The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Introductory Information for Parents, Educators and...
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Transcript of The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Introductory Information for Parents, Educators and...
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
Introductory Information for Parents, Educators and Community Members
Michael HockDirector of Educational Assessment,
Vermont Agency of Education
Why do we need new tests?
• Each state bears the burden of test development; no economies of scale
Each state pays for its own assessments
• Students in many states leave high school unprepared for college or career; Limited comparability of results across states
Based on state standards
• Inadequate measures of complex skills and deep understanding. Heavy use of multiple choice
• Tests cannot be used to inform instruction or affect program decisions
Results delivered long after tests are given
• Difficult to interpret meaning of scores; concerns about access and fairness;
Accommodations for special education and ELL students vary
• Costly, time consuming, and challenging to maintain securityMost administered on paper
What will be different about the new tests?
USED Grant Requirements Align to Career and College Readiness Standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy
Rigorously assess progress toward “college and career readiness”
Use common cut scores across the Consortium Provide achievement and growth information Use assessments that are valid, reliable, and fair for all
students (Note: Alternate assessments still needed for small percentage of student)
Use multiple measures of student performance Use online technologies Be operational in the 2014-15 school year
How will SBAC be different from NECAP?Smarter Balanced NECAP
Common Core State Standards Tri-State Grade Expectations
On Track to be Career and College Ready Prepared for Next Grade Level Learning
Web-Based Pencil and Paper
Computer Adaptive Fixed Form/Common Item Set
Summative, Interim and Formative Summative
Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Tech Enhanced, Performance Task
Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Constructed response
12 Weeks/Spring 3 Weeks/ Fall
Some Scores Available Immediately; Remainder in About 1 Month About 3 Months
Content Standards
Achievement Descriptors
Test Format
Item Delivery
Assessment Types
Item Types
Testing Window
Results Turnaround
What’s the difference between summative, interim and formative assessments?
Summative Assessments are administered at the end of a specific unit or period of learning, generally near the end of a school year. They are designed to “sum up” how much the student has learned over that period of time, and to determine if the student’s achievement is sufficient to meet standards or pre-defined learning expectations.
Interim Assessments are similar to summative assessments in terms of content but are designed to be administered more frequently in order to determine if students are on track to meet end of grade/unit standards, or to provide additional support or mid-course correction if needed.
Formative Assessments are embedded in the day to day, minute to minute interactions between teachers and students. They are used to gauge the pacing of instruction and to determine if students are ready to move on to new material or if they need additional instruction. Formative assessments are often based on strategic questioning strategies, probes, short quizzes or performance events.
What’s the new assessment consortium all about? Is it really smarter and more
balanced?The purpose of the Consortium is to… Develop a comprehensive and innovative assessment
system for grades 3-8 and high school in English language arts and mathematics aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so that...
...students leave high school prepared for postsecondary success in college or a career through increased student learning and improved teaching
[The assessments shall be operational across Consortium states in the 2014-15 school year]
26 member states and territories representing 39% of K-12 students
21 Governing States, 4 Advisory States, 1 Affiliate Member
Washington state is fiscal agent
WestEd provides project management services
Who is Smarter Balanced?
Secretary Vilaseca has been an active participant in policy level work with his counterparts from the other Smarter Balanced governing states.
Michael Hock is one of eight elected representatives to the Smarter Balanced Executive Committee
Challis Breithaupt is Vermont’s state lead Peter Drescher is Vermont’s technological readiness coordinator Mary Ann Minardo is Vermont’s teacher involvement coordinator Marty Gephart, Gail Taylor and Michael Hock have each co-
chaired an SBAC workgroup UVM College of Education Dean Faynese Miller is Vermont’s
high ed lead. UVM literacy expert Sue Biggam participated in creating the SBAC Achievement Level Descriptors. Vermont college faculty has been well represented on the higher council
To date, 21 Vermont educators have participated in one or more Smarter Balanced review committee
What is Vermont’s role in the consortium?
9
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 CCSS;
Combine Computer Adaptive and Performance
Tasks
Teacher resources for formative assessment
practicesto improve instruction
What’s so “balanced” about Smarter Balanced?
What would a "smarter balanced" school year look like?
*Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.
Re-take option
Optional Interim assessment system—
Summative assessment for accountability
Last 12 weeks of year*
DIGITAL CLEARINGHOUSE of formative tools, processes and exemplars; released items and tasks; model curriculum units; educator training; professional development tools and resources; scorer training modules; and teacher collaboration tools.
Scope, sequence, number, and timing of interim assessments locally determined
PERFORMANCETASKS
• Reading• Writing• Math
END OF YEARADAPTIVE ASSESSMENT
* Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.
English Language Arts and Mathematics, Grades 3 – 8 and High School
Computer AdaptiveAssessment andPerformance Tasks
BEGINNING OF YEAR
END OF YEAR
INTERIM ASSESSMENT
Computer AdaptiveAssessment andPerformance Tasks
INTERIM ASSESSMENT
What's so special about Computer Adaptive Testing (aka CAT)?
• Provides accurate measurements of student growth over timeIncreased precision
• Item difficulty based on student responsesTailored for Each
Student
• Larger item banks mean that not all students receive the same questionsIncreased Security
• Fewer questions compared to fixed form testsShorter Test Length
• Turnaround time is significantly reducedFaster Results
• GMAT, GRE, COMPASS (ACT), Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)Mature Technology
Is the estimate as accurate as
we can make it?
How does a CAT work?
What is a summative assessment?
