COMMONWEALTH ACCOUNTABILITY TESTING SYSTEM

1. COMMONWEALTH ACCOUNTABILITY TESTING SYSTEM

2. WHAT IS CATS? • NORM REFERENCED TEST (NRT) (Multiple Choice) • STANDARDS BASED TEST Kentucky Core Content Test Includes: *Open Response *Multiple Choice *On-Demand Writing *Portfolio *Alternate Portfolio • ACCOUNTABILITY

3. HB 53 CATS GUIDELINES • OPEN RESPONSE, MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS OR BOTH TO ASSESS SKILLS • ASSESSMENT OF BASIC AND HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS • WRITING PORTFOLIOS • INCLUDE KENTUCKY TEACHERS IN DESIGN OF ASSESSMENTS • MINIMIZE TIME SPENT BY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ON ASSESSMENT • ADDRESS CONCERNS OF KIRIS • RESULTS REPORTED TO SCHOOLS NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 15 HB 53

4. WHO CREATED CATS? • CTB/MCGRAW-HILL TESTING COMPANY

5. WHO CREATED CATS? • OVER 300 TEACHERS INVOLVED: Blueprint Construction, Content Advisory Committee, NRT/Core Content Comparison, and Bias Screening • OVER 6200 EDUCATORS, PARENTS, & CITIZENS SHARED INPUT

6. WHO CREATED CATS? • ADVISORY GROUPS: EAARS- Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee NTAPAA-National Technical Advisory Panel on Assessment and Accountability OEA- Office of Education Accountability SCAAC- School Curriculum, Assessment and Accountability Council

7. WHO CREATED CATS? • KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

8. WHO CREATED CATS? • STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

9. Six forms of test Multiple choice items will count More accurate picture of school’s coverage and of each student’s knowledge of core content Ongoing validity and reliability studies monitor CATS Improved equating system assures technical quality for year to year comparison and accountability RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY

10. WHY HAVE NRT TESTS? • Tests basic skills • Counts in accountability formula • Measures basic skills across the country • Compares students nationally

11. Called “Kentucky Core Content Test” Contains multiple choice and open response type questions Six forms of test; comparable in difficulty & content Questions released to public each year Results received by September 15 for better utilization of results for instruction Includes “pretest items” to use on new test replacements STANDARDS BASED TESTING

12. WHAT ABOUT PORTFOLIOS?

13. PORTFOLIO INFORMATION • Fewer pieces • Reduced scoring time • Conferencing time more focused on 1-2 instructional issues • All pieces derived from Core Content for Assessment in Writing • Due opening day of testing window

14. GRADE 4 PORTFOLIOS • 4 pieces includes:Reflective(letter to reviewer)Personal Literary Transactive • 1 piece from content area other than language arts *(4th Grade Apprentice)

15. GRADE 7 PORTFOLIOS • 5 Pieces: A. Reflective(letter to reviewer) B.Personal C. Literary D. Transactive E. Choice of B-D • 1 piece must be from content area other than language arts/English

16. GRADE 12 PORTFOLIOS • 5 Pieces: A. Reflective (letter to reviewer) B. Personal C. Literary D. Transactive E. Choice of B-D • 2 pieces must be from content area other than language arts/English

17. ELEMENTARY TESTING

18. MIDDLE SCHOOL TESTING

19. HIGH SCHOOL TESTING

20. 8 MULTIPLE CHOICE AND 2 OPEN RESPONSE IN EACH: ARTS & HUMANITIES PRACTICAL LIVING & VOCATIONAL STUDIES WRITING ON DEMAND - CHOICE OF TWO PROMPTS 24 MULTIPLE CHOICE AND 6 OPEN RESPONSE IN EACH : READING MATH SCIENCE SOCIAL STUDIES KENTUCKY CORE CONTENT TESTS ( MULTIPLE CHOICE ARE WEIGHTED 33% AND OPEN RESPONSE ARE WEIGHTED 67%)

21. Found on all KY. Core Content Tests Used to test items with Kentucky students Mixed with regular test Doesn’t count in CATS accountability Items can be used on later forms of KY. Core Content Test after testing with students WHAT ABOUT PRETEST ITEMS?

22. WHAT ABOUT STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS? • ALL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE INCLUDED IN CATS. • THOSE WITH MILD DISABILITIES TAKE ASSESSMENTS-USE ACCOMMODATIONS FROM THEIR IEP.

