Massachusetts Reading First

1. Massachusetts Reading First  Leadership Meeting April 26, 2007 Worcester Hotel & Conference Center

2. Objectives To continue the conversation about MCAS that we began at the last Leadership Meeting To focus on the content of the assessment including test development To outline our plan for providing professional development on open-response questions beginning this summer

3. Objectives To share ideas with colleagues about improving student achievement To present The Massachusetts PreK � 12 Literacy Plan: Report and Recommendations of the Literacy Task Force To discuss what went well this year, and what you�d like the Office of Reading to consider for next year

4. Overview of MCAS Content NOT Statistics At the last meeting Bob Lee, Lead statistician from the Office of Student Assessment at the Department, talked to you about the statistics behind the assessment. He talked about equating, and how the test is constructed to ensure that the standard remains the same over time. Questions came up at the last series of meetings about the content of the test, and how it is constructed. Specifically, about readabilities, etc. So we�ve decided to continue the conversation today, focusing on content not statistics. Additionally, today will offer a preview of our plans in the Office of Reading to provide professional development on written response to text. We�ll begin this summer, August 1 and 2, with a two day institute on close reading of selected texts, and writing questions that measure our ELA standards. We�ll also look at the questions in your core programs and review them carefully. The point is not to ask ALL the questions, rather to students to answer questions that are well constructed, and allow teachers to measure where their students are in terms of meeting proficiency. At the last meeting Bob Lee, Lead statistician from the Office of Student Assessment at the Department, talked to you about the statistics behind the assessment. He talked about equating, and how the test is constructed to ensure that the standard remains the same over time. Questions came up at the last series of meetings about the content of the test, and how it is constructed. Specifically, about readabilities, etc. So we�ve decided to continue the conversation today, focusing on content not statistics. Additionally, today will offer a preview of our plans in the Office of Reading to provide professional development on written response to text. We�ll begin this summer, August 1 and 2, with a two day institute on close reading of selected texts, and writing questions that measure our ELA standards. We�ll also look at the questions in your core programs and review them carefully. The point is not to ask ALL the questions, rather to students to answer questions that are well constructed, and allow teachers to measure where their students are in terms of meeting proficiency.

5. MCAS Overview Question types and points: Grade 3 is a little different from the grades 4-8 and 10 test Grade 3 test: 7 passages (3-4 of each long and short) 40 multiple choice items (1 point each) 2 open-response items (4 points each) We�ll begin by looking at the entire assessment. The items, passages, and how the test is constructed. You have a handout called Massachusetts Department of Education ELA test blueprint We�ll begin by looking at the entire assessment. The items, passages, and how the test is constructed. You have a handout called Massachusetts Department of Education ELA test blueprint

6. MCAS Overview Grades 4-8 and 10 6 passages (3 long and 3 short) 36 multiple choice items (1 point each) 4 open-response items � 4 points each Grades 4, 7 and 10 also include a writing component- the long composition

7. Literary Text and Informational Text For example: 2006 grade 3 test