1. 1 Fall 2009 Assessment Workshops

2. 2 Subjects LAA 1 is an assessment program composed of many parts. Accommodations Scoring Grades Reporting Standards Tests Tasks Manipulatives

3. 3 Our goal today is to help you assemble the LAA 1 puzzle! Standards TasksGrades Subjects TestsScoring Accommodations Reporting Manipulatives

4. 4 Extended Standards Extended Standards (ESs) are −the foundation of the LAA 1 assessment program −based on selected state content standards, benchmarks, and grade-level expectations (GLEs) −extensions of the state standards −organized by grade spans (3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-11) Subjects: −English Language Arts −Mathematics −Science Standards

5. 5 Extended Standards Articulate academic learning from one grade to the next Facilitate access to grade-level content Move from the concrete to the abstract

6. 6 Extended Standards Handbook Will become Bulletin 127 Describes the development process Summarizes the knowledge, skills, and abilities emphasized for each subject by grade span Presents the extended standards and their link back to benchmarks and GLEs Includes a glossary of terms Can be downloaded from http://www.louisianaschools.net/ld e/uploads/11618.pdf The best resource on Extended Standards

7. 7 Complexity Levels Three complexity levels for each extended standard Descriptions of ways to access the academic content identified by the extended standard

8. 8 Level 1 −Least complex −Reflects a student’s initial encounter with content related to the extended standard. Level 2 −A more complex application of the extended standards. Level 3 −Even more complex learning situations (e.g., comprehension and subsequent processing of discourse, text, and underlying text structure) −Mastery of an extended standard generally indicated by a student performing at level 3.

9. 9 Grades 3-4 English Language Arts Standard One: Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes. Note: GLE 8 (grade 3) + GLE 5 (grade 4) = source of grade-span 3–4 Extended Standard BenchmarksGrade-Level Expectations Extended Standards Complexity Levels ELA-1-E4: recognizing story elements (e.g., setting, plot, character, theme) and literary devices (e.g., simile, dialogue, personification) within a selection 8. Identify story elements, including:  theme  conflict  character traits, feelings, and motivation (ELA-1-E4) 5. Identify a variety of story elements, including:  the impact of setting on character  multiple conflicts  first- and third-person points of view  development of theme (ELA-1-E4) ES-8/5: Identify story elements, including: character 3. Identify the main character in a story 2. Identify two characters in a story 1. Identify one character in a story Standards

10. 10 Tests Grades Subjects LAA 1 Assessment Design ELA and Mathematics −Grade spans 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, and 9–10 Science −Grades 4, 8, and 11 Each subject area assessment is composed of 25 performance tasks.

11. 11 LAA 1 Grades and Content Areas Grade Span Grade Subject ELAMathematicsScienceTotal 3–4 325 50 425 75 5–6 525 50 625 50 7–8 725 50 825 75 9–11 925 50 1025 50 1125

12. 12 Test Administration Procedures LAA 1 is administered individually. The test administrator reads aloud or signs the test to students. LAA 1 is administered over a 6–week period. February 16 to March 27, 2009 Prepare in advance to begin assessing in February. Tests

13. 13 LAA 1 Professional Development (PD) Materials Administrator Booklet Student Booklet Manipulatives List Response Document Task Descriptions Graphics on website PowerPoint slides Please refer to your copy of the test materials during this portion of the presentation.

14. 14 LAA 1 Administrator Booklet An 8½ X 11 inch spiral-bound booklet used by the test administrator: −one per grade span −all subjects tested in that grade span −task-specific instructions −each performance task includes directions, a scoring rubric, correct answer(s), and a copy of corresponding pages from the Student Booklet Tests

15. 15 PD Administrator Booklet Introduction General Instructions LAA 1 Practice Tasks

16. 16 PD Administrator Booklet Header bar Directions Page numbers Scoring Rubric Correct answer header bar directions page numbers Scoring rubric correct answer

17. 17 1-point Scoring Rubric (one question, response is either correct or incorrect) Question: Which object is a tool? Options: apple, toy blocks, ruler, ball ScoreDescription 1 Student response is correct. The student identifies the ruler as a tool. 0 Student response is incorrect, irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured, or not attempted. Scoring Scoring Rubrics

18. 18 2-point Scoring Rubric (one question, two correct responses ) Question: Which two animals spend much of their lives in water? Options: fish, alligator, cat, pig ScoreDescription 2 Student response is complete. The student identifies the fish and the alligator. 1 Student response is partial. The student identifies only the fish or the alligator. 0 Student response is incorrect, irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured, or not attempted. Scoring Scoring Rubrics

