1. Welcome to the ELA Smarter Balanced Practice and Training Tests
November 6, 2014
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Assessment and Research
While you wait for the webinar to begin, please be sure to turn on your speakers.
You can try this link if your speakers aren’t working.

2. ELA Smarter Balanced Practice and Training Tests Welcome
Stacey Murrell, Ed. D.
Interim Assessments Coordinator
Office of Assessment and Research

3. Balanced Assessment System
Interim assessments and practice performance tasks

4. Smarter Balanced ELA Claims
ELA: Targets by Grade Level for each Claim

5. Smarter Balanced- Practice Tests
Practice Tests are about content/standards.
Experience a full grade-level assessment and see what students will see on summative test
Includes a variety of question types and difficulty
Approximately 30 items each in ELA and math
Also has an ELA and math performance task
Includes embedded universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations for IEP/504 students

6. Practice Tests Embedded
All universal tools
Most designated supports, including:
Color contrast
Masking
Text-to-speech directions and test questions
Translations (glossary): Spanish
Most accommodations, including:
American Sign Language for all math items and ELA listening passages and items (only)
Braille
Streamlining
Embedded Universal Tools: Breaks, Calculator, Digital Notepad, English Dictionary, English Glossary, Expandable Passages, Global Notes, Highlighter, Keyboard Navigation, Mark for Review, Math Tools, Spell Check, Strikethrough, Writing Tools, Zoom

7. Smarter Balanced- Training Tests
Training Tests are about question types and navigating the site.
Smarter Balanced- Training Tests
Opportunity to learn software and navigational tools
Available as grade bands:
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-11
14-15 items, including these new technology enhanced questions: matching tables, table fill-in, evidenced based selected response
No performance tasks
Includes embedded universal tools, designated supports and accommodations for IEP/504

8. Training Tests Embedded
All universal tools
All designated supports, including:
Color contrast
Masking
Text-to-speech for directions and test questions
Translated test direction: Spanish
Translations (glossary): Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Filipino, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
English glossary
Full Translation: Spanish
All accommodations: Streamlining, American Sign Language, Braille, Text-to-speech for reading passages in grades 6-11

9. How to Access Tests
Quick Access (any users): Any Internet-connected computer using a current Web browser including:
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Microsoft Internet Explorer 10
Apple Safari
Advanced Access: Secure Browser can be used- likely TIS would support this installation on the computers.

10. Practice and Training Tests User Guides
Main Resources and Documentation Page:
Practice and Training Test User Guide (PDF):
Provides in-depth guidance on the practice and training tests
Step-by-step directions for using both tests

11. User Guide: Test Layout

12. Basic Rules:
Unable to skip test items- Must mark for review and return to it later.
Answer all test items on page before going to next page. May need to scroll vertically to see all items.
Marked for review items can be located using Questions drop-down list at top of page.

13. Test Tools: All Tests Highlight passages and questions Zoom in and out
Mark for review
Make notes in notepad
View tutorials about item type
Strikethrough (cross out answer choices)
Access test instructions and Help screen

14. Test Tools: All Expand passage tool Left pane has reading passage
Right pane has test questions on passage
Click on icon in upper right corner of left pane to expand passage
Click on same icon to collapse passage

15. Audio Tools/Headphones for Practice and Training Tests
Used in Tests
Accessed Via
Universal Tools
All students:
Students listen to recorded speeches or texts using headphones. They then answer questions on the audio passage.
Practice and Training Tests website, using Chrome, Mozilla
Designated Supports:
Students who have been given supports such as ELL, IEP, 504, and SAT plans.
Students have the directions and test questions read to them by an embedded text-to-speech program.
Requires the Secure Browser be downloaded to the student’s computer
Accommodations:
Students who are identified by an IEP or 504 plan as needing the accommodation.
Students have the directions, test questions, and (optional) ELA reading passages read to them by an embedded text-to-speech program.
Requires the Secure Browser be downloaded to the student’s computer.
ELA Training Test has reading passage capability, ELA Practice Test DOES NOT.

