Exploring Common Core State Standards and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment System

1. Exploring Common Core State Standards and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment System Rick Biggerstaff Coretta Hoffman Adapted from Sandra Alberti Student Achievement Partners

2. Why are we doing this? We have had standards. Before Common Core State Standards we had standards, but rarely did we have standards-based instruction. • Long lists of broad, vague statements • Mysterious assessments • Coverage mentality • Focused on teacher behaviors – “the inputs” • Standards aligned vs. Standards based • Standards vs. Standardization • Standards vs. Curriculum

3. Results of Previous Standards, and Hard Work Previous state standards did not improve student achievement. • Gaps in achievement, gaps in expectations • NAEP results • High school drop out issue • College remediation issue This is about more than just working hard!

4. Standards-Based Instruction • Clear expectations • Clear connection of classroom activities to expectations • Clear information on student progress toward meeting expectations. Where are WE?

5. Mathematics: 3 shifts Focus: Focus strongly where the standards focus Coherence: Think across grades, and link to major topics Rigor: In major topics, pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application

6. Mathematical Practices Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Reason abstractly and quantitatively. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Model with mathematics. Use appropriate tools strategically. Attend to precision. Look for and make use of structure. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

7. Which Standards for Mathematical Practice do we value for our students? • Implications on instruction?

8. Claims - Mathematics Overall Claim for Grades 3-8 Students can demonstrate progress toward college and career readiness in mathematics. Overall Claim for Grade 11 Students can demonstrate college and career readiness in mathematics.

9. Claims - Mathematics Claim #1 – Concepts & Procedures Students can explain and apply mathematical concepts and interpret and carry out mathematical procedures with precision and fluency. Claim #2 – Problem Solving Students can solve a range of complex well-posed problems in pure and applied mathematics, making productive use of knowledge and problems solving strategies. Claim #3 – Communicating Reasoning Students can clearly and precisely construct viable arguments to support their own reasoning and to critique the reasoning of others. Claim #4 – Modeling and Data Analysis Students can analyze complex, real-world scenarios and can construct and use mathematical models to interpret and solve problems.

10. Claims – ELA/Literacy Overall Claim for Grades 3-8 Students can demonstrate progress toward college and career readiness in English language arts and literacy. Overall Claim for Grade 11 Students can demonstrate college and career readiness in English language arts and literacy.

11. Claims – ELA/Literacy Claim #1 – Reading Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of increasingly complex literacy and informational texts. Claim #2 – Writing Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences. Claim #3 – Speaking and Listening Students can employ effective speaking and listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences. Claim #4 – Research/Inquiry Students can engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.

12. 6 Key Components of Evidence-Centered Design Common Core Standards Math/ELA 4 ELA & 4 Math ClaimsContent Specifications 2. Define claims to be made 3. Define assessment targets Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 4. Define evidence required Evidence to be Elicited from Student 5. Develop task models Methods for Eliciting Evidence 6. Define items or performance tasks 1. Define the domain

13. The Test • Computer Adaptive • Approximately 4 hours • Includes Performance Tasks

14. The Practice Test • Not Computer Adaptive • 23 questions • NOT Inclusive • Overview of technology • Scoring Guides are Available

15. Exploring the SMARTER Balanced Assessment • www.smarterbalanced.org • According to their website: • Mozilla Firefox • Google Chrome • Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 • Apple Safari • Firefox is preferred

16. Explore the Practice Test • With a partner • 15 minutes • Please think about: Implications on instruction? Implications on placement?

17. What other resources are on the Smarter Balanced site • Smarter Balanced Assessments (click) • Test Map/Blueprint • General Item Specifications • Learning Targets (zip file) • All Item Writing Guides • The Standards • Links for support and implementation

18. Final Thoughts from Jim • Thank you! coretta.hoffman@mead354.org rbiggerstaff@ewu.edu