Summative Assessment (Computer Adaptive)
Assesses the full range of Common Core in English language arts 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
Can be given once or twice a year (mandatory testing window within the last 12 weeks of the instructional year)
Includes a variety of question types: selected response, short constructed response, extended constructed response, technology enhanced, and performance tasks
What role will performance tasks play?
Extended projects demonstrate real-world writing and analytical skills
May include online research, group projects, presentations
Require 1-2 class periods to complete
Included in both interim and summative assessments
Applicable in all grades being assessed
Evaluated by teachers using consistent scoring rubrics
Performance Tasks
The use of performance
measures has been found
to increase the intellectual
challenge in classrooms
and to support higher-
quality teaching.
- Linda Darling-Hammond and Frank Adamson, Stanford University
“
”
How long are the summative tests?
Test Grades CAT Perf. Task Only 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
Keep in mind that the new tests will measure more than the current assessments
What is an interim assessment?
Interim Assessment (Computer Adaptive)
Optional comprehensive and content-cluster assessment to help identify specific needs of each student
Can be administered throughout the 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
What are formative assessment tools and professional resources?
Few initiatives are
backed by evidence
that they raise
achievement.
Formative assessment
is one of the few
approaches proven to
make a difference.
- Stephanie Hirsh, Learning Forward
Digital Professional Development Library
Research-based, on-demand tools and resources for teachers
Aligned to Common Core, focused on increasing student learning and enabling differentiation of instruction
Professional development materials include model units of instruction and publicly released assessment items, formative strategies
Developed by teams of educators from the member states
“
”
How will results be reported?
Data are only useful if
people are able to
access, understand and
use them… For
information to be useful,
it must be timely, readily
available, and easy to
understand.
- Data Quality Campaign
Online Reporting
Static and dynamic reports, secure and public views
Individual states retain jurisdiction over access and appearance of online reports
Dashboard gives parents, students, practitioners, and policymakers access to assessment information
Graphical display of learning progression status (interim assessment)
Feedback and evaluation mechanism provides surveys, open feedback, and vetting of materials
“
”
“Students can demonstrate progress toward college and career readiness in English Language arts and literacy.”
“Students can demonstrate college and career readiness in English language arts and literacy.”
“Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of increasingly complex literary and informational texts.”
“Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences.”
“Students can employ effective speaking and listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences.”
“Students can engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.”
Overall Claim for Grades 3-8
Overall Claim for Grade 11
Claim #1 - Reading
Claim #2 - Writing
Claim #3 - Speaking and Listening
Claim #4 - Research/Inquiry
What are the English Language Arts reporting areas (aka “claims”)?
“Students can demonstrate progress toward college and career readiness in mathematics.”
“Students can demonstrate college and career readiness in mathematics.”
“Students can explain and apply mathematical concepts and interpret and carry out mathematical procedures with precision and fluency.”
“Students can solve a range of complex well-posed problems in pure and applied mathematics, making productive use of knowledge and problem solving strategies.”
“Students can clearly and precisely construct viable arguments to support their own reasoning and to critique the reasoning of others.”
“Students can analyze complex, real-world scenarios and can construct and use mathematical models to interpret and solve problems.”
Overall Claim for Grades 3-8
Overall Claim for Grade 11
Claim #1 - Concepts & Procedures
Claim #2 - Problem Solving
Claim #3 - Communicating Reasoning
Claim #4 - Modeling and Data Analysis
What are the mathematics reporting areas (aka “claims”)?
What supports will be available for special populations?
Common-
Core Tests
to Have Built-in
Accommodations
- June 8, 2011
“
”
Access by Design
Accurate measures of progress for students with disabilities and English Language Learners
Accessibility and Accommodations Work Group engaged throughout development
Outreach and collaboration with relevant associations
Universal Design Embedded Digital Accessibility
Features
22
How will digital technologies improve assessment for special populations?
Computer-delivered assessments provide an array of new opportunities to improve the assessment experience for students with special assessment needs, including students with disabilities and ELLs:
An expanded notion of Universal Design Emphasis on embedded digital accessibility tools that
decrease the need for locally provided accommodations Integration of assessment delivery system with assistive
technologies Vastly improved student engagement
23
PRECISE – Unlike fixed form tests, CAT is precise at all ability levels, not just at the proficient cut score
EFFICIENT – Takes less items than fixed form tests to reach a valid and reliable estimate of ability, reducing testing time by as much as 50%; results are available almost immediately.
RESPONSIVE & HUMANE – CAT algorithm produces an individual item set for each student, adapting after each student response; item set comprised of items the student CAN and CAN’T answer in equal proportion
Secure and Adaptable – CAT eliminates most test security concerns of fixed form tests allowing for longer test windows and small group or individualized administrations
Does CAT have any special advantages for special students?
24
But what about students who don’t have much experience with computer
testing?Students will have several opportunities to practice prior to the “official” testing:
Sample items (currently available on Smarter website) Practice tests (available in spring 2013) Interim assessment Pre-assessment tutorials
25
http://sampleitems.smarterbalanced.org/itempreview/sbac/ELA.htm
Showcases the variety of item types:• Selected response• Constructed response• Technology enhanced• Performance tasks
Sample Items? Can we see some of those?
Where can I learn more about Smarter Balanced?
On the web @ www.SmarterBalanced.org
Sign up for the Smarter Balanced e-newsletter
Follow the consortium on Twitter @SmarterBalanced
On the VT AOE web @ http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/sbac.html
E-Mail Michael @ [email protected]
QuestionsWhat else would you like to know?