16. Secure Browser Note: Practice and Training Tests
Text-to-Speech is only available in a secure browser. Here are the Supported Secure Browsers for Text-to-Speech:
Windows Secure Browser 6.0 and 6.3
Mac Secure Browser 5.5 and 5.6
Mac Secure Browser 6.0 and 6.3
Linux Secure Browser 6.0 and 6.3
AIRSecureTest mobile secure browser for iOS
AIRSecureTest mobile secure browser for Android
AIRSecureTest mobile secure browser for Google Chromebooks
Instructions for downloading the secure browsers are available on the Smarter Balanced portal ( and in the Technical Specifications Manual for Online Testing.

17. Practice Test Answer Keys
Grade 3 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 4 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 5 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 6 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 7 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 8 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 11 ELA/Braille [pdf]

18. Smarter Balanced: 2013 Pilot Test Extra Practice
These are PDFs which could be used as additional practice for students (such as SmartBoard, group work, etc.).
Grade 3 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 4 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 5 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 6 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 7 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 8 ELA/Braille [pdf]
Grade 11 ELA/Braille [pdf]

19. Office of Assessment: ELA Cluster Assessments
Claim 1 Literary Texts- available now grades 3-11
Claim 1 Informational Texts- under construction, available mid-Dec. grades 3-11
Claim 2 Writing Performance Tasks- available now grades 3-11
Claim 3 Speaking and Listening- under construction, available mid-Dec. grades 3-11
Claim 4 Research- under construction, available late Nov. grades 3-11
Answer Key provided for each cluster

20. Part 2: Survey Questions and Answers
Q: How to use tools
A: The tools available in the practice and training tests are explained in detail here:

21. Q: How will tests be scored?
A: Smarter Balanced will soon be releasing the proficiency score ranges for the tests. I will be discussing scoring/score points possible on ELA test questions in detail during Nov. 12 training.
Smarter Balanced ELA item specifications provide exact scoring points for each item type and task.

22. Q: Are there samples of student writing available as exemplars for writing performance tasks?
A: At this time, student exemplars have not been released to the public. I will share the websites with county test coordinators once the exemplars are shared.
There are exemplar answers shown for the constructed response items that students answer before they write their essays.

23. Q: For writing performance tasks, will the sources be fictional, non-fictional, or both?
A: Based on Smarter Balanced practice performance tasks online, there were no fictional texts used as sources.
The SB sample Grade 6 performance task asks students to write a narrative. This is the ONLY sample of a narrative writing performance tasks at any grade level.

24. Q: How can we prepare our special education students so they are not overwhelmed?
A: Download the secure browser to their computers and let them practice using the tools, supports, and accommodations within the practice and training tests.
Additionally, the interim program replacing Acuity will allow students the same experience in both the interim program and the summative test.

25. Q: Will Smarter Balanced be tailored to WV NxG or Common Core standards?
A: The practice and training tests are aligned to Common Core. There is a crosswalk document from the Office of Secondary Learning. The main difference is the numbering system format; however, WV did edit some of the language and concepts.

26. Q: When will ELA teachers get more specific trainings?
A: Once the interim assessments program (like Acuity) has been provided, then we will begin offering RESA and county trainings.

27. Q: How similar is the writing performance task to WV Writes?
A: Two points I want to share. First, the student writing in WV Writes will have prepared us for the writing. Our students can draft well-written essays. The challenge is that they now read sources and must use the information within the sources to support their own writing.
Second, the essays written in the interim assessment program will NOT be instantly scored by a computer. The essays will have to be hand scored by teachers. The essays for the summative performance task will be hand scored by the assessment vendor.

28. Q: Where can I find classroom activities to use as models for creating my own in the classroom?
Grade 3: Out of This World [pdf]
Grade 4: Animal World [pdf]
Grade 5: Working Together [pdf]
Grade 6: Technology of the Future [pdf]
Grade 7: Sleep [pdf]
Grade 8: The Money We Use [pdf]
Grade 11: Financial Responsibility [pdf]

29. Q: Will grades 9 and 10 have an ELA test?
A: Yes, we are planning on testing grades 9 and 10 in ELA. Smarter Balanced has items for both these grade levels. They do NOT offer practice tests; however, WVDE has practice clusters for grades 9 and 10 and will be providing additional practice clusters.

30. Q: Will the reading and writing tests be scored together or separately?
A: Each student receives an overall ELA/literacy score and four claim (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Research) scores or subscores reported at the individual level.

31. Questions? Survey on this training session Go here: