2007-2008 Site Assessment Leader Training Welcome to a New Year!!

1. 2007-2008Site Assessment Leader TrainingWelcome to a New Year!! Today’s Topics: • Roles • Calendar • New SAL Support • Future Trainings • Benchmark Administration Details

2. What Do you Need to know? • Who do I call for help when I have a question? • Network Assessment Specialists • PAR support • Test Processing Center • When are Assessments Given? • 2007-2008 Testing Calendar • Assessments that are currently being given: • CELA Placement • Literacy Exams • What is the Assessment Management Fund? • When will specific trainings be held for CSAP and CELA? • CSAP and CELA Roles, Ethics and Accommodations Training-October • CSAP and CELA Materials Handling and Administration-End of November

3. Assessment and Research Website

4. Benchmark Assessments & High School Course Assessments New SAL Training August 2007

5. Purpose of Testing Assess how well students are progressing toward proficiency on state standards addressed by the curriculum throughout the school year. Test results provide detailed information to assist school staff in meeting the instructional needs of their students.

6. Test Population & Content Areas Benchmarks Course Tests* • Grades 3-8 • Grade 2 optional in fall; mandatory in spring • Reading, writing, math • Algebra I • Algebra II • Geometry • IMP I • IMP 2 • Amer. Lit (reading & writing) • Intro to Lit & Comp (reading & writing) • Biology • Earth Science • Geography (in development) CSAP-A eligible students are excused from testing *There will not be a reading test in the fall for Intro to Lit & Comp

7. English Language Development (ELD) Tests • For the second and third rounds of testing, Beginning and Intermediate tests will be available in reading and writing for grades 6 and higher. • Eligibility – Students enrolled in courses that use levels A and B of the Shining Star curriculum are eligible for the ELD tests. • If school staff determine English Language Learners cannot access the content of the first round of tests due to language, these students may be exempt from testing.

8. Testing Windows All tests must be administered during the first week of each assessment window. The second week is reserved for make-ups.

9. TestDevelopment Benchmarks All tests were developed by The Princeton Review (TPR) with assistance from DPS staff members. Course Tests All tests developed by DPS teachers & central office staff

10. Testing Materials • Test Booklets (secure documents) • Procedures Manual • Administration Instructions • Scoring Guides (secure documents) • Testing Lists • Request for Additional Materials Form

11. TestBooklets The following tests will be available in Spanish: • All math tests • Reading & writing grades 2-5 Unlike the Spanish versions of the CSAP (Lectura & Escritura), the Spanish tests are direct translations of the English tests. When students receive their test booklets, they must write their name, school, teacher, and period in the spaces provided.

12. Answer Documents • Each student will have a total of three answer documents for each round of testing: one for reading, one for writing, and one for mathematics. • The answer documents are only available in English. • Teachers must bubble the language of the test on every answer sheet for math and for the reading & writing tests for grades 2-5. • Accommodations must be bubbled only if they are offered.

13. Answer Documents Students must write their first and last name on the space provided and mark the bubble next to their name. Students must mark the bubble next to their name. Note: Constructed response items will appear on a separate page for students in grades 2-8.

14. Test Security • Site Assessment Leaders (SALs) are responsible for keeping the test booklets secure prior to testing. • Test Administrators must maintain test security in the classrooms during the test administration. • Students may not use scratch paper for the reading or math tests. • Students may not use cell phones during the test administration. • After the test administration, each school must have a plan to keep test booklets secure while they remain in the school. • SALs will not be required to count test booklets and check them in and out with Test Administrators

15. General Guidelines • Test Administrators should become familiar with the materials required to administer each assessment before giving the tests to students. • Teachers may want to provide students with a quick introduction to the testing program before administering the tests. • Students may not be familiar with CSAP-style tests • The use of separate answer documents differs from CSAP • The writing tests require students to edit a short paragraph. • The Fall tests assess material that students will be taught throughout the coming school year. They will struggle on portions of the exams.

