postsecondary engagement in parcc -...
TRANSCRIPT
Postsecondary Engagement in PARCC The College Board Annual Forum
New York City
October 23, 2013 Allison Jones, Vice President, Postsecondary Collaboration
Objectives for this Session
3
Common Core State Standards
PARCC
Next Generation Assessment
Definition of College and
Career Readiness
• Identify how the Common Core State Standards and aligned PARCC assessments advance college readiness and completion
• Establish the role of state postsecondary educators, faculty, policy makers and institution leaders in PARCC
• Describe how PARCC scores will be validated as indicators of college readiness at postsecondary campuses
• Discuss strategies for incorporating PARCC scores into postsecondary placement policies
The College Readiness Disconnect
4
Academic Preparation and Expectations Gap
5
In many states, students can earn a high school diploma without the skills necessary for success in
college and careers resulting in high remediation rates.
≠
What students are typically expected to know at the end of high school, as defined by
state standards, required curriculum and assessments
The knowledge and skills demanded by postsecondary and employers for successful first-year students and new
employees.
RESULT
PARCC States’ College-Ready Benchmarks
6
Source: SAT: The College Board, Wayne Camara, Vice President Research and Development. 65% probability FTF earn 2.7 (B-) or higher.
ACT: Issues in College Readiness, 2010. 50% probability of B or better; 75%, C or better.
PARCC: PARCC State responses to Remediation Policies, HE 01-11, January 6, 2011
ACT SAT PARCC STATES ACT
PARCC STATES SAT
Low High Median Low High Median
CRITICAL READING (SAT)/ ENGLISH (ACT) 18 500 17 21 19
400 600 450/500
MATH (SAT)/ COLLEGE ALGEBRA (ACT) 22 500 16 22 19 400 600 460/500
Why Higher Standards and New Assessments Now?
By the year 2020, 65% of all jobs will require some postsecondary education or training.
To ensure future economic sustainability, we must prepare all students to access postsecondary opportunities:
7
1/3 of
college freshmen need remedial courses
The PARCC assessment system will impact 23 million students. 9 million of these students attend Title I schools.
Our K–12 system is not adequately preparing students for college
CCSS and PARCC have the potential to substantially improve educational equity, postsecondary opportunity, and economic mobility if implemented with fidelity by K-12 and embraced by postsecondary institutions.
The Goal: College Access and Success
8
• Identify a set of core competencies that represent a baseline of college-and career-ready academic standards (CCCSS)
• Develop an innovative assessment system aligned to the standards:
– to help ensure new standards reach every classroom
– to provide clear signals to educators, parents and students about college readiness prior to high school graduation
• Establish a College- and Career-Ready Determination accepted and used by postsecondary faculty and administrators that guarantees student placement into entry-level, credit-bearing college courses without the need for remediation.
• Provide early interventions, tools and transition courses to ensure students meet postsecondary goals.
PARCC: A Better Way of Measuring What Students Know and Can Do
9
• 19 states
• 15 million students in tested grades
• Aligned to the Common Core State Standards
• 2013–14 field testing
• 2014–15 implementation
10
The Common Core State Standards Identify a Set of Core Competencies
that Represent A Baseline for College and Career Readiness
Key Advances of the Common Core
MATHEMATICS
Focus, coherence and clarity: emphasis on key topics at each grade level and coherent
progression across grades
Balance between procedural fluency and understanding of concepts and skills
Promote rigor through mathematical proficiencies that foster reasoning and
understanding across discipline
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/LITERACY
Balance of literature and informational texts; focus on text complexity
Emphasis on argument, informative/ explanatory writing, and research
Literacy standards for history, science and technical subjects
ANCHORED IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS
11
12
Claims Driving Design: ELA/Literacy
Students are on-track or ready for college and careers
Students read and comprehend a range of sufficiently complex texts
independently
Reading Literature
Reading Informational
Text
Vocabulary Interpretation
and Use
Students write effectively when using
and/or analyzing sources.
Written Expression
Conventions and
Knowledge of Language
Students build and present
knowledge through
research and the
integration, comparison,
and synthesis of ideas.