23. FIRST - MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE EXEMPT FROM STANDARD ASSESSMENTS. NEXT - DETERMINE TO PRODUCE AN ALTERNATE PORTFOLIO (COLLECTION OF STUDENT WORK) WHAT ABOUT THOSE WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE NEEDS?

24. WHY GIVE STATE TESTS? • GIVES A MEASUREMENT OF STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE • TELLS WHERE STUDENTS NEED HELP • USE TO MAKE DECISIONS IN CLASSROOMS ABOUT LEARNING • INDICATES HOW SCHOOLS ARE PERFORMING

25. KENTUCKY’S GOAL CATS PARENTS SUCCESS TEACHERS SCHOOLS • STUDENTS

26. WHY ARE THESE TESTS SO IMPORTANT? • PROVIDES A PICTURE OF LEVEL OF LEARNING • DIRECTS LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS • IDENTIFIES WEAKNESSES AND NEEDS • RESULTS IN IMPROVED INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE SUCCESS IN TODAY’S WORLD REQUIRES STUDENTS TO KNOW MORE

27. HELPFUL HINTS FOR SUCCESS • FOLLOW THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES • INCLUDE MULTIPLE CHOICE & OPEN RESPONSE IN ROUTINE ASSESSMENTS • KNOW THE CORE CONTENT AND ALIGN INSTRUCTION TO IT

28. OPEN RESPONSE INFO* • Require students to combine content knowledge and application of process skills in communicating answers • Open response are appropriate for all students • CONTENT • HIGHER ORDER THINKING *PROGRAM OF STUDIES DISK INFORMATION

29. Stress communication (explain & expand) Give time to think & respond Help to anticipate scoring of a question Use practical contexts (realize relevancy of what they are learning) *PROGRAM OF STUDIES DISK INFORMATION Encourage self-evaluation (look for evidence of quality & refinement of skills) Provide successful experiences with higher level thinking Evaluate frequently (helps progress by determining quality of own work) OPEN RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES*

30. READquestion quickly, then reread for specifics EDITand revise your answer Read EVERYTHING before answering question SUPPORT answers with facts, figures, statements, problem-solving steps R E S P O N S E STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS* Highlight SPECIFICkey words & ideas Make NOTES of key words & ideas to use Answer eachPART-look for signals, number each part ORGANIZEyour thoughts * PROGRAM OF STUDIES DISK INFORMATION-see it for more details

31. UNDERLINE THE QUESTION NUMBER PARTS CIRCLE KEY VERBS FOCUS ON QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY LOOK FOR CORE CONTENT CLUES BE CONCISE OPEN RESPONSE ANSWERING STRATEGIES

32. OPEN RESPONSE FORMAT • STUDENTS’ ANSWERS ARE LIMITED TO ONE PAGE FOR EACH OPEN RESPONSE QUESTION (EXCEPT IN WRITING)

33. THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT OPEN RESPONSE • SCORED FOR SUBSTANCE-NOT WRITING STYLE • NO CREDIT FOR INCORRECT RESPONSE • RESTATE QUESTION ONLYIF HELPS KEEP FOCUS • ASSESSES CONTENT, NOT WRITING • NEED TO MANAGE TEST-TAKING TIME

34. CHECKLIST FOR OPEN RESPONSE • ANSWERED ALL ELEMENTS • ANSWERED CONTENT OF PROMPT • ORGANIZED ANSWER • GAVE SUPPORT FOR ANSWER (EVIDENCE & EXAMPLES) NOTE: NOTHING CAN BE ON A STUDENT’S DESK DURING TESTING EXCEPT THE MATERIALS WHICH CAME WITH THE TEST, A PENCIL/PEN, AND BLANK SCRATCH PAPER.

35. PROGRAM OF STUDIES CD ROM DISK • AVAILABLE FOR ALL FROM KDE-$5 • INCLUDES VITAL INFO FOR ALL • CONTAINS OPEN RESPONSE INFO • INCLUDES CORE CONTENT WEBLINKS

36. Kentucky Department of Education Website www.kde.state.ky.us Department of Education Information Line (800-KDE-5372) Department of Education (502-564-3421) WANT MORE INFORMATION?