16. Classroom Setting • Classrooms used for testing should be free of distractions that may negatively impact a student’s performance. • Classroom walls should be free of material that may provide any information which could direct a student to a correct answer.

17. Testing Ethics • Schools must test all eligible students. • Teachers should not teach to specific test items. • Teachers may teach general test-taking strategies, but not specific rules.

18. Accommodations • Schools must provide accommodations to students who need them. • Schools must begin planning immediately for students who require accommodations. • Most accommodations require separate settings and additional school staff.

19. Accommodations The following CSAP-approved accommodations will be permitted by content area:

20. Accommodations • As indicated on the answer sheet slides, accommodations are located at the bottom of each answer sheet. • Unlike CSAP, if no accommodations are offered, nothing should be marked in this section. • Generally speaking, accommodations must be documented and provided during instruction and classroom assessments at least three months prior to benchmark testing. These rules are not applicable to the first round of testing conducted in the fall.

21. Accommodations Oral Presentation / Oral Translation • This accommodation is not allowed on any reading test. • Spanish-speaking ELLs may not have the English test translated orally. They may, however, have the Spanish test presented to the them orally. • Non-Spanish speaking English Language Learners (ELLs) may have the writing and math assessments read to them in their native language. • As with CSAP, students must respond in English on the English version of the writing test.

22. Administration

23. Test administrators behave differently than teachers during standardized assessments like Benchmark, DRA/EDL, QRI, and CSAP! Practice Practice • Teachers need to practice being in the role of a test administrator. • Read exact directions with uninflected voice. • Give same verbal or non-verbal response whether student’s answer is correct or incorrect. • Cannot clarify questions about test content or item. • Cannot suggest verbally or non-verbally that a student reconsider his or her response.

24. Test Administrators Teachers Cannot answer content-related questions Cannot clarify test items Answer questions and clarify confusions Accommodate student needs that are unrelated to the content of the test: examples - extended time, larger print, oral presentation of writing prompt Modify test content to meet instructional needs Interact with students during classroom tests to motivate completion Cannot interact with students in ways that impact responses

25. Test Administrators Should: • Maintain standardization as much as possible • Read test directions word-for-word without paraphrasing • Encourage students to try their best, but do not exaggerate the importance of the test.

26. Test Administrators Should Not: • Interact with students in any way that could inappropriately impact student responses. • Comment on rough drafts • Change or amend student answers • Force or coerce students to complete items in a particular way

27. Reading Assessments • The Reading Assessments consist of several passages students must read to answer both multiple choice and constructed response items. • Students in second grade will take the assessment in two 30 minute sessions. • All other tests will be given in one continuous 70 minute session. Elementary schools may choose to provide a short break during the administration for students in grades three and four.

28. Writing Assessments • The Writing Assessments consist of a writing prompt, an editing section, and several multiple choice questions. • Students insecond grade will take test in two separate 25 minute sessions. • Session 1 – Paragraph writing • Session 2 – Editing section and multiple choice questions. • All other tests will be given in two separate 45 minute sessions. • Session 1 – Plan writing and answer multiple choice questions. • Session 2 – Editing section and final draft

29. Mathematics Assessments • The Mathematics Assessments consist of multiple choice and constructed response questions. • Students in second grade will take the test in one 45 minute session. Calculators are not allowed. • Students in grades three - eight will take the test in one 60 minute session. Calculators are not allowed. • The course exams will be given over 90 minutes. Teachers may give them in one 90 minute session of two separate sessions, one 30 minute session for the constructed response questions and one 60 minute session for the multiple choice questions. Calculators are allowed.

30. Active Proctoring • Test Administrators should practice active proctoring to monitor student behavior and ensure students do not continue on to the next section of the test or return to a previously completed section of the test. • Walk around the room during the test, but be sure not to distract students. • Do not interact with students while they are responding to a question. • Do nothing (verbally or non-verbally) that may impact a student’s answer. • Active test proctoring must be practiced when administering the math and writing tests to make sure students are on the correct session.