• Colleges and universities require students to – – Analyze complex text
– Conduct research and apply that research to solve problems or address a particular issue
– Identify areas for research, narrow those topics and adjust research methodology as necessary, and evaluate and synthesize primary and secondary resources as they develop and defend their own conclusions
• Standards require students to – – Conduct short, focused projects and longer term in-depth research
– Identify and analyze credible information
– Communicate research findings both verbally and in writing
Important to Higher Education Faculty: ELA and Literacy Standards
13
14
Claims Driving Design: Mathematics
Students solve problems involving the major
content for their grade level with connections to
practices
Students solve problems involving the additional and supporting content for their grade level with connections to practices
Students express mathematical reasoning
by constructing mathematical arguments
and critiques
Students solve real world problems
engaging particularly in the modeling practice
Student demonstrate fluency in areas set forth
in the Standards for Content in grades 3-6
Students are on-track or ready for college and careers
• The high school mathematics standards:
– Identify the mathematics that all students should study in order to be college and career ready
– Emphasize mathematical modeling and the use of mathematics and statistics
• To analyze empirical situations,
• Understand them better, and
• Improve decisions
• The standards require students to:
– Apply mathematical ways of thinking to real world issues and challenges
– Develop a depth of understanding and ability to apply mathematics to novel situations
Important to Higher Education Faculty: High School Mathematics Standards
15
The Common Core State Standards Require New Aligned Assessments
The Common Core State Standards were developed collaboratively by K-12 and postsecondary content experts and faculty to establish standards of college readiness
Higher education partners in PARCC—nearly 200 institutions and systems covering over 850 campuses across the country— committed to work with K-12 partners to develop assessments aligned to these standards and set a college-ready cut score that will be used to place incoming freshman into credit-bearing college courses
16
Developing the PARCC Assessments:
The Role of Postsecondary Faculty, Leaders and Policy Makers
17
PARCC Priorities
18
1. Determine whether students are college and career ready or on track
2. Aligned to the Common Core State Standards 3. Measure the full range of student performance, including
that of high- and low-achieving students 4. Provide educators with timely data 5. Create innovative 21st century, technology-based
assessments 6. Be affordable and sustainable 7. Provide comparable data from school-to-school and state-
to-state
What is Different About PARCC’s Development Process?
19
• PARCC states first developed the Model Content Frameworks to provide guidance on key elements of excellent instruction aligned with the Standards.
• Then, those Frameworks informed the assessment blueprint design.
• Aligned evidence statements and task models followed.
So…
• PARCC is designing the assessments around exactly the same content shifts the standards expect of teachers and students.
• PARCC is communicating in the same voice to teachers as it is to assessment developers
Item Development
20
• Item development began in fall 2012 • Item and passage reviews take place regularly,
with teams of reviewers: o K-12 content experts o Higher education faculty o Local educators o Community members
• Item development is on schedule, and the vendors will meet the benchmark to complete all items for field testing.
