Ohio’s Assessment Future

1. Ohio’s Assessment Future The Common Core & Its Impact on Student Assessment Evidence by Jim Lloyd Source doc: The Common Core and the Future of Student Assessment in Ohio by Kathleen Porter-Magnee, et al from the Thomas Fordham Institute

2. Ohio Had a Choice to Make • There are 2 assessment consortiums available to Common Core States. Ohio had to choose to be part of 1 of them or fly solo: • Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) or; • The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)

3. What did Ohio do? • Ohio chose PARCC. • By making a commitment, OH can be at the table with the other PARCC states to influence decisions.

5. Ohio Chose PARCC What are the repercussions of this?

6. Short Term Impact • PARCC will begin piloting its assessment items in 2011-12 (current school year). • Both consortia plan to fully test new assessments in 2013-14.

7. Long Term Impact • PARCC is managed by Achieve Inc. • http://www.parcconline.org/ • SBAC is managed by the State of Washington’s Department of Education • PARCC has certain requirements that all states must follow

8. Assessment Design for PARCC • Assessment design rules apply to ELA & Math • Computer administered, but not “computer adaptive” • Computer adaptive is like the new GRE—test automatically adapts to student’s ability level • Participating states must have infrastructure in place by 2014-15 • Paper and pencil version only for students needing this special accommodation

9. Required Assessments

10. Required Assessments • Extended, multi-session performance-based assessments as close to end of year as possible • ELA—will include tasks focused on writing effectively when analyzing text • Math—will include tasks focused on applying the content and skills learned throughout the year • These assessments scored centrally with results ready “in time to inform the end of year summative assessment score for each student”

11. Required Assessments • Grades 3-8: ELA and Math—End of the Year • Computer-based and machine scorable • Grades 3-11: Assessment of Listening & Speaking • These elements are included in the CCSS • Design plans still being finalized • Teacher-scored using a common rubric • Results not included in student’s summative score • Results not required as part of the state’s accountability system

12. Required Assessments • Grades 9-11: ELA • Required for grades 9 through 11 • High School: End of Course Math • Required, Summative, computer-based, machine scored,

13. Optional Assessments Early Assessments Mid-Year Assessments Optional Formative Performance Tasks (K-2)

14. Optional Assessments—Early Assessments • Diagnostic reading, math and writing • Should be used in early part of the year for the purpose of: • Pinpointing knowledge and skill gaps of students who did poorly previous year AND/OR students who need enrichment

15. Optional Assessments—Mid Year • Performance-based Assessments that serve 2 purposes: • Provide early exposure to performance tasks students will encounter at the end of the year • Act as formative assessments. They will provide teachers with instructionally useful info NOTE—PARCC will not require Mid-Year assessments • Results won’t be used as part of student’s summative score • Some states may choose to require • Some states may choose to include in student’s summative score

16. Optional Assessments—Formative Tasks for K-2 • The primary focus will be 3-12 however; • Formative tasks will be available for teachers to monitor student progress • These assessments will not be used for teacher or admin evaluations

17. Other Things to Consider

18. Data & Accountability • All states will have common achievement levels and the same definitions of proficiency • Cut scores will NOT be locally determined • Student Performance/Score based on summative assessment and performance-based tasks • PARCC and SBAC assure results will be valid for teacher and admin evaluations NOTES: • PARCC assessments will have almost twice as many score points as existing state tests

19. Cost • Currently Ohio spends nearly $70 million/year administering 2 million state tests • PARCC indicated the average test will cost $14—doesn’t include cost of optional assessments • These do not include cost estimates for ramping up technology, internet access and additional staff time to administer

20. Tools for Teachers • Content frameworks to help inform curricula • Interactive data tools to allow educators to view student data and generate custom reports • Online practice tests

21. Other PARCC Considerations • End of Course Exams • PARCC is developing high school exams • Ohio law requires the state to implement them • Mid-Year Assessments • Administered and scored by teachers • Online score training tool will be provided • Ohio will need to commit to ensuring the mid-year results correlate with the results from the summative, end of year performance tasks

22. Ohio Timeline • 2011—Content frameworks released • 2011-14—Piloting and field testing of assessment items • 2012—PARCC begins to release sample assessment items • 2014-15—Technology in place to admin PARCC assessments in place in all schools • 2014-15—PARCC assessment admin begins

23. Additional Considerations--Technology • Tech administered exams will get results back quickly • Broad assessment admin windows and platform neutral for admin • PARCC planning on creating a tool for districts to assess their tech readiness to admin • Ultimately cost and effort to admin will fall to states—this represents a HUGE unknown cost

24. Additional Considerations—Rigor • PARCC requires a common cut score across all states in order to make National and International comparisons easier • There is a considerable gap between the quality of standards currently in place and the ones that will be (i.e. the Common Core) • Fordham grade Ohio’s assessments as easy • 3rd Grade—only 5 states had lower reading and math cut scores • 8th Grade—only 3 states had lower in 8th grade

25. Resources • http://www.parcconline.org/classroom • http://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/December2011PARCCPlaceNewsletter.pdf • http://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/PARCC-Overview-Dec2011.pdf