Bridging the Gap: Transitioning Your Assessment Program to the Common Core

1. Bridging the Gap: Transitioning Your Assessment Program to the Common Core CCSSO National Conference on Student Assessment June 21, 2011

2. Premise • As states begin to adopt and implement the Common Core Standards into their state curricula they will be facing a disconnect between what their current assessment systems measure and the need to measure their new sets of standards for reading and mathematics. • This panel presentation will focus on what three states are doing to meet these challenges.

3. Panel • Mel Webb, Moderator • Data Recognition Corporation • Mike Middleton • Washington Department of Education • Jean Dyszel • Pennsylvania Department of Education • Lou Fabrizio • North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

4. Washington State’s Transition to the Common Core State Standards and Assessments Michael Middleton Assessment and Student Information Division Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent

5. Washington CCSS Workgroup and Statewide Outreach Statewide Stakeholder Involvement 2010 legislative directive (E2SSB 6696, Section 601): “Provisional adoption” by the Superintendent by Aug. 2, 2010 Detailed report in Jan. 2011 2011 Legislature Directed OSPI to submit another report to the Legislature in January 2012 Did not take action to prevent adoption and implementation Formal adoption planned in Summer 2011 Next Generation Assessments…SBAC Governing State Navigation between current assessment system components and Next Generation Assessment Systems Washington’s CCSS Involvement

6. WA State Current Assessment System Components Compared with the SBAC System

7. Washington State’s Common Core Implementation Timeline

8. CCSS & Next Generation Assessments Balance During Transition • WA Measurements of Student Progress & High School Proficiency Exam

10. State Implementation Support Team (“Steering Committee/s”) Consists of all OSPI, ESDs, large districts, statewide partners (inc. Higher Education) Role: Identity, prioritize, and align state structures, activities, and resources to support statewide implementation Common Core Policy / Communications Team Consists of key state leaders, stakeholders Role: Coordinate and align consistent communications messages statewide and identify resources for supporting implementation Statewide Implementation Workgroups Consists of OSPI, ESDs, IHEs, curriculum leaders, key stakeholder groups Role: Coordinate and align system supports for transitioning to the standards (e.g., content-specific advisory & workgroups) Regional Implementation Networks Consists of regional and school district educational leaders and content experts, including ESDs, IHEs, and key PD and educational partners Role: Participate in statewide capacity building and trainer-of-trainer sessions; coordinate and deliver aligned professional development on the CCSS School District Implementation Teams Consists of school district and building leadership, coaches, teacher leaders Role: Coordinate consistent and aligned support to buildings and teachers Statewide Support Structure…

11. June Washington “Bias and Sensitivity” Process – focused on implementation supports to allow access to standards for all students Establish roll-out “communication plan”, timing, and key messages/resources needed Transition Planning Communications/Transition small workgroup Analyze current connections between CCSS and state assessments (Test Map analysis) Content-specific sequencing, standards transition documents, etc. Convene stakeholders to vet plan, provide input, discuss potential roles and resources Current Timeline and Key State Activities

12. July / August / September Formal adoption announced (mid-July with more widespread announcement in late summer) Key Messages – Vision around Career and College Readiness Energy, hope, access to resources Support system for ALL Washington school districts Includes guidance and key information for transitioning – highly supported Convene State Steering Committee/s and Implementation Workgroups Determine roles, products, method for dissemination, etc. Solidify plan for developing interim assessment supports to districts as the transition to CCSS begins Current Timeline and Key Preparation Activities

13. If our goal is…Coordinate a nimble,culturally sensitive system of collaborative stakeholders that supports a learning paradigm built on common core curricula, instruction, and meaningful assessment that will lead to student success in careers, college, and life…. What role do you see this group and/or your organization serving within the anticipated structure to support CCSS transitions and implementation for announcement? What are needs and existing resources in place at state and regional levels? What are key pieces that we need to have in place by July roll out? Key questions for Stakeholder Groups (April – present)

14. To find out more... …Common Core State Standards: corestandards@k12.wa.us Or visit http://www.k12.wa.us/Corestandards/default.aspx ...the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium can be found online at www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER WA Transition Coordinator - Jessica Vavrus, Asst. Superintendent – Teaching & Learning jessica.vavrus@k12.wa.us

15. Planning forCommon Core Transition The Pennsylvania Journey English Language Arts Mathematics

16. The End Goal • Districts will have the training and tools to transition curriculum from existing PA Academic Standards to PA Common Core Standards.