State Led Design and Development
21
PARCC Assessments
developed by the states for the states
K-12 and postsecondary State educator
and content expert led test development
State developed college-ready
standards
State led engagement
process: Higher Education and
K12
State-developed College and
Career Readiness Determination and on-track
measures
Educators in the PARCC consortium can trust that test items reflect the Common Core State Standards and the quality expectations of teachers in their states
• Through state level engagement efforts, almost 800 state postsecondary institutions and systems have been involved in the development of the PARCC assessment
• PARCC ACCR and Higher Education Leadership Team played an integral role in defining and adopting the College and Career Readiness Determination for placement into entry-level, college-credit bearing courses
• Role going forward: – Continue to deepen awareness of the postsecondary role in PARCC
– Develop K-12/postsecondary partnerships and governance plans for using the PARCC assessments for placement
– Approve and participate in the standard setting and long-term validations processes
– Engage higher education in supporting full implementation of the CCSS and PARCC assessments
Higher Education Engagement
22
The PARCC Assessment System
23
Getting All Students College and Career Ready
24
K–2 Grades 3–8 High
School
Voluntary K–2 assessment being
developed, aligned to the Common Core State
Standards
Timely data showing whether ALL students
are on track for college and career readiness
College readiness score to identify who is ready for college-level
coursework
Success In first-year,
credit-bearing, postsecondary
coursework
Targeted interventions and supports:
• State-developed 12th-grade bridge courses
Ongoing student support/interventions
Professional development for educators
Assessments ELA/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3–11
25
Beginning of School Year
End of School Year
Diagnostic Assessment
Mid-Year Assessment
Performance-Based
Assessment
End-of-Year Assessment
Speaking and Listening
Assessment
Optional Required
Key:
Flexible administration
From the Student’s Perspective
26
•
• Early Spring Performance Based Assessments in Math and Literacy
• ELA/Literacy: 3.5 hours to write three essays
• Math: 2 hours to work through a few short problems and 6-7 extended math problems
• Late Spring: Short answer/Multiple choice Assessments
• ELA/Literacy: 2 hours to work through selected response analytical questions
• Math: 1.75-2 hours to work through short mathematics problems
• Less than 1% of total instructional time
PARCC Sample Assessment Items: High School Mathematics and English Language Arts
27
• August 2013: PARCC released new sample items in
Mathematics and ELA/literacy
• October 2013: additional sample items released
• November 2013: sample items available on the
technology platform
• Spring 2014: PARCC practice test, available to students,
teachers, parents via PARCConline.org
A Preview of the PARCC Assessments
28
PARCC Algebra I/Math I Sample Item
• Students construct a linear function based on real world facts
• Students must think about the context and use the regularity
in the linear rate to create a good mental model of the
situation
• The questions in this item are sequenced to provide students
with a deeper understanding of the mathematical concept
• Item can be used in the classroom for instructional purposes
• Students may receive partial credit
Key Advances
30
Student read an excerpt from "Daedalus and Icarus" from Ovid's Metamorphoses Volume Two and answer the following questions:
Part A Which of the following sentences best states an important theme about human behavior as described in Ovid’s “Daedalus and Icarus”? a. Striving to achieve one’s dreams is a worthwhile endeavor. b. The thoughtlessness of youth can have tragic results. c. Imagination and creativity bring their own rewards d. Everyone should learn from his or her mistakes. Part B Select three pieces of evidence from Ovid’s “Daedalus and Icarus” that support the answer to Part A.
a. "and by his playfulness retard the work/his anxious father planned" (lines 310-311) b. "But when at last/the father finished it, he poised himself" (lines 312-313). c. "he fitted on his son the plumed wings/ with trembling hands, while down his withered cheeks/the tears were falling" (lines 327-329). d. "Proud of his success/the foolish Icarus forsook his guide” (lines 348-349)." e. "and, bold in vanity, began to soar/rising upon his wings to touch the skies" f. "and as the years went by the gifted youth/began to rival his instructor's art " g. "Wherefore Daedalus/enraged and envious, sought to slay the youth " h. "The Partridge hides/in shaded places by the leafy trees…for it is mindful of its former fall "
PARCC Grade 10 English Language Arts/Literacy Sample Item: Evidence Based Selected Response
Part A:
• Requires students to determine one of the themes of the myth as recounted in this version
• Requires synthesis of several parts of the myth to determine the answer
• Lays the foundation for Part B in which students must locate evidence to justify their answer
Part B:
• Students must read carefully to answer both parts correctly
• Student must use textual evidence to justify their answer to Part A.
• Student may receive full or partial credit
Key Advances
32
Students read an excerpt from both "Daedalus and Icarus," from Ovid's Metamorphoses Volume Two and “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph” by Anne Sexton and respond to the following prompt: Use what you have learned from reading “Daedalus and Icarus” by Ovid
and “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph” by Anne Sexton to
write an essay that provides an analysis of how Sexton transforms
“Daedalus and Icarus.”
• As a starting point, you may want to consider what is emphasized, absent, or
different in the two texts, but feel free to develop your own focus for analysis.
• Develop your essay by providing textual evidence from both texts. Be sure to
follow the conventions of standard English.
