Transition to Smarter Balanced Assessments and the Landscape for 2013-14

1. Transition to Smarter Balanced Assessments and the Landscape for 2013-14 Counselor Summer Institute June 26, 2013 Robin Munson, Ph.D. Assistant Superintendent Cinda PartonDirector, Assessment Development

2. Today’s topics • Why are we changing the assessment system? • Smarter Balanced assessments • Assessment graduation requirements Common Core State Standards

3. Common Core State Standards Define the knowledge and skills students need for college and career Developed voluntarily and cooperatively by states; more than 40 states have adopted Provide clear, consistent standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics Source: www.corestandards.org

4. The Assessment Challenge ...to here? Common Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness All studentsleave high school college and career ready ...and what can an assessment system do to help? How do we get from here...

5. A Balanced Assessment System Summative: College and career readiness assessments for accountability Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning Common Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness All students leave high school college and career ready Formative resources: Supporting classroom-based assessments to improve instruction Interim: Flexible and open assessments, used for actionable feedback

6. What is Smarter Balanced? A consortium of 26 states and territories working together to build next-generation formative, interim and summative assessments for K-12 schools tied to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. Funding from the federal Race to the Top Assessment grant (~$175M) and foundations (~$3M). Governed by member states on a consensus model.

7. A State-led Assessment Consortium 21 Governing States, 4 Advisory States, 1 Affiliate Member Washington state is fiscal agent When grant ends UCLA CRESST will manage Smarter Balanced

8. Key Features of Smarter Balanced Assessments • Rigorous assessments of progress toward “college and career readiness” • Administered online, using multiple measures (paper/pencil option for 3 years) • Common cut scores across all Consortium states • Information about grade-level achievement and growth • Valid, reliable, and fair for all students (those with “significant cognitive disabilities” will use different tests) • Less expensive than current tests

9. Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) Portion • Built on solid technology • Coverage of full breadth/depth of Common Core • Precise assessment of all students ✔ Summative Assessments Performance Task (PT) Portion • Deeper learning with thematic and scenario-based tasks • Real-world problems aligned to Common Core • Increases relevance to career readiness Scores Reported in Terms of Proficiency and Growth • PT scores combined with CAT for overall score • Faster reporting • More precision for students performing well or poorly • Year to year growth also reported

10. Flexible and Open Authentic Measures • Includes full range of item types • Uses the same scale as the Summative Assessment • Includes performance assessments • Non-Secure • Timing and frequency are locally determined • Interim test-builder creates aligned assessments Interim Assessments Supports Proficiency Based Instruction • Teachers can match assessments with scope and sequence • Teachers can review student responses • Teachers can score student responses ✔

11. Improving Instruction • Tools/materials for Classroom-based Assessments • Fully aligned to Common Core State Standards • Available for in-service and pre-service development Formative Toolsfor Classroom- Based Assessment Practices Pooling Resources • Access to the best resources available • Collaborate with other states on special projects • Professional social networking across the Consortium • Tools to evaluate publishers’ tests ✔

12. A Balanced Assessment System English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3-8 and High School School Year Last 12 weeks of the year* DIGITAL CLEARINGHOUSE OF FORMATIVE TOOLS, PROCESSES AND EXEMPLARS Released items and tasks; Model curriculum units; Educator training; Professional development tools and resources; Scorer training modules; Teacher collaboration tools; Evaluation of publishers’ assessments. Optional Interim Assessment Optional Interim Assessment • PERFORMANCE TASKS • ELA/Literacy • Mathematics • COMPUTER ADAPTIVE TESTS • ELA/Literacy • Mathematics Computer Adaptive Assessment and Performance Tasks Computer Adaptive Assessment and Performance Tasks Re-take option Scope, sequence, number and timing of interim assessments locally determined *Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.

13. Testing Times for Summative Assessment The testing window is the final 12 weeks of the academic year.

14. What will these new tests show? In 11th grade: Whether students are college and career ready In other grades: Whether students are on track to becoming college and career ready Each content area has claims that can be made if a student meets standard on the assessment

15. Individual Score Reports Overall Claim for Grades 3-8 Student Scores for ELA/Literacy Student Scores for Mathematics Overall ELA/Literacy Score Overall Mathematics Score Claim #1 - Reading Claim #1 – Concepts & Procedures Claim #2 - Writing Claim #2 –Problem Solving Claim #3 - Speaking and Listening Claim #3 – Communicating Reasoning Claim #4 - Research/Inquiry Claim #4 – Modeling & Data Analysis

16. Purposes and Users for the Summative Assessments

17. Peeking Under the Hood…Practice Test now on the Web Shows item types and tools/features All grades, both content areas Expanded features being released over the summer

18. Smarter Balanced Engagement with Higher Education • Ongoing state-level outreach to faculty and administrators • Five Regional Coordinators • Higher education leads in every state • Two higher education reps on Executive Committee • Higher education votes on major policies • College Content-readiness Policy • Comprehensive validity research agenda • Career Readiness Task Force

19. Goals for Higher Education • Colleges/universities recognize the Grade 11 assessment as a valid measure of Common Core content readiness. • Colleges/universities agree on a common performance standard in English language arts/literacy and mathematics for entry into credit-bearing coursework. • Colleges/universities usethe Smarter Balanced assessment as evidence that students are ready for credit-bearing course work and can be exempted from developmental courses. • Colleges/universities includeSmarter Balanced assessments in their admissions determinations.