17. Transition Teams’ Tasks • Compare the rigor and content of Common Core (CC) Standards • Align the PA Standards to Common Core • Construct easy to read PA to CC transition documents for PA educators • Design transition training for intermediate units to deliver to districts

18. The Tools • Crosswalks aligning CC to PA Standards • Matrices aligning Anchor and Eligible Content to CC Standards • Emphasis guides to define content similarities and differences grade by grade • Matrices to identify alignment of Keystone course standards to Common Core

19. To Assist in Transition • Common Core Emphasis Guides • CC to PA Crosswalks • PA to CC Crosswalks • Anchor and Eligible Content Alignment to CC

23. PA to CC Crosswalks

25. And Professional Development… • A series of six 2-day trainings for intermediate unit (IU) staff and PA League of Urban Schools districts across the Commonwealth. • IU staff train member school districts in using the documents and planning for transition.

26. The Challenges • Common Core vs. PA Standards • ELA – Rigor • Math – Content “chiropractics” • Redefining Eligible Content and the PSSA • Moving Districts Forward

27. Bridging the Gap: Transitioning Your Assessment Program to the Common Core Lou Fabrizio, North Carolina NCSA, June 21, 2011 27

28. History Blue Ribbon Commission Report SBE’s Framework For Change NCDPI’s Response to Framework For Change

29. PROJECT MAP 2010-11 Newer ACRE work streams connecting directly with teachers, leaders, parents and students Diverse communication strategies that memorably inform all stakeholders esp. students, parents, teachers, principals. Professional Development Communication & Change Management Tools and training, blending online and face-to-face learning experiences. Standards Assessment Accountability A revised model that includes measures of post-secondary readiness, robust, fair growth measures, revised reporting functions and motivates behavior that improves student outcomes. College and career-ready standards. A new set of academic standards benchmarked against the best national and international expectations. Summative Ongoing central work to revise standards, assessment and accountability Benchmark Formative A comprehensive assessment system with a focus on using assessments to improve instruction and fairly assess learning and instructional effectiveness. Newer work to deliver new standards, assessments and teaching tools Instructional Improvement System (IIS) User-friendly online platform to house and deliver teacher tools Newer work to build LEA capacity to implement online tools Instructional Technology and Infrastructure Initiatives

30. Timeline

31. Professional Development for Teachers and Leaders Tools & for Teachers and Leaders Professional Development Online Face-to-Face

32. Next Generation Assessments • A comprehensive balanced assessment system • Updated EOG and EOCs (online, innovative item types, computer adaptive) • Tools to build common benchmark assessments and a variety of formative assessment tools • Data tools to improve instruction

33. Current as of 4/20/11 Online EOCs and EOGs NC is moving toward online only assessments, accessed through the IIS (by 2014-15). Online assessments will allow the state to incorporate technology-enhanced items and implement computer adaptive testing, which will allow for a more accurate assessment of student learning. Support for moving to online assessments includes working with LEAs/Charter Schools to ensure that schools have the logistical and technical knowledge and skills to move rapidly to an online testing environment and a Best Practices Guide for Online Assessments (July 2011). 3/12/2014

34. Online EOCs and EOGs • NOW: All EOCs are available online; All LEAs are expected to participate • 2012/13: While all EOCs will be available online, the following assessments will be developed specifically for an online environment, some with technology-enhanced items. LEAs are encouraged to complete them online. • EOG Science at Grades 5 and 8 • NCEXTEND2 Science at Grades 5 and 8 • NCEXTEND2 Mathematics and ELA Grades 3-8 • EOC English I • EOC Algebra I • EOC Biology • NCEXTEND2 English I • NCEXTEND2 Algebra I • NCEXTEND2 Biology • 2014/15: The plan is to have all EOCs/EOGs developed specifically for an online environment with limited use of alternate paper and pencil versions.

35. Challenges – Shift Happens! • Two Years of State Tests in ELA/Math before SBAC Consortium Testing • State-level Interpretations of Common Core State Standards • Achievement Level Standards Setting • Equating/Linking Assessments from Current to New to SBAC • Infrastructure • Growth Modeling • Teacher Effectiveness • Delays in Reporting (2012-13 and then 2014-15) • ESEA and USED • Political and Economic Issues/Tensions