PARCC Grade 10 English Language Arts/Literacy Sample Item: Prose Constructed Response
• Students must draw evidence from two texts and cite this evidence
clearly to analyze how the author draws upon and transforms source
materials
• Student must cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text
• Students are required to demonstrate that they can apply
knowledge of language and conventions of writing
Key Advances
34
PARCC Scores as Indicators of College Readiness
35
Background: Policy-Level Performance Level Descriptors
36
• PARCC states will use 5 achievement levels for grades 3-8 and HS in ELA/literacy and mathematics
• Each of the proposed performance levels includes:
– Policy claims, which describe educational implications for students at a particular performance level.
– General content claims, which describe academic knowledge and skills students across grade levels performing at a given performance level are able to demonstrate.
• Level 4 will be the threshold for earning the College and Career Ready Determinations on the designated high school assessments
The following statement was approved for use to inform standard-setting (determining cut scores for PARCC performance levels) and to conduct future studies to validate the efficacy of the CCR Determinations.
– Students who earn a PARCC College- and Career-Ready Determination by performing at a Level 4 in Mathematics and enroll in College Algebra, Introductory Statistics, and technical courses requiring an equivalent level of mathematics have approximately a 0.75 probability of earning college credit by attaining at least a grade of C or its equivalent in those courses.
– Students who earn a PARCC College- and Career-Ready Determination by performing at a Level 4 in ELA/literacy and enroll in College English Composition, Literature, and technical courses requiring college-level reading and writing have approximately a 0.75 probability of earning college credit by attaining at least a grade of C or its equivalent in those courses.
Standard-Setting/Validation Studies of the CCRD
37
• To set college-ready performance standards on the high school assessments,
PARCC will use evidence from research such as:
—Concurrent validity studies
• Compare performance on PARCC with ACT/SAT/COMPASS/Accuplacer
—Predictive validity studies
• Connect success of students on PARCC to performance in first-year courses
—Judgment studies
• Rate importance of CCSS standards and test items in comparison with first-year
course content
—Alignment studies
• Examine relationship between first course content and content PARCC measures
Research Strategy for Validation of College and Career Ready Scores
38
Incorporating PARCC into Postsecondary Placement Policies
39
• Two College and Career Ready Determinations:
– English language arts/literacy
– Mathematics
• Students who receive a CCRD will have demonstrated the academic knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to enter directly into and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing courses at public postsecondary institutions without the need for remediation.
• Students who achieve the CCRD will be guaranteed exemption from remedial course work in that content area.
• The PARCC Governing Board and ACCR approved the final policies during a special October 25, 2012 session.
• Policies are located at www.parcconline.org/parcc-assessment-policies
Background: College- and Career-Ready Determination (CCRD) Policy
40
A College and Career Ready Determination on the PARCC assessments indicate:
• Mastery of the core competencies in the Common Core State Standards identified
by postsecondary education faculty as prerequisites for and key to success in entry-
level, credit-bearing courses in English and mathematics
• Readiness for placement into entry-level, credit-bearing courses in ELA and
mathematics
A College and Career Ready Determination will not:
• Determine admission to college or university
• Replace college/university tests to place students into higher level mathematics
and English courses
• Address non-traditional students who delay enrollment
CCRD: Placement NOT Admission
41
What Successful Implementation Means for Postsecondary Institutions
42
• Institutions are confident in the validity of the PARCC assessments as a measure of college readiness
• Institutions have developed and implemented policies and plans for using PARCC to place students into entry-level credit bearing courses
• Institutions have developed and implemented a process for assessing the needs of students who do NOT meet the CCRD determination
• Postsecondary institutions collaborate with K-12 to provide supports to students during their senior year who are identified as not college ready in 10th grade.