19. 19 Scoring Rubrics 2-point Scoring Rubric (two questions, one correct response for each question) Question A: Which animal spends most of its life in water? Question B: Which animal spends most of its life in the air? Options: rabbit, bird, fish, pig ScoreDescription 2 Student response is complete. The student identifies fish as an animal in water and bird as in the air. 1 Student response is partial. The student identifies fish as an animal in water or bird as in the air. 0 Student response is incorrect, irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured, or not attempted. Scoring

20. 20 LAA 1 Student Booklet A large print spiral-bound booklet for the students: −one for each grade span −includes all subjects tested in that grade span −assessment tasks include graphics and text answer options Tests

21. 21 Sample Student Booklet Page answer options graphics and text task #

22. 22 Response Document one per student grade specific confidential test administrator enters student’s scores Use only #2 pencils to complete!

23. 23 Response Document Wait until the student has completed all parts of a task before entering a score. Use only #2 pencils to complete!

24. 24  Individualized Administration Pacing is based on the individual needs of the student. Allow sufficient wait time for the student to respond. Repeat the question or directions if needed during a testing session. Unless the task is interrupted, administer a task only once. The task must not be administered in its entirety multiple times (e.g., give the task today and repeat for a higher score tomorrow). If student is having a “bad” day or is nonresponsive, stop testing and reschedule testing.

25. 25 Accommodations Assistive Technology Manipulatives Task Descriptions Other Manipulatives Accommodations

26. 26 Assistive Technology Any item, piece of equipment, or product system used to enable a student to access the assessment Augmentative communication devices Student’s symbol system −The language in the task may be translated into a student’s symbol system. −Turn in translated materials to the School Test Coordinator following testing. CD of LAA 1 graphics is available upon request for each grade span. −Graphics may be imported into a device or printed as needed. −For 2009, graphics may also be downloaded from the LDE website prior to testing. −Files are available in two file formats (tiff and jpeg)

27. 27 Manipulatives Manipulatives may be used to access any task. Prior to testing, review tasks to determine if the student will need a manipulative for a task. Use manipulatives familiar to the student. Manipulatives Lists are provided. Include suggested manipulatives and activities Organized by subject and grade span Can be downloaded from http://www.louisianaschools.net prior to testing Code as Assistive Technology on response document. Manipulatives

28. 28  Task Descriptions Includes a list of tasks needing further description and/or modifications to accommodate the needs of students who cannot access print graphics For visually impaired-blind or other students who cannot access graphics Automatically sent for students preidentified as VI-Blind Available upon request for other students who cannot access graphics Some tasks are not accessible even with descriptions for these students and are identified as Omitted in the Task Descriptions. −The accommodation Task Descriptions must be coded on the response document to ensure the student is not penalized.

29. 29 Other accommodations? Consider the intent of the task to ensure the accommodation does not invalidate the purpose −For example, if the task measures recognition of number symbols; don’t replace symbols with counters. All accommodations must be used regularly during classroom instruction and assessment. Questions about accommodations −Go from the test administrator to the School Test Coordinator, then to the District Test Coordinator, and finally to LDE Accommodations

30. 30 More Information to Come! But, now it’s Test Administration Time! Find a partner who −teaches at the same grade span. One serves as the Test Administrator The other serves as the student taking the test Administer the first task at that grade span

31. 31 Group Feedback on Administration of Task 1

32. 32 Test Administration Time Again! Reverse roles: The TA becomes the student, and the student becomes the TA. Now administer the second task within the grade span.

33. 33 Group Feedback on Administration of Task 2

34. 34 Share some of your experiences from administering LAA 1 in 2008 Challenges Successes Helpful hints

35. 35 LAA 1 Testing Materials A few enhancements were made to the Spring 2009 assessment materials: −Science instructions clarified for the administration of 2-point tasks −Manipulatives List is posted on LDE website −Graphics file format revised −Response documents provided for each grade

36. 36 Q&AQ&A May I assess more than one student at a time? No. Each student must be assessed individually. Must I move through the Administrator Booklet and the Student Booklet in the order of the tasks presented? Yes. The items are ordered from least to most complex within a test booklet and should be administered in sequence. Consequently, within a content area, assess each student on tasks as ordered in the booklets. Must I assess each student in the content order of the booklet? No. You may begin with the content area that you believe will provide the most success for the student. For, example, the mathematics test may be administered before the English language arts test.

