implementation across all classrooms to ensure program fidelity
August Staff Development: Seesaw training day one:
Introducing portfolio assessment (the why, what, and how)
Introducing Seesaw platform and basic navigation
Exploring core features (teacher view, student view, camera tool for posting)
Limiting initial tool exposure to avoid overwhelming teachers
Providing overview of classroom rollout plan
September Collaborative (grade level meeting) - Seesaw training day two:
Simulating classroom experience using Seesaw as a student
Modeling teacher view during instruction
Reviewing classroom rollout plan
Explaining step-by-step student onboarding process
January staff development training
Introducing Activities feature to support data organization and analysis
September Focus
Building understanding of authentic assessment practices
Reflecting on classroom rollout experiences
Gathering teacher feedback for implementation adjustments
October focus
Implementing small group rotations with embedded documentation
Designing high-quality instructional content for rotations
Embedding portfolio use within daily routines
Connecting families to Seesaw platform
Achieving goal of 90% family connection by December (Seitz, 2023; Hooker, 2019)
November focus
Analyzing student posted artifacts for evidence of learning
Discussing instructional practices and Seesaw implementation
Organizing student work using Seesaw folders
December focus
Analyzing student data to guide instruction
Setting individual teacher data collection goals
Evaluating effectiveness of collected data
Applying data to instructional decision making
January focus
Continuing data analysis practices
Using Activities feature to organize targeted data collection
February focus
Planning instruction aligned to report card measures
Designing activities with assessment outcomes in mind
Using multiple artifacts to document learning
Embedding authentic assessment into daily routines
March focus
Teachers explore tools and how to introduce new modalities to students
First introduce audio: students can add voiceover to their photograph to explain work
April focus
Expanding use of Seesaw tools and modalities
Introducing drawing feature for annotated student work
Combining drawing and audio for enhanced documentation
Monitoring and Support
Conducting PLC monitoring and feedback cycles
Using walkthrough look-fors to assess implementation
Providing instructional coaching support
Indicators of Success
Increasing student-created, authentic work samples
Increasing consistent implementation of authentic assessment practices
Achieving 90% family connection 50% engagement
Reducing time spent on formal/pull-out assessment (second semester) (Meisels, 1993; Jones, Fowler, & Adair, 2023)
Measuring positive teacher perception through survey data
August - October PLC Focus
Reinforcing artifact analysis practices
Strengthening data analysis routines
Reestablishing consistent implementation of best practices
November PLC Focus
Training teachers to use the gradebook feature for documenting student progress
Establishing district-aligned gradebook categories based on report card measures and Texas guidelines
Standardizing data collection practices across classrooms
Gradebook Implementation and Data Utilization
Generating district-wide data reflecting student growth through authentic assessment
Ensuring data accuracy and instructional relevance
Using gradebook data to identify trends in student growth
Adjusting instruction based on student data
Analyzing aggregated data at campus and district levels
Informing program decisions and targeted support
December - April PLC Focus
Facilitating structured data and discussions using gradebook data
Conducting data talks to guide instructional decision-making
Monitoring student progress across reporting periods
First Semester: Teacher Amplification Through Modeled Instruction
Creating short, developmentally appropriate video models (1–3 minutes) demonstrating:
Modeling language use
Embedding vocabulary in context
Clarifying task expectations
Demonstrating thinking processes
Embedding videos into Seesaw and integrating them during:
Supporting arrival routines
Guiding center transitions
Enhancing independent practice opportunities
Using videos to:
Reinforce instructions without repeated whole-group interruptions
Support student independence
Increase exposure to rich academic language
Alaçam, N., & Olgan, R. (2016). Portfolio assessment: Does it really give the benefits that it
purports to offer? Views of early childhood and first-grade teachers. Early Child
Development and Care, 186(9), 1505–1519.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1108970
Consortium for School Networking. (2024). 2024 state of EdTech district leadership: Eleventh
annual national survey. CoSN.
https://www.cosn.org/research/2024-state-of-edtech-district-leadership/
Hooker, T. (2019). Using ePortfolios in early childhood education: Recalling, reconnecting,
restarting and learning. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 17(4), 376–391.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X19875778
Jones, N. N., Fowler, A. T., & Adair, J. K. (2023). Assessing agency in learning contexts: A first,
critical step to assessing children. Young Children, 78(1).
Meisels, S. J. (1993). Remaking classroom assessment with the Work Sampling System. Young
Children, 48(5), 34–40.
Seitz, H. (2023). Making thinking, learning, and development visible through ePortfolios.
National Association for the Education of Young Children.