Diploma Exam Update

Curriculum Coordinators

Fall 2015

What’s New?

• Effective September 1, 2015, the diploma

exam weighting changed to 70/30

– School-awarded marks are now weighted at 70%

– Diploma exam marks are now weighted at 30%

• NOTE: Marks for courses and diploma exams after

September 1, 2015 are not blended using 50/50.

Likewise, marks for courses and diploma exams

completed prior to September 1, 2015 are not re-

blended using 70/30

What Has Not Changed as a Result

of the Shift in Weighting?

• The purposes of diploma exams

– Certify the level of student achievement

– Ensure that province-wide standards are maintained

– Report individual and group results

• The rigor of diploma exams

– The same processes to develop, review and administer

diploma exams are in place

• The standards of diploma exams

• The expectations for what students must do to achieve

an acceptable standard or the standard of excellence

remain the same

Blending Rules Have Changed

• In a nutshell, these are the new rules:

– For students who retake the course or rewrite the

diploma exam after September 1, 2015: To be eligible

for the 70/30 blend, either the new school-awarded

mark (SMK) or the new diploma exam mark (DMK)

must be higher

– For students who completed the course prior to

September 1, 2015 but did not write the diploma exam:

they will be eligible for the 70/30 weighting

• Mature student status still applies

• A student’s transcript reports the highest SMK, the

highest DMK and the highest official mark (i.e., the

blended mark)

Example 1: Cross-over Blending

• When a mark obtained prior to September 1, 2015 is

blended with a mark obtained after September 1, 2015,

this is referred to as cross-over blending

• Prior to September 1, 2015, a student has a SMK of 80%

and a DMK of 60%. The blended mark is 70%.

• The student retakes the course, achieving an 85% and

rewrites the diploma exam, achieving a 55%.

• The higher SMK means that the student is eligible for the

70/30 blend.

• In this case, the 85% SMK after September 1 is blended

with the 60% DMK before September 1 (i.e., cross-over

blending). The official mark is 78%.

– The student’s transcript will report a 85% SMK, a 60% DMK and an

official mark of 78%.

• **The comments section of the Results Statement explains which marks

have been used to calculate the official mark.

Example 2: 70/30 Blend • Prior to September 1, 2015, a student has a SMK of 80%

and a DMK of 60%. The blended mark is 70%.

• Example 2a:

– After September 1, the student retakes the course, achieving

an 85% and rewrites the diploma exam, achieving a 75%.

– The marks obtained after September 1, 2015 result in the

highest overall blend of 82%.

• Example 2b:

– After September 1, the student retakes the course, achieving

a 79% and rewrites the diploma exam, achieving a 59%.

– Since neither mark is higher, the student is not eligible for

cross-over blending.

– The marks obtained after September 1, 2015 result in a blend

of 73%.

– The student’s transcript will report a 80% SMK, a 60% DMK

and an official mark of 73%. • **The comments section of the Results Statement explains which marks

have been used to calculate the official mark.

For More Information

• Refer to the updated Q & A Related to Diploma Exam

Weighting

http://education.alberta.ca/admin/testing/diplomaexams/

• The Marks, Results & Appeals section of the General

Information Bulletin contains numerous examples for

both regular students as well as mature students

http://education.alberta.ca/admin/testing/diplomaexams/di

plomabulletin/

Partial Exemptions

• When a student does not write one part of a

two-part Humanities diploma exam, the

missing mark will be calculated by averaging

the school-awarded mark with the mark on

the part of the diploma exam that was written.

– Example: A student has a school-awarded mark of 70%

in ELA 30-1. He writes the Part A and receives a 66%.

He is unable to write the Part B and is granted a partial

exemption.

• His missing Part B mark will be 68% (i.e., the average of

his school-awarded mark and Part A).

• His diploma exam mark will be 67%.

Time Limits on Diploma Exams

• All Science exams now have a total time of 3h

• The time statement on diploma exams has

been simplified to indicate the total time a

student has to complete the exam instead of

stating the official time limit plus the

additional ½ h.

– “You have a total of 3 h to complete this examination”

• No changes have been made to the design of

any diploma exams.

• Extra-time accommodations will be twice the

total time.

