PARCC Update for MA Legislature

1. PARCC Update forMA Legislature June 25, 2014 Commissioners: Mitchell Chester (Elementary and Secondary) Higher Education (Richard Freeland) Bob Bickerton, MCAS-PARCC Transitions Coordinator Maureen LaCroix, Special Assistant

2. Agenda • PURPOSE: Improve Student Success • MA Continuous Improvement & Leadership • Test Drive: Year One Spring 2014 PARCC Field Tests • District, School & Educator Engagement • Test Drive: Year Two Spring 2015 District Choice – PARCC or MCAS Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

3. Improve Student Success • MA legacy of rigorous standards and assessments • #1 nationally & top tier internationally • Lessons learned: What we must improve • More than 1 in 3 HS graduates who enroll in public higher education require non-credit bearing remedial courses • Historic agreement between K-12 & Higher Education • Enroll directly in credit bearing freshman courses • Assessment that reflects the world our children live in • More comprehensive & authentic assessments Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

4. MA Continuous Improvement & Leadership • Next generation standards • Teams of MA educators convened to upgrade English language arts (English Language Arts-ELA) & Math Frameworks in 2008 • Merged development teams with “Common Core” multi-state process sponsored by NGA and CCSSO; extensive field contributions & comments • Board set high bar before adopting in 2010 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

5. MA Continuous Improvement & Leadership • Next generation assessments • Application of skills, online testing included when MCAS was rebid in 2009– stalled by recession • MA set high bar when joined consortium of PARCC states – to adopt, PARCC must be better than MCAS • To drive PARCC to be a better assessment than MCAS • Commissioner Chester chairs governing board • Commissioner Freeland co-chairs the higher education board • DESE staff & MA educators deeply engaged to ensure quality Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

6. Where We are on the 2-Year PARCC “Test Drive” Today *June 30 is PARCC “guarantee” deadline Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

7. Competency Determination • MA high school graduation testing requirement for English Language Arts & Mathematics will continue to be based upon the 10th grade MCAS through the class of 2019 • The “class of 2019” students are in 7th grade today and will take the 10th grade tests in 2017 • The graduation requirement for Science will continue to be based upon 9th & 10th grade MCAS tests for the foreseeable future Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

8. PARCC Field Test Update • Most schools in Massachusetts participated • Approx. 81,000 students in 1,050 schools in 345 districts • March 24 to April 11: Performance Based Assessment window • 41,000 students tested online • 17,000 students tested with pencil and paper • May 5 to June 6: End of Year Assessment window • 33,500 students tested online • 14,500 students tested with pencil and paper Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

9. Feedback from 37,000 Students & 371 Test Proctors about PARCC Online • The majority of students • Liked taking online tests over paper-and-pencil tests • Said they had enough time to answer questions, found typing ELA questions “easy,” – that they had been taught the content & skills covered by the test • Found answering math questions more challenging • Use a computer or tablet regularly at home (87%) & in school (60%) • The vast majority of test proctors • Had never before administered an online test (81%) • Agreed that testing time was sufficient for most students • Cited need to improve training & support from the vendor Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

10. District, School & Educator Engagement • MA educators • From grades 3-11 participated in the review of thousands of PARCC items • Include 24 PARCC Fellows (18 K-12, 6 public H.E.) • Participate on the PARCC Advisory Committee convened by Commissioners Chester & Freeland • ESE staff & PARCC Fellows • Have completed more than 100 PARCC presentations across the state – including trainings in support of implementation of the 2010 standards for ELA & Math • Provided additional training & support to districts & schools involved in the PARCC field test • Will increase support in preparation for 2015 operational tests Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

11. The PARCC or MCAS Choice in 2015 • MCAS is familiar • Schools, parents & students look forward to reviewing their results & comparing to prior years • PARCC is new • PARCC designed to assess the full range of 2010 ELA & Math standards – including college readiness • Students & schools participating in PARCC will have a head start demonstrating their readiness for a next generation assessment • MCAS is 17 years old this year – we need to upgrade whether or not PARCC is the right test Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

12. “Hold Harmless” for Schools • Administering PARCC in 2015 • The accountability levels of schools administering PARCC will stay the same or improve – they cannot decline • Schools administering MCAS will be classified into a level as usual, & will not be held harmless. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

13. The PARCC/MCAS Choice (Spring 2015) • Students will take either PARCC or MCAS next year • The technology challenge: • Most schools require more devices and/or bandwidth • Schools that are ready to administer PARCC online may do so; additional support will be provided by the PARCC assessment vendor & ESE staff • Schools that are not ready to test online can choose to administer the paper-and-pencil version of PARCC • ESE will issue full parent, school, & district reports – whether districts test with PARCC or MCAS Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

14. Technology Funding • Federal eRate • The FCC has sharpened the focus of eRate funding on K-12 technology infrastructure • Funding is doubled to $2B over the coming two years • State Education Technology Bond Bill • First since 1999 • Submitted by Governor, passed House, reported favorably by Senate Bond Committee • Would provide $38M for K-12 technology Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

15. The PARCC/MCAS Choice • The deadline for districts to choose PARCC or MCAS is October 1, 2014 • A “choice guarantee” is offered to districts that submit their choice by June 30th • The PARCC/MCAS choice is binding after June 30th • Districts may change which schools will test online & which will administer the paper-and-pencil version through October 31, 2014 • The 2015 MCAS & PARCC testing windows are: • MCAS 2015 Testing Dates • ELA testing window: March 23-April 6 • Math and G5/G8 STE testing window: May 4-May 19 • HS STE testing window: June 2-5 • PARCC 2015 Testing Dates (tentative) • Performance-Based Assessment: March 16-April 10 for computer-based testing; March 23-April 3 for paper-based testing • End-of-Year: May 4-29 for computer-based testing; May 11-22 for paper-based testing * Grades 9 and 11 are optional and subject to appropriation Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

16. District Choice Through 6/24/14 84% of Districts have responded “Early Decision” Choices due June 30 Requests made between June 30 & October 1 are subject to availability Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

17. PARCC: Anticipated Decision Criteria in Fall 2015 • RIGOR (achievement expectations) • MCAS/PARCC comparison • QUALITY • Items aligned with full range of & full continuum of student performance • Provides valid & reliable assessment of students’ knowledge, skills & abilities • COVERAGE • Provides measures of student performance on all standards, including the hardest to assess + TECHNOLOGY Readiness and Paper Option Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

18. Discussion