• Build K-12/postsecondary partnerships to use PARCC as an early indicator to:
– Identify students who would benefit from early college credit/concurrent enrollment programs
– Provide senior year support courses so that student graduate ready for postsecondary courses
Timeline Through First PARCC Administration in 2014-2015
Results of Field Test Research Studies Will
be Released
All Phase 1 Items Completed and in the Item Bank for
Operational Assessment
Field Test Administered to over 1 Million Students:
Performance Based Assessments: March –April End of Year Assessments:
May-June
Schools and Districts Notified of Selection
for Field Testing
Practice Test Available on
PARCConline.org
Fall 2013
Spring 2014
Summer 2014
Fall 2014
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
PARCC Assessment Implementation
Phase II Item Development Will
be Completed
43
Spring 2015
Summer 2015
1st Year Assessment Administration Fall 2014: Performance-Based and End of Year for Block Schedules
1st Year Assessment Administration Spring 2015: Performance-Based and End of Year
Standard Setting Conducted and Scores for 1st Operational Assessments Released
The Role of Postsecondary Going Forward
44
State Level Strategies
45
• Increase state level awareness of the role postsecondary institutions, leaders, and faculty have played in the development of the CCSS and PARCC assessments
• Communicate extensively to postsecondary institutions and faculty about the research and validation process
• Work with teacher preparation programs to imbed the Common Core State Standards and PARCC assessment into curriculum
• Assist state leaders in identifying policies and practices that need to be in place to use PARCC for placement into college-credit bearing courses
• Prepare to communicate to students and parents about college readiness and support students who do not meet the CCRD determination
• Build K-12 postsecondary partnerships to support implementation and promote student success
– Continue to build a strong and committed cadre of higher education advocates within and across states;
– Approve and participate in the standard setting and long-term validations processes
– Collaborate with national college readiness and completion initiatives (e.g., Core to College, Complete College America, Concurrent Enrollment Programs, Early College High School) to ensure that initiatives are complementary
– Support state policy alignment to ensure a smooth transition to the Common Core State Standards;
– Expand engagement and collaboration of K-12 and higher education leaders through communication and interactive opportunities (e.g., vertical alignment).
The Work Continues: PARCC Higher Education State Leadership
46
47
Benefits of CCSS to Higher Education
• Better information about the preparation of incoming students
- Better use of 12th grade
• Improved preparation of incoming students – from all states
- Increased academic rigor in entry-level, credit-bearing courses
• Reduced remediation rates
- Increased funding may be redirected to support credit-bearing courses
• Increased degree attainment rates
- Increased capacity – colleges can admit more students
• Better options for academic interventions to ensure students remain on-track to college readiness
Progress Update: Key Developments
48
In the Last Year…
49
June 2012 Minimum Technology Specifications, Version 1.0,
Released Item Development Began
August 2012 First Set of Item and Task Prototypes Released
September 2012 Adopted Principles for Comparability with SBAC
October 2012 College- and Career-Ready Determination Policy
Adopted
December 2012 Retest Policy Adopted Minimum Technology Specifications, Version 2.0,
Released
In the Last Year…
50
January 2013 Formed Executive Committee For Streamlined Decision Making
March 2013
Assessment Administration Capacity Planning Tool Released Estimated Time on Task Released Item Development Research with 2,300 Students in 6 states PARCC Non-Profit Formed
April 2013
Added Project Management & Procurement Capacity Draft Performance Level Descriptors Released for Comment Draft Accommodations Manual Released for Comment Test Blueprints & Evidence Statements Released
June 2013 Item Tryout Studies with 4,800+ Students in 4 States Guidance on Participation in Field Test and Practice Tests
July 2013
Final Subject- and Grade-Level Performance Level Descriptors Adopted
First Edition of PARCC Accommodations Manual Estimates for Summative Assessment Costs Released Diagnostic & Formative Assessment RFPs Released
Looking Ahead: 2013
51
Fall 2013
Schools and Districts Notified of Selection for Field Testing • Sample Items Re-Released on Technology Platform • Minimum Technology Specifications, version 3.0 • Training Materials for IEP Writing Teams on Accommodations Manual • Educator Leader Cadre October Convening • Timeline / Plan for Student Registration for Operational Testing
Winter 2013-2014
• Specifications for Online Testing Portal Released • Final Information about Field Testing • Final Information about Timing of Data Return
Looking Ahead: 2014 and Beyond
52
Spring 2014
• Field Test Administration (May-June) • Practice Test Available • Standard-Setting Methodology Released
Summer 2014
• Final Information about Methodology for Calculating Student Scores • Final Test Security Policies Released • Final Registration Timeline and Process for Operational Testing Released • Final Technology Specifications Released
Fall 2014 • Operational Assessment Administration Manual • Forms Construction for Operational Administration Complete
Winter 2014-2015
• 1st Operational Assessment – Fall 2014 Block Schedule Administration of PBA and EOY
Spring 2015 • 1st Operational Assessment – Spring 2014 Administration of PBA and EOY
Summer 2015 • Student Performance Levels and Associated Cut Scores for all Grades and
for College- and Career-Ready Determination (Standard-Setting)
Resources Available
53
“Connecting the Dots”, written by PARCC Higher Education Leadership Team members, and December 2012 CHANGE Magazine article “The Common Core State Standards: A Vital Tool for Higher Education”, written by Allison Jones of PARCC and Jaci King of SBAC, are available at www.parcconline.org.
