Palo Alto Unified School District SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP Paly – SSC November 4, 2013

1. Palo Alto Unified School DistrictSMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT WORKSHOPPaly – SSCNovember 4, 2013 Diana Wilmot, Ph.D. Director of Research, Evaluation & Assessment Janine Penney, M.A. Manager of Research, Evaluation & Assessment

2. Outcomes and Agenda • Build knowledgebase around SBA* implementation. • Experience the student interface using the SBAC** online practice test. • Gain insight into how the new assessments might impact the way we/I currently assess student learning. *SBA – Smarter Balanced Assessments **SBAC – Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

3. Building Background Knowledge • Who/what is “Smarter Balanced”? • What is the “Smarter Balanced Assessment System”? • What do Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAs) look like?

4. Q: Who/what is “Smarter Balanced”? The answer beginswith the Common Core Standards… …and continues with a new Assessment System.

5. Foundations of Common Core College and Career Readiness 21st Century Framework – The 4 C’s

6. Q: Who/what is “Smarter Balanced”? Common Core Standards State Initiative 46 states adopted the CCSS in ELA/Literacy and math + Race to the Top Assessment Program Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) – 26 states PARCC – 20 states plus Washington DC

7. Assessment Consortia Member States As of August 16, 2013 Both Pennsylvania Washington, DC Hawaii Smarter Balanced 26 states PARCC 20 states & DC Neither: Alabama, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Virginia

8. Timeline for Implementation Through 2012 -- Assessment design & item writing 2012 – 2013 -- Field test development & pilot testing Field Testing Spring 2014 On October 2nd Governor Brown signed AB 484, legislation implementing the new assessment program in California. 2013-2014 is a transition year. • Grades 3-8, 11 (ELA or Math) & a small sample of grades 9/10 will be tested • CST, CMA and CAPA in Science for grades 5, 8, 10 • EAP test for grade 11 • CAHSEE for grades 10, 11, 12 The field test: • Is designed to “test the test” and our infrastructure (fully computer-based). • Results for ELA and math will not be calculated or reported for Spring 2014. 2014 – 15 – Smarter Balanced Assessments will be fully operational.

9. Q: What is the Smarter Balanced Assessment System? English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3 – 8 and High School* Optional Interim assessment system — no stakes Summative assessment for accountability Last 12 weeks of school year DIGITAL LIBRARY of formative tools, processes and exemplars; released items and tasks; model curriculum units; educator training; professional development tools and resources; practice tests; scorer training modules; and teacher collaboration tools. INTERIM ASSESSMENT INTERIM ASSESSMENT • PERFORMANCE TASKS • 1 ELA/Literacy • Task • 1 Math Task • COMPUTER ADAPTIVE ASSESSMENT • ELA/Literacy • Math Computer Adaptive Assessment and Performance Tasks Computer Adaptive Assessment and Performance Tasks Scope, sequence, number, and timing locally determined Retake Option * Summative and interim assessments for grades 3 – 8 and 11, with additional supporting assessments for grades 9 and 10. ** Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.

10. Q: What is the Smarter Balanced Assessment System?Computer Adaptive Assessment Last 12 weeks of year* • Multiple item types • (Constructed response and technology enhanced) • - Selected response - Fill-in tables • - Drag and drop - Short text • - Matching - Graphing • Adaptive delivery • Can span up to two grade levels up or down to gain accuracy and clearer profile of strengths and needs. COMPUTER ADAPTIVE ASSESSMENT Re-take option

11. Q: What is the Smarter Balanced Assessment System?Performance Tasks Last 12 weeks of year* • One ELA task & one math task per year • Helps assess beyond basic knowledge and skills • Combination of machine and teacher/human scoring • Results by end of school year • PERFORMANCE • TASKS • ELA/Literacy • Math

12. Key Elements and Principles Measure individual student’s: • Proficiency • Growth • “on track”-ness to college- and career-readiness • Readiness, at end of high school, for credit-bearing entry level postsecondary courses

13. What about English learners and students with disabilities? In September, SBAC adopted Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines “to ensure next-generation assessments meet the needs of English language learners and students with disabilities.”www.smarterbalanced.org The development of the guidelines included feedback from states, advisory panels on English language learners and students with disabilities, and national organizations.

15. Smarter Balanced Performance Task Specifications • Performance • Task • Essay, Story • Quantitative Problem • Oral presentation • Scoring Rubric • Information Processing/ • Constructed Response Items • Short Answer • Increasing in rigor High Item C Cognitive Demand Mid Item B Part 2: Student plans, writes, and revises his/her full essay, story, quantitative problem, or…. Cognitive Ramp Low Item A • “Stimulus” • Text • Graphs, data sets • Photos, media • Etc. Part 1: Student reads research sources (stimuli) and responds to prompts.

16. As we examine the ELA Performance tasks, consider… • What are some critical shifts in the new assessment system and how can they be addressed in my classroom/school? • How might the new assessments impact the way we/I currently assess student learning?

17. What do the Smarter Balanced Assessments look like?

18. Online Practice TestELA Performance Task • http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/ • At bottom of page, click Practice Test icon • Click Sign In • Select a grade level, then click Yes • Click test • Adjust settings (or not), click Select • Review selection and click Yes, Start My Test • Review Test Instructions and Help • Click Begin Test Now

19. SBA Practice TestScoring Guides with Rubrics Go to: http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/ • Click Resources and Documentation to view scoring guides for all practice test items including Performance Tasks.

20. Sample ELA Performance Task: Grade 4 Part 1 Part 1: Engaging Summary of Task Steps to follow Directions for beginning / taking notes

21. Sample ELA Performance Task: Grade 4 Part 1 Constructed Response questions to support students’ analysis/synthesis of stimuli

22. Sample ELA Performance Task: Grade 4 Part 2 Brief, engaging prompt How essay will be scored 3 concise steps to complete performance assessment

23. Now that we’ve examined some sample items… • What changes do you see in the level of questioning as demonstrated through the sample test items? • How might the format and design of the questions impact instructional strategies and assessment practices? • How do these changes impact the types of assessment we need to use in the classrooms? • Describe how you might adjust an upcoming lesson or unit to make it more "Smarter Balanced-ish”.  Could be a short formative assessment or longer summative assessment.

24. References and Resources • www.smarterbalanced.org • To access: Practice Tests, Accommodations Guidelines, and all things Smarter Balanced • www.smarterbalanced.org/resources-events/faqs/ • www.k12center.org • www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/sbac-faqs.asp • www.achievethecore.org • www.teachingchannel.org • BOB  Classroom  Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

25. Common Core State Standards Parents’ Guide to Student Success • The Guide includes: • Key items that children should be learning in English language arts and mathematics in each grade. • Activities that parents can do at home to support their child's learning.  • Methods for helping parents build stronger relationships with their child's teacher.   http://www.pta.org/4446.htm Common Core State Standards

26. Questions?