31. Invalidations • Invalidated tests cannot be scanned. • Teachers may use the Teacher Guides provided to hand-score these tests. • Irregularity forms are not required.

32. After Testing

33. Scoring • Scoring guides for course assessments will include: • item-specific scoring rubrics • the specific assessment frameworks and “Big Ideas” assessed by each question • the correct answer to multiple choice questions • Scoring guides for benchmarks will include: • item-specific scoring rubrics and exemplars. • the specific assessment frameworks assessed by each question • the correct answer to multiple choice questions • rationale identifying why students may have chosen specific incorrect answers.

34. Scoring – Writing Tests • The CSAP writing rubrics will be used to score student essays at every grade level. • 2nd and 3rd grade students will be asked to write a paragraph that will be scored using a 5-point rubric. • 4th-8th grade students will write an essay that will be scored using a 10-point rubric. Course assessments will also be scored using a 10-point rubric. • Students will not receive a point for planning their writing as this would weigh too heavily on the overall score.

35. Scoring • Teachers are responsible for scoring the essays and the constructed response items. Point values earned must then be transferred to the appropriate section of each student’s answer sheet. • Scoring should be done in groups. Scoring conversations will lead to increased inter-rater reliability. • Each school must develop a plan to complete the scoring process by the end of the assessment window.

36. Scanning • Before each answer document is scanned please make sure each student’s first and last name have been written in the space provided at the top right, all stray marks have been erased, and all answer sheets are free of tape, tears, and folds. • When using class specific answer sheets, make sure each student’s name is bubbled on left hand side.

37. Scanning • A training packet for scanning is available on the Assessment & Research website • Individual training sessions are available by appointment • Contact Kari French Kari_French@dpsk12.org720-891-0544 with questions or to schedule an appointment

38. Test Results • After answer documents are scanned, results will be available immediately on the web at www.edusoft.com • Training packets with step by step instructions are available on the Assessment & Research website • Classroom training sessions for accessing reports are scheduled for the week of 9/24

39. Test Results Exercise Caution When Viewing Results The number of questions on each test should accurately represent each student’s overall proficiency level, but scores on the individual frameworks must be viewed with caution if only one or two questions assessed the student’s knowledge of a particular topic.

40. Test Results Proficiency Bands / Test Difficulty When reviewing individual test questions district staff rated the difficulty of each item by determining the minimum level of proficiency a student would most likely need to possess in order to answer the item correctly. Each item was rated as unsatisfactory, partially proficient, proficient, or advanced. The number of points within each category were then added to set the cut scores for each performance band. Student Growth Objectives Due to the fact that test items, and the level of difficulty, will vary from one round of testing to another, school staff should not use raw scores or the average percent correct when writing Student Growth Objectives. Performance bands, however, are adjusted to enable staff to compare the percent of students within specific performance bands from test to test.

41. Test Storage School staff may elect to keep all test materials in their building up to one month after the testing window has ended. After one month, all test materials must be returned to the processing center. Teachers may copy student responses from the writing tests if they wish to use them for pre/post test comparisons.

42. 3rd Grade Reading Divider Sheet Divider Sheet Divider Sheet Divider Sheet 3rd Grade Math 3rd Grade Writing 4th Grade Reading 4th Grade Math 4th Grade Writing Returning Materials Begin with the lowest grade on top by packing reading, then writing, then math. Place a divider sheet between each grade level and content area. The Processing Center will provide green labels for returning test materials. ETC.

43. Questions Related To… Administration Assessment Instructional Specialists Assessment & Research hotline: 720.423.3736 Assessment Materials Hilltop Processing Center Phone: 720.423.4260 Hilltop Processing Center Fax: 720.423.4269 Edusoft Website Kari French: Kari_French@dpsk12.org 720-891-0544 Feedback regarding the Benchmark Assessment Program is strongly encouraged and appreciated. Please direct all comments & concerns to Grant Guyer or Steve Lehman.