Resources
54
Higher education-focused message card that describes key messages on the front…
…and gives stakeholders more information about PARCC and the role of and benefits to higher education on the back.
Smarter Balanced Overview Jacqueline E. King
Director, Higher Education Collaboration
College Board Annual Forum October 24, 2013
Smarter Balanced Assessment
Consortium
• 26 states &
territories (23
governing, 2
advisory, 1
affiliate)
• K-12 & Higher
Education
Leads in each
state
A Balanced Assessment System
Common
Core State
Standards
specify
K-12
expectations
for college
and career
readiness
All students
leave
high school
college
and career
ready
Teachers and
schools have
information and
tools they need to
improve teaching
and learning
Interim assessments
Flexible, open, used for actionable
feedback
Summative assessments
Benchmarked to college and career
readiness
Teacher resources for formative assessment
practices to improve instruction
Describe Explain
Interpret
Level One (Recall)
Level Three (Strategic Thinking)
(Extended Thinking)
Level Two (Skill/
Concept)
Design
Synthesize
Connect
Apply Concepts
Critique
Analyze
Create
Prove
Arrange
Calculate
Draw
Repeat Tabulate
Recognize
Memorize
Identify
Who, What, When, Where, Why
List
Name
Use
Illustrate
Measure
Define
Recall Match
Graph
Classify
Cause/Effect
Estimate
Compare
Relate
Infer
Categorize
Organize
Interpret
Predict
Modify
Summarize
Show Construct
Develop a Logical Argument
Assess Revise
Apprise
Hypothesize
Investigate
Critique Compare
Formulate Draw Conclusions Explain
Differentiate
Use Concepts to Solve Non-Routine Problems
Level Four
Source: Webb, Norman L. and others, “Web Alignment Tool” 24 July 2005. Wisconsin Center of Educational Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2 Feb 2006 4
Assessing the Common Core
Smarter Balanced assessments move beyond basic skills and recall to assess critical thinking and problem solving
Purposes and Users for the
Summative Assessments
Grades Tested Purpose User
3-8 and 11 School/District/State Accountability Federal
ESEA/NCLB
11
Student Readiness for Credit-
bearing College Coursework
Higher Education
Institutions
9, 10, 12 State Designed End-of-Course,
Graduation Requirements, etc. State Option
3-8 and 11 Teacher/Principal Accountability State/District
Option
Summative Assessment:
Benefits and Limitations
Benefits
• Far more sophisticated and comprehensive measure of student knowledge and skills than most existing K-12 accountability or college placement exams.
• Linked to known, high-quality content standards (Common Core).
• Early warning for students not yet college ready.
Limitations
• Summative exams are not diagnostic in nature.
• Will not measure readiness for advanced mathematics (e.g. Calculus) requiring 12th grade instruction.
