Iowa Core (Curriculum), National Common Core, & Smarter Balanced Assessment

1. Iowa Core (Curriculum), National Common Core, & Smarter Balanced Assessment

2. Presenters – Kevin Fangman, DE Acting DirectorTom Deeter, DE Lead Consultant,Tony VanderZyl, IASB/ISBF Data and Assessment Consultant

3. A Quick Review of Iowa Standards & Assessment- Tony VanderZyl

4. Iowa Standards Requirements by Law: • Local school boards must adopt clear, rigorous, and challenging content standards and benchmarks in (at a minimum) reading, mathematics, and science. • In 2007, included in the local standards and benchmarks shall be the core content standards from Iowa's approved standards. • By 2013-14 all students will learn the essential concepts and skills of the Iowa Core Curriculum. • The State Board of Education voted 6-0 on July 29, 2010 to adopt the Common Core State Standards as part of the Iowa Core.

5. The ISBF Study of State Standards • There is considerable variability in the quality of state standards, assessment, and accountability. • Iowa’s state standards and assessment are less rigorous than the other states, but the Iowa Core Curriculum is among the most rigorous. • There is a significant relationship between states’ standards, assessment, and accountability and student achievement gains and gap closure on NAEP.

6. Bloom’s Taxonomy, revised 2001

7. Relationship between Ed Week’s QC Ratings and NAEP Gains The scattergram on the following slide shows Ed Week’s QC ratings and NAEP gain for each of the fifty states There is a significant positive relationship (r = 0.51) between higher QC ratings and greater NAEP gains On average, each 1 point gain in QC rating is associated with 2 points in NAEP score gain

8. Relationship between QC Ratings and NAEP Score Gains(4th & 8th Reading & Math Ave., All 50 States)

9. Five Exemplary States(Iowa Score=1, Gain=3)

12. Three Curricula • Written Curriculum – Standards and Benchmarks • Assessed Curriculum – Tests and Other Achievement Measures • Taught Curriculum – Teaching and Learning

13. Curriculum Rigor Alignment

14. Iowa and the Iowa Core and the Common Core- Kevin Fangman

15. What is the Common Core Standards Initiative? • The Common Core Standards is an initiative led by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association for states to collectively develop and adopt a core set of academic standards in mathematics and English language arts

16. Information about the Common Core Standards • Aligned with college and work expectations • Are clear, understandable, and consistent • Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills • Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards • Are informed by other top-performing countries

17. About the Common Core Standards • Content not pedagogy • Not a curriculum but a set of shared goals and expectations for knowledge and skills to help students succeed • Local teachers, principals, superintendents and others will decide how the standards are to be taught

18. Did Iowa adopt the Common Core Standards? • The State Board of Education adopted the Standards in July. • They voted to add some additional content to the Standards on November 17. • A comprehensive Iowa Core document will be available Dec. 1.

19. What Does Adoption Mean for Iowa? • The content in ELA and mathematics in the Iowa Core will be replaced by the content of the Common Core • Allows Iowa to participate in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium to work with other states to develop a comprehensive assessment system

20. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Future of Assessment in Iowa- Tom Deeter

21. Summative Multi-state Assessment Resourcesfor Teachers and Educational Researchers (SMARTER)

22. a.k.a • SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) • Smarter Balanced

23. State Membership • 17 Governing States • Decision-making • 14 Advisory States (incl. Iowa) • Give input; usually non-voting

24. Origin of SBAC • Part of Race To The Top Assessment Competition - $170 M. awarded. • Development Grant

25. SBAC Assessments • Based on Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. • The CCSS have been adopted as the content for ELA and mathematics in the Iowa Core.

26. SBAC Assessments • State-of-the-art adaptive online exams. • Summative exams (2 per year) • Optional interim/benchmark tests • Teacher tools, processes & practices for ongoing information gathering. (formative assessment process)

27. SBAC Assessments • Measure the full range of standards in grades 3-8 and 11. • Problem solving; complex thinking • Teachers involved: - Item writing, scoring, design of reports • Computer platform: -Immediate feedback for students, teachers, parents and administrators

28. SBAC Reporting System • Identifies student strengths, weaknesses, and progress toward college and career readiness. • Intended to be used as an assessment for federal accountability.

29. When • The SMARTER Balanced Assessment system will be operational and available during the 2014-2015 year. • States have to agree to give the assessment by 2014-15 or withdraw from the consortium.

30. Ongoing Issues • Technology Capacity for Computer Adaptive Testing • Cost to administer the assessment is projected to be $15-$20 per test administration. (ITBS/ITED administration costs about $3.00 per test administration.)

31. Questions –Iowa Core, National Common Core, & Smarter Balanced Assessment