North Carolina’s Focus onNorth Carolina s Focus on Formative Assessment

Sarah McManus, Director, Instructional ContentNorth Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Let’s look back to 2006

There was too much emphasis on: “The test” The test State test results Practice items Alignment Alignment Remediation

There was not enough emphasis on:• Student learning• Developing self-directed learners• I i t d t ti ti• Increasing student motivation• Delivering quality professional development for teachers

• content delivery• classroom assessment• classroom assessment

State Board and Legislative DirectionsDirections New NC SBE Goals (September 2006) ( p ) Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and

Accountability (May 2007 - January 2008) NC SBE Framework for Change (June 2008) NC SBE Framework for Change (June 2008) NCDPI Response to the Framework for Change

(October 2008) Move to a system that includes formative,

benchmark and summative assessments (EOGs and EOCs)and EOCs)

Equip teachers to use formative data and feedback to align instruction with individual student’s needsstudent s needs

Standard IV: Teachers Facilitate Learning For Their Students

Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.

Teachers use multiple indicators, including formative and summative assessments to evaluate student progress and growth.g

Teachers provide opportunities, methods, feedback, and tools for students to assess themselves and each other.

Teachers use 21st Century assessment systems to inform y yinstruction and demonstrate evidence of students’ 21st Century knowledge, skills, performance, and dispositions.

Struggling with the Definition of F ti A t( )Formative Assessment(s)

• Process vs. Test?• PD vs. Item Bank?

• CCSSO FAST vs. CCSSO CAS use of FA?• Assessment vs. Assessments?

• In 2007, the state superintendent created agency committee h i t t l th i don comprehensive assessment to explore the issue and

develop definitions for formative, interim/benchmark, and summative assessments

• Committee looked at the work of CCSSO • Committee adopted the CCSSO FAST SCASS definition in

20082008

Online Formative Assessment PD

Initial Development and Pilot: October 2008 – June 2010;2010; Statewide Rollout: July 2010 – June 2012Inclusion of IHEs: August 2012 - present

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Formative Assessment Model

FA Plan ExampleGrade/Subject: Dual Language/Immersion Program/Math Geometry—Grade 4Objective: Identify, predict, and describe lines of symmetry and symmetrical plane figures.

Learning Target Criteria for Success Collecting Evidence Documenting Evidence

我能认识对称线和对称的图形Ican recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figures and recognize and classify line-

1. 我会把图对称.I will make a symmetrical picture by matching/adding/drawing objects, coloring, etc.

Using Smartboard, have students draw symmetrical pictures by matching/adding/drawing objects coloring etc

Class observations. Students’ formative assessment checklists.

recognize and classify line-symmetric figures

2我会分别对称/不对称.I will sort the pictures into symmetrical/non-symmetrical.

objects, coloring, etc.

Using Smartboard, have students sort the pictures into two groups symmetrical and non-symmetrical.

Class observations. Students’ formative assessment checklists.

3我会找出对称的图. I will find the pictures that are symmetrical.

4.我会和朋友或者在电脑上玩对称游戏 I ill l th

y

Using Smartboard, have students find the pictures that are symmetrical by putting the check marks.

Class observations. Students’ formative assessment checklists.

Cl b ti St d t ’对称游戏. I will play the symmetry game with a partner or on the computer.

Using computer, have the students work with a partner to play the online symmetry game.

Class observations. Students’ formative assessment checklists.

1 Wh t i ti d thi k t d t i ht h ?1.What misconceptions do you think students might have? 2.What will you do to address the misconceptions to move learning forward (e.g., how will you adjust instruction, what descriptivefeedback will you provide)?

Integrating FA in State and Federal InitiativesInitiatives• Connections to Response to Instruction

S t M t i l f N E ti l St d d• Support Materials for New Essential Standards and Common Core State StandardsK 3 Lit• K-3 Literacy

• Race to the Top GrantsT i i t S t th U d t di d– Training to Support the Understanding and Implementation of new standards

– Connecting to the new instructional improvementConnecting to the new instructional improvement system

– Early Challenge Grant Development for K-3 FA– Governor’s Teachers Network

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Information Instruction

NC’s Home Base Rolled Out in 2013Information Instruction

AssessmentStudent

Information and Learner

Profile

Instructional Design, Practice

& Resources

Data Analysis and Reporting

Educator Effectiveness: Evaluation and Professional

Development

Profile

Information Integrated Instructional Solution EffectivenessgOpenClassCollaboration

SchoolnetInstructional Tools andAssessment

PowerSchoolStudent Information

TruenorthlogicEvaluation and PD

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan Template

• targets/criteria for successfor success

• collecting/documenting evidenceenting evidence

• teacher reflection and instructional adjustmentst d t lf• student self-

reflections and next stepsp

Lesson Plans Upload and Tag FA ResourcesResources

• Create orCreate or upload a resource (e g(e.g., formative assessment plan) and tag it

Lesson Plans

Search for FA resources

• Find sample lesson plans, esso p a s,units, resources

• Find Formative Assessment Strategies andStrategies and Resources

Sample Home Base FA Resourcesp• http://map.mathshell.org/materials/dow

l d h ?fil id 703nload.php?fileid=703• Assessing 2.G.1• Sample NC Common Core Math FA

Plan• Sample NC Common Core ELA Plan• High Point University presents on FA in g y

the Classroom• Sample GTN lessonp

Assessment • Search for

assessment items/tasks that can be used forused for formative, benchmark, or summativesummative purposes

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Multiple Data ComparisonsComparisons

Fast Forward to 20152014-15 SBE Task Force on Summative Assessment

• Proposes that NC have content standards that satisfy college and career readiness

• Proposes having a comprehensive balanced• Proposes having a comprehensive balanced assessment system with three tiers –classroom/formative, benchmark, and statewide summative testingsummative testing– The Task Force references the FA definitions of Black and

Wiliam and Cowie in their work but no recommendations about how to support the use in the classroom

NC ill il t th f th h t i• NC will pilot the use of through-course assessments in 2015-16 to provide teachers with more immediate feedback

Questions to Consider• Now that formative assessment is “integrated into

other initiatives,” will it get lost?other initiatives, will it get lost?• Without RttT funding and limited state funds, how

will FA be supported?pp• Is it considered old news (e.g., “been there, done

that”)?• With staff changes, who will be the champion for the

cause?• What is needed to have formal policies in place to

sustain the effort?

Contact InformationContact Information

S h M M Ph DSarah McManus, Ph.D.Director | Instructional Content

NC Department of Public Instructionsarah.mcmanus@dpi.nc.gov[P] 919 807 3776[P] 919.807.3776