Summative Assessment:
Two-pronged Approach
Computer Adaptive Test
• Assesses the full range of Common Core in English language arts/literacy and mathematics for students in grades 3-8 and 11 (interim assessments can be used in grades 9 and 10)
• Measures current student achievement and growth across time, showing progress toward college and career readiness
• Includes a variety of question types: selected response, short constructed response, extended construction response, technology enhanced
Performance Tasks
• Extended projects demonstrate real-world writing and analytical skills
• May include online research, group projects, presentations
• Require 1 to 2 class periods to complete
• Included in both English language arts/literacy and mathematics assessments
• Applicable in all grades being assessed
• Evaluated by teachers using consistent scoring rubrics
Estimated Testing Times
for Summative Assessment
Test Grades CAT Perf. Task
Only Sub-Total
In-Class Activity
Total
English Language Arts/ Literacy
3-5 1:30 2:00 3:30 :30 4:00
6-8 1:30 2:00 3:30 :30 4:00
11 2:00 2:00 4:00 :30 4:30
Math
3-5 1:30 1:00 2:30 :30 3:00
6-8 2:00 1:00 3:00 :30 3:30
11 2:00 1:30 3:30 :30 4:00
The testing window is the final 33% of instructional days for Grades 3-8, final 20% of instructional days for Grade 11.
Practice Test Available Now
Both subject areas, grades 3 through 8 and 11
Approx. 23 items & 1 performance task in each subject area
Same software as operational test
Features refreshable Braille , pop-up Spanish glossary, and other accessibility/accommodation tools
Interim & Formative Assessment
Interim Assessment
• Optional comprehensive and content-cluster assessment to help identify specific needs of each student
• Accessible all year
• Provides clear examples of expected performance on Common Core standards
• Includes a variety of question types: selected response, short constructed response, extended constructed response, technology enhanced, and performance tasks
• Aligned to and reported on the same scale as the summative assessments
• Fully accessible for instruction and professional development
Formative Assessment
• Not a test – a digital library of formative assessment tools & professional development resources
• Online, accessible to all teachers
• Supports to tailor instruction to student needs based on information from the assessment system
• Developed with input from teams of approx. 100 educators from each Governing State
• Resources selected according to established quality criteria
• Social media features allow teachers to rate items and share their perspectives
• Launching in September 2014
Field Test &Standard Setting
• Field test in Spring 2014 (March 18 to June 6) will target 2 million students — roughly 20% of eligible students in each state (10% for ELA and 10% for math).
• States determining levels of additional field testing now.
• 1,000 educators (teachers and higher education faculty) working now on developing and reviewing items and performance tasks.
• Standard-setting will occur after field test (August/September 2014).
In addition to traditional workshop, Smarter Balanced will invite broad stakeholder involvement.
Stakeholders can review items and make their own cut score recommendations.
Crowd-sourced data will inform standard-setting workshop.
Smarter Balanced
and Higher Education
Why is Higher Education Involved in
Smarter Balanced?
• Common Core State Standards are anchored in expectations
for college readiness.
• Higher education agreed when states applied for federal
grant to participate in design of assessments with goal of
recognizing 11th grade exam as evidence of college content-
readiness.
• Opportunity to improve college readiness, reduce
remediation, and improve lower division courses, and
boost completion.
Common Core Standards and Assessments:
Essential Components of the Completion Agenda
Common Core standards and assessments:
• Anchor K-12 experience in real-world
expectations for success in college
and careers.
• Remove the guesswork for teachers
and schools.
• Allow schools, parents and students to
track progress.
• Identify students who need
assistance while still in high school.
• Reduce remediation and increase
college success.
Research has
consistently
shown that the
single most
powerful
predictor of
student success
in college is the
rigor of
academic
preparation.
A New Vision for Assessing Readiness
Typical Readiness Testing Today
• Each college or system sets its own standards and selects its own measures.
• K-12 typically has no information about the standards.
• Students don’t know about tests and don’t prepare for them.
• Predictive validity of tests is often unknown.
• Students who “played by the rules” end up in remediation.
Smarter Balanced Vision
• Assessments designed around known, agreed-upon standards (Common Core).
• Proficiency standards set through an open process with substantial higher education involvement.
• Everyone (students, teachers, parents, etc.) knows the expectations.
• Students address deficiencies in high school.
Smarter Balanced Goals for Higher
Education
• Colleges and universities recognize the Smarter Balanced Grade 11 assessment as a valid measure of college content-readiness as defined by the Common Core State Standards.
• Colleges and universities agree on a common performance standard in English language arts/literacy and mathematics for college content-readiness.
• Colleges and universities use the Smarter Balanced assessment as evidence that students are ready for credit-bearing course work and can be exempted from developmental courses.
