Smarter Balanced Washington’s Transition to New Assessments

1. Smarter Balanced Washington’s Transitionto New Assessments School Counselor Summer Institute Christopher Hanczrik, OSPI June 24, 2014

2. What and Why Standards? • Standardsare statements of what students need to know and be able to do at each grade level and are designed to prepare our students for being successful in whatever future they choose. • We must prepare all our students to live and work successfully in the future and around the world, where there will be constant change and innovation.

3. Standards History • Washington State firstdeveloped state standards in the 1990’s. • These standards have been reviseda few times since then, to keep up with the changing times. • In 2011, Washington formally adopted the new set of state standards, called the Common Core State Standards, to be fully implemented in 2014-15.

4. Washington’s Standards The Common Core State Standards: • Were developed by teachers, content experts, and state leaders from across the country. • Have been adopted by more than 45 states. • Are designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of subject matter, think critically, and apply what they learn to the real world. • Video: http://www.k12.wa.us/CoreStandards/default.aspx

5. Common Core State Standards and Smarter Balanced Assessments • Standards define the content of classroom instruction • Assessments measure student progress - what students learn from instruction • Common Core State Standards Smarter Balanced

6. Five Key Messages for Smarter Balanced Assessments • New assessments are needed due to change in learning standards • Smarter Balanced assessments are being jointly developed by 22 states and territories (less expensive, powerful design) • The name ‘Balanced’ is intentional – ongoing classroom based assessment as part of instruction will improve learning • These tests will be more accessible to more students (translations, accommodations, supports) • 2015 results will set a new baseline of student performance in Washington

7. So, ...to here? Common Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness All studentsleave high school college and career ready How do we get from here... 06/24/2014

8. Common Core Shifts for English Language Arts / Literacy • Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction • Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational • Regular practice with complex text and its academic language

9. Common Core Shifts for Mathematics • Focus strongly where the standards focus • Coherence: across grades and link to major topics within grades • Rigor: In the major topics, pursue with equal intensity: • Conceptual understanding • Procedural skill and fluency • Application

10. The Trail From Standards to Scores Common Core State Standards Score, measure, certification Claims Assessment Targets Items

11. Smarter Balanced assessments are being jointly developed by 22 states and territories • Pooling resources across states lowers the cost and improves the design of the tests. • Current tests cost ~$60-$90 per student; new tests will be ~$30 per student. • New tests will include Computer Adaptive Testing and performance tasks, yielding better measurement of what students have learned. • Grade to grade assessments will be connected so students’ progress can be monitored and instructional supports can be provided as needed.

12. Smarter Balanced assessments are being jointly developed by 22 states and territories • Field test completed by 186,800 students in Washington, and 4,200,935 across the consortium: • Purpose of field test was to: • Help ensure assessments are valid, reliable, and fair for all students • Provide teachers, schools, and students an opportunity to participate in a practice run of the assessment system • Evaluate performance of 20,000+ assessment items and performance tasks • Set preliminary achievement standards that help determine student preparedness for college and career

13. The name ‘Balanced’ is intentional Summative: College and career readiness assessments for accountability Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning All students leave high school college and career ready Common Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness Formative Educator Resources: Digital Library with Instructional and professional learning resources that include embedded formative assessment processes Interim: Flexible and open assessments, used for actionable feedback

14. Digital Library Basics • One Stop: • Accessed through a single sign-on with user permission levels • Educators have access to all of the instructional and professional learning resources for each grade band (Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12) • There will be resources that educators can share or use with students and families, but students and families will not be able to access materials directly. • It WILL NOT be a “bank” of formative assessment items alone. All resources will have the formative assessment process embedded within them. • All submitted materials will be vetted through a Quality Criteria Review Process by SNEs across the nation. • Each resource will be reviewed and rated by at least 3 SNEs • If they do not meet the quality criteria, resources will not be included in the library • Functionality • The application uses state-of-the art tagging and search features so that educators will be able to: • Quickly find resources by CCSS, formative assessment process attributes, etc. • View and download resources • Rate resources • Use social networking features to collaborate with other educators across the Consortium by posting questions and sharing their knowledge.