37. 37 May I prompt the student? You must follow the directions for test administrators as written in the assessment booklet. You may read the directions as many times as you think necessary and encourage the student to try. Must the student respond aloud? Students may communicate responses in their typical communication modality. What if the student doesn’t respond to a question after it has been read several times? Mark a zero. What if the student responds to the first part of a question, but then is not ready to proceed (too tired, nonresponsive) with the second part? Record score for the first part on a post-it note affixed to the Response Document and return to the question at a better time. Do not repeat the first part of the question.

38. 38 May a test administrator assess a student with a grade-span assessment that does not coincide with the student’s enrolled grade? For example, if the student is enrolled in grade 9, but the TA believes a 5–6 grade-span assessment is more appropriate, can that student be assessed in the 5–6 grade-span assessment? No. The student must take the test for the grade span or grade in which he or she is enrolled. This is a federal guideline based on the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. Must I read the directions in the Administrator Booklet word-for-word? Yes. (Some exceptions are made for students who are Visually Impaired-Blind.) May I reduce the number of tasks administered, e.g., assess 20 tasks instead of 25? No, the student should have the opportunity to take all tasks. However, if after attempting at least 5 tasks in a content area the student is unresponsive on all of the items resulting in a score of 0, the TA may stop testing. Do not code a score on the RD for the remaining items. Remember: If the student is unresponsive because he or she is having a bad day, try administering the test on another day.

39. 39 Materials Security School Test Coordinators are responsible for storing and disseminating materials. These materials must be returned at the end of the day if they are checked out: −Administrator Booklets −Student Booklets −Response Documents −Task Descriptions

40. 40 Materials Security Response document (RD): Once the TA enters scores, the RD is confidential information and must be kept secure. Be sure to check Student and Administrator Booklets when assessment ends for RDs accidentally tucked inside. Count them! $100 charge for testing company to look for a response document

41. 41 Dual Assessors Student sample: 10 percent of the LAA 1 population within each district Random selection of students Noted with asterisk by student name on school roster RD with words Scoring Study Document printed upper right beside student name and on the label Part of a required validity and reliability study

42. 42 Dual Assessors Who is eligible to be 2 nd assessor? Central office special education personnel Support personnel −Speech therapist −Adapted PE teacher −Occupational therapist −Physical therapist −Evaluation team members, including psychologist −Another special education teacher Must be trained in LAA 1 administration Not a paraprofessional

43. 43 Other Key Materials Parent’s Guide −General LAA 1 information Interpretive Guide −Detailed information on state, district, school, and student scores and their interpretation

44. 44 Subjects LAA 1 Assessment Guide Contains detailed information on the purpose, design, and accommodations Contains 33 sample performance tasks Includes Frequently Asked Questions Can be downloaded from http://www.louisianaschools.net Grades The best resource on LAA 1 tests Tests

45. 45 Reporting Student Results LAA 1 Achievement Level Names and Definitions −Exceeds Standard: A student at this level has demonstrated expanded academic knowledge and skills included in the grade-level Extended Standards. −Meets Standard: A student at this level has demonstrated fundamental academic knowledge and skills included in the grade-level Extended Standards. −Working Toward Standard: A student at this level has demonstrated minimal or inconsistent academic knowledge and skills included in the grade-level Extended Standards. However, the student may be developing introductory academic knowledge and skills that can be built upon to access the grade-level curriculum.

46. 46 Alternate Achievement Level Descriptors (AALDs) −describe the expected level of performance at each achievement level. −provide a progression for the achievement levels. −speak to a range of abilities within an alternate achievement level, recognizing that not all students can do all things within these ranges. −included in LAA 1 Interpretive Guide It is understood that all students may not accomplish all academic skills described at each achievement level.

47. 47 In closing Please share the information and materials you received today with your colleagues in your school/district. Reminder: Various resources are available on the LDE website (Testing-Alternate Assessments-LAA 1). −Extended Standards Handbook −Assessment Guide −Interpretive Guide −Parent’s Guide −Test Administration Manual

48. 48 Questions?

49. 49 LDE Contacts Claudia Davis −Claudia.davis@la.gov −225-342-3393 Leslie Lightbourne −Leslie.lightbourne@la.gov −225-342-3404 Diane Knight −Diane.knight@la.gov −225-342-3393

50. 50 Thank You!