Increased Administrations

• November

– **Biology 30 (English and French)

– Chemistry 30 (English and French)

– **ELA 30-1

– ELA 30-2

– Mathematics 30-1 (English and French)

– Physics 30 (English and French)

– **Social Studies 30-1 (English and French)

– **Social Studies 30-2 (English and French)

** NEW this year

• A school-awarded mark is needed (except for

Mature Students)

• Register by October 1, 2015

Increased Administrations • April

– Biology 30 (English and French)

– **Chemistry 30 ( English and French)

– ELA 30-1

– **ELA 30-2

– **Mathematics 30-1 (English and French)

– **Mathematics 30-2 (English and French) DIGITAL only

– **Physics 30 (English and French)

– Science 30 (English) DIGITAL only

– Social Studies 30-1 (English and French)

– Social Studies 30-1 (English and French)

• Registration deadline: February 24, 2016

• School-awarded mark is needed (except for

Mature Students)

• Science 30 (French) in June 2015 - Digital only

Exam Sittings, Registration, and

Capacity

– Enter the exam sitting into PASIprep

– Capacity will equal the number of exam booklets that get

shipped out. Capacity should equal the number of actual seats

that will be available for both registered students and late

registrations.

– Things to consider when determining capacity:

• How many students can be supervised in each sitting

location?

• Will the capacity entered result in enough booklets be

shipped to administer to both registered and late registered

students?

• Is the capacity entered similar to the number of booklets

requested in previous year?

– For more information, see the Administration Directives,

Guidelines, & Procedures in the General Information Bulletin

Perusal Copies of Diploma Exams

• Who is eligible? Grade 12 teachers who are

currently teaching the course OR who will be

teaching the course in the second semester

• What is the format of the perusal copy?

Digital only. Paper perusal copies are not

permitted.

• When can teachers peruse? There is a 3 h

window of time that can start anytime

between 10 am and 1 pm on the scheduled

exam day.

– Central perusal sessions are good professional

practice.

– Security of the perusal session is of utmost importance

Other Information Regarding

Diploma Exams

• Draft Marking Schedules are included in the

GIB (see Schedules & Significant Dates)

• Calculator Clearing Instructions are included

with the shipment of Math/Science exams

Accommodations

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder

– Either frequent breaks or extra writing time

accommodation

– Can be approved at the school-authority level

– Documentation from a medical professional and

supported by the IPP or learning plan

• Test Anxiety

– Same as above, with the exception that only the

frequent break accommodation is permitted

myPass

• myPass.alberta.ca

• Secure, self-service website for Alberta high

school students

– Results Statements

– Detailed Academic Report

– Transcripts

• At the end of September, students can

register for diploma exams and pay for

rewrites on myPass

• For help, contact the Client Services Help

Desk (780) 427-5318

Field Testing

• Math/Science

– Digital and hybrids available

– With hybrid math/science field tests, students get a

copy of the question in paper and answer the questions

online

• Paper copies are mailed to the school and must be kept

secure at all times.

• Only the teacher who requested the field test is to peruse

it.

• Teachers receive the detailed report on how their students

did

Field Testing

• Humanities

– Paper, hybrids and digital available

– With hybrid humanities field tests, students get a copy

of the readings booklet and answer the questions online

• Paper copies are mailed to the school and must be kept

secure at all times.

• Only the teacher who requested the field test is to peruse

it.

• Teachers receive the detailed report on how their students

did

Benefits of Field Testing

• Field testing is an essential part of diploma

exam development

– Students, parents and teachers can be reassured that

diploma exams questions have undergone a rigorous

process

• Teachers receive immediate feedback about

their students’ performance

– 24 h perusal window for teachers

• Students see diploma style questions

Signing up for Field Tests

• Teachers can sign up for field tests 2 different

ways

– Online:

• http://public.education.alberta.ca/FieldTestScheduler

– Paper:

• Form available on

http://education.alberta.ca/admin/testing/forms

• Sign up deadlines:

Questions

Contact Us

• Dan Karas, Director of Exam Admin

• Dan.Karas@gov.ab.ca

• (780) 492-1425

• Deanna Shostak, Director of Diploma

Programs

• Deanna.Shostak@gov.ab.ca

• (780) 422-5160

Toll free on the Rite Line 310-0000