20. Common Core Standards and Assessments: Essential Components of the Completion Agenda Common Core standards and assessments: • Anchor K-12 experience in real-world expectations for success in college and careers. • Remove the guesswork for teachers and schools. • Allow schools, parents and students to track progress. • Identify students who need assistance while still in high school. • Reduce remediationand increase college success. Research has consistently shown that the single most powerful predictor of student success in college is the rigor of academic preparation.

21. A New Vision for Assessing Readiness

22. What is Content Readiness?

23. Policy Framework for Grade 11 Assessment Results Note: Applies only to students who matriculate directly from high school to college.

24. Exemplar Student Scenarios (To be determined by states)

25. Learn More and Stay Engaged Visit us at: SmarterBlanced.org Sign up for the e-newsletter Follow on Twitter: @SmarterBalanced

26. Washington’s Involvement in Smarter Balanced • Higher Education leads – Randy Spaulding and Bill Moore • OSPI staff involved in workgroups • Teachers involved in item writing • Limited pilot in Spring 2013 • State Network of Educators working on Digital Library • Comprehensive field test in 2013-14 • Operational use in 2014-15

27. Evolution to Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments in Washington

28. Two Purposes of High School Assessments

29. What About Graduation Requirements? • Smarter Balanced tests measure college and career readiness. Should this be criteria for graduation? * % of Class of 2012 who met standard on exit exams or Certificate of Academic Achievement options ** Some Washington students are included in the national sample but no state level data is available

30. High School Assessment Options

31. Superintendent Dorn’s Proposal

32. Superintendent’s Proposal…Summative Assessments in 2014–15 and beyond

33. Legislative Decisions RegardingHigh School Assessments • Grade 11 Smarter Balanced tests: ELA & Math • Three Exit Exams • English Language Arts: • Class of 2013 & 2014 - HSPE Reading and Writing • Class of 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 - HSPE Reading and Writing, OR new 11th Smarter Balanced ELA Test, OR new 10th ELA Exit Exam • Class of 2019 and beyond - 11th Smarter Balanced ELA Test

34. Legislative Deliberations RegardingHigh School Assessments – One Scenario • Exit Exams, Cont’d: • Math: • Class of 2013 & 2014 – Algebra 1 EOC OR Geometry EOC • Class of 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 - Algebra 1 EOC and Geometry EOC, OR new 11th Smarter Balanced Math Test, OR new Alg 1 EOC Exit Exam • Class of 2019 and beyond - 11th Smarter Balanced Math Test • Certificate of Academic Achievement Options remain available for all cohorts • Science: • Class of 2015, 2016, 2017…. until Next Generation Science Standards are adopted, implemented and assessed – Biology EOC • When NGSS are implemented – Comprehensive NGSS Test • Certificate of Academic Achievement Options remain available for all cohorts

35. What’s Happening This Year, 2013-14? • Exit exams remain the same (HSPE, EOC) • CAA options remain the same • Class of 2013 had some relaxation of Collection of Evidence rules that had been newly implemented – these will not continue (COE limited to one submission per content area throughout HS, and requires two attempts on general assessment before submitting) • Schools will be recruited for Smarter Balanced field test • Trying to avoid students having to take current test AND field test • Should know by end of July if double testing can be avoided

36. 2013-14 Testing for Accountability • Accountability assessments • Grades 3-8 Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) • Grade 10 High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE) and End of Course exams (EOC) • EOC given in Grade 10 or students can bring forward a passing score from an earlier grade • Additional accountabilityassessment options for students in Special Ed • WAAS-Portfolio (reserved for students with significant cognitive challenges) • L2-Basic counts for participation but not as a passing score

37. 2013-14 Testing for Graduation Graduation Assessment Requirements • Classes of 2013 and 2014 • HSPE Reading, HSPE Writing, 1 EOC Math (Algebra OR Geometry) • Classes of 2015 and beyond (until changed by legislature) • HSPE Reading, HSPE Writing, 2 EOC Math (Algebra AND Geometry, EOC Biology

38. Testing for Graduation • Graduation Options • College entrance exams (requires one attempt on general assessment) • Grades comparison (requires one attempt on general assessment) • Collection of Evidence (requires two attempts on general assessment) • Special/Unavoidable Circumstances Waiver (stringent eligibility restrictions) • Additional Graduation assessment alternatives for students in Special Ed (per IEP team) • Basic-L2 (counts for participation and graduation – but not as meeting standard with respect to accountability) • Developmentally Appropriate Proficiency Exam (DAPE) (for graduation purposes only – 11th or 12th graders) • LDA and Awareness Level Waiver (special restrictions)

39. Testing for Graduation • Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) • Available to students who meet all assessment requirements at Level 3 (Meets) or Level 4 (Exceeds) on general state assessments • Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA) • Available to students with IEPs who meet all assessment requirements at Level 2 (Basic), or with Level 3 or 4 on WAAS Portfolio or DAPE

40. Questions?