15. Interim Assessment Design Principles • Administered through the same system as Summative • Can be administered at various points in the year • Optional for districts • Online administration • Adaptive as appropriate • Adhere to Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines • Items drawn from same pool as Summative; full array of item types • Not intended for accountability decisions

16. Interim Assessment Components

17. Current Timelines • All components of Smarter Balanced operational in 2014-15 • Digital Library available fall 2014 (end of Sept) • Preview began June 3 - sign-up available through your district assessment coordinator • Interim assessments available late fall 2014 (Dec?) • Summative assessments administered in spring 2015 • 11th grade – last 7 weeks of year • 3-8th grade – last 12 weeks of year • Grade 3 ELA results must be returned in time for principals to meet with parents before the end of the year (test window is March 9 to April 23 for online, and March 9 to April 15 for paper/pencil)

18. 2015 results will set a new baseline of student performance in Washington • Some people are predicting that the spring 2015 test results will see Washington students falling off a “performance cliff”, with scores dropping. • But the new tests are not comparable so we should not compare scores from one to the other. • We have a new baseline!

19. 2015 results, cont’ • Think of the standards and the assessment as a new target with new results…. I envision two mountains: • People who successfully climb Mt Rainer (at 14,000 ft), will find Mt McKinley (at 20,000 ft) more challenging. • Some will be able to meet the challenge, some will be close and some who previously were able to summit Rainier will not be able to summit McKinley at first.

20. So What is Happening This Summer? • Washington transitions to a new vendor: • Multi-agency cooperative includes Washington, Hawaii, Idaho, South Dakota, US Virgin Islands, West Virginia • Review proposals June/July 2014 • Identify new vendor and begin work August 1, 2014

21. Bottom Line: “Not just another test”…Smarter Balanced is being built by states for states • Preparing your students for a changing world 1 • Supporting teachers with a suite of resources 2 • Connecting learning to life after high school 3 • Providing information to guide student growth 4 • Keeping educators in the driver’s seat 5 06/24/2014

22. Learn More and Stay Engaged • To experience the assessment yourself, take the Practice Test:www.SmarterBalanced.org/practice-test • For the latest news and developments on Smarter Balanced in Washington: http://www.k12.wa.us/smarter/default.aspx • Materials for administration, as well as communication templates for parents and community: http://sbac.portal.airast.org/field-test/resources/ • For questions about Smarter Balanced or the assessment system transitions, contact:Assessment@k12.wa.us360-725-6348 06/24/2014

23. High School Testing in Washington 06/24/2014

24. Summative Assessments in 2014–15 and beyond

25. New Washington-developed Exit Exams • Current exit exams are: • High School Proficiency Exams in Reading and Writing • End of Course exams in Alg 1/Int 1 and Geom/Int 2 • End of Course exam in Biology • Standards have changed, so exams must change • Grade 11 Smarter Balanced tests will be the exit exams for the Classes of 2019 and beyond • In the meantime… we need new tests aligned to CCSS • New English Language Arts exit exam • New Alg 1/Int 1 EOC exit exams • New Geo/Int 2 EOC exit exams

26. 2014-15 Challenge • Due to delayed availability of Smarter Balanced item bank for state use in exit exams, ELA exit examfor 10th graders won’t be ready until May 2015 • May 12-13 conflicts with AP testing, so we will offer schools an alternate date of May 19-20 • 11th -12th graders can retake HSPE in Reading and Writing in March (typical timeframe) since May is too late to get scores back for graduation (not for the classes of 2017 or beyond).

27. Assessment High School Graduation Requirements by Class

28. Assessment High School Graduation Requirements by Class • Alternate assessments will continue to be available for students with disabilities at all tested grade levels (Port/DAPE/Basic). • Options for high school graduation will also continue to be available for students who have difficulty in a standard testing environment.

29. Assessments That Fulfill High School Graduation Requirements

30. So the 2015 HS test administration calendar…

31. What do the Smarter tests look like? Include a variety of types of questions: • Multiple choice • Short answer • Technology-enhanced items • Performance tasks - Questions with multiple parts, including short answers and essays, based on real-world situations 06/24/2014

32. Check out the examples and test drive Sample Items and Performance Tasks http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/ Practice Tests http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/ 06/24/2014

33. Learn More and Stay Engaged • To experience the assessment yourself, take the Practice Test:www.SmarterBalanced.org/practice-test • For the latest news and developments on Smarter Balanced in Washington: http://www.k12.wa.us/smarter/default.aspx • Materials for administration, as well as communication templates for parents and community: http://sbac.portal.airast.org/field-test/resources/ • For questions about Smarter Balanced or the assessment system transitions, contact:Assessment@k12.wa.us360-725-6348 06/24/2014

34. Thank you! Christopher.Hanczrik@k12.wa.us 06/24/2014