Higher Education’s Involvement Matters
Involvement of higher education will influence:
•Definitions of college and career readiness
• Changes in high school curricula and teaching
• Structure and content of the new assessments
• 12th grade interventions for students who need to address deficiencies, course schedules for students who are on track, and accelerated options for advanced students.
Reaching the Goal:
Expectations of Higher Education
What is Expected
• Participation in assessment design
• Lead role in defining college readiness and standard- setting for 11th grade assessment
• Agreement on performance standards for exemption from developmental courses in English and math
What is NOT Expected
• Use of Smarter Balanced assessment for admission
• Standardization of admission criteria or standards
• Standardization of developmental or first-year curricula
• Complete reliance on the Smarter Balanced assessment for placement decisions (other data points and assessments may be used)
College Content-Readiness Policy
What is Content Readiness?
English
Language
Arts/Literacy
Students who perform at the College Content-Ready level in
English language arts/literacy demonstrate reading, writing,
listening, and research skills necessary for introductory courses
in a variety of disciplines. They also demonstrate subject-area
knowledge and skills associated with readiness for entry-level,
transferable, credit-bearing English and composition courses.
Mathematics Students who perform at the College Content-Ready level in
mathematics demonstrate foundational mathematical
knowledge and quantitative reasoning skills necessary for
introductory courses in a variety of disciplines. They also
demonstrate subject-area knowledge and skills associated with
readiness for entry-level, transferable, credit-bearing
mathematics and statistics courses.
Policy Framework
for Grade 11 Assessment Results
• Not Yet Content-Ready - Substantial Support Needed
• K-12 & higher education may offer interventions Level 1
• Not Yet Content-Ready – Support Needed
• Transition courses or other supports for Grade 12, retesting option for states
Level 2
• Conditionally Content-Ready/Exempt from Developmental
• In each state, K-12 and higher ed must jointly develop Grade 12 requirements for students to earn exemption
Level 3
• Content-Ready/Exempt from Developmental
• K-12 and higher education may jointly set Grade 12 requirements to retain exemption (optional for states)
Level 4
Note: Applies only to students who matriculate directly from high school to college.
Higher Education After Smarter Balanced:
What’s Changed?
• Instead of multiple tests, with differing performance standards, all public schools in consortium states use the same test, content standards (Common Core) and performance standards.
• Grade 11 performance standards are pegged to college content-readiness, with standards for earlier grades mapped to Grade 11.
• In each state, K-12 and higher education set requirements for Grade 12 (may vary by institution type).
• Students, parents and teachers know where the academic “goal line” is and students can address deficiencies in high school.
• Working together, K-12 and higher education can develop appropriate grade 12 experiences for students at differing achievement levels.
• Colleges can target students for special programs based on Grade 8 scores (or earlier).
Higher Education After Smarter Balanced:
What Hasn’t Changed?
• High school exit: Some states may use the Smarter Balanced assessment—with a lower performance standard—for high school exit, but no state currently plans to use the college content-readiness standard for this purpose.
• Admission : Colleges will continue to admit students according to their current standards and practices – the college content-readiness policy applies only to admitted students.
• Placement: While honoring the exemption from developmental education for students who have earned it, colleges may use tests (and/or other means) to determine appropriate course placement.
• Dev ed reform: Colleges can continue to place any student into credit-bearing courses. Grades-only placement policies are unaffected.
• STEM: Colleges will need to assess additional evidence for students seeking to enter more advanced mathematics courses.
Next Steps for Higher Education
Reporting System Development Spring – Winter 2013
Comparability with PARCC Spring – Winter 2013
Career Readiness Policy * Spring 2013 – Spring 2014
Validation Research Planning Spring – Winter 2013
States Determine Grade 12 Requirements Fall 2013 – Spring 2014
Validation Research Implementation Spring 2014 – 2017
Standard-setting* August/September 2014
Development of Reporting ALDs * September 2014
Institutional participation decisions Beginning Fall 2014
* Subject to state vote by K12 and higher education.
Learn More and Stay Engaged
• Visit SmarterBalanced